Over the years I have had a few chances to have a single sensor for CGM just so that I could fine tune my pump settings. Each time it has given me valuable insight and the ability for change but as they were just a trial then there was no real focus on what benefit it could bring if it was there permanently.
Now things have changed.... I have a full years supply of CGM sensors and I plan to get the most out of them. Now I am 3 weeks in and have had a sensor in everyday over that period. In the beginning it was very similar to the trial ones where I didn't see the benefit however once I truly realised that it was here and here to stay I opened my mind to what it could do.
Having the ability to confirm my body feelings is the first advantage to knowing your own body. I have able to show my self that the rapid rise or fall of the BSL would give me different feelings than when it just rises or drops slowly. Being able to look down at my pump and see a single or double arrow is the confirmation that I need to pay attention to what is going on. Have I eaten something and my insulin to carb ratios need tweaking, have I just done exercise and may need a temporary basal rate, am I under pressure and stress or is it just that my basal rate is off. All things that I can think about proactively with the sensor on where as before there would be a reactive element.
The chance to watch the slow rises and falls helps to manage good ranges. I can have little tweaks of insulin to ensure I can cut off the rise or I can have some small carbs to cut off a hypo. I know for me this equates to peace of mind for me and my family.
Please don't get me wrong I do not spend my day sitting there watching my pump now. I sort of wish sometimes that I wasn't so busy and I could but for me life always comes first. With saying that the alarm feature has helped me a number of times. I was in a meeting just the other day concentrating of forcasts and business news of the day. When in this mode I tend to turn off from my T1 so I can concentrate fully. I was feeling fine but all of a sudden I heard an alarm coming from my waist band and as I looked down it was an alarm telling me that my BSL had reached 2.3. Knowing that this had happened I quickly was able to excuse myself and test my blood for assureity and it wasn't quite as low as 2.3 but it was down to the low 3's and I needed to rectify it. I quickly had some glucose and was on my way moments later. With out the alarm I would have been in the dark until I finished my meeting and I took stock of what was going on. In the worst case scenario it could have dropped further and gone into a full blown hypo and I just don't want that at work ever.
Ok having another item stuck to you does take a little bit to get used to but what I can tell you the transmitter is a hell of a lot smaller and lighter than they used to be. Finding spots around the abdominal area, after 8 years of pumping does sometimes have its limits but I still have plenty of room. Sometimes when the pump site needs to change to the opposite side to where the transmitter is can be slightly annoying but thank god for the longer tube lines so that I am able to still wear the pump close to the sensor. Some times if you don't the connection becomes weakened. Not that it is a real big problem cause even if the sensor looses connection there is memory to hold up to 30 mins of data that it will download upon reconnection.
As with the pump, and anything else in life there are pros and cons. When starting the pump the large con for many is having something connected to them 24x7 is daunting and in some cases a reason not to choose pump therapy. However for me, just like the pump the pros out way the cons ten fold. The control, stability and awareness that the CGM brings adds an extra element to the battle that T1D can be. It allows you a sense of strength through knowledge and to get that in real time is great.
Now onto the difficult subject - the cost. To me this is still a luxury item. Once this 12 months is up I don't think it will be in my financial means to continue and for something that ultimately keep T1D's out of the hospital system it is something that should have some recognition of benefit from our governments or health insurance providers.
This is only the start because in the coming weeks I plan to put my 3 year old daughters sensor on and give you my feelings and thought on how it helps me to manage her and her levels. But at the minute I am letting her see it on me for a few weeks so that when I try to put it on her it just seems normal. If there any such thing in this T1D life.
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