Sarah Howard
Sarah Howard (nee Tackett) has dedicated her career to supporting the T1D community ever since she was diagnosed with T1D while in college in May 2013. Since then, she has worked for various diabetes organizations, focusing on research, advocacy, and community-building efforts for people with T1D and their loved ones. Sarah is currently the Senior Marketing Manager at T1D Exchange.
Sarah and her husband live in NYC with their cat Gracie. In her spare time, she enjoys doing comedy, taking dance classes, visiting art museums, and exploring different neighborhoods in NYC.
8+, would have been 13+ had my insurance not denied coverage for it when I first went on pump.
Just over four years. I started Dexcom when I got the Tandem G4 pump. I couldn’t live without it now!
I started CGM IN 2017. I am now dependent on CGM. Recently the charger for my Medtronic transmitter failed. I was off CGM for 36 hours. It was nerve wracking to not know where my BG was, but because of my experience with CGM I had a good guess…
CGM is a game-changer! Now I gave real time information about directionality to make better decisions about diet and activity. I think CGM needs to become standard of care for people with type 1 diabetes. And use in the hospital environment makes sense!
I seriously don’t remember when I started on it. Pump has been 23 years, 50 years as a Type 1. I fought for one for years. It is a pain in the bottom but so worth it.
I started with Medtronic probably 10-12 years ago, but at the time each insertion of a sensor was like harpooning yourself. My first insertion, during my training, was very dramatic and hurt like all get-out. So I was kind of on-again, off-again with Medtronic. Tried again in earnest maybe 4 years ago when Medtronic came out with their integrated pump and CGM system, but I had some issues with that, so once again, I stopped using CGM. Then DEXCOM came along. I decided to try it about a year ago, and I love it. Easy insertions, very reliable. And I agree with many of the other comments I’ve seen – now I can’t imagine not using CGM. The ease of use, instant feedback on my glucose levels and trends and detailed reports make my diabetes management so much easier and stress-free!
I started with the first Medtronic sensor which was like a lolipop that I taped on my arm. I couldn’t believe in 1983 that was was nothing to measure the BG. Not even a meter for people. So I followed Medtronic through the Enlite 3 and then changed to Dexcom about 2014. How great now with Control IQ.
Have been a Dexcom user since Dexcom Seven Plus was available. It made life a WHOLE Lot better. While I still had to finger stick for calibration and it wasn’t supposed to be for “dosing” decisions., It was very accurate and quite reliable. Sooooo! G4 and G5 were each better and better. Dosing decisions were actually even better. Now with G6 ——-. I was without sensors for a couple of days while waiting for the VA to send my next supply. Talk about near panic!!! My fingers still feel the “discomfort” after a long time without being stabbed. (psychosomatic)
Been with Dexcom since the Dexcom7. I was delighted when they G4 came out with the smaller receiver. And not with the G6 integrated with my TandemX2 pump – only 1 device!!!! I am NOT one of those people who HAS to have my phone with me at all times. I have been using my G6 to dose since I canot safely use the meter that is covered by my healthplan. I was a 12-15x a day fingersticks person. Problem was, the meter covered read higher than actual. Turns out that meter reads higher on people who are chronically anemic – been that way my entire life. So… I was correcting for high bg’s I wasn’t experiencing, I was dutiful, did a confirmation fingerstick when my CGM said I was was heading low. But…was told by the meter that I wasn’t low, and often that I was high. Lots of major scary lows. Several years ago I was added to the Endo CME list. One of the topics was issues with home mpnitoring systems. Lo and Bewhold! That’s where I learned about the problem with the system covered by my health plan. I grabbed copies of all the reports, read them and then purchased the system with the highest accuracy ratings. For two months I continued with my 12-15 fingersticks a day, comparing (on a spreadsheet) the two meters and my Dexcom. The accurate meter and my Dexcom were within 2-3 pts consistently. Couldn’t afford to pay out of pocket, so I started going with my Dexcom readings. No more scary lows for several years now. In order to avail myself of the patients assistance program of the accurate meter I had to have an Rx. When I called my endo to get the Rx, he told me he knew about the issue. Why didn’t he mention it to me? I was getting scolded for the lows. Dude! DexcomG6 is not only a game changer, it is a life saver.
I started with a Medtronic CGM in 2008, but was allergic to the metal in it. That one had a 1-year warranty, so I had to wait a full year before getting my Dexcom G4. I’ve used Dexcoms ever since. I love them. The Medtronic one was not accurate the first 24 hours of 72 hours you would leave it inserted, which made it kind of useless. The Dexcom was accurate right away and lasted 7 days (now increased to 10).
I started using Medtronic’s CGMs in 2007 off and on as it was not reliable in reporting my glucose. I tried Dexcom for the first in 2016 while using Medtronic’s pump and use it always as I am hooked to having reliable readings.
Just do it📍 If you have to beg, borrow, or steal the things (yes, steal📍), the quickness and accuracy of down arrows and double down arrows can and will save your life. At least, if you take the amount of insulin I do, about 25 units per day. 🤷🏻♂