My weekday “themes” like wayback wednesday and tech thursday won’t be a weekly occourance. In fact, I think I just lack creativity. But I digress.
I have been using the Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitoring system for 2 and a half months now, and I must say I am in love. Being able to see the trends in my glucose levels has helped me lower my a1c by .4 percent in just 3 months. I am crazy impressed with myself and with dexcom.
The thing to be aware of when using a CGMS, as CGMS users are made aware of during training, is to never trust the number on the monitor. When can you trust it and when can you not? Am I really 82 and falling, or am I already 60? Dexcom in particular has a 20 point leway either way – which means when it says I am 75 I could be 95 or I could be 55. How much am I supposed to trust it?
I know, I know, always test first. Which I do, when I can. Sometimes it’s crazy off, like the other day when I woke up and it said I was 389 when I was only 227. Umm, that’s a HUGE difference in a correction bolus. Seriously? And then there are times like last night, when I was sitting outside talking with my boyfriend, and Dexcom said I was 69 and falling, then 60, then 54. So finally I went inside to test (I wasn’t feeling low, which is why I waited so long) and I was only 90. 90 dexcom, really? That’s a 36 point difference. If I had eaten for the 56, I would have been 200 in no time.
But sometimes, Dexcom is perfect. Like today in class:
Perfection, Dexcom. Perfection. (sorry for the glare)
In the past 20 years, we have come to depend on so many electronic gadgets outside of d-life. I don’t know what I’d do without my cell phone. Simply switching from blackberry to regular phone has thrown me for a loop. I am dependent on my ipod for confidence and mood lifts. And without my laptop, I’d probably fail school. Diabetes has given me more of the same. Since I’ve started pumping and using dexcom, I always have three things in my pocket that vibrate. Sometimes I have to look at all three before I realize which one is going off. I trust my phone to give me calls. I trust my pump to deliver the correct amount of insulin to my body. And I trust Dexcom to catch pesky lows and fend of high highs.
Electronics can fail. They are scary things to trust. But now, my life depends on them. I am confident that progression in technology will continue to reinforce our diabetic trust in our gadgets.
The SaJaBla Life 
It can be scray sometimes even trusting our meters. We all know that feeling. You wouls swear you are 50 and the meter reads 100, it’s disconcerting. I agree, I think technology is advancing quickly for us these days. I just hope they get more of it right, lol.
One thing that helped keep my dexcom in line with my meter was to be sure to enter your bg into the dexcom everytime you check it. Make sure you’re still testing before each meal and before bed so you get at least 4 good numbers in there. And get the readings from different fingers. (if you’re like me, it’s hard to stop using your favorite two fingers – pointer and middle of my right hand are constantly sore from all the pokes!)