I've been busy at work and at home, and I guess I just fell out of the habit of going to the app and blogging. (My roommate is usually on my laptop). It's a little harder to use the phone, even with a Bluetooth keyboard.
I did want to blog about this, though. I've started using a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system called Dexcom G6. It takes my blood sugar every 5 minutes throughout the day without fingers ticks, and should help me lower my hA1C some. It wasn't bad last time (it was 7.6%), but it could be better. And I was checking my blood sugar four times a day in my fingers. I'm not free of finger sticks--if I need to calibrate the system or if it gives a reading that is inconclusive, I should still have my meter on me. But generally I won't have to stick.
It works by applying a sensor on a patch to the abdomen, then inserting a transmitter. There is a receiver as well, although it can also broadcast to a smartphone. The sensors last 10 days; the transmitters three months. There is an app that keeps track of when you should change it. There are certain things you need to be aware of--you can't wear them in an MRI or CT scan. You shouldn't go through the whole body scanner at the airport, but rather ask to be wanded, patted down, or go through an actual metal detector. They shouldn't be x-rayed. But you can shower and all the other parts of normal life. Here are some pictures to give you some idea:
Anyway, I'm hoping this helps me manage my diabetes better. I'm lucky in that my insurance covers it as durable medical equipment once it's pre-approved and with a couple of in-network providers (mine is Byram Healthcare). I've met my out-of-pocket expenses (my plan has a low deductible and out-of-pocket max, for which I'm grateful). So I don't have to pay anything for the rest of the year, and at the beginning of next it will be 20%, so not bad.
