do any of you get frustrated with constant metering ?

[AllaN01Bear]

also getting frustrated with results . needed to vent, thanks .

[underpants]

1. But you have the thing on your arm that you check with an app?

I don’t know the name of it. I work with several diabetics and they love it. No more finger pricking.

[TexasTowelie]

2. However the continuous glucose monitors are expensive.

They may not be covered under all insurance plans, particularly if someone is on Medicaid. I've always met a couple of physicians who aren't convinced as to their accuracy.

[underpants]

3. Okay.

They swear by them and I know we have really good coverage.

[TexLaProgressive]

6. They are very good at showing trends and how things like foods and physical activity affect BG level

They do not eliminate the need to do an occasional finger stick, but greatly reduce the need. Before I got the Dexcom G6 I was doing 10 and sometimes as much as 14 finger sticks per day after I began multi daily injections of insulin.

[TexLaProgressive]

5. Continuous glucose monitors are like any device.

They have limitations. What is really important is they don’t actually measure blood glucose levels but interstitial glucose levels. This means there can be a delay in the glucose level data that is being recorded especially when rapidly rising or falling.

I currently use a Dexcom G6 CGM, but I always have a glucometer with me.

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

9. It would drive me insane to have a constant needle jabbed into my arm

That's how it works, you know--needle buried in your flesh, 24/7. I can't even stand the jab for a few seconds and am in constant agony with IVs after a max hospital stay of a week.

The thought of a needle buried in me for 2 weeks at a stretch?

[Wonder Why]

10. I have been doing it for 10 years and still hate it. I have had a lifelong fear of needles and

even though I got a pen, it didn't help. It would take me 5-10 minutes to get up the courage to inject myself and a minute or two to use the lancets to test. I can do both far faster now but the fear and hate is still there.

Use a tester that needs as little blood as possible.

Set the lancet shooter to as low as you can to minimize the depth but still get blood. Sometimes I have to do it 3-4 times changing the angle but that's better than once where it hurts a lot.

If the lancet cover doesn't come off easily, it may be a bad one as those seem to have more pain (longer needle or not smooth). Might want to chuck it.

I use the lancet on the side of the finger, not in the middle. Less pain and it allows me to use each side less often. I use only the two small fingers (8 places), saving the middle finger for when it is not the usual time to inject (like if I wake up at night and feel as though my sugar is too low). I never use my index finger - too sensitive.

[IbogaProject]

4. CGM give artificially slightly elevated numbers

You need to still do some fingerstick to get an idea, but the Continuous Glucose Monitors give readings Maybe 20 points higher. Your A1C from the doctor is still the best measure. The CGM is to help you get a better handle on which foods spike blood sugar and what food can lower the spikes. I'm insulin dependent so it has been a big help as my insulin regime had room for improvement. The Dexcom is a better technology but horrible software especially unsilentable alarms. The most insane is an noisy 6 hour warning of sensor expiry even at 4 AM. That was a deal breaker for me. The Freestyle Libre's separate reader was able to be made totally silent. The phone app not. Either way less bother as the libre 1 & 2 are scan to get number. Their new libre 3 will have automatic readings but not covered by my insurance yet. One other issue is the sensors can get knocked off. I'm having to use a huge sticker to cover my Freestyle Libre, not comfortable to remove. Dexcom will send the sticker covers but you have to ask for them. Just have patience, it is there to help not shame you or to feel bad. I've been on insulin for 40 years and the last 18 months with the sensor has been very informative and helped my control if my blood sugars a lot. My A1C was already good at ~6.8 for decades but I was averaging going low every night and spiking after meals. I've changed a few things and am in the good range much more often. Good luck.

[TexLaProgressive]

7. I can understand your frustration

Having lived with type 2 diabetes mellitus for 33 years, going from great control with diet and exercise to currently needing an insulin pump despite still being careful about diet and regular exercise- it is just become a normal part of life for me.

When I was first diagnosed, I was scared I was going blind. Fortunately that was a temporary thing and my vision cleared as I gained better control. The real thing I have never forgotten is how good I felt once my blood glucose levels had dropped to near normal. For this reason I will do whatever it takes to keep BG in as normal a range as possible.

When I was diagnosed I was not given a glucometer but strips that you placed a good sized drop of blood, waited 60 seconds, wiped and attempted to match to a color chart. I think the brand name was Chemstrips. I use to pass them around the table to my family to see if we could agree on a number.

Getting a glucometer was a game changer. That’s when I begin to learn which foods I could eat and how much and which foods to avoid completely.

I don’t know which type diabetes mellitus you have, but this link is really helpful in how the use of a glucometer or CGM for that matter can be.

http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/2006/10/test-review-adjust.html

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

8. Yeah

Because I hate hate hate needles.

Been diagnosed for four years now, and I still can't stand the jab for a reading. I still have to make myself do it once a day. It's all I can handle.

My husband has to do my insulin shots, too. I can make myself do it. But I hate it and will "forget" if given the slightest escape hatch for it.