My Review of the Dexcom G6
I’m baaaack!
What a crazy couple of months it’s been.
On August 1st, following an endocrinology appointment, I received a call informing me that my test results were back and I was officially diagnosed with celiacs disease. Celiacs Disease is an autoimmune disorder where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine, according to celiac.org. So, at the age of 21, I have had to COMPLETELY change my diet. The once Chick-fil-A addicted, grilled cheese obsessed, chicken finger connoisseur, can now no longer consume anything that contains gluten (AKA bread, anything fried, EVEN CRACKERS). Although this adjustment has been anything but easy, I have found that in the long run, cutting these foods out of my diet is going to be a blessing in disguise.
After a very big scare that came shortly after my diagnosis, I realized that it was time for a change. I was miserable, my blood sugars were terrible, and I was losing a lot of weight, really fast. I decided that it might be time to get serious about ordering the Dexcom.
For those of you not familiar with the term Dexcom, a Dexcom is a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM). Basically, this means that I wear this device 24/7 and it gives me blood sugar readings continuously.
On September 15th, my Dexcom finally came in the mail.
For a girl that has had some serious issues having anything attached to her (a pump or CGM), this was a really big step. I was deciding to go back to standing out. People can see this device on me and I have to explain to people what that “scary beeping” is whenever it alerts me that my sugars are acting up. But, after hearing at my last Endo appointment that my a1c was 9.3, I needed to be desperate for change.
Y’all...I LOVE this device.
Before wearing the Dexcom, it was VERY normal for me to have a 300 range blood sugar every day. I ran high way more than I like to admit. Since wearing this device, I have had ONE spike that led my blood sugar to 300. ONE. My mom, dad, boyfriend, and roommates all have a share app and can be alerted if something is seriously wrong with me. Imagine the peace of mind this gives my parents who are 3 hours away from me when I am at school. In fact, they seem to check it even more than I do. I will barely hit low or high and I am bound to have a text from at least one of them.
I have learned so much about myself since wearing this device. I have been able to adjust my insulin dosages and learn what different foods do to my blood sugar. I can not think of a single negative to having this on me…even the insertion is painless (my number one complaint with past wearable technology)!
The device is incredibly sleek and the process to put it on is so simple. I chose to wear it on the back of my arm (at my own risk because the device has not been officially approved for use on the back of the arm for individuals 21 and over) and often, I lay on my side. The device is so sleek that I don’t even notice that I’m laying on it!
To be honest, I’ve found that I don’t even mind that people can see it. I actually ENJOY people asking me about it. While visiting Walt Disney World in September, I had so many young kids come up to me and show me their CGM’s or pumps because they had seen mine. I had one instance where a little girl’s mother pointed out my device to show her daughter. It chilled me to see her sweet little face light up from her stroller, as she pointed to her CGM, while her mom told her that she “wasn’t alone”.
One of the worst things about living with an invisible illness is feeling alone. My Dexcom allows me to bring my differences to light and feel less alone because I find more “diabetics in the wild” now than I ever did before.
If you or a loved one is considering a CGM, PLEASE do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or concerns. While I of course can’t represent Dexcom in my responses, I am happy to share my personal feelings on this device and talk you through any fears you may have.
Thanks for reading and being so patient with me.
XOXO,
Teg