I’ve been diabetic over 30 years now. I’ve never heard anything about not showering after a shot. Obviously, if you’re bleeding you want to take care of that first. But once the insulin is in and the skin has closed, I don’t see what effect a shower could have.
You’re right about the situation. It will be with you for the rest of her life. But you do get used to it until it just becomes part of your everyday life. And kids get used to things pretty quickly. Practically before you know it, she’ll be giving herself her own shots.
If you haven’t found it already, this is the pouch I was talking about. It comes in a few colors.Not sure of the dimensions of the kids’ size. I got one in adult size for when I sleep. It’s adjustable and elastic. (The hole for the pump tubing is basically a buttonhole. You don’t need to worry about it for the CGM. It’s off to the side, nothing will easily go through it by accident, and it certainly won’t bother anything as large as a phone.)
@srozelle it’s amazing how many people I am now finding out have T1d! Like alot of people I didn’t know about it. I knew about type 2 and hurt about type 1 but very little and didn’t even know enough to know my daughter was showing all the symptoms until she was hospitized. I felt ashamed I failed her the way I did and let her get so sick. That is why I want to know so much as well because I want other parents to know more about it, to be talked more about and to be able to recognize before their child is in the PICU with DKA. I signed up for a virtual walk and for a mentor program but going to look into this camp even if it’s virtual. Thank you for your kind words and positivity!
I know your question was to Joe, but coming up during the same diabetes generation - lacking the technology we have now - I think our parents did what they could, as well as they could, with what they had - and we (the kids with Type 1) did too.
I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the technology - my Tandem pump communicated with my Dexcom CGM to adjust my insulin to keep my numbers in order. All the same, I think it’s important not to rely 100% on the tech but know how to manage on your own. Sometimes I feel low although my CGM number is fine - but I’ve got those downward arrows (I turned off the alerts for those). It’s valuable to be able to do things in your own if you can. Right now I’m dosing manually because of an issue with my supplier - good practice although it is a pain. I don’t mean to make you worry any more than you already are, but there is value to knowing how to go “old school” as well.
I’ve never heard about not showering following an injection. Having said that, I don’t do saunas/hot tubs but I do remember hearing we need to be cautious because the extreme heat can cause our glucose to drop. I’m no scientist (Captain Understatement speaking here, trust me) but I think the heat causes the blood vessels to expand which can distribute insulin faster than normal. I’m sure someone such as @Dennis - a very respected, experienced and analytical member of the forum - can correct or explain better. I do know people who will jump in a hot shower to help bring their numbers down but again I’ve never heard about warnings.
I believe that “you never know how strong you are until you have no other choice “. Day 1 g6 observation: I should have marinated. First 16 hours the g6 reads a little low with no calibration, but does track (when g6 is dropping I am dropping) hoping for better absolute value accuracy today. I have a little pain at the sensor site. My belly is sensitive. Good luck today @Mygirl_Meez I found the online videos helpful.
My G6 was way off on the first day, too. Dexcom support says that can happen sometimes, but if you give it 12-24 hours, it usually gets on track. Just don’t try to calibrate it more than twice a day. It worked out for me. The first day it kept telling me I had a critically low sugar when I knew it didn’t. I calibrated the next morning and it was right on track and stayed that way for the next 9 days until I took it out.
@WearsHats thanks! I’m hoping to not calibrate at all. Yes I heard about first-day lows so I’m not surprised and I was going to calibrate tomorrow morning and only if it is still reading low/ finger stick. That and it’s pretty clear my overnight basal is a little rammy I have to back off 10% ish.
@WearsHats ok good to know about showering! I read it in an article but I also know you can’t trust everything you read on internet, and the best advice is someone that’s actually going through the same process. Thank you for the link! I actually bought it last night and that’s the one I got! I think it’ll be perfect for her!
@wadawabbit Ok good to know I didn’t realize hot tubs might not be good and my daughter loves the hot tub😳 she may get real mad at that lol. But makes sense about extreme heat because even a person without diabetes the heat can drain the energy out of you.
@wadawabbit Yes that’s what her Dr’s have said and that’s why they told at first the CGM would be later down the road because they didn’t want us to not focus and get the manual part down. Once they saw the accuracy of her accepting the finger and syringe and me doing it they said we will be fine getting early in diagnosis. And I do realize technology is great but it does fail or have issues at times and I will have to back it up with what I’ve learned already. I have her kit together for all of that to be prepared always incase any of that happens.
@wadawabbit ok Dorie, will do! I need to get that whole snack thing engraved in my head before things that will drop her BG. I remember for going outside to play but haven’t had to do it for much else. Simple enough!
@joe that saying is definitely so true! I haven’t heard about g6 reading low the first day and I’ve watched and read alot about it so I’m soooooo thankful you mentioned that or probably would have had a heart attack several times not knowing beforehand lol. Other then the reading lows I’m glad it’s working well for you! And great to know there’s little pain at sensor site. What would you compare the feeling of sensor being inserted to? My daughter will ask what does it feel like? I don’t think she realizes yet that something is inserted, I think she thinks it just sticks on her like a sticker. I was waiting until we do it to go in depth but she has watched the videos with me. She’s tough, she usually gets scared and then if something is done she says it was that bad!
My daughter loves hot tubs, too, but they are powerful, so please do be careful! No lie: 10-ish minutes in the hot tub will lower my daughter’s BG about 100 points. So yes: she needs to check before going in, have some carbs, and check when she gets out.
I’m sure that’s where the advice about showering comes from. If you like long, hot showers, you could end up low fast without realizing it.
The hot tub is an extreme example, but heat and cold affect BG generally, so that’s just one more variable to be aware of: generally speaking, heat makes insulin more effective, so most people find they need less insulin when it’s hot outside, and more insulin when the weather is cold.
The insertion feels like a momentary pinch, sharp, like getting a static shock. and immediately goes away. Not bad in the big scheme of things. I had wooden spoon in hand in case the needle didn’t retract (see the thread here on T1N LINK). at the end of day 1: I feel a dull pain at the sensor. almost like a muscle ache. If your daughter even notices then she’s likely sensitive like me. I did recalibrate because it was so consistently low I felt I needed to. Cheers good luck!
I used the G4/G5 prior to the G6 and there was a little pain with inserton. I expected similar with the G6 but didn’t feel a thing - literally! Just remember to remove the tape before you insert - I forgot once and was not able to remove it afterward, so that sensor went to waste but I’m pretty sure Dexcom replaced it.
It is daunting, but you’re going to make it! Have you considered requesting a JDRF mentor to help you more directly and closely. They are great volunteers. Best of luck!
Yeah, Joe, you can probably get away with little to no calibration. I’m impressed with the Dexcom. I’m just coming off nearly two years of using the Medtronic system, which emphasizes that their CGM is a guide but not to be reliably trusted. I’m getting used to letting the Dexcom do its thing, and it’s generally been spot on (except for some compression lows this week). But I still like to double check now and again. Especially after I know it’s been wrong for a while.
CGM insertion really isn’t bad. And they make a point of hiding the needle. With my Medtronic Guardian 3, I could see the needle when I loaded the sensor into the insertion device and when I pulled it out of the sensor after insertion. I’d sometimes feel a small prick when I hit the insertion button, but it wasn’t much. (Especially compared to the feeling of having the entire spring-loaded sensor rammed into me.)
Dexcom does it differently. Each sensor is in its own disposable insertion device. Which creates a lot more plastic waste. But it means you never see the needle at all. You just put a flat surface against your skin, press the button, and you’re done. The first time I put one in, I pulled the insertion device away thinking it hadn’t worked. I didn’t feel a thing. Which is saying something, because my nerves are all hypersensitive due to fibromyalgia.
Instead of ramming the entire sensor needle first, you press the sensor with its adhesive gently against your skin, and then a tiny needle that you never see puts the wire into your skin and retracts back into the insertion device. Easy and painless.
Dexcom log Day 2.75, one calibration was needed. Now this thing is spot perfect on. If this is an indication of typical, I can see this as a very useful tool. Just fixed my overnight basal too. Springtime put me out by 15% Easy fix when you can see the slope. I got pain though. Dull, not too annoying. Might be bad luck. How are you doing @Mygirl_Meez ?