Continuous Glucose Monitoring

Various events can affect your diabetes. Illnesses will often cause blood sugar to go sky high requiring extra insulin and longer recovery times sometimes resulting in DKA, Diabetic Ketoacidosis, which is why it is strongly encouraged for diabetics to get yearly flu vaccinations and keep pneumonia vaccine up to date. Excitement can sometimes cause blood sugar to go low as can sudden emotional changes. Careful monitoring of glucose levels can lower chances of sudden spikes or dips in blood sugar. A new device called a CGM – continuous glucose monitoring is applied to your body and constantly checks blood sugar sending readings to an insulin pump notifying you of the need of insulin increase need or need to suspend insulin delivery for a short period of time. The sensor is inserted under the skin and it is connected to a transmitter. It can help people not prick their fingers anymore to get the blood sugar. You can swipe the patch with a wireless device. That can help for parents with kids who have diabetes at a very young age, the parents can swipe the device to be easier to read the blood sugar, so they would have to fight with pricking fingers and dealing with a pump. The pump can cost up to $1,200 before insurance. A CGM can notify you of an upcoming low or high blood pressure before it fully takes effect. There are three kinds of CGMs that people can choose from. The three CGMs are Minimed 670G insulin pump system (which my mom has), guardian connect smart CGM, and iPro 2 professional CGM. I have a friend that uses one of the CGMs and it has saved him from having a low or high during school or during cross country practice. The product can be helpful for type 1 and type 2 diabetes.