CGM in the Cloud & Now On My Watch!

People! It is here! I can see my child's blood sugar all the time!

The Nightscout Project, developed by a group of engineers and hackers with T1 or are parents of kids with Type 1 Diabetes created a way to plug a smartphone into the Dexcom receiver and have it upload to the cloud.

Now I have a website that I can keep up on my desktop, iPad, or phone that virtually mirrors my child's Dexcom readings and will alarm if my daughter is low or high.

I also can upload the info to the Pebble smartwatch, which is what you see on the left.

Now, I don't want you to think this is out of the box easy. I spent a lot of time reading posts on their CGM in the Cloud Facebook page, watched the instruction videos multiple times and spent about a week researching phones, cables and storage containers to carry the "rig."

But, it was easier than I expected. Every time I had a question, I posted on the Facebook group and got an answer, even after midnight.

At first I thought this might be a bit over the top for a teen starting high school. PERFECT for a toddler! But would she want me lurking on her like this, but after talking to her about it, we realized this could be hugely helpful. She is still a growing kid with a brain that is firing at a million times a minute. She is starting high school, in marching band, on the swim team and hardly ever is at home. So this is a win. Plus, she can view her on readings on her phone, which never leaves her hand.

The thought is that I am back up. If I see her numbers climbing sharply around 1:00 pm, I can text her, "Bolus?" to make sure she got insulin for lunch. She can then take care of it before the freight train of highs plague her all afternoon. Forgetting is a big teen problem.

So, here is a screenshot of the website on my ipad.

I'm not going to go into set up, because that is all online at Nightscout and Facebook. But here are the elements of what's needed:

• Smartphone that can take an OTG cable
• Specific cables for data transfer
• Dexcom (extra receiver helpful)
• Data plan for smartphone (most of us use Ting.com for about $9/ month and share referral codes that give us $$ credit when someone uses it)
• Optional Pebble watch, but not necessary.
• Time

What amazes me is that an engineer and dad like John Costik, one of several founders of the Nightscout Project, made this happen for his own son. He loved the Dexcom, but not having his sons numbers available at a glance was inspiration enough to make what is becoming a very helpful tool for hundreds of T1s or parents of T1s. Six Until Me did a great interview on the process that led to us all having access to this amazing info at our fingertips.

The philosophy behind making it available to all is simply, #WeAreNotWaiting.

#WeAreNotWaiting while our endocrinologist tries to assemble the disjointed pieces of the data puzzle.

#WeAreNotWaiting for competitors to cooperate.

#WeAreNotWaiting for regulators to regulate.

#WeAreNotWaiting for device manufacturers to innovate.

#WeAreNotWaiting for payers to pay.

#WeAreNotWaiting for peace of mind that our children with type 1 diabetes are safe.

#WeAreNotWaiting to get some decent sleep for the first time in years.

#WeAreNotWaiting for our child to be able to safely have a sleepover at friend’s house.

#WeAreNotWaiting to give our child a better chance to succeed at school.

#WeAreNotWaiting for others to decide if, when, and how we access and use data from our own bodies.

#WeAreNotWaiting to build applications that focus on design and usability.

#WeAreNotWaiting to compel device makers to publish their data protocols.

#WeAreNotWaiting to insist that patients have access to their own diabetes data.

#WeAreNotWaiting to allow PWDs to have a choice in how they see their own diabetes data, and not be forced to use substandard software delivered that comes with their device.

#WeAreNotWaiting to make it easier to get data off of devices.

#WeAreNotWaiting to bring together the best and brightest minds from around the world to help make things better for PWDs.

#WeAreNotWaiting for the cure.

Minimed 530G Artificial Pancreas. It's All I'm Thinking About.

It really is all I can think about. I called my doctor yesterday afternoon to get the upgrade to the Medtronic Minimed 530G with Enlite Sensor started and they jumped right on it.

The other night I had an occlusion, so I changed my set and bloused for the high even though I had insulin on board. It was clearly not working. But, apparently some of it was. I was asleep and at 1:00 a.m. bolted upright disoriented.

My Dexcom G7 sensor had ended and I didn't want to start a new one while sky high and then falling with a new set. I took my blood glucose and I was 40. I drank a juice. I was still 40. I drank another juice. Still low, so I drank milk and got some toast with peanut butter. I hit 65. Ten minutes later I was 55. I drank more milk and ate cheese. Finally, I began climbing. About 5:00 a.m. I bolused for a 200, which considering how much I ate, was pretty reasonable.

If I had the Minimed 530G (and my sensor was active), none of this would have happened. I actually had any Glucagon laying next to me in bed, just in case all that food wasn't enough and my husband found me unconscious.

So, for those of you that follow me, you know I did the trial for the Enlite Sensor that comes with this shiny new pump. I have lots of posts about the Enlite Continuous Glucose Monitor sensors and the things I LOVE, including this post, so check them out. I was so disappointed not to get the Low Suspend pump, but one a couple people in Austin got it for trail.

One thing I think is weird, and I'd love to hear the engineers talk about their reasoning on this, but why did they change "Low Suspend" on the Veo in available in Europe to "Thresh Suspend?"

"Thresh," is more understandable? Thresh. Ugh. Maybe that was an FDA thing, because it is that stupid. One of my biggest issues with Minimed is their lack of concern regarding user interface. It is at the bottom of their priority list. However, they are kicking out technology that works well and is reliable and on the cutting edge, which means I buy it. I love shiny, but if it isn't the best medical technology my insurance company can buy, I don't want it.

So, I am working on ordering for both my daughter and I before our insurance changes from 90/10 to 80/20. Are you interested in buying this for you or your child?

Medtronic Minimed 530G Low Glucose Suspend and Enlite FDA APPROVED!

Just announced!  

Medtronic Gains Approval of First Artificial Pancreas Device System with Threshold Suspend Automation

Read more here!

This is what we have been waiting for! Read about what I experienced in my trial of the Enlite CGM Sensors that come with the pump. It is SO much better than the sensors offered now. I did not have the low glucose suspend pump, but I can't wait to have that for my daughter and I!

More later!

Wow! Highest A1c Ever for My Tween

We visited my daughter's endo after wearing the Dexcom G4 Platinum Continuous Glucose Monitor for about two weeks. They actually had some numbers to work with when they looked at changes to be made.

I really hate visiting this practice. In fact I hate it so much we hardly ever go. Every appointment is two hours minimum and they want us back every three months? Crap, who has that kind of time with a middle grader in magnet school? I was dreading this appointment because we switched doctors so we could get in at the time I wanted. She is new and I was anxious.

Turns out I love her. She is young and related to my daughter really well. But she delivered some harrowing news. News I shouldn't have been surprised by, but it was a shocker. 8.8 Hemoglobin A1c. Dude. 8.8.

I remember being 15 and hearing the numbers 11. Yeah, really. I would sit in the endo office waiting room filling in weeks of my log book with 151, 127, 210, 101, 98, 164, 175, 97, 120. I remember the him looking at the numbers when he asked to see my hands. He looked at my finger tips and them showed me. Busted. No evidence of taking my blood sugar and back then the lancets were fat and damaging.

All throughout the holiday my kid has been drifting in and out of the 200s. Only when I give her a 125 percent basal increase does she stay closer to normal. Her sensor died a week ago and begged to have a break from it, so I'll put it on her today, but this is freakin' hard. Hormones are a real bitch!

By the way, she wore the first sensor nine or 10 days and the last one more than two weeks. It started irritating her where the corners of the rectangle poked into her skin, so I think we'll stick with one restart.

Updates on my non-blogged about husband in the next post. Bad news. Type 2 is real diabetes.

Technology Only Gets You So Far: You Can Bring A Horse to Water...

So my daughter has been wearing the Dexcom Platinum G4 for about a month. It is SO nice to have her numbers, but it hasn't improved her memory. It is better, but she can't remember to take insulin before, or sometimes even after, she eats. Dude. What do I have to do? She has a thing buzzing at her to remind her! Ahh! 12.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!!

Amazing! Love Dexcom G4 Platinum

Anyone who has followed my blog for some time knows my daughter, 12, has T1 and refused to her core to wear a CGM. I forced the Minimed one on her in 5th grade for exactly one week and she promised me to never, ever wear it again. It took me an hour and a half to get the thing on her and the only thing that worked was a threat that she could not attend a birthday party until she had it on.

The threat worked, but I did damage. The whole, "this hurts me more than it hurts you," may not have been true. It broke my heart. Here I had in my hands THE thing that could make my life easier as a mom of a child with T1 and she didn't want it. She resented me forcing it on her. It also hurt.

Well, she is in 7th grade now and this morning her blood sugar was 135. In fact, in was in that range all night. I checked it by rolling over and looking at a hot pink Dexcom G4 Platinum Continuous Glucose Monitor!

My daughter and I were headed out of town Friday with her best friend. We planned to leave at 4:30 p.m. and she got off the bus at 4:00. She hopped in the car and I handed her the already charged receiver and she thought it was too cool!

I had everything ready to go to put on the sensor on and was all smiles when I said we needed to get it on before her friend arrived at 4:30. We danced in anticipitation for about six minutes, but I didn't lose my cool. I stayed smiling and encouraging and finally she said, "Just do it!"

I counted to three, pushed the plunger, pulled back the collar to remove the needle an carefully removed the inserter from the sensor base. Putting in the transmitter is awkward and was probably the worst part, because you have to push down hard to get it to click twice into the sensor base, but she was OK. We agreed, that was indeed the worst part.

She and I were both surprised that the transmitter is so much thicker than the Dex Seven Plus. Really, it is tall, but right now, in winter, it isn't an issue, but come summer, we are going to have some issues I suspect.

Anyway, we hit the road and she calibrated in the car two hours after starting the sensor and about an hour from our destination. Interestingly, her first BG check was 237, so she entered it as one of the first two calibrations. Her next BG was 135, so she entered that. The receiver asked for another check, thanks to the wide disparity, so she checked again and it was 132. The calibration took! I think the Minimed would have just said Cal Error and I would have had to wait and try again later.

Spending the night at my sister's house was to be the highlight of our trip. I was going to stay with my mom and my daughter and friend with Aunty, Uncle and baby. Her first night, my sister was up with the baby at 5:30 a.m. and she heard this crazy beeping. She text me to ask if she had an alarm set, but I was zonked out. She finally went in to investigate the sound and found her Dex buzzing and beeping. It said LOW in red letters, 55. My sister had trouble waking her up, but finally got a glass of juice in her. I am SO grateful! So, so grateful!!

It has been within 10 points accurate and is supposed to be stellar from day four to seven.

I asked my daughter last night what she thinks of it so far and she said she loves it!

More later about the pros and cons. I downloaded and used the software, have issues with the alarms and the transmitter size, but need a few more days to evaluate. For more info, read Kerri Sparling's blog Six Until Me for her first and second impressions of the Dexcom G4 Platinum.

Adolescent Needs: We're moving on Minimed to Dexcom G4 Platinum

I'm buying the new Dexcom G4 Platinum Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) this week. I've been waiting on the Minimed Enlite Sensors to get FDA approval, but my daughter (12) and I can't wait. I am floored by the changes her body is going through and how that impacts her blood sugars. One thing I know, she needs the latest technology available TODAY. I don't even want to wait for shipping.

I was up at 3:00 a.m. last night as her blood sugars have been near 300 for a few days. I keep bumping her basal to 120 percent, but last night, she was 275 after adjustments and I overrode the adjustment my a unit and set the temp basal at 130 percent. Then went back to bed and said a little prayer that it wasn't to much. She was 120 when she got up.

I've been sitting and waiting for the Medtronic CGM, but the FDA is too slow. I actually wrote a letter to President Obama with tears streaming down my face asking him if he could put a bug in the FDA's ear to hurry the hell up! It was more polite than that. I know it was going to fall on the desk of an intern, but as a mother, I have to do everything in my power to protect my child, so I'm buying the Dexcom G4 and she actually said YES to wearing it. YES!!! She called it "her CGM" the other day and you have no idea how big this is for us. She wants it!

I can keep this by my bed and if my daughter's blood sugar goes low or high in the night I'll hear the alarm! It was 20 foot range! I won't worry in my sleep anymore! I'm going to keep all alarms off and download nightly to see what she needs, but I don't want it interrupting her in school. I just hope she'll look at it once in awhile. I'll update when we have it, but I can tell you that I'm happy! The Dexcom Seven Plus works great. I just really dislike having an extra device to carry around.

Medtronic Survey of New Pump Style Options

So, I got an email from Medtronic Minimed yesterday to take a survey. It was supposed to take 25 minutes, so I as hesitant, but decided to go ahead and do it on my smart phone. I couldn't believe my eyes and I am SO mad I didn't take the survey on my desktop so I could capture some screen shots, a task I have yet to figure out or need on my phone. Anyway, the survey was comparing four different styles/functions of pump/Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM).

There were technically two styles, but one offered artificial-like pancreas functions and one was just a pump with no CGM options, which just seemed weird. They both offered color screens on a remote control to manage pump/CGM functions. One was a rectangle about 1 1/2" x 2 1/2". It sat on a baseplate infusion set and had a "pump" with 200u of insulin inside. This affixed to your skin directly via the base plate infusion set. You had options to bolus from the pump directly, but there as no screen, so probably just an audible system. This would come in handy if you left the remote at home and were out.

The second style was a 2" round disc. It also had an infusion set that went with it and looked like the ones now, but the disc was a pump that held 300u of insulin. The pump could also be affixed directly to your skin or you could clip it to your belt, put it in your pocket and maybe your bra. It had no function for bolusing on the pump, but shared the remote shown with the other one.

The biggie deal here was when selecting which ones you liked best, it was clear they were trying to see if you were really interested in a CGM based artificial pancreas, because the questions said the pump would cease insulin delivery if blood sugar dropped below determined levels, or would correct for high blood sugars if it went above certain levels. The options given were one step beyond the Minimed 530G, the American version of the Veo.

So, while anxious to just get the 530G and the Enlite Sensors, this is exciting stuff. I was really confused why they would ask if I preferred a pump with a CGM that could shut off or auto bolus vs. a pump with nothing but a remote. Dude. That is so Omnipod!

One Last Idea on Manual Insertion of Medtronic Minimed Enlite

OK, I'm going to try one last time to get a sensor on manually and I think I might have an idea about how to fix this. I have been flattening my skin to make it more taught, like I do when I put on a Quickset infusion set. I think that could be my problem; creating too much resistance for the spring loaded needle.

I'm going to try to squeeze up a pooch of skin, so it is softer and squishier. Maybe that will allow the needle to slide in more effortlessly and not trigger the release of the needle. Wish me luck!

Oh! Someday these post may be relevant...when we can actually buy these in the U.S.

Just sayin'...

For What It is Worth, I Asked the President for Help

Tears streamed down my face this morning as I wrote a letter that will be read by an intern and probably never be seen by anyone who could offer help. I had to try though. Maybe if I write every single day, the White House can knock on the FDA's door and ask them what the hell is taking so long.

I simply can't understand. I won't understand how a product being successfully and readily used since 2009 in Europe, can take so long to approve here in the US. What is WRONG with this picture. And, when it is finally approved, American's will be falling over ourselves thankful to have four or five year old technology. I certainly don't blame the President for this, but I do think he could help. Just asking the question, "What is taking so long?" and "When is the Medtronic Minimed VEO and Enlite Sensor being approved and made available to Americans." It would be nice if there was a question about what the hell took so long, but I'm not picky. I just want this pump and CGM for myself and my child.

My frustration is palpable. My desire to take care of my child and myself with the most comprehensive technology available is beyond words. My anger that I can't have what has sat on market shelves for more than three years in Europe literally brings me to tears. Problems this illogical really get to me.

So, I better get to work and hope that someone is doing something out there for the millions of people living with this disease. Something beside making another stupid glucose meter in a new shape or color.

Manual Insertion of Enlite Sensor...Fail.

I have only found this video online and not one single set of instructions for manual insertion of the Medtronic Minimed Enlite Sensor. The video is helpful, but I have found that on my adult skin, her technique was just not that simple. Repeatedly the needle would spring back into its holder as I plunged it into my skin. She does not show the insertion, but does a good job of explaining her process, however, since I have only had success with one sensor manually, I'm pretty frustrated.

Does anyone in Europe have the instruction manual and does it offer a manual insertion technique? What if you were traveling and left the Serter at home? There must be a way to do this without launching the needle back into its casing. I'm not leather, but I do think that a two year old might have the softest skin on earth. So, if any of my European friends who have the Enlite can share their experience, please comment.

My daughter is 12 now and I am watching her blood sugar spike for reasons that can only be hormonal. It is hard to manage. I can't be with her or monitor her anymore. Some days she has band sectionals at 7:00 a.m. and doesn't come home until after a volleyball game at 7:00 p.m. I sure would be nice to have this CGM. Seriously, what is the deal?

Really, an expert advice from lucky folks in Europe, would be appreciated!

Playing With Leftover Medtronic Enlite Sensors

So, I found another Medtronic Enlite sensor from the trial I packed up for a trip I took this summer and I have been playing with it a bit.

First, I had to insert it manually and this is much more difficult than it looked without proper instructions. But I got it and have worn it for nine days. Shhhh! Don't tell anyone. I'm actually going to restart it again this morning and see if I can sneak another three days with accuracy.

I am of course, using my old Medtronic Minimed Revel 723 pump, so it thinks the sensors end after three days, so I have to restart each time. At the end of the sixth day, I disconnected the transmitter and charged it, then reconnected it and started it like a new sensor. I got three more days, so now I'm going to try another restart and see what happens.

I'm so desperate to keep these sensors, I want to stretch them as LONG as possible. Over the trial I wore a sensor every single day and got mighty used to always knowing my blood glucose. I have grown reliant to the alarms to tell me when things are awry, so not wearing it creates a problem. I stubbornly refuse to use the harpoon sensors, but may be forced to if the FDA doesn't get its a** in gear and get this approved.

I'll let you know how it goes, but I want to be clear, I am stepping outside recommended protocols for using this sensor. I don't recommend doing this. I simply have nothing to loose as the end of my sensor life is very near and I want to see how long I can stretch it with accuracy!

Medtronic Enlite Trial: Over and All I Got Was Deep Longing!

The Medtronic Minimed Enlite Sensor Trial was great, but I am truly missing the whole set up. I did have a few sensors I found tucked in a suit case after my trip and have tried to insert them manually, but it is HARD to do it well. So I lost one, feeling like an idiot, and am wearing one now. I've had it on for 9 days. Shhh! Don't tell anyone.

I am wearing them with my old transmitter and when I say old, I mean old. Like 2009, old. But it works well, I just have to restart the thing after three days (I'm back on my pump that doesn't know they new sensors work for six days without restart). At the end of day six, I unplugged the transmitter and charged it, then plugged it back in a started over. Seems to be working very well.

To wrap up my thoughts about the Enlite Sensor:

1. It is simple and painless to insert with the serter. Harder, but not impossible manually.

2. Six days works great and I am certain you could try for more, but that would be a personal choice because this would only be approved for six day use.

3. The accuracy is spot on. Seriously. The variance I see with my harpoon sensors can swing, not wildly, but with more frequency. This Enlite is accurate with very minimal issues. I did have some, but they were temporary and fixed with calibration. One time I had to End the Sensor and restart, but I think that was somewhat a user error issue.

4. I want it for me. I want it for my 12 year old daughter. I want the MySentry for both of us. I want it now.

I can't understand what takes so long. This product has been available for three, going on four years, in Europe. New pumps are being released by small companies with better looks and cooler UI, but I want this. It isn't fancy looking, but it works. We can blame the FDA, but I blame Medtronic for not starting all this sooner. They move much too slow and the FDA brings progress to a trickle.

I am optimistic. The time is passing the same as ever, but I have worn this CGM since April with few breaks and I now rely on it to keep me safe. I can be a mom, focus on my child's care and not worry about myself. If there is a problem, it will be and I love the beeps are minimal.

Medtronic Trial: Enlite Sensor Questions

Still a little bummed I didn't get the Minimed Veo, but I've been thinking more and more about the Enlite Continuous Glucose Monitor Sensor and what it's introduction might mean.

Well, it would mean freedom from harpoons, but really, technologically, it would mean a pump upgrade. Rumor has it they would use the Revel in the US, not the official Veo from Europe, but that wouldn't mean we get to keep our current Revel model.

The current Revel's are programed for the Minilink CGM with a sensor life of three days. The Enlite is six days.

Also, I wonder if they will upgrade the transmitter technology. I'm not thinking so, because I still have issues with weak signals on my trial version. I really need a new transmitter for my personal system, but I don't think I want to upgrade until all of this stuff comes out.

While I totally appreciate the trail on the Veo, and I want it bad, I more than anything want the Enlite sensors for me and my 11 year old. However, I just bet the next major upgrade offered is a combo of a new "Revel" (with Low Glucose Suspend) and the Enlite together. I guess I initially had this thought that I could just order new sensors when they came out, and maybe a new transmitter for extra juice, but that is pretty wishful thinking.

I have amazing insurance (my husband works part-time for UPS and coverage is KILLER), so I'm actually not worried about cost, but this might mean we have to wait for both to be FDA approved, which scares me. I'm eternally sick of waiting on the FDA for new technology. Oh! So weary!

Will you upgrade if a new pump and new sensor system comes out as a packaged deal?

Medtronic Trial: No Veo

Coincidentally, my headline, "No Veo," or "I don't see," in Spanish, is true. My number wasn't drawn in the randomized trial for the Minimed Veo Low Glucose Suspend Insulin Pump. So, no new pump today. Apparently, very few people in Austin got their number drawn in this national study. Boo hoo!

However, I will continue with the Enlite Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) sensors and the Bayer Next Link  for another 13 weeks! YAY! I really love the Enlite.

I really would love your questions. I take a lot for granted and may not be telling you everything you want to know. I have a really busy week coming up, so if you post some questions you might have, I'll get answers to you before my next full post. Thanks for all your support!

Medtronic Trial: Headed to Appointment...

..to see if I get the Veo. Stay tuned this afternoon and cross your fingers!

Medtronic Trial: Upload Complete! Now the Wait. Veo or No Veo?

Today I uploaded my pump for the trial folks to analyze and see whether I am able to continue and be put in the random selection for the Veo Pump with Low Glucose Suspend. If my Carelink log meets some mysterious criteria, my number goes in a hat. If I am picked, I go Monday, May 7 to get trained on the Veo.

Either way, I will continue with the trial, but I may only be testing the Enlite CGM with a Revel pump and not the Veo. I hope to make the trial, mostly so I can tell you all about it! Cross your fingers for me!

Medtronic Trial: Bayer Contour Next LINK Investigational Meter

I promised details on the investigational Bayer Contour Next LINK Meter provided with my pump for the trial, so here you have it. A picture says a thousand words, so I'm going to take advantage of that. Forgive me, however, for the not-so-great picture quality. I had to use my phone camera today, as the other camera's batteries were dead. FYI - If you click on an image, you can see it in a larger format. You also have the option of clicking through all the image up close.

Bayer Contour Meter has a USB connection for charging and downloading readings,

Results are displayed across the screen first in a big bold font, then it shoots to a smaller font as seen as it sends the results to the pump. Tough shot: Green bar says, "Results Sent."

There is a useful "Notes" screen that includes this and the following image.

Notes also includes "Activity," which isn't pictured

The meter also includes a reminder to recheck your blood sugar. I haven't used this yet, but this is a new feature, so I'm trying it out.

This is the Menu screen.

This is what you see when you select "Trends."

The is an image of the Logbook. The text under this reading has a scrolling, "Sent, High Blood Sugar."

Same scrolling text and amber color for a low. Font is white if reading is normal.

Easy on/off button, which seems like a silly thing to show you, but if you have the One Touch UltraLink, you understand. Just try turning the sucker off without throwing it out the window. Such an incredibly simple thing to make so hard.

Pretty cool! I didn't give it enough credit in my first post, but I also hadn't played with it much at that point. I don't upload the meter into Carelink, all results are sent to the pump, so they are uploaded with the pump info. However, if you needed to upload the meter only, you could. Whatcha think?

Who Knew Hormones Could Do That to My Blood Sugars?

I can't believe the last several days.

Here is a snap shot of my blood sugars in mg/dl:
Tuesday: 468 - 55
Wednesday:  478 - 45, 15% of my readings below 70
Thursday: 218 - 40, with 13 % of my readings below 70

The highs were easy; occluded infusion sets. The lows, well, I spent three nights with blood sugars I could not bring up over 80. I drank a total of 15-18 juice boxes, ate cereal, whole grain bread with Nutella and I even did a temporary basal rate last night of 45% so I could sleep. This drastic measure kept me normal and I never climbed above 150 mg/dl until morning. I was SO low and it was exhausting!

The alarms on the CGM; thank God for them, but they drove me bananas. I woke up to a screaming alarm that had been pressed underneath me and my covers with a 45 mg/dl BG, I drank two juice boxes and hoped that would be the end the alarms for the night. After all, I'm tired people!  I crashed back to a 45 mg/dl induced sleep, and BAM! Twenty minutes later, screaming alarm wakes me and I'm 55. Drink another juice and the cycle continues for three nights.

Boy Alert: I am going to discuss hormones, as they relate to blood sugars and, yes, my period!

Finally, I decided to call my doctor and he adjusted my basal rates, but could all this be because of dropping estrogen and progesterone levels? I got my period today and I'm wondering if I would have the same problem tonight. I'm not going to risk it, I changed the basal rate, but this is kinda concerning. I really, really had trouble handling this.

I have a history of BG's being high the week before my period. I also know of one other time I had this exact trouble with lows happening overnight that weren't fixed with a juice box or two, and it was the day before I got my period. But this time, we are talking three consecutive days of overnight lows before my period! Yikes.

I have always wanted a better understanding of how female hormone cycles impact blood sugar levels. I track my cycles and I track my blood sugars with the CGM, I need software to marry to two sets of data and show me some correlation. I want to know how to cope with this before it is a problem. I used to have a couple different basal patterns for the week before, but I switched pumps and never reprogrammed the rates.

I'm just going to call this a freak accident and hope I don't get disqualified from the trial because of this wacky stuff. It was weird and I hope its over!

Ladies, what are your experiences with blood sugar fluctuations throughout your cycle? Ever had anything like this happen?

Medtronic Trial: Minimed Enlite Sensor ROCKS! So Tiny and Comfortable!

How do I love thee, Minimed Enlite Trail Sensor? Let me count the ways...

Seriously folks, I love this sensor. I've had it on since Monday and I have had some hard diabetes days. I'll get to that in another post, but so far, I can't feel a thing and it works like a charm.

I'm not going to go into how to put it on, because all of that is in a video on the Medtronic website.

Some things I love about the sensor:

• 69% reduction in size compared to previous sensor. We are talking a HUGE difference in size, which meant a HUGE difference in needle required to plunge the thing in your body.
• Adhesive tab that holds the Minilink Transmitter in place.
• Specially designed adhesive that slips over the sensor head before you put on the Minilink. Although, it is super soft and easily gets stuck together, so you have to be quick and hold it on all sides.
• Can't feel a thing. Going in, or wearing it. Nothing. Completely comfortable.
• Six days of wear.

Some things I love about the Serter (although I think that is a silly name):

• Hidden needle.
• Easy enough to load, but requires thought.
• Needle retracts after insertion and you don't have enormous needles to dispose.
• I like that you press the button to unlock the sensor, then let go of the button to release the needle and sensor. Don't know why this matters, but it feels less scary that pressing the button and waiting for the scary click. I only have done this once in the trial office, so I'll fill you in on my next experience.

Other than those things above, it works just like the previous sensor on the pump. Same requirements for calibration, but they are recommending we calibrate multiple (as many as four) times per day, but only two are required for wear. Another thing, I think I can get this on my daughter! Really, this is huge.

Do you wear the Medtronic CGM now? What do you love most and what are your biggest beefs?