Skip to main content

{skinny} Dexcom Sensor

The Dexcom sensor slimdown is definitely old news if you are a member of the Diabetes community, but after my old transmitter's battery died about 2 weeks ago I was pleasantly surprised to receive his skinnied-up brother in the mail yesterday.
The Continuous Glucose Monitoring technology I use has 3 parts: 1 sticky sensor pod with under-the-skin wire (package on the left), 1 CGM receiver which plots the blood sugar data points (blue ipod thing on the right), and 1 CGM transmitter which hooks into the sensor pod. New, slimmer transmitter on the left. Old, dead transmitter on the right. 

Let's be honest, neither of these Dexcom sensors are truly "nano" technology, but at least they are making their way towards the "less-bulgy" end of the spectrum. And the truth is, I was genuinely excited to place the sensor this morning and test out the slimmer profile with a plethora of wardrobe options. I was also excited to be less worried about those unpleasant sensor-rip-out sequences, read: too close to door jams, maneuvering in tight pants, or occupied pockets. So far, so good.

It may sound stupid to get excited over small advances like a slimmer transmitter, but for a Type 1 Diabetic who lives with sensors and devices literally strapped to my body at all times, even small changes can make a big difference. From an engineering perspective, a slimmer profile may mean less stress on the sensor pod's adhesive, which may decrease the skin abrasions they leave, which may work to keep my skin healthier, which ultimately may make me happier [note: this is an untested theory as of now ;-].

I applaud the efforts Dexcom and similar companies are making to improve the lives of people (this one included) living with Type 1 Diabetes. Diabetes devices aren't as sexy as cell phones or tablets, a fact their rate of technological improvement proves, but I am more likely to set aside money for them. To me, the return on investment is much greater than a "bigger touchscreen" or "upgraded camera" - investing in a Diabetes device may significantly improve my health (it has dropped my A1c over 1.0 point), help me make more informed decisions, alert me of a looming low blood sugar, or, at the very least, reduce the Diabetes related stress and anxiety.

So Dexcom, if you're out there, please continue to do all the things. I can't wait for the watch!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Who has two thumbs and loves comments? Nerdy April!!! Type one out and hit publish!

Popular posts from this blog

The road to curing Type 1 Diabetes

From the moment of diagnosis, the road is rough, the learning curve is steep and the stakes are literally life or death. The map is less-than-helpful - paths originating from virtually every corner, coalescing at a center point (aka "diagnosis") and bursting back outwards - some paths cross and wrap around each other but others are isolated. And even with all of these roads, most of the territory is uncharted - how did we all get here and how will we all exit? Where are the obstacles we haven't found yet? Which passage holds the key to unlocking the solution?

On any given day I feel pretty isolated with this disease - I'm the only T1D in my group at work, the only one in mission control, the only one in my family. I go through the logistics of calling insurance companies, ordering supplies, changing sites and troubleshooting malfunctions mostly on my own. Even those pesky carbs really only get counted in my brain, no group think for a meal bolus here. But there is b…
2 comments
More Nerdy This Way! »

Type 1 Diabetes - IT life.

Nine years ago (9 years ago?!), I was still waiting for the black-box-doctors at the FAA to clear my Class III medical certificate - a requirement for my then-job flying on experimental Army helicopters. To 'pump' up my diabetes-dejected ego (ha), Dave let me tag along with him for his MH-47G proficiency simulator runs. That tiny taste into helicopter flight dynamics gave me so much appreciation for him - hovering is literally the.hardest.thing, I was tense the entire time and constantly felt like I was one small cyclic movement away from losing control. Even though I knew in the back of my mind we were in a (moving) simulator, my senses got lost in the weight of the flight controls, the movement on the screens, and the hard thumps when I hovered right into the ground.

At the end of the runs I asked him how he has the stamina to pilot this monster of a helicopter for literally 15 hours straight (these special ops versions can mid-air refuel). He sort of laughed, but his answer…
2 comments
More Nerdy This Way! »

International Travel with Type 1 Diabetes

Whew! Back from one international trip and on to another next week! I will admit my eyes roll every time I get the "we're gunna need to pat you down" talk at TSA, but international travel is a whole different animal. I thought it might be fun to see what goes through my brain and into my bags for these types of trips!


I wouldn't be a NASA Flight Controller if I wasn't good at planning, the key to international travel as a T1D is PLANNING!

3 months prior

Assess supplies. Mine come in 90-days supplies so I like to inventory at least 3 months prior and make a plan to order more early if the trip is going to coincide with the end of my 90-day stock. In my experience supply companies are usually pretty good about adjusting orders as needed if you tell them the reason for the early request - just mention you have an international trip coming up and want to make sure to have plenty of supplies (and backups!) in time. Request a loaner insulin pump. It's likely the comp…
2 comments
More Nerdy This Way! »
01 09 10