CGMS

Speaking purely as someone who is neutral (ie I do not own stock nor do I sell these things), I am sometimes impressed by how technology evolves so quickly. In this particular context, the CGM systems, or continuous glucose monitoring systems or 'sensors'.

These nifty (but often restrictively expensive) devices allow one to better keep track of their glucose levels without needing to stick themselves in the finger more (but it isn't mean to replace glucometer testing. Yet). You wear a transmitter which measures interstitial glucose every few minutes, and transmits the data to a receiver.

Particularly helpful to allow one to see real-time effects of activities or meals on blood glucose. Most importantly it can warn the user of severe glycemic excursions, especially hypoglycemia in a person with limited hypoglycemia awareness. It certainly isn't yet the replacement for fingerstick testing, but we hope to get there someday.

Having used this in countless patients, I decided to include this in my lectures in Malaysia so I got in touch with some of the device reps and obtained several loaner devices. I thought it would provide credibility and make it more fun if I actually wore it for the lecture. And since I was going to be eating Malaysia, thought it would be interesting to see what food would do.

So this is me in the midafternoon.

This is me, 45 minutes after eating 1 Seremban Siew Pau, and kuih lapis. 

I guess I should be reassured. Even after a huge rice dinner, I can't make it go higher than 150 mg/dL. So I suppose I should be safe, for now. But I should have worn this this morning before that belly-ripping buffet breakfast.

Though I'm still unimpressed by the cost of these things, I am thankful that they are available for those who need to be extra vigilant. And certainly wearing one of these devices gives one a different perspective on things, and helps me understand what my patients have to go through.