Hi, my name is Joe. I was diagnosed in 1999 with a fasting blood sugar of 170. This was before A1c tests. I started an oral medication regimen which of course didn’t work and blood Glucose meters were clunky big devices, etc. It wasn’t until the introduction of Byetta and using Humalog 75/25 in the early 2000s that my blood sugars and A1c started coming down into normal range.
Fast forward to 2007 and living in Florida. Byetta, Metformin, and Humalog 75/25 were my regimens and my A1c was in the low 6’s. I started having severe hypoglycemia events despite adjusting my dosage of Humalog. The events were so bad that I asked my Endocrinologist to please put me on a CGM. That’s how I started using Dexcom on the G4. My hypo events all but ended. Plus, I was able to get my A1c below 6 to 5.8. While testing my blood sugars, I would wipe my fingers on paper towels, which was messy.
Everything was status quo until I started having severe lows again and switched to plain Humalog, Lantus (and later Basaglar) along with Bydureon. So, I asked my current Endo to please put me on a pump. I was able to go on the Omnipod and later the Omnipod Dash. This is a much better glucose control system for me with virtually no low blood sugars thanks to the current generation of the Dexcom. I was happy when Dabs came along. The product was perfectly sized to conveniently wipe the blood from my fingers after testing my glucose. They are absorbent and easy to use, plus I could just dispose them in a sharps container. So now for my regimen, I used the Omnipod, Dexcom G6, and Metformin. Along with Dabs when I test.
My husband was recently diagnosed as Type 2 and he does fingersticks twice a day so I introduced him to the Dabs. He thinks they are great also. So, that’s my story! With the Dexcom, I know my time in range is in the 90 percentile range and my A1c’s run the 5 range.