The CGM Blog

The Winding Road of Diabetes Management

Glucose management is a constant battle for people living with diabetes. The daily concerns about the condition, the guessing at how much insulin to give yourself, and factors like food, activity, and stress can all have an impact on glucose levels.

With all of this uncertainty, managing the condition often feels like you’re driving a winding road, 24/7, requiring you to be extra vigilant.

Fortunately, there are many glucose monitoring tools that can make it more manageable. Think of them as GPS systems that help you navigate that winding road. From A1C tests to fingersticks and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems, it’s important to understand which tools can steer your diabetes management in the right direction.

The Evolution of Glycemic Control¹

Medical breakthroughs over the past century have introduced several of these tools, all providing different levels of glycemic control to people living with diabetes.

The 1908 Benedict Test for sugar in urine provided a basic understanding of a person’s glucose levels, although the results were not very specific or accurate. The A1C test, introduced in the 1970s, gave people a better estimate of their average glucose levels from the past 3 months.

Self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) testing was invented in the 1980s. By the 90s, SMBG was available through at-home glucometers, which offered a more direct and convenient way to access and control glucose levels through fingersticks.

When glucose sensors were introduced in the 2000s, people could finally take advantage of a wearable sensor that helped them continuously monitor their glucose levels and make changes to control them, day and night. Since then, glucose sensors have advanced, producing innovative devices like the Dexcom G6 Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) System.

Each of these glucose monitoring tools offers a different level of glycemic control, which can greatly impact your diabetes management.

Living with Diabetes is like Driving 24/7

Driving in a Straight Line

Managing diabetes successfully is like trying to drive 24/7 without any interruptions. This concept was originally created by Adam Brown, Senior Editor at diaTribe and author of the book Bright Spots & Landmines.

According to Adam’s analogy, the goal for diabetes management is to stay on the road as much as possible, avoiding sharp turns or veering off course.

Some people living with diabetes find that this is like they’re driving on a long, straight road. This may be true for those who manage their type 2 diabetes well through diet and oral medications. If your diabetes road is always straight, checking your A1C every 3 months may be a sufficient way to make sure your glucose management is on track.

However, the A1C test has some limitations.² Since it doesn’t measure glucose variability, it won’t provide an understanding of how your glucose levels are swinging above or below your target range. Additionally, an A1C reading can sometimes be inaccurate, especially if you have anemia, vitamin or mineral deficiency, or chronic liver or kidney disease.³ The ability to assess someone’s average blood glucose level using A1C can also be impacted by their ethnic background.³

Navigating the Winding Road

For others, controlling their condition is more like steering on a winding road. This is especially true for those who manage diabetes using insulin.

To remain on track, people with diabetes need to make regular adjustments in their food choices and activities, as well as monitor their blood glucose levels consistently. It’s very easy to momentarily lose control or hit a few speed bumps, especially if they become distracted from the elements that keep them within their target range.

For this reason, many people will use a flash glucose monitoring (FGM) system or a CGM system, such as the Dexcom G6, to help guide their diabetes management and avoid those bumps in the road. The goal here is to notice patterns and trends in your glucose levels and make adjustments to stay on course, even if it is winding.

Driving at Night

Unfortunately, many people living with diabetes often feel like they are driving in the dark. This is especially true for people who rely on fingersticks and insulin to manage their diabetes on a regular basis.

In these situations, people must rely on their intuition and general wellbeing to manage their diabetes in between blood glucose checks. In some circumstances, when people do check their blood glucose with a fingerstick and blood glucose monitor (BGM) this can be like turning on the headlights, realizing you're off the road, and then swerving to get back on.

Alternatively, an FGM system requires scanning and will only alert the user when their glucose levels have already hit a dangerous low or high. This is like turning on the headlights every once in a while, to see if they’re still on the road.

How CGM Keeps Your Road Vision Clear

Using a real-time CGM system is like continuously driving with your headlights on making the road visible. For people living with diabetes on insulin, a CGM system provides the insights needed to see where they are and where they’re going. From there, course corrections can be made quickly.

The Dexcom G6 CGM System is designed to help improve your diabetes management through:

Real-time glucose data sent automatically to your compatible smartphone up to every 5 minutes, no routine fingersticks* or scanning required.
Customized alerts that can notify you if your glucose levels are about to go out of your target range.
A predictive Urgent Low Soon alert that can warn you up to 20 minutes before a dangerous low.
The ability to share glucose data with up to 10 loved ones with the Dexcom Follow app‡ for added peace of mind.

Everyone living with diabetes has a condition that is unique to them. Some roads may have more bumps and sharp turns than others. But no matter which you’re on, Dexcom G6 provides you with the tools to feel more in control, day and night. And on your road of diabetes management, this can allow you to spend more time between the lines of your target range and become better at navigating your diabetes management along the way.

Learn more about the Dexcom G6 CGM System here. Need help with insurance coverage? Speak to our team of Account Specialists to start taking control of your diabetes with Dexcom G6.

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* If your glucose alerts and readings from the G6 do not match symptoms or expectations, use a blood glucose meter to make diabetes treatment decisions.
† For a list of compatible smart devices, please visit dexcom.com/compatibility.
‡ Requires the Follow App and an internet connection. Followers should always confirm readings on the Dexcom G6 CGM App or Receiver before making treatment decisions.

1 Clarke SF, Foster JR. A history of blood glucose meters and their role in self-monitoring of diabetes mellitus. Br J Biomed Sci. 2012;69(2):83-93. PMID: 22872934.
2 Wright E, Morgan K, Fu DK, et al. Time in Range: How to Measure It, How to Report It, and Its Practical Application in Clinical Decision-Making. Clinical Diabetes. 2020;38(5):439-448; DOI: 10.2337/cd20-0042
3 Berard LD, Siemens R, Woo V. Monitoring Glycemic Control. Can J Diabetes. 2018;42:S42-S53. [Online]. [https://guidelines.diabetes.ca/cpg/chapter9].