Before going to the best continuous blood glucose monitor, I want to ask you:
Do you know what is continuous glucose monitor (meter)?
A continuous glucose meter is a glucose monitoring device that monitors and measures glucose levels continuously with a gap of 5 minutes or more depending upon the brand.
That’s good.
So what are their components?
The continuous glucose meter consists of:
- Sensor
- Transmitter
- Receiver
And how does it work?
Let’s start with the:
1) sensor:
First, you have to fix the sensor on your skin i.e. arm, abdomen, or recommended position by the manufacturer. The arm would be good because the sweating in the abdomen may lose the tap around the abdomen which can make problems while detecting the blood glucose level. The sensor on the skin detects the glucose level in the interstitial fluid and wirelessly transfers it to the receiver through the transmitter.
The duration of the sensor is specified by the manufacturer but the receiver or app that is provided with the system alerts you when it’s time to replace the sensor.
2) Transmitter:
The transmitter act as a medium between the sensor and the receiver. The transmitter is attached to the top of the area where the sensor is applied. As already discussed that the transmitter, from here, transmits the data to the receiver.
3) Receiver:
The receiver is a display screen that shows you the data sent by the sensor through the transmitter. It also shows you the previous reading recorded by the sensor. The receiver also alerts you if the glucose level is too high or too low, status messages, the graph of glucose levels, etc.
Can you tell us the pros and cons of continuous glucose monitors?
Sure.
Here is the table which shows you the pros and cons of the CGM.
PROS | CONS |
i) Show the variation in glucose level the whole day. | i) It measures blood glucose based on interstitial fluid and not the bloodstream so results may be incorrect. |
ii) Can set alarm for a set level of glucose. | ii) You have to change the sensor which costs high. |
iii) Alert you before the sugar level goes low below the set points on the app. | iii) Though it is small, it is attached to your body the whole time. |
iv) Give you information on which food gives you more glucose. | iv) High price. |
v) Help you to manage the A1c level. | |
vi) You can gain knowledge of which activities drop sugar levels fastly. | |
vii) Gives you more confidence and security. | |
viii) Makes you habitual with the data so you can know the data without even looking at the results. | |
ix) You can go for a walk and gym without fear. | |
x) Make your alarm while sleeping at night. | |
xi) Provide you with data with a chart. |
Should I use CGM instead of self-glucose monitors?
My opinion says that you should use this because this will help you to limit a lot of limitations due to the self-monitoring system. If you are unsure whether to use it or not use it then use your existing self-monitoring system with these continuous glucose monitors and tally their results. It will help you a lot and will tell you the reliability of the technology of CGM. At night and during exercises the CGM is extremely beneficial because during night time it will warn you about your glucose dropping level and during exercise, it will help you to show the results just at a glance so you have to continue your exercise without the stress of being not knowing your glucose level.
Also when you tally the results of the self-monitoring system with the CGM you will be able to recognize if the CGM is showing correct readings or wrong readings. The continuous glucometer shows the readings continuously so after food, you will be able to recognize which food is making your glucose level high or normal.
If you are a parent and your child goes to school or academy then CGM becomes necessary because you can check your kid’s blood glucose level just by looking at your smartwatch or mobile phone app in your office or your work area. The smartwatch will alert you by vibration or sound so that you take steps before it’s going into dangerous conditions by informing the school authority or carer. It will help you a lot to relieve yourself while working.
Now coming to the best continuous glucose monitor which is Dexcom G6 CGM. Now let me explain to you the Dexcom G6 CGM in detail.
1) Dexcom G6 CGM:
The Dexcom G6 is the best continuous blood glucose monitor that is perfect for diabetic patients with ages 2 years and older.
The Dexcom G6 CGM has a sensor with a transmitter on its top which you can put on the skin. The sensor reads the glucose level every after 5 minutes. The receiver is not required here because your phone works as a receiver due to their compatible app for iPhone as well as Android.
In the above picture, the app shows the dots which show the glucose reading and the gap shows the time which is apart 5 minutes from each other. The app also has a customizable option where you can set the minimum and maximum values of your blood glucose level, so your doctor may recommend you the values for you. The app has arrows that show you different indications which we will discuss now.
If your blood glucose level is normal it will show you a grey color arrow.
The red arrow shows that your glucose level is below the set value.
Yellow means that your glucose level is above your set limit.
The app also has other arrows which show you the speed and the direction of the glucose where it is heading.
Two arrows mean that you are dropping sugar levels fast.
One arrow means that your glucose level is dropping slowly.
Why I should choose Decom G6 GCM?
The following points will make you compel to buy this device.
With Dexcom G6 CGM you can invite 5 people to follow you so they can see also see your reading in real-time, so if you are a parent or someone you care about has diabetes, through this, you can regularly check his/her glucose level wherever you are and take action when you get alert of your child.
You can check the pattern of whether you are spiking high or dropping low during nighttime so you can do a better treatment decision about this.
The Dexcom G6 CGM provides you 24/7 tech support where you can ask your questions and suggestions.
And if you are sick of finger pricks, Dexcom G6 CGM will make you free from them.
Conclusion:
In short, I would say if you are parents or caring for someone but you can’t stay always with the patient or the patient can’t stay with you then I will definitely recommend you to use Dexcom G6 CGM. Besides this benefit, Dexcom G6 CGM has a lot of other benefits which you have read above. So I recommend you Dexcom G6 CGM for yourself and your loved one.
Comment on your experience with Dexcom G6 CGM in the comment box.
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