My Experience as a Dexcom User

For years, my mom and endocrinologist tried to talk me into getting the Dexcom G6, but I was always very reluctant. I already had the Omnipod and thought adding another device would be more of a hassle than a benefit. Boy, was I wrong!

     I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 9, started on the Omnipod at 11, and did not receive my Dexcom until I was 22. I was almost finished with my first year of teaching and my blood sugars were very out of control. Between moving from Florida to Virginia and tackling my first year of teaching, I wasn’t eating properly, nor was I checking my blood sugar frequently. After visiting with my new endocrinologist, she highly recommended I start with the Dexcom, and after seeing the impact my bad habits were having on my health, I agreed.

     I was shocked at how bad my blood sugar range had gotten. On days I thought I was just dehydrated and hadn’t been drinking enough water, I found out my blood sugar was really in the two and three hundreds! I began watching my numbers much closer and started eating better. I used one of my favorite features of the Dexcom, the clarity app, to check my estimated A1C and average blood sugar. You can change the date range to see your numbers from 2 days to 90 days.

     One of my main concerns with starting on the Dexcom, in addition to having the Omnipod, was the amount of "stuff" I would have to carry with me everywhere I went. I would have to have two things stuck to me, which meant having extras of both devices, along with the receivers for both. As someone who is on the go a lot, I was worried about carrying all these extra supplies everywhere I went. The Omnipod Supply Case is the perfect solution for everyday use. I can easily fit everything I need, including the Dexcom receiver and my PDM. For longer trips, I use the Diabetes Insulated Travel Bag. This bag has plenty of room for snacks, glucose SOS packets, extra insulin, pods, and so much more!

By: Amy Powell, living with T1D since 2009