Dexcom Data To Date

Target Chart	Date	% in Target	% in Low	% in High	# of Readings	Min	Mean	Max	Std. Dev.	25%	Median	75%	IQR	Est Std. Dev.	SE Mean	%CV
	Wed, 9/1/2010	80 %	6 %	14 %	83	49	110	203	40	78	99	144	66	49	4	37 %
	Thu, 9/2/2010	67 %	16 %	17 %	284	39	117	307	57	81	109	140	59	43	3	48 %
	Fri, 9/3/2010	90 %	1 %	9 %	281	58	105	191	32	79	95	128	49	36	2	30 %
	Sat, 9/4/2010	64 %	4 %	32 %	285	53	128	218	45	89	121	167	78	58	3	35 %
	Sun, 9/5/2010	86 %	1 %	13 %	246	58	119	189	30	96	113	141	45	33	2	26 %
	Mon, 9/6/2010	44 %	0 %	56 %	267	66	151	214	34	128	159	171	44	32	2	23 %
	Tue, 9/7/2010	58 %	17 %	24 %	287	41	125	233	48	79	134	155	76	56	3	38 %
	Wed, 9/8/2010	78 %	0 %	22 %	260	73	136	188	27	118	138	151	33	25	2	19 %
	Thu, 9/9/2010	44 %	0 %	56 %	282	74	160	219	37	131	163	193	63	46	2	23 %
	Fri, 9/10/2010	74 %	0 %	26 %	286	91	144	253	42	117	128	158	41	30	2	29 %
	Sat, 9/11/2010	65 %	0 %	35 %	282	83	140	197	30	120	145	162	42	31	2	21 %
	Sun, 9/12/2010	37 %	0 %	63 %	279	68	159	242	43	133	174	186	53	39	3	27 %
	Mon, 9/13/2010	36 %	0 %	64 %	277	73	161	233	36	145	163	184	39	29	2	22 %
	Tue, 9/14/2010	80 %	6 %	14 %	284	55	115	170	32	89	115	143	54	40	2	28 %
	Wed, 9/15/2010	61 %	18 %	21 %	262	47	113	267	48	76	99	143	67	49	3	43 %
	Thu, 9/16/2010	58 %	4 %	39 %	285	59	164	311	80	100	135	246	146	108	5	49 %
	Fri, 9/17/2010	25 %	0 %	75 %	154	75	173	253	53	158	183	206	48	36	4	31 %
	Sat, 9/18/2010	0 %	0 %	0 %	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0 %
	Sun, 9/19/2010	39 %	5 %	56 %	140	39	150	260	54	100	165	189	89	66	5	36 %
	Mon, 9/20/2010	75 %	0 %	24 %	274	64	137	261	40	114	135	155	41	30	2	29 %
	Tue, 9/21/2010	54 %	0 %	46 %	279	65	149	258	43	117	148	182	66	49	3	29 %
	Wed, 9/22/2010	51 %	0 %	49 %	284	72	156	240	39	121	155	188	67	50	2	25 %
	Thu, 9/23/2010	74 %	4 %	22 %	280	56	129	257	40	103	127	147	44	33	2	31 %
	Fri, 9/24/2010	65 %	0 %	35 %	281	82	159	275	45	132	143	176	44	33	3	28 %
	Sat, 9/25/2010	75 %	9 %	16 %	280	39	125	255	42	94	131	141	47	35	3	34 %
	Sun, 9/26/2010	74 %	0 %	25 %	220	63	128	215	38	98	120	157	59	43	3	30 %
	Mon, 9/27/2010	91 %	7 %	1 %	272	56	104	186	26	84	103	122	38	28	2	25 %
	Tue, 9/28/2010	62 %	2 %	35 %	218	60	135	209	44	89	139	167	78	58	3	32 %
	Wed, 9/29/2010	41 %	15 %	43 %	198	39	139	245	63	80	139	199	118	88	4	45 %
	Thu, 9/30/2010	78 %	8 %	15 %	185	50	114	200	37	87	106	148	61	45	3	32 %
	Fri, 10/1/2010	99 %	0 %	1 %	268	72	111	166	19	96	108	123	27	20	1	18 %
	Sat, 10/2/2010	30 %	4 %	66 %	171	48	182	296	65	139	178	239	101	75	5	36 %
	Sun, 10/3/2010	62 %	6 %	32 %	191	52	134	233	40	108	134	161	53	39	3	30 %
	Mon, 10/4/2010	73 %	0 %	27 %	15	92	135	251	50	100	113	150	51	37	13	37 %
	Tue, 10/5/2010	70 %	1 %	29 %	168	62	139	310	54	102	132	161	59	44	4	39 %
	Wed, 10/6/2010	81 %	0 %	19 %	253	66	126	193	32	101	126	148	47	35	2	26 %
	Thu, 10/7/2010	83 %	0 %	17 %	228	85	133	220	25	115	128	148	33	24	2	19 %
	Fri, 10/8/2010	81 %	0 %	19 %	201	65	123	217	41	93	117	139	46	34	3	33 %
	Sat, 10/9/2010	53 %	1 %	45 %	280	60	156	256	49	121	149	196	75	56	3	31 %
	Sun, 10/10/2010	86 %	2 %	12 %	282	57	116	192	31	91	115	140	49	36	2	27 %
	Mon, 10/11/2010	75 %	0 %	25 %	124	67	135	217	39	101	129	155	54	40	4	29 %

The total number of readings for this period is 9476. My average glucose in that time is 136 (134 for just October). I've set the target range for this chart as 65-155. The green indicates the first sensor, blue is the second sensor, yellow is the third, orange is the fourth, and dark purple is days with overlap of sensors. The fourth sensor has had three or four nights where it was ??? for a while or even the whole night. Sensor 4 is still in use and I'm hopeful that the next box is on its way.

I just really, really, really wanted to point out this response to a question on CWD:
http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/dteam/2010-09/d_0d_fsa.htm

Because it's totally right.
I'm a little surprised that the child in the article was diagnosed young, since I'd've thought having parents be in charge of the diabetes at some point would translate to more parental involvement later on, but I think it's really common for those of us diagnosed ages 10-20 (or even slightly younger) to be burdened with all or almost all of the diabetes care from the get go in a way that presents a challenge almost impossible to meet with an additionally intense sense of isolation and a further distancing from parents (as in, one more way they'll never get me).

End Sensor 3

That third sensor was being a pain. It gave me good numbers for about 14 hours then went ??? and intermittently gave me okay numbers.
At 4:30 this morning, I woke up from a bad dream, checked the Dexcom (it was saying "???" but had been saying something like "steady at 100" as of about 20 minutes prior) got up, went to the bathroom, washed my hands, and climbed back into bad. Only as I was going over the side, the sensor ripped most of the way off of my leg. I turned on the light to take a look, and it appeared to be out; I tore it the rest of the way off, then tried to go back to sleep. I was half glad it was out because it had been hurting so much.

I spent most of the day without a sensor (I survived) and about fifteen minutes ago put in another one. This one is on the side of my left leg (same leg) much further up, about three inches from my butt. It hurt very little going in but a little bit when I stood up. I put this one on so that the needle was pointed straight inwards when I was sitting; the sensor is pointed sideways if I stand up. I hope this position is more secure, and I hope this put it more successfully into fat. I will let you know.

I wore the second sensor for thirteen and a half days. It was nowhere near as good as the first sensor. The first two days were inaccurate. Five days of pretty good function followed. So I restarted the sensor. And oy! After that it seemed like there was ??? as often as there were numbers, although what numbers there were, were accurate. I wore it in my abdomen and wonder if this made the difference.
Last night I pulled the sensor (while it was ???ing), took a long bath, and then, with my mother's help, inserted the third sensor. It is in my left thigh. We debated whether to put it going up and down or sideways. I think maybe we should have done sideways but we put it so that it runs lengthwise on my leg. It hurt going in, and the muscle area there is tender. I am kinda limping. In the twelve hours or so since it started reading numbers, there have been a lot of ??? areas, although when I calibrated it this morning, it was only 2 mg/dl off of what the meter said.
I will post a chart in another week when I next upload my Dexcom data, and it will be very obvious how much better the first sensor performed. In 16 days of the first sensor, I got a minimum of 246 readings per day. Now? No way!

My blood sugar meter average is up but I'm really hoping that's because of what time of day I've been calibrating, and when I'm choosing to double check the Dexcom (ie, when I need a largish correction).

Yom Kipper.

This Yom Kippur I:

• Spent a day in services praying, during which I felt connected to what I was saying.
• Layned both the morning and evening readings and was congratulated on reading well by so many people that I think I believe them.
• Read a book that helped my thoughts go where they ought to have (Mitch Albom's Have Little Faith)
• Composed a poem/prayer, which I wrote down afterwards.
• Fasted.
• Talked to interesting people.

But unfortunately, this was my first fast day in which I ran more than trace ketones. I brought (or actually, gave the Rabbi on Friday to bring so that I'd have them on Saturday) urine ketone strips, foil wrapped. I used them in the synagogue and they changed to deep purple as soon as they touched the urine- fifteen seconds did nothing to the color. I didn't have the comparison chart but suspect that means very large urine ketones.
I'm pretty sure I know how I goofed- I meant to run high, but I ran too high. I lowered my Lantus dose too much , and I didn't correct as frequently as I should have. I think wearing the Dexcom exaggerated in my mind the risk of going low. I'm not sure exactly why I think that.
I also think I got the impression that I didn't get ketones easily from checking them a lot when I was a bit newer to diabetes and always having them negative, and that possibly the length of time that I've had diabetes makes me more likely to get ketones now.

Once I got the ketones, I wasn't even sure what to do, other than get more aggressive with my highs, and ended up still holding out to the end of the fast. I'm not sure where my ketone strips have gotten to now, but those ones were expired anyways. I'm going to go buy some new ones in the morning. My blood sugar came down, by the way, and I went hypo (47) around midnight. That's why I'm still awake to write this post.

End First Sensor

It was still functioning pretty well, but after 16 days of use I decided to take it out because it was starting to really itch, the adhesive was off enough that the sensor was partly out and that hurt, and it's going to be Yom Kippur in a few hours and I don't want to be wearing it on Yom Kippur.
The place where the sensor was looks like a red irritated dot, a slightly scaly, slightly red patch around it, and a sticky but otherwise normal ring around that. I'm going to take a bath soon and then maybe it will look nicer.

This first sensor was in my upper left arm. I'm hoping to put the second sensor into my abdomen, on the left side, on Saturday night or Sunday. I'm going to wait for a time when my stomach doesn't hurt much. I don't do shots in my stomach when I have much stomach pain or nausea and I'm not going to insert a sensor during a time when that area is already in pain. If by Monday morning I haven't had a pain free opportunity for insertion, I'll put the sensor elsewhere. My thigh, maybe.

Have a wonderful, meaningful, prayerful Yom Kippur and an easy fast.

Cool Video Song

Totally reminds me of some mothers I know:

Further Thoughts on Dexcom (Still on First Sensor)

The little charge icon on the dexcom, the battery picture, has three bars when full. I get this. When I plug it in and leave it plugged in, the number of bars goes up after a while. I get that.

What I have learned: I recharged the Dex on Wednesday around noon. I did not want to be charging it on Rosh Hashana or Shabbes, which makes for a seventy three hour stretch (I'll have two more such stretches). I was not sure if it would last. Here's what happened: I woke up on Thursday still with three bars, but early it went to two bars. Friday morning I had one bar. Saturday morning I had one bar. Saturday late morning, the one bar started blinking, and I tried to minimize use, but I still had alarms go off and checked it and so forth. Saturday evening when the sabbath ended, it was still blinking one bar.
And that charge up was the quickest yet!

Question: Is there any way to know if the Dex is fully charged when it's charging? Is there anything it does to say it's done, or is the only way to check by unplugging it and taking a look?
Also, any expertise on what makes a charge last longer or go faster? Is it better to charge it when it's at two bars or a blinking one?

I did locate the dexcom website's demo on their software. You can, very blurrily, preview what happens with the software. On Tuesday I'm going to my dad's office where he has a computer running Windows.

I have had one more ??? episode, but it lasted less than an hour and was this morning. Of all the calibrations I've done so far, about half have been within 2%. All but one were within 20%. That one was about 75% off. I think this is overall very good.

The number of fairly flat lines I've seen on the three hour graph fairly well takes my breath away. Of the flat lines I saw on the Guardian in 2008, almost all were due to sensor failure. I saw maybe two legitimate flat lines lasting over an hour in over 100 days' worth of sensor wear. I suspect that this means that I now have more possibility of getting the blood sugars I want, even though I had been assuming that things were getting worse with my body.
I'm also seeing more meal time spikes (I saw almost no meal time spikes on the Guardian) which I think is probably good news about my digestion, but maybe due to a change in diet, of eating lower fat these days.

Diabtes Meme

From Kerri by way of Dorkabetic

What type of diabetes do you have: Type 1

When were you diagnosed: September 1, 2006.

What's your current blood sugar: Dexcom is reading 113 with a slow rise, and my last Accu chek aviva reading, almost three hours ago, was 102.

What kind of meter do you use: Accu-Chek Aviva and Dexcom. I've used samples of various meters and for a study once used a One Touch Ultra for a month.

How many times a day do you test your blood sugar: Pre-Dexcom, I was averaging 9x per day. This past week, it's been about 4x per day plus up to 288 readings from the Dexcom, which I look at frequently. On the Guardian I got down to 3x per day... maybe soon.

What's a "high" number for you: Anything over 155 is a "little high," over 200 is "high" and over about 280 is "really high". Over 350 is "really really high" and makes me upset and angry.

What do you consider "low": 60 is where I consider myself low regardless of symptoms. Above that, if I'm dropping rapidly or under 80, if I'm symptomatic, I'm low.

What's your favorite low blood sugar reaction treater: Soft mints. I also like to mix water and juice (and 5:1) in a water bottle to drink while walking to deal with hypos in a sort of prophylactic way.

Describe your dream endo: Always has time for me, knows about multiple endocrine issues, willing to run tests, no blame, keeps up with products, always remembers what's going on with my help. Follows up promptly. My endo is pretty good.

What's your biggest diabetes achievement: Not letting go of my blood sugar even through the pain of gallstone pancreatitis, or maybe keeping up with my insulin needs as they have changed by a factor of ten.

What's your biggest diabetes-related fear: That I won't be able to work due to health stuff, and that I will adopt kids only to die or be too exhausted to care for them while they're still young.

Who's on your support team: Carrie mostly, but my family and the folks online too.

Do you think there will be a cure in your lifetime: Depends on what a cure is defined as. Sometimes I'm not sure we don't already have it, in some sense, in the pancreas (and islet cell) transplant. I think the odds of a functional artificial pancreas in the next ten years that really and truly manages diabetes are slim to none. I do not care about that really. I think it's much more important to maximize what we have now, diabetes wise.
I think that it's extremely unlikely that thirty years from now, nobody will be dying of diabetes.

What is a "cure" to you: Something that takes ALL of the pressure of managing diabetes off of the diabetic, and maintains good enough blood sugar and diabetes complications cannot happen. I'm not convinced that blood sugar control alone is enough to prevent complications (maybe c-peptide is also needed), but whatever is needed to prevent complications, the "cure" has to provide it.

The most annoying thing people say to you about your diabetes is: I'd rather die than have to do that.

What is the most common misconception about diabetes: That blood sugar control is a matter of personal control.

If you could say one thing to your pancreas, what would it be: Ssssh. You're okay.