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If you use a CGM, how often do you feel your blood glucose levels dropping before your CGM alerts you of a low?
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I said “sometimes”, but could have said “often.” Sometimes I get the CGM warning first, sometimes I start feeling lightheaded, usually when I’m doing something or working around the house or yard. Years ago, when I was employed, I rarely was aware of my low BG’s. Since retirement, I seem to feel light headed early when I’m going low.
Rarely. Only when it’s dropping very fast.
I could feel hypos pretty distinctly in the beginning but I’ve become very hypo unaware since getting my numbers under control. I definitely notice them more if I’ve been running high in the past few hours but if I’ve been sitting right around 100 for a while and I drop I won’t feel a thing at 40.
Sometimes, I don’t feel it at all and the sensor alarms and I am surprised and thankful! Before CGM, I was having bad lows (sweating, shaking) several times a week because I had sunk too low. Now, that rarely happens.
I’ve changed my low alarm to ring at 80. Unless it’s dropping quickly, it will usually alarm first.
At night, pain in my hips wakes me before the CGM. I then notice that my CGM says I am going low or high, and I get up to fix it.
I don’t rely on the the alerts, I look at the CGM BG value and trend (direction) indicator on my phone or pump regularly to see where my BG is and where it’s going. I find being proactive works better for me than being reactive to alerts and alarms.
#BeWell
Sometimes I don’t hear the alarm due to background noise. I have felt a low on occasion before the alarm if it is a rapid drop.
Depends on how fast they’re dropping. I’m very unaware of highs or lows most of the time, unless my levels are dropping very fast. If that’s the case I may be aware just before a low alarm alert.
I’ve had hypoglycaemia unawareness for close on 30 years now, and it’s extremely rare for me to ‘feel’ or ‘sense’ a hypo coming on.
I have my CGM set at 90 so I wouldn’t feel a low. This works out very well.
I said “never,” since due to total hypoglycemic unawareness I never feel it dropping, which is the main reason I got the CGM.
Never, because I have my low point set at 80 instead of 70. My experience is that when I go low, I rush low, so I need the extra time.
Often. I sense lows coming a mile away and they always seem to hit like a ton of bricks. A dog might sense them a minute or two quicker, but a sensor? Never. 📎
I don’t feel my lows which is why having a CGM is so important. I only know I’m low because of the alarms.
I said sometimes. Before using CGM, I had hypoglycemia unawareness and often got low without realizing. Since I spend little time low w CGM and control IQ, my hypoglycemia sensitivity has improved immensely. So if I happen to be off sensor, or the sensor is off, I am still protected, because being infrequently low by using CGM w CIQ preserves my ability to detect hypo’s. A virtuos circle 🙂
I have Hypoglycemia Unawareness. When my blood sugar is well controlled, I feel my blood sugar dropping before the CGM “sees” it. When I am not well controlled, I don’t recognize that I am dropping. That’s when I am grateful for the invention of CGMs!
I do have hypoglycemic unawareness, but occasionally I can tell I’m low and/or dropping fast before the pump hits alerts me. I have the 2mg/dL drop alert and < 70 alert on. I have the most severe symptoms when my BG is dropping fast, not so much when it's fell slowly and I'm below 70.
My low alert is set at 80. I become symptomatic in low 60s