Hi All. What are your thoughts on using a CGM? My 5 year old daughter has been on and off, mostly off with using her CGM. For us, the CGM is hardly accurate and it is supposed to last for up to two weeks but always comes off sooner. Although her Doctor recommends that she continues on using her CGM, I’m not sure what I want to do…
Also, what areas work the best for accurate readings? We would usually insert on her bottom. We’ve also tried her stomach but the two times we’ve had it on her stomach it caused a huge lump and infection.
Hey!
I was diagnosed at age 7 (I’m now 15) and I got a CGM about 2 months ago. I was super reluctant to get it for a long time because I didn’t like the idea of wearing something all the time, but I absolutely love it now. It makes my life a lot easier (fewer finger pokes, yay!) and I know it gives my mom a good deal of peace because she can see my numbers all the time from her phone. My insurance covers the CGM so that I only have to wear it for one week, and I’ve never had a problem with accuracy. What brand is your daughter using? Mine is Dexcom.
So far I’ve only used it on my stomach and I haven’t had a problem with it as long as I avoid the veins. I also know someone who wears it on her thigh, which I’m planning to do once it gets warm enough to wear shorts or skirts.
Hi. I use a Dexcom CGM. I tried two different Medtronic CGMs, but have found I get much better results with the Dexcom.
Also, as for the reaction on your daughter’s stomach, that sounds like it might be an allergic reaction. I’m allergic to the adhesives used on the pump infusion sets and the CGMs. I have found that two things help me. I have used a light coating of Pepto Bismal on my skin, and/or Bard Skin Prep (the latter more recently). You have to be careful with either of these around the CGM though. What I do is put some barrier on my skin leaving a small circle in the center of the area for the CGM. Once that dries I insert the CGM. It takes a little more effort, but I don’t break out. (the Pepto neutralizes the acidity of the adhesive) Hope this helps!
Hi. My daughter uses Dexcom as well. Since we’ve started using Dex it took a very long time to get a good reading. And each time we changed it out it took a while for it to match her actual BG…I’ll give it another shot and try to ease her into putting it on her thigh. So far she hates the insertion of Dex and wouldn’t allow us to put it anywhere else other than her bottom. Thanks for responding!
Hi! I’m not sure what the bump and infection was from as it only happened when we had her Dex on her stomach. Since that has happened she refuses to let us insert on her stomach and is too scared to put it anywhere else but her bottom. However, there are times when she gets itchy from her site so I will try using the Pepto and see how that goes. Thanks!
Jmichelle: I hope it helps! 
I was diagnosed when I was 7, I’m 31 now, and I still don’t have a CGM. I have a lot of reasons for not wanting one (bad reaction to adhesives in the past, worried about it getting knocked off, self-conscious about wearing a device, phobia of needles makes it almost impossible to learn to insert/inject a new device, etc.) and my A1c has never been above 7.5 since I started taking lantus so it just wasn’t worth it. I’ve recently started considering it because I’m snacking a lot out of fear of lows while at work, which drove my A1c up from 6.8 to 7.3 last year and I’m struggling to get it back below 7. But all my reasons for not wanting a CGM still exist. They haven’t been alleviated yet, even after wearing a demo for a week. And honestly, after seeing how the Dexcom probe is actually inserted and how big that needle is, I’m even less inclined to try it now than I was before. Anyway, it is possible to live a long, healthy life without a CGM. Do you know why your doctor wants her on the CGM? Have you gotten a 2nd opinion? This decision isn’t just about your daughter’s health, it’s about her overall quality of life. If she really isn’t happy with a CGM, why not let her try the old fashioned way? It’ll take more effort, but that doesn’t necessarily mean she won’t be happy that way and it certainly doesn’t mean she can’t be healthy that way.
Follow up–I know I replied to this a while ago but since seeing some of the other replies, I thought I should add something to my previous post.
Like I said, I love Dex. I really do. That said, I lived 7 years with T1 before I even considered a CGM, and during that time I had excellent control. My A1C’s were great and quite honestly, I didn’t see a reason to change the way I was doing things until I got to high school and things got a little trickier.
If your daughter truly doesn’t want a CGM, that’s completely fine. Make sure she (and you) clearly understands the pros and cons, and if she decides she’d rather wait, there’s nothing wrong with that. In the end it’s her decision.
Either way, best of luck!
Hi! I believe her Doctor wants her on the CGM due to her age.
I completely agree. It is also about her quality of life. As I mentioned, she was diagnosed before she turned 2 and although this is the only life she has ever really known, she is starting to make comments like “why she has to be Diabetes” and “why her cousin isn’t Diabetes”. She does not like the CGM mostly because of the insertion and I don’t blame her. I feel like being on the pump alone is working just fine and is enough for her to bare. I have an appt. with her Doctor soon and I plan to express my thoughts on using a CGM so we’ll see how that goes. Thanks for your response!
Good luck with the doctor! I’ve had a couple who were so focused on the A1c they’d forget to look at the bigger picture, so that’s why I asked if you know why your doctor wants the CGM. As long as you two are able to communicate openly about your concerns, I’m sure you’ll find the right answer for you daughter in the end.