How do people monitor their BSL when not at home?
I’m going away for a few days and I’ll take my finger picking test kit with me and I can take my normal morning and afternoon tests in the hotel room, but when I’m out and about I’ll likely be doing significantly more walking than normal and my dr sa
When I was still doing finger sticks, I would test wherever I needed to. Don't go to the bathroom. It's pretty unsanitary.
I would discreetly ask if anyone was needle-phobic, but I would otherwise do my testing and injection right at the table if I'm at a restaurant.
I think diabetics need to normalize testing your blood sugar and taking insulin so that other people who perhaps are nervous about it or scared of it or whatever can see us out there living our best lives.
And Dexcom sells the Stelo over the counter for about $90 for two. And if you have an HSA that can be applied to the cost of the CGM.
this, and most lances hide the needle regardless. So even if someone is needle phobic, no will notice what you wre doing unless you call attention to it.
My son is needle phobic. He doesn’t like seeing me inject.
Warn him before you do it, so he can look away
I’ve always been a bit embarrassed about the need to do testing and I don’t know the best way to do this when I’m out and about.
The logistics are easy. Just pull your shit out on the nearest flat surface and do it. Pre-CGM, I was damn good at balancing everything on the inside of one arm while doing it so I didn't have to sit down, but that's like, super pro level.
As to the embarassment, without trying to sound uncaring, get over it. Who cares what other people think? They don't have to deal with half the shit you have to deal with on a daily basis just to stay alive. Karen and her snotty kid can deal with it for the 45 seconds it takes you to get the vital information you need. And if they say anything, I strongly advise repeating this to them: "Fuck back off to none-of-yo
😁 Ok. I guess I just have to get over myself.
Basically, yeah!
I know that's wildly simplifying the emotional aspect here, and the internet is not a great place to convey empathy for how you're feeling. But I promise, no one out there really cares what you're doing, and even if they do, who cares? Why should you care what some random person on the street thinks about what you're doing?
It's hard to get into that headspace, but it's a fun place to be once you're there. Suddenly, not only do you not care what other people think about you poking your finger, but you can stop caring what other people think about you, in general! You wanna go out on the town wearing flip flops, sweat pants, and a Hulk Hogan tank top? Own it. Let the haters be judgey, you're reppin' Hulkamania 30 years too late, and they can all fuck off. See
Love it 😂
People are animals - if you move confidently everything is fine but if you try to hide something they will look.
Warn your son beforehand and than just do it. You can work it out :)
If you aren't going to get a cgm, then take your meter wherever you go. Before I got a cgm I had my meter with me at all times, tested whenever I needed to.
I’m not opposed to the CGM. I’ve used them 3 times and found them to be brilliant. But I was able to get them all free from my endocrinologist. They can only do that once every 6 months or so. If I’d thought about it properly I should have just bitten the bullet and bought one for the trip.
The Lingo by Abbott is a great otc cgm. I used it in the past when I was figuring out my diabetes. It’s $49 for two weeks of monitoring.
I have a tote bag w all kinds of stuff in it
Pre CGM, I carried it everywhere, i am still never far from it.
Some places, Disney, a small one strap backpack. Water, snack, meter, sunscreen.
I do the same thing! I call the bag my pancreas lol
Just testing wherever. No one is looking at you. It takes like 10 seconds. I've checked my blood sugar all over the world. Climbing the Himalayas. In an ancient underground cistern. At the Globe theater. On a sandbar in the carribean in the middle of the ocean. In front of a classroom full of students. While shepherding Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan (before their divorce) to a press junket.
Just check your blood sugar, man.
Even with a CGM I always carry my blood glucose meter to verify readings before adjusting BS. As far as testing or even taking insulin from a hypodermic needle or pen, I don't care what other people think. It's part of my life now.
Before wearing a CGM I tested wherever I was when it was needed. Generally this was before meals, if I was feeling off and every few hours if I was doing something unusual like traveling or walking more.
You haven’t noticed people testing in public because unless someone is calling attention to themselves, most people don’t care/notice what others are doing and CGMs are becoming much more common.
I have had people ask about my CGM but I never had anyone say a word about finger testing in public.
I still have to use a finger meter occasionally and carry one with me. I like the accu-check fast clix lancet device because it uses a preloaded lancet drum that holds multiple lancets. I dearly miss my old meter that had a preloaded disk of strips because the 2 things together made testing s
Very simple, you just stop, pull out your test kit, and test wherever you are. Be it at the table before eating, middle of the grocery store aisle, wherever you are, you move off to the side and pull out your test kit and test.
Alternatively, you get a Continuous Glucose Monitor, such as a G7 Dexcom or Libre, and use that to monitor glucose levels 24/7. If no insurance or it will not cover due to not being on insulin, then depending on where you are, the Stelo might be an option, as it is meant for non-diabetics to use for glucose monitoring or T2s not on insulin.
Stelo Wearable Glucose Biosensor | OTC CGM | Stelo by Dexcom
I honestly just test. If we are at a restaurant, I would just take a test right at the table if I needed to check before eating.
If I felt low would test anywhere. You just get use to doing it. I carry my test meter with me all the time.
Well I used to before I was put on insulin. Now that I’m on insulin I have my cgm. But I still use my test meter from time to time to check.
I have said that exact thing about sneaking away with my needles! 🤣 Whip em out and test wherever you need to. If people don't like it, they can look away.
OP, I test in public when I need/want to. In my car at the movies, if I wanna check after walking Costco for over an hour, or at a restaurant table. No one sees a needle or lancet or blood for that matter, unless sitting right next to me. Takes less than 60 seconds to poke, sample, and put everything away.
I have a Dexcom G7 now. But I still have 4 test kits, the Relion kits and test straps available Walmart. I still test frequently about 4 times per week. $9 for a Precision test kit, $9 for 50 test stripes. Relion has a mini tester for $18 and I have 2 of them all from Walmart (cheap). I do not replace lancets or wipe my finger with an alcohol prep unless it Is dirty. I carry a couple prep pads, a lancer, a few lancets, a mini tester, strips of paper towel, and a tube of test strips packed into a little test kit zipped shut.
My tester kit lives in a jacket pocket or my backpack. I can pull it out while seated at a restaurant table and perform a test in 1 minute IN MY LAP UNDER THE TABLE TOP. I wipe the drop of blood with a paper towel strip and put used towel and used test strip into a se
Nice.
Get a libre! It’s a monitor that goes on the back of your arm and connects to your phone. Shows what your blood sugar is all day and notifies you when it’s below a certain number (you can adjust what number it notifies at). If you get this I’d HIGHLY recommend getting tegaderm dressing, it helps keep it from getting ripped off your arm. Just ask your dr about the libre! I personally use libre 3, and I love it!