Hi guys,
Well, I finally got the (Abbott Diabetes) Navigator Continuous Glucose Monitoring System (CGM). My trainer was here on October 4th, and that is when we got it hooked up. The sensor is inserted about 1/2" under the skin - into the interstital fluid, and each sensor has to be changed on the full fifth day. This is a wireless cgm (as all of them are, I think), with a transmitter (attached to the sensor base) and a receiver. My glucose is read every one minute, so at any time, I can see what my glucose is.
There is a 10 minute lag time, but my hypoglycemic alarm is set for 30 minutes advance notice (for rapid movement), and to also alarm when I hit 69. Since I drop (and go up) rather rapidly, I have to treat the hypo at 69. So far with this cgm, the most hypos I had in one night was 5, all 30 mintues to an hour apart, even with treating each of them.
Back in April or May, I went into a diabetic coma. I also woke up during this and could not do anything. Very scary to say the least, but the liver finally kicked in. It's a shame that I didn't have the Navigator then.
But, at least now, I can go to sleep at night with a peace of mind - for the most part, which helps me to get a better rest - until the alarms go off that is. My kidney function is a little more stable as well, and that keeps some of the hypos away.
Even with this cgm, there is still a chance that I could pass right out or worse (in my sleep), because of the rapid movements. The very rapid movements, can sometimes be far too fast, to catch all of the hypos and hypers. I don't worry about the hypers. I can deal with those. Some hypos can bring about the demise of folks. So the hypos are the most worrisome.
My basals (what the pancreas is supposed to do to keep me alive) are set very good (I do test them at times), and my bolus' (the insulin that lets me eat) are spot on, using an I:C ratio (I:C = insulin to carb grams). As an IDDM (dx'd name) (most recent name they call it is Type 1), I use very little insulin, 5 units daily of Lantus (split 3 and 2), and my TDD (total daily dose of both insulins) is between 10 and 12 units.
However, now that I have this cgm, I hope to be able to get more actual shop time in, and not have to worry that I could keel over on the sander, etc. The big tablesaw is still out of range for me, but I do use my little one.
No Ray, I don't know if I'm going to do a pump (unless and until the doc says it is a must).
Hope things are going well for everyone. I still love ya all!
Jiggy
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