A continuous glucose monitor, or CGM, for short, is a life-saving device used by people with diabetes.
These tools can better track blood glucose and glucose trends over time, helping to improve range (TIR), glucose levels, and HBA1C times.
The CGM is equipped with alerts and alarms that can tell users whether their blood sugar levels are dangerously high or low.
But how do you use CGM? How can this device improve diabetes management?
In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about CGM and how to use them.
What is a continuous glucose monitor?
Continuous glucose monitors are small, externally covered devices that many people with diabetes use in place of manual blood glucose testing.
They do not require too much input from users and have been proven to help improve glycemic control.
In contrast to manual glucose checks, CGM automatically tests interstitial fluid (fluid found in the space around cells) by approximating blood glucose levels within 10% every 5 minutes and measuring up to 288 per day.
This is significantly improved in around 10 hours when a person usually manually tests blood sugar levels.
Additionally, CGM shows trendlines, allowing you to predict future blood sugar levels, plan your diet and exercise accordingly. Once you notice a pattern, you can adjust your management to keep it even more on top of its management.
A useful tip is to set up a hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia alarm that will wake you up in the middle of the night. This will help you check your blood sugar levels and avoid an emergency.
CGM technology is constantly improving. A popular CGM manufacturer, Dexcom has products that come with sharing features. This allows people to share their blood glucose data with up to 10 remote followers. This is a great option for parents with diabetic children.
Some CGM systems are now integrated with insulin pump technology, allowing insulin administration adjustments to be made based on blood glucose measurements.
Can someone get CGM?
CGM eligibility varies and is included with any type of health insurance. However, most states’ Medicaid programs, Medicare, and private insurance cover CGM for diabetics.
Some plans will allow insulin injectors to qualify for CGM.
Others need to manually test a certain number of times per day for patients to qualify. Others may need evidence of frequent hypoglycemia events and potential hypoglycemia.
Other plans cover CGM for almost everyone with a diabetes diagnosis.
It is important to remember that CGM is available only with prescriptions.
If you are interested in getting a CGM, talk to your doctor. If you qualify, they can help you get a prescription to try it!
There is also what is called “short term” or “specialized use” CGMs, where you can essentially borrow CGMs from your doctor’s office for a shorter period (72 hours or 2 weeks) to track blood sugar trends and make administrative adjustments.
This might be the best way to try out CGM before actually buying the entire system.
I’ve qualified as CGM! How can I use it?
Currently, there are four different brands of CGM in the US.
- Abbott Rib
- Dexcom
- Medronic
- Eversense
Each comes with its own advantages and disadvantages, so talk to your doctor to figure out what suits you best.
Some are more affordable than others, while others offer more attractive features as patients.
This is something to consider if you are undergoing insulin pump therapy, as only Medtronic and Dexcom CGM can be integrated with the insulin pump system.
Once you’ve decided which type of CGM you want to use, it will help you begin the next step.
Check insurance coverage
This is an obligatory first step (US), but it’s important to know if your health insurance covers the type of CGM you actually want to use.
There may be great compensation that doesn’t require any out-of-pocket or extra charges, but you probably need to pay at least a small percentage of the CGM cash price.
If you do not have health insurance, you will need to pay the total CGM price.
Fill in the prescription
Many CGMs are available as advantages of pharmacies. This means that you can get your prescription directly to the pharmacy each month.
However, some health insurance plans require that CGM be provided as a durable medical device (DME). In this case, the patient should work with third-party suppliers such as Byram and Edgepark.
In that case, your doctor is likely to send you a prescription, and then a representative from a third-party supplier will sort out the freight and delivery. There is no cost to ship these medical devices.
This can be challenging as there can be misunderstandings between health insurance plans, doctors, and these third-party suppliers. But they try to make the process as seamless as possible for patients.
Take part in all training
These trainings, usually hosted at your clinic, feature representatives from companies demonstrating the supply of new insulin pumps or CGMs.
However, more and more of these trainings are also available online more conveniently.
Companies such as Dexcom, Abbott and Medtronic make these training sessions easy to use on their websites.
Do not overly analyze your data
Are you all set up with your new CGM? Congratulations! You have made a huge leap in your diabetic journey.
A common problem that new CGM users often encounter is the urge to overanalyse the data. This allows them to overcorrect both hyperglycemia levels and hypoglycemia levels. This behavior will result in more destructive blood sugar levels (hello, roller coaster!)
In fact, checking too much trends in CGM data can contribute to anxiety and diabetes burnout.
Remember: It’s natural to see blood sugar spikes after eating or falling off while exercising.
Do not set high expectations when starting CGM therapy for the first time. There is a big learning curve and you need to learn how to make your system work.
Relying on an insulin pump (and its existing settings) to overanalyse CGM data to make dosage decisions instead of manually manipulating the numbers.
If you are suffering from anxiety caused by CGM, consult your doctor. They can help you adopt healthy boundaries around technology. Mental health providers are also great resources for remedies.
Make CGM part of the routine
CGM technology is an incredible addition to the tool belt for diabetes, but it’s important to recognize that it doesn’t solve all of the blood sugar plagues.
Habits such as regular exercise, healthy diet, adequate sleep, adjusting medication if necessary, and managing stress are also important factors in living a healthy life with diabetes.
CGM technology allows for better dosing decisions. By determining when and how to exercise, what foods and drinks are the most sensitive.
Knowledge is power! Using CGM data to educate yourself about how your body responds to certain foods, stress, and exercise can be extremely helpful.
Conclusion
Continuous glucose monitor, or CGM for short, is a powerful tool used by people with diabetes to better track their blood glucose levels in real time.
It also provides trend data over time, allowing people to better predict where their blood sugar levels are heading. According to that, you will develop an exercise and diet schedule that supports your blood sugar levels.
CGM can improve blood sugar and HBA1C levels and significantly improve your quality of life.
Check with your health insurance to see which types of CGM are covered (if any).
All brands have their advantages and disadvantages, so consult your doctor to see which brands of CGM are best suited for your care.
It is important not to over-analyse your data after filling out your prescription and participating in the required training (both in-person and virtual);
Don’t forget that CGM technology is a powerful part of the tool belt for diabetes. However, it’s not just the tools you need to live a healthy life with diabetes.
Continuing to exercise, eating healthy, managing stress, adjusting medication as needed, and getting plenty of sleep is also crucial to living well with diabetes.
