New no-needle Diabetes treatment

[Florida]

Hello. My BIL was just diagnosed as having adult diabetes, Type II. The multiple finger pricks are tough on him.

I seem to recall reading that there is a brand new technology that has no needles to do the many glucose tests that people with Diabetes do throughout the day.

Can you tell me about that? Thanks, in advance.

[Jeff]

Try using alternate site testing -- the arm for example.

[Mojo's mommy]

Hi,

I think you are referring to the CGMS (Continues Glucose Monitor Sensor).It is worn for 3 days at a time and takes a blood sugar every 5 minutes I believe.

Great technology but very costly...

[lilituc]

Unfortunately, the CGMS systems don't eliminate the need for fingersticks.

[Hollyb]

Hi,

Have your BIL check at the pharmacy that the lancets he is using are the thinnest available (look for something like "ultra soft") and that he has his lancer dialed down to the shallowest depth he needs to draw blood. He may have come home from the hospital with supplies more suitable for a carpenter with calloused fingers. It really shouldn't hurt much -- I've used my son's, and it's honestly in the "slightly unpleasant" rather than "painful" category.

Also, if he hasn't been told this suggest he use the sides of his fingertips, not the ends. The ends are more sensitive.

[deafmack]

Have your brother get the Accu-check multiclix. It uses a drum which holds 6 lancets and has 11 depth settings. Also test on the side of the finger near the tip just below the nail . Do not test on the end of your fingerr because all of tne nerve endings come there and if you test there, it will hurt. Also keep your lancing device set at the lowest setting possible. I keep mine at 1. You only need to pierce the skin to get a tiny drop of blood not make a big hole. The multiclix also is good for alternate site testing. I wish your brother-in-law the best in learning how to care for himself with this diagnosis that no one wants.

[Florida]

Thank you for this good info. I've passed it on to BIL.

[allisa]

Unfortunately, the CGMS systems don't eliminate the need for fingersticks.

Not to sound uneducated.....but why not ? Do you still need to do finger pricks to verify readings ?

[Boo]

Not to sound uneducated.....but why not ? Do you still need to do finger pricks to verify readings ?

As I understand it, you still need to do finger pokes for 2 reasons:

1. Twice a day, you need to calibrate the CGMS by using finger pokes.

2. Any time the CGMS shows an out of range reading (either high or low), they want you to verify by doing a finger poke.

The way they read blood glucose is slightly different. The CGMS uses the interstitial fluid (between cells), which I think may have a slight lag time behind the finger poke method...meaning that you could be lower than what the CGMS is showing. Somebody please correct me if I am wrong!

[rickst29]

and say that you DO need to verify every CMGS reading with a "real" bG meter before treating your suspected out-of-range Glucose level.

FDA and the mfgrs also agree that you "MUST" change the Sensor every 3 days, even though (for many people) the 2nd, 3rd, and even 4th 3-day periods (of re-using the same Sensor) are often MORE accurate and reliable than the FDA-approved initial 3-day period was.
- - - - -

bottom line? I almost NEVER "verify" my Dexcom readings with a bG reading before treating, because I've found that the Dexcom indication is almost always correct. (And switching from 15+ tests per day down to 2-4 is a BIG difference, very nice.) And with regard to the 3-day rule, well, I usually change my Sensor after about 18 days, NOT just 3.

YMMV! Hardly ANYONE says that their results are as nice as mine have been. Most people have MUCH less reliability with the two versions of CGMS now on the market (i.e., Minimed and Dexcom), and they get MUCH less Sensor life before the readings become too unreliable to continue.

[Ali]

This may be a duplicate post. I am also a Dexcom user since July 06. I do get noise! Especially at night. I am tighltly controlled -70 to 150 generally. My noise occurs both with quick changes and at night for no known reason. I love my Dexcom. It is good for spotting lows, spotting major changes in basals-which happen to me. I tend to get readings within 10 points 30 percent of the time, within 50 points 30 percent and totally off base 30 percent. I always do finger checks. Ten or more times a day as I can not always predict what my Dexcom is doing and I am so tightly controlled that I like to know a precise number when dosing, eating or not eating. I am tightly controlled. The Dexcom is great for lows!! I get too many bad sensors for the cost and would never use instead of finger sticks but it helps to spot if my corrections are going in the right direction and too alarm before I get too out of control either high or low. But I still really rely on my fingersticks to catch most of my issues. Good Luck.