CGM Accuracy, Lag & When to Trust Your Gut
What your CGM is really telling you, and when it’s wrong CGMs are incredible, but they aren’t mind readers. This episode unpacks how CGMs actually work, why there’s always a 5, 15 min lag, and when to trust your gut over your graph. Bonus...
The episode, word for word
You don't need a CGM or pump to understand your blood sugars. This episode is a love letter to low-tech T1Ds, offering real strategies to track patterns, simplify logging, and get the wins without the overwhelm.
Listener Challenge: Choose one thing to track this week, and DM me what you learned!
Sponsored by Blue Circle Health:
Managing T1D is hard. Getting care shouldn't be.
Get free virtual care from real endos, educators, and coaches at [ ](https://bluecirclehealth.org)
Let's connect:
Instagram: @thebetes](https://instagram.com/thebetes)
TikTok: @the.betes](https://tiktok.com/@the.betes)
Website: [ ](https://yourbestt1dyear.com)
73 - August 1
Tone: Humor + heart + nerdy clarity
You know that moment when your CGM alert goes off for the fifth time in a meeting...
And you're trying to figure out if it's your blood sugar or just Bluetooth being petty again?
Yeah. This month? We're talking about tech.
The lifesaving, sometimes life-interrupting, occasionally rage-inducing kind.
Because when your insulin pump starts acting like it's auditioning for Black Mirror, it's time for a reset.
This is Your Best T1D Year.
Here's the deal:
T1D tech is amazing... until it's not.
One minute, it's saving you from a 45 mg/dL nosedive.
The next? It's shouting "Signal lost!" like your pancreas just rage-quit.
And most of us? We've had zero training on how to actually use this stuff.
We're expected to figure it out between grocery runs and insulin boluses.
So here's the challenge for August:
Pick ONE piece of tech that's been frustrating, and make ONE tiny change.
New CGM site? Adjust an alert? Finally watch that tutorial you skipped during your third screen scroll?
Small shifts matter. And they stack.
Let's ground this:
Only 8 to 17% of adults with type 1 actually use a CGM daily, according to studies in real-life clinics.
Despite all the hype and ads... most folks aren't wearing them consistently.
Why?
Because it's not just "stick it on and you're good."
It's signal drops. Confusing readings. Over-alerting. Under-delivering.
Even for us tech-savvy T1Ds?
Alert fatigue. Data burnout. Decision paralysis.
That doesn't mean you're failing.
It means the system wasn't designed with our real lives in mind.
And look, I've had my CGM tell me I was 172 during my half marathon... I was actually 72. That shook me.
So yeah, tech is powerful. But it's not magic.
And we deserve better support using it.
Here's what's coming:
Why your CGM loses signal when it's not on the same side as your pump
How to rotate sites to avoid scar tissue, clogged cannulas, and mystery highs
Which alarms you don't need, and which ones are quietly saving your butt
The sunscreen rule nobody tells you that kills your sensors (RIP Dexcom 6, Summer of 2021)
How to handle data burnout and why you don't need to track everything to learn something
And possibly... Justin Eastzer from Diabetech, sharing wins, fails, and what he's learned from hundreds of T1Ds using tech in real life
This week, your move is simple:
Pick one tech frustration, and make one small adjustment.
Is your CGM disconnecting? Try same-side placement.
Hate your alerts? Adjust them.
Can't decode your app? Ask a friend. Or me.
Tiny tweaks build trust.
You don't need to master it all, just start the momentum.
DM me your tech question or comment on the Reel for this episode. I'll answer every one I can.
[Integrated Spot, 30 sec: "Two Battles"]
You ever feel like managing T1D is hard enough, but getting care is its own full-time job?
That's why Blue Circle Health exists.
They've built a free, virtual care team, real endos, educators, and coaches, who actually get type 1.
They're helping people get CGMs, tweak settings, lower A1Cs, and feel less alone.
No bills. No insurance maze. Just support.
Sign up for free at [ ](http://bluecirclehealth.org)
Next episode?
Bluetooth 101.
Why your CGM and pump need to be on the same side like best friends at summer camp.
Spoiler: Your thigh is not a Faraday cage, but we'll explain.
Until then...
You're not doing a bad job.
You're doing a difficult job.
And you're crushing it.
This is the script as read on the mic, lightly tidied for reading. Education, not medical advice. Talk to your care team before you change anything about your insulin.