What is Continuous Glucose Monitoring?
- Category: Diabetes and Healthy Eating
- Posted On:
by Parminder Singh, RN, CDCES
Mary Washington Healthcare Diabetes Management
Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) allows you to check your sensor glucose, which means how much sugar is in the fluid around your cells. Using a sensor inserted underneath your skin, a CGM lets you see glucose numbers at any time with no fingerstick required and helps you reach your daily blood glucose goals.
A CGM is attached to your body, usually on your belly or arm.
There are two parts to the system:
Sensor: The sensor is inserted under the skin and measures glucose level of fluid between the cells. This is very similar to the glucose level in your blood that is tested with your meter.
Transmitter: The transmitter can be part of the sensor or a separate device that sends your glucose data to a smartphone, smart watch, receiver, and/or an insulin pump.
Your health care provider may prescribe a CGM if:
- You have Type 1 Diabetes
- You have Type 2 Diabetes and use insulin
- You don’t always know the warning symptoms of low blood sugar
- You often have episodes of high blood sugar or low blood sugar
Your blood glucose meter measures glucose levels at a single moment in time, while a CGM continually checks levels throughout the day and night and can alert you when your glucose levels go too high or too low.
The more you wear your CGM the more you will understand your glucose responses to food, medication, activity, illness or stress. Learn how to set alerts that work with your lifestyle.
A CGM is an excellent tool for discovering which foods/meals raise your glucose levels or not.
Try different foods and activities and ask yourself:
- How did that food/meal affect my glucose?
- Would I do anything differently?
- How did that activity change my glucose?
Work with your healthcare provider to create goals/target blood glucose ranges and learn how to respond to alerts.
As diabetes educators, we can assist with CGM placement, target blood glucose goals and alerts to optimize glucose management and health needs. We’d love to meet with you!
