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.
Glucose meters weren’t even available when I was diagnosed 😀
I guess there were Lab Tests back in 1964 but for Home Testing all you could get is Urine Tests that only told you how badly you were managing T1
I’m unsure if they existed but one wasn’t suggested for a few years after LADA diagnosis. I’ve tried them twice and find them uncomfortable and difficult to calibrate. Plus, if I’m awakened in the night, I don’t want it to keep alarming after I have eaten. It has been awhile since I tried one and I’m sure all my complaints are user error. Will have to give it a go again since I need help with my times in range.
I’ve only had Dexcom G6, but I am happy with it. You might want to check into it. It seems accurate nearly all the time. I hardly ever do finger sticks any more.
I was only offered the use of a CGM when I was having a hard time controlling my sugars, and I had to borrow it from the clinic I went to. It was big and bulky, I don’t remember liking it at all or if it helped.
Up until the Dexcom G6, they all said you still had to do finger sticks for insulin dosing. It seemed silly to me to do both, so I didn’t get one. Then when G6 said you could use it for dosing, I got one. I am 99% happy with it.
I wanted to use a CGM at the very first, but was put off by my CDEs. For some reason, I had to first qualify (show expertise) to use a Medtronic pump and use it for a number of years before the CDE would even consider it. Then I had to accumulate enough serious lows to satisfy the insurance company and go through the appeal process, because they never grant the first request. When I complained to a subsequent CDE about the difficulties and inaccuracies of Medtronic, she showed me her Dexcom, but said I probably wouldn’t be able to get one. It took several more years and another request and appeal with insurance before I finally got my Dexcom. I quit pumping around the same time and have been happily using the Dexcom and insulin pens for the last decade.
Was diagnosed many years before CGMs were available. Physician prescribed and insurance approved as soon as available.
Did not exist when I was diagnosed (1990). I started on Dexcom G5 about 4 years ago and loved it – wished I’d looked into them sooner. Switched go G6 as soon as they were available. They are a game changer and I recommend a CGM to everyone I talk to that has diabetes or knows someone with diabetes. They’re expensive but if you can afford it they’re a must have! I am sure eventually price will come down and everyone will be able to get them – much as meters did over time.
I was diagnosed at 11 and insurance would not approve until I was at least 16, and even then I needed special written permission from by pediatric endocrinologist.
This is an interesting story. I was diagnosed in July, 1977. There were no CGM’s, only urine test trips (which were close to useless). In 2008 (not sure of the year), my insurance company would not cover a CGM, which was a new product at the time. Subsequently, in 2008, I had a low blood sugar and fell while at work and broke my leg. I called the insurance company while I was convalescing at home and told them that if I had a CGM, I probably would not have fallen and broken my leg. The insurance company immediately approve the CGM for me.
Insurance companies STILL don’t understand Type 1/
My personal belief if Dexcoms need to be given as soon as one is diagnosed. I have been living with type1 going on for 34 years and have seen a lot but the Dexcom has provided one thing none others have trending alerts. I wish I would have had this growing up since back in the 80s my BS was a bit more fluctuation but once I got my Dexcom I was completely happy with it. An with more pumps working with it it has been a blessing from the ole days
CGMs weren’t around when I was diagnosed in 1995. Pumps were also not as common then. My endo recommended, but I was hesitant to wear one at first. About 4-5 years post my diagnosis and many severe hypos later, I agreed. It then took about a year of appeals with my insurance company to get it approved. Getting a pump probably saved my life. I didn’t have another severe low for me than a decade.
I work in a diabetes clinic/research center and had an opportunity to try the early Medtronic professional CGMs. They were big with a cord connecting to sensor (no blue tooth back then). You had to put it in a plastic bag to shower. No readings were displayed, had to wait for download by doctors office. It c was a start! I was able to get the early Medtronic real- CGM when I was pregnant. Helpful, but it was not very accurate so didn’t keep up with it. Later got a Dexcom G4 and was very happy with it. Currently use a Medtronic 670g pump/sensor.
I answered 2 ways.
1. CGM was not developed yet in 1988.
2. Once CGM was available my insurance wouldn’t cover it anyway and I had to wait until 2012 to have an insurance who would cover it. I tried to get it in 2007 but I’d have to pay out of pocket and couldn’t afford it then.
I was dx in 1955, long before personal glucose meters, much less CGMs. In 2015 I asked my MD to prescribe the Dexcom CGM. It took a battle with insurance but eventually I was able to start with the G5 system. Now I’m using the G6 in sync with the Tandem t:slim X2 pump. As long as the tech all works as advertised, I’m very happy.
I was in a new state seeing my new dentist I had a very scary emergency sitting in the chair as my bg dropped to the 40’s She ended up calling my husband and an ambulance for me
After this terrifying scare…I had to do something so I started searching on the internet for help
I discovered cgm’s on Facebook T1 groups and asked my family doctor to order it
My insurance covered it
I’m so appreciative to have the device
I started one as soon as diagnosed but it was medtronic back in 2007. The sensors were so inaccurate and woke me up all through the night with alarms that I quit using them for years.
Technology has changed so much since I was diagnosed in 1961! 🤓 The only way of getting any sort of glucose reading at home in those days was by testing urine. This actually involved boiling the specimen with a chemical solution in a test tube to compare with a color chart.
I wasn’t aware of CGM’s from the book’s I read as they were published @2000. When I started complaining about the extreme variability of my blood sugar, differing insulin sensitivities and the unknown causes, my doctor suggested using one and it was covered by my insurance.
CGM’s didn’t exist when I was diagnosed, but even after they were release I waited a long time before trying one. I’m scared of needles and was nervous bout having to insert the sensor. It wasn’t until I heard about the Libre that I decided to give one a try
Other – diagnosed in 2018. I was given zero help or information on how to dose insulin much less what a cgm was or how to get one. I had to do all the research and call my insurance to see what I could get. After horrible inaccuracy with the Libre – went on Dexcom with better accuracy results – but only after MUCH research of my own on how to manage it.
When I was diagnosed I didn’t need one at the time and then when I need one the insurance didn’t didn’t cover the cgm and now I’m waiting for my doctor come back from a family emergency to get the script to get one finally after 8years of waiting. Ok otherwise I couldn’t afford one
I did not have a choice to get an insulin pump when I was diagnosed in 2004. I inquired about it after the nurse shared with me that they had a device that could administer my insulin without me having to take a shot every time.
I insisted to get one but they said that I needed to live with type 1 for a year to learn how to manage it. I’ve always been involved with technology so I truly believe this would have helped me out of the gate.
When I first found out about a CGM, I had one immediately. It was a complete game-changer. In the beginning, it wasn’t the accuracy that I expected but things have changed tremendously over the years.
I got my first meter at age 32 (diagnosed at age 9 in 1960) and when cgm came out I jumped on and haven’t looked back (except when a reading seems really off). I was ready and willing to pay out of pocket if necessary to keep it once I reached medicare age and had stockpiled what I could, but luckily Dexcom was approved shortly before my stockpile ran out once I was eligible. I did write many emails and letters to all kinds of government involved people and congress, etc during the 2 years before medicare kicked in for me.