I just recently got a CGM that works with my Medtronic 522 Paradigm insulin pump. I changed my sensor yesterday for the first time and for some reason my figer stick readings are not even close to what the sensor is reading. I read the booklet and did some research on Medtronic's pumpschool online, and I know it says that there is a lag and can sometimes be a 20% difference, but yesterday afternoon the sensor was reading over 250 and when I checked my sugar it was 132. This morning it's still not really matching. Does anyone else have this problem? Or is this normal?
Hi Nicki.Sometimes the nunbers are off. Check the calibration factor...your BG divided by the ISIG value. It is it between 5 and 20 it should be okay to calibrate to try and get it back on track. If the value of BG/ISIG is not in that range, you might try turnhing the sensor off for about an hour and then restarting so that it clears out the 'bad' information it is giving you. By turning it off for an nour, and then turning it back on and start new sensoring it, you will be asked for a Meter BG real quick and then another within the next 6 hours..just like if you had just started it from new.
Sometimes it's had to figure out what it is doing. For me, if the numbers are really off, and my ISIG is above 5, then I will choose to turn it off and re-start it in an hour to reset the system.
If you get a calibration error, you can try again when BG is more closely to what the sensor is telling you....but remember that two cal errors will cause the CGMS to think it needs a new sensor. IF YOUR ISIG is above 5, then your sensor is probably still good...it just needs to be restarted.
Don't give up on it!!!
If the ISIG is below 5..then you PROBABLY need a new sensor...but if it were me...i'd try turning if off for a whuile abnd trestarting it...sometimes it can be saved!