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Saturday 13 April 2013

Continuos Glucose Monitor

For the last six days I had been wearing a CGM, or continuous glucose monitor. It is in the shape of a mushroom almost, and it sits on top of my stomach and then there is a small copper tube under the skin. Inserting the sensor is just like inserting my infusion sites, except of course, the routine is a little bit different but in terms of actually inserting the sensor; it is very similar as it comes with an inserter as well. The sensor that I use is the Medtronic one; because I use a Medtronic pump and it sends all the stats from my sensor over to the pump and it comes up as a graph on the screen which I really like. Then it tells me if my blood sugar levels are going up or down and I can catch a low or a high before it happens.

I like wearing the sensor because it gives me a sense of security in terms of knowing what my blood sugars are just by looking at my pump. Sometimes it gets annoying though because it has a bit of a lag time, so it can be a bit slow to catch up, but most of the time it's only a couple of mmol off and sometimes it is spot on. The same number on my glucose meter, showing up on the CGM means it is perfectly bang on the right number. I love seeing that. Also, the alarms can drive me mad, although you can turn them off it is still best to have them on, but they do like to sound at night; or to be calibrated and I wake up in a daze at about 1 am wondering what that monstrous noise is. Turns out my sensor just needs my attention, again.

But that doesn't stop me from wearing the sensor obviously because it doesn't bother me too much. Then I can upload the stats onto my computer and it comes up as a graph for the whole week and this one was actually much much better than the last one which I am so pleased about. I feel like I am back in control of diabetes right now and I really hope that it lasts because I want my bunny, but even after my bunny I want good levels.

Anyway, I have to go now!
-Ellie
[Peace&Insulin]

p.s This is in no way intended to be medical advice, this is just my opinion on the senor from my own personal experiences.

2 comments:

  1. I used a Dexcom sensor. It's bloody brilliant. I love my Medtronic pump :)

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