I have been a type one diabetic for many years and would like to get a CGM, but being on Medi-Cal, I am having a hard time finding a Endocrinologist and the ones I have seen won’t recommend I get one. My sugars go from 300+ to in the 20’s and I feel that I need one.
You only need a prescription from your doc; Dexcom will support with education, trouble shooting, training, etc. Surely your doc will respond to a fax from Dexcom for a prescription, if not, change doctors.
Pete, I can understand doctors hesitating to prescribe CGM for you; a CGM system would probably not do much, other than provide documentation, for your “not-realistic” diabetes management. As you say, you have had diabetes for many years which indicates that you should know how to manage, MOST OF THE TIME, wide swings in your BGL; a CGM would help you then to “fine- tune”.
In the meantime, I suggest that you log all your activities, insulin doses and food intake - yes, back to basics. “Activities” include everything from running a marathon to sleeping and also eating times. “Insulin doses” are self explanatory but involve measurement, time and type. “Food intake” is the most complex but requires label reading and accurate measurement; also consider types of carbohydrate in the carb count as well as type and amount of fat content.
Yes, my words are direct and might sound harsh but what you said, “… 300s to 20s”" should be a wake-up call. I’m ready and willing to listen to you and offer you some of the “T1 Wisdom” I’ve gathered over the past 60 years. Yes, I’ve been where you are - woke up early one morning only to see three medics and I don’t know how many drip-bags of D-50 attached to needles in my arms trying to bring me up from a <10 BG.
Dennis, thanks for your comments.
I have done better in the past. (Type one since 1974) but over the past several years, I have developed a lot of psychological obstacles, including panic attacks which make me do some things that are completely counter to what I “should do”. Like, if I check my sugar and it is around, let’s say, 45 I panic and grab some juice or anything I can eat fast, but I over do it and eat too much. And sometimes, if my sugar is high, I will freak out and take some Humalog to counteract my sugar reading. I also have a terrible memory, cannot taste or smell anything and never even get hungry. I’m not trying to make excuses, because I know how to keep records of my sugars and everything I eat, but often my depression and anxiety over take my common sense and I lose control. I tell my therapist that my life is like a 24 hour math problem, between my sugar readings and carbs and how much I exercise and how much insulin I take. I think you know what I mean.
I appreciate everything you said, thanks. I really think that starting to use sites like this, with other people like us will help me not feel so alone.
Thanks again
Hi, Pete, Remember, if you were on Dexcom you would not get to 45 before knowing you were low, nor high without an alert. I have my alerts set at 60 for low, 200 for high (last A1c 6.3). When I then am alerted, I double check with a finger stick, and if warranted, take action. And with the Dexcom you would NEVER wake with the medics hanging glucose. I have been T1 for 60 years (now 70 y/o) but would not have made it this far without Lantus, began in 2000 and Dexcom, began 2005 or 6. Tried pump + CGM but it was such a full time job went back to just Dexcom. Good Luck to you!
I think it would be great if you got a CGM. I got a dexcom 2 years ago and its been a life saver. Helps me control what my sugars doing and allows me to take action before o drop too low on sugar or to high on sugar. I dont like life without my dexcom cgm. I like knowing what o got going on with my sugars. Life is easier being able to look at my dexcom then wonder where im at and then poke myself to find out. It comes in handy and im so glad it was invented!
Hi Pete, Unfortunately I understand exactly what you have gone through. I have been in intensive care for DKA (even been airlifted because Docs didn’t understand DKA), and have had BG’s lower than 20 where I could not even crawl to get a juice box. Specialists can’t understand why I have survived. The extremes happened very, very quickly. I talked to my Endo. and she had me try a CGM for a week. She sent the results to my Health Insurance and they approved me immediately. It has been a new lease on life for me. I had been very “brittle” (doctors love that word…), but now my Dexcom CGM alerts me to any change, and it has helped me to take action before anything serious happens. It’s become my new best friend. I wish you the very best! Debbie