User guide

living with a continuous glucose monitor
living with a continuous glucose monitor
2120
Using Medtronic Bolus Wizard
Calculator and REAL-Time Glucose
Values
People often wonder if wearing the system’s devices will aect their daily life.
This section answers some common questions.
The Bolus Wizard calculator becomes more important when you are using ‘REAL-Time’ glucose
measurements. It is important for you to understand how to self manage your glucose levels using
the new information available with CGM.
Why?
1. There is a temptation to correct with every threshold alarm
2. Sometimes you may forget about how long your insulin is active for
When you use the Bolus Wizard calculator, it takes into account all the following:
• Your insulin-to-carbohydrate ratio
• Your insulin sensitivity (or correction) factor
• Your target glucose (pre-meal)
• Your active insulin time (2-8 hours; default 6 hours)
Check your User Guide for more details on how the Bolus Wizard calculator works out how much
insulin you need.
Here’s an example...
Tom takes his glucose after receiving a high threshold alarm at 13.7 mmol/L at 2.5 hours after his meal.
He enters that value into the Bolus Wizard calculator and enters 0 grams for food (he just wants to do
a correction). Based on his settings his pump estimates he needs 1.5 units to bring him back to target.
The Bolus Wizard calculator has included any active insulin remaining from his mealtime bolus.
• At this point, Tom has a choice: he can ‘ACT’ and deliver the correction, or wait until
his next meal to do a correction
• Some practitioners will suggest that the patient NOT correct a mid-meal glucose and
instead wait to see where he ‘lands’
• Others healthcare providers don’t want people to be too high for too long as this can
increase the risk of complications by virtue of higher HbA1c over the long term and
as long as the Bolus Wizard calculator is used for the next meal, bolusing again will
not cause overlapping insulin (stacking)
Note: It is important that you discuss this with your healthcare provider to determine the correct course
of action for you.
Wearing the System at Night
• Wearing your glucose sensor and insulin pump/monitor at night is very simple. You
might want to try clipping the insulin pump to your pyjamas, or you can place it in bed
next to you or on your pillowcase. With experience, you will nd the best place to put
your insulin pump at night
• Sometimes the insulin pump and transmitter may stop ‘talking’ to each other at night.
This can cause a LOST SENSOR or WEAK SIGNAL alarm. Clear the alarm and try putting
the insulin pump/monitor and transmitter on the same side of your body. You can also
move the insulin pump around until you see the screen icon turn black. Remember
that the insulin pump or monitor should be within 1.8 metres of the transmitter
Bathing, Showering, and Swimming
• The insulin pump or monitor is not waterproof. Always remove it before bathing,
showering, swimming, etc
• You can shower and swim while wearing the glucose sensor and transmitter
• When you have nished, check the tape that holds the transmitter and sensor in place.
Change it if it is needed
• Do not take a hot bath or got to a sauna while you are wearing the glucose sensor and
transmitter
Personal Situations
• Sometimes friends and loved ones are nervous about touching or harming the
transmitter or insulin pump. But these devices are very strong and hard to damage
• The RF transmitter sends data much like a cordless phone
• Adults often wonder if it is okay to wear the devices during sexual activity. The answer
is yes. Let your partner know that the glucose sensor and transmitter unit cannot hurt
you or them
• The glucose sensor can easily be replaced if it becomes loose
X-rays, MRIs, and CT Scans
• If you are going to have an X-ray, CT scan, MRI, or other type of exposure to radiation,
take o your insulin pump, BG meter, MiniLink transmitter, and glucose sensor and
remove them from the area