Trying Dex

I decided to try Dex for a week.  I was using an old transmitter and receiver, so the first few days of my data isn't stellar (lots of gaps).  Even though I was only getting sporadic readings, the data was fascinating  enough that I decided to leave it on for a few days.  Then, on day 4 it sprang to life.  Don't know how long it will keep giving consistent readings, but I'll try to keep it on as long as I can.

Here are some things I have observed:

1) I have spikes after meals.  They aren't as large and don't last as long, but they're there.

2) I really need my 2 pm snack.  I eat lunch at 11, so I have gotten into the habit of eating a snack after my last class leaves (2:08 to be exact).  I was afraid it was just a bad habit, but Dex revealed that my blood sugar is actually getting pretty low at that time of day.  That snack is not just a bad habit.  I need that snack to make it through the rest of the day!

3) Apparently I need a snack at 10 as well.  I wouldn't have known except Dex buzzed below 55.  It was only an hour before lunch, but ate a snack anyway because I was giving a test and didn't want Dex to alarm!

4) I've seen lots of women/parents of t1 girls talk about how their menstrual cycle affects their blood sugar.  I can confirm that it affected me as well. Higher for the first day or 2, then lower.  Lower than normal?  I have no clue.  Maybe I'll be able to leave it on long enough to figure out what "normal" is.

5) Wake up is not my lowest fasting blood sugar.  It actually goes down a little bit between the time I wake up and when I eat breakfast (an hour or so).

6) Mexican food caused a pretty long spike for me as well.  Not as high or as long as it does for Jason or Seth (and I assume all PWD), but it's there.

Jason had one interesting observation.  He came in the bathroom when I was showering and said, "That looks weird on you."  I know what he meant, but doesn't it look weird on everyone?  I mean, I love the security/information/help it gives, but having something like that attached to a human just isn't normal.

The thing that keeps coming up in my mind over and over is how if things affect ME this way, how much more they affect those without functioning beta cells.  It is absolutely fascinating.  Strange, I know, but I'm a science teacher so all this data is really intriguing.

Stay tuned....if I get any more earth-shattering revelations I'll be sure to share!  I've had several requests of things to try out, and as long as I'm getting data I plan to try all the things I can.

24 hour graph.  It's not a flat line, and you can clearly see the Mexican food!