3 day Glucose Monitor

I am getting a 3 day monitor fitted on the 9th Feb (the one that takes a reading every 5 minutes). Just wondering if anyone else has had one? Was it worth it? And how easy was it to carry on with everyday life, such as excercise?

I'm getting one because my sugar levels are a bit mad, I'll be fine for about a week/2 weeks (a few hypos) then out of no where it shoots up to 17ish and wont come down no matter how much insulin. I just hope I get a high week when the monitor is on because that's what I can't deal with!

Good luck with it. I have a couple of patients who were like you and they didn't seem to have any problems with it.

Like to know how you get on with it and if the readings drop some too.

Take care
Nick

Well I've just taken it out. Oh what a pain that thing was! First I don't think my body was happy about it being there, cos by Monday evening my sugar levels were through the roof! So it's been a big battle to keep them down.
Sleeping is annoying cos I like to turn and move lots, but you can't lay on it and you have to be careful not to pull the wire. And it's clear that most of the people at my clinic don't excerise or shower! I was assured the plaster wouldn't come off ("It never come off of any of my other patients" She said) with exercise or showering (one of those clear ones that look like skin). but a little bit of sweat and it was straight off, same in the shower. Lucky I demanded more plasters!
Then yesterday it was causing me so much pain when I sat down (which it shouldn't, cos the bit inside you is soo thin most of the time you can't feel it) and the monitor wouldn't accept my readings when I tried. Anyway evenutally it worked again. Now it's out (and I think it might have been infected cos that was painful and yuck to do) so all I have to do is wait for the results.

I don't think it'll be a good as I hoped because of the unusually high BG readings. Hopefully though I can get something from it.
Sorry to sound like a moan, but I was hoping for some good things from this.

That's a real shame. It just goes to show that these "new fangled" gadgets aren't suitable for everyone.
I hope you get it sorted soon

Hi Beanie,

Oh God that sounds as though it has been a really traumatic time for you and it definitely isn't what it is supposed to be. I really feel for you and thanks for telling us about it. Comment??
"Oh what a bummer!!"[center]
You can quote me as a Health Professional if you like

Funnily enough was talking to a patient yesterday who had one fitted and they have not had any problems at all.

Take care
Nick

I hope I haven't put off anyone who is getting one!

I think that the reason my one hurt was because the person who fitted it didn't stick it properly to my skin so it kept moving around.

I'll let you know if I do get some helpful info from it. Next week I find out I think.

Some good news. The reading did show that I hypo every night between 1-3 am, and then my levels go up quite quickly before I wake up. Not so good is that I now know I'm sleeping through most of these (I was up at 2 last night with one, dispite having reduced my long acting now). The monitor reads 2.2 as the lowest reading, one night it had me at that for 3 hours ( I guess that one may have been a mistake, cos I'm sure I would have either known about it or been in a coma?!)
But, one moan! I have been telling them that I hypo during the night for the last 18 months (I was only diagnosed Aug '07) and they were sure I wasn't. My high readings were because I wasn't taking enough long acting! So they had me on 42 units every night! Anyway I cut that back myself straight away, ( down to 32, oh that caused a few arguments with them!) and now I have evidence that I was right! Eat that NHS!

Trust your bodies people, you live with this, your really do know best

Anyway, it's good news, cos now I can make adjustments around it, which should stop the rises after 3am, which will give me a lower morning reading, which should (fingers crossed) help smooth out the rest of the day.


Not so sure about the rest of the readings though on a day to day basis, (I think they might help me deal with things like a cold or injuries) because the rest of my readings were high all the time. Haven't been able to get a meeting with my Nurse yet to talk through the reading properly (both just got loads going on!) but I will in March.
I'll post anything revolutionary, just incase it helps someone else too.

Cheers me deario

Good to know your night time readings though.

Take care
Nick