My name is Curtis McCoy. I’m the president of Best Cellular and I’m a Type-1 insulin dependent diabetic. We recently launched prepaid phone plans for the Dexcom G5 continuous glucose monitor. It made me start looking into getting one myself to try and help lower my A1c levels.
Can I safely lower Hemoglobin A1c using the Dexcom G5 CGM and the Dexcom share app? I was diagnosed with Type-1 insulin-dependent diabetes at 27 months old. I’ve always been very active and work very hard to monitor blood sugars and eat healthily. I test my blood glucose very regularly using an old “finger stick” method. Often, I test more frequently than my insurance will cover. When I get too diligent trying to lower my Hemoglobin A1c, I end up with low blood sugars. This results in diabetic seizures. I’m afraid of the dangers (and embarrassment) caused by seizures. I have a hard time not letting my blood sugar run too high, “for safety sake”.
Using Traditional Methods to Lower Hemoglobin A1c
I’ve read many articles about how to lower Hemoglobin A1c. There are many suggestions on how to lower Hemoglobin A1c levels (average blood glucose). I’ve heard a thousand times, “the patient should eat healthy, exercise, maintain a record of blood glucose trends and avoid processed sugars”. I often try to reduce my blood sugar levels but each time I end up with a Hemoglobin A1c in the near 7.0 range, I start having frequent low blood sugars that cause frequent seizures. I know it’s not healthy to run too high but at least it’s safe.
Can I lower Hemoglobin A1c safely using the Dexcom G5 CGM?
We recently launched prepaid phone plans for the Dexcom G5. I started getting excited that maybe this CGM can help me safely lower Hemoglobin A1c levels. Can this keep me safe and notify my family when my blood sugar levels drop too quickly? I’ve tried for my entire life to figure out how to lower Hemoglobin A1c levels but it looks like the Dexcom G5 paired with my smartphone may be exactly what I needed to do it safely! It looks like the Dexcom G5 can help prevent low sugars or warn me/ my family when my sugar is dropping. This would make it so much easier to maintain lower blood sugars without risking lows.
Can the Dexcom G5 continuous glucose monitor prevent low blood sugars? I did a lot of research and asked a lot of questions in Facebook groups, etc. Although the Dexcom G5 doesn’t technically prevent low blood sugars, it seems like it will give me the warnings and alerts needed to keep me safe while trying to safely lower Hemoglobin A1c levels.