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.
I set my alert higher than normal because it takes me quite a while to absorb even pure sugar and have it register on the CGM, so I give myself plenty of time to monitor and adjust.
I answered 55-59 because that’s what I have on Dexcom. However, on my Tandem my low alert is set to 80. Why the big difference? I don’t want alerts from both Dexcom and Tandem. I chose 80 for Tandem so I have plenty of time to stop the drop.
Works well for me. I am
Alerted that I may be going low.
used to have my low set at 60. In a video, the TCOYD endos suggested that you set it at 80 so you can address your BS before it gets too low. Works out really well for me.
Multiple- my daughter’s phone is set at 100 so she will react sooner than later. My Nightscout is set at 65 so I react if she didn’t already
70, all the time.
I have it set high bc I like to have warning well in advance if my bg might go down so low I have to treat it.
I used to have it set lower at 70 to be alerted less. But now it’s at 85 because I found that most of the time I go under 85 I’m headed for 70 anyway so it wasn’t really less anyway, and might as well know sooner.
Night is different, no low alerts except 55 required alert because of compression low false alarms.
Have 80 on dexcom, 75 on tandem
I have my low set on 90 so that I can do something before it gets too low.
I use 80 because my lows seem to come fast.
I have it set at 70 at all times, because it only goes lower from there and rather quickly.
80 because 70 is already low
My low alert is set at 80. Having hypo unawareness means earlier alerts are better.
I change the alert to 90 to 95 if I have to drive any long distances (over 60 miles) because of the hypo unawareness, too.
Good idea about driving long distances.
Thank you, Lawrence S! 🙂
I have mine set at 85, for the same reason most people set their alarms a little higher–to prevent my sugar from going under 70.
I have 2 low settings. 70 low and 55 urgent low. I bump it up if away from home. 16 years t1, and still have awareness. Settings might be too low, but have been able to fix things myself. First I pause insulin pump for 30 minutes. If I seem to feel ok I check bg to verify bg. If shaky or sweaty, I do glucose tabs or skittles.
I have mine set high 90 is my first alert, by the time it hits the 50’s it won’t shut up. I drop fast. My endocrinologist wants the lows to stop because I no longer feel the lows. A little secret, I prefer lows over highs due to the correction for high blood sugars take longer and I feel worse. Lows I take some glucose and they go away. I do get the point, more die from the lows than the highs so following the rules.
During the day, I have it set at 60, but many times I will silence it because after you treat a low, it drives you nuts until the SG comes back up. My TSlim incessantly alarms at 55, so a Rise or Fall Rate alarm is often more helpful.