Tag: diabetes

False Alarm

Wendy K.Leave a comment

In my last post, I recommended using a continuous glucose monitor, and then hours later, we experienced our first false alarm, meh!

Right around 1:30am this morning, the first alarm wakes me up and warns that my mom’s blood sugar is low. I bring her a peanut butter sandwich. She tells me that she had just finished snacking on a cookie and her blood sugar was in the 100s a few seconds ago. She eats half of the sandwich anyway and drinks some Glucerna.

A few minutes later the Libre app adjusts and corrects her glucose numbers.

I asked ChatGPT about it and this is what it said…

1. It measures interstitial fluid, not blood

The sensor reads glucose in the fluid between cells, which lags behind blood glucose by ~5–15 minutes.

If glucose is rising or falling quickly, you can see brief dips or spikes that don’t last. The algorithm may briefly interpret a downward trend, then correct itself.

This is the #1 reason for quick flip-flops.

2. Compression lows (very common)

If pressure is on the sensor—like:

Lying on it Leaning against a chair or armrest Tight clothing or a BP cuff

Blood flow around the sensor drops → the reading can suddenly look low, then pop back up once pressure is relieved.

3. Algorithm smoothing & recalculation

Libre 3 Plus updates every minute, but it also:

Uses recent readings to predict trends Recalculates when new data comes in

So you might see:

Minute 1: “Hmm, looks low” Minute 2: “Okay, nope—false alarm”

Especially common when glucose is hovering near a threshold.

4. Sensor settling or aging

First 24 hours after applying a new sensor = more noise Last day or two before expiration can also be jumpy

This doesn’t mean it’s broken—just less stable.

5. Hydration & circulation

Dehydration, poor circulation, or illness (very relevant during chemo, infections, or hospital stays) can make readings fluctuate more than usual.

Now we know 😑 My mom was already annoyed with the beeping, false alarms are definitely not helping matters. 😳 I am still a fan, even if it erroneously interrupted my sleep this morning.

Cancer with Diabetes

Wendy K.Leave a comment

I highly recommend a continuous glucose monitor. My mom is using the FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus Sensor. On Sunday, 2/1/26 (2 day post-chemo) it did its job and woke us up twice when my mom’s blood sugar dropped uncomfortably low.

I woke her up and asked her to eat something. Right after her infusions, she has no appetite and it’s often challenging finding nutritious things that she is willing to eat or drink.

These items have worked for her this round:

  • Glucerna
  • Bone broth
  • Glucose Gummies (quick hit of sugar)
  • Yogurt drink (she prefers this to eating regular yogurt but her anemia has made cold things not as tolerable)
  • Peanut Butter on a slice of wheat bread
  • Egg bites
  • Tofu

My only problem with the glucose monitor is that my mom keeps turning off her phone because she doesn’t like that it keeps beeping at her. The Libre device depends on Bluetooth connectivity so the requirement is that her phone stays on and is close to her. She finds the alerts annoying but I get nervous when I don’t see her glucose levels updating, fortunately my app will alert me when the device has stopped recording.

I asked my mom’s oncologist about medicinal marijuana, we will discuss after we see how she is eating this fourth round.

Every day, we just try to keep mom strong enough to keep fighting. I know she’s frustrated and tired of being fatigued and sick. She hasn’t driven since 12/29/25. I know she feels that she has lost her independence. I just keep reminding her that all of this is temporary. If we can push past the last 2 chemo treatments, the goal is that she will win her battle with cancer, resume her independence, and enjoy several quality years of life.

Worrywart Wendy

Wendy K.Leave a comment

My mom received her 4th infusion treatment yesterday (Fri. 1/30)

I am a bit of an insomniac so rarely sleep well, Thursday night was no exception. I administered her IV antibiotic at 11:30pm and then at 3am gave her the dose of Dexamethasone (I did not forget this time). I tossed and turned the rest of the night anxious about whether my mom’s body was ready for this next chemotherapy session and dreading the inevitable decline in appetite and energy she would experience following the infusion.

After 3 prior chemo sessions, I now know enough to obsessively worry about…

  • Low potassium
  • Low sodium
  • Low glucose
  • Low calcium
  • Dehydration
  • Immobility
  • Anemia
  • Infection

Unfortunately, being educated doesn’t equate to being able to control.

Earlier this week my mom started using a glucose monitor. It has been a huge source of comfort for me! It constantly reads my mom’s glucose levels and sends the reading to her phone. More importantly it links to my phone!

Why don’t all diabetics that use insulin automatically get this device prescribed to them by their doctors?!?

Is there a tool for monitoring potassium and sodium levels? That would be helpful for cancer patients.

Mom had a good day today. She has been eating and active. But I’m still nervous every time I go check on her.

Not sure my anxiety will ever get better. For now if you are ever wondering what I’m up to, I’m probably in the LibreLinkUp app on my phone checking glucose levels because that is the only thing we can control.

Back in the Emergency Room

Wendy K.Leave a comment

After less than a week home, my mom ended up back in the ER. The cause, hypoglycemia, extremely low blood sugar. Cancer patients suffer from loss of appetite, BUT when you are a diabetic cancer patient, things are extra challenging.

Horrific does not even begin to explain what can happen to a person going through a hypoglycemic episode. My mom was rolling around, grabbing herself, convulsing, screaming. She remembers NOTHING, but my sister and I will never be able to forget.

This time, when we called 911 right before midnight on 1/24/26, a team of 4 firefighters arrived first, followed by 2 paramedics. They checked her glucose level and it was in the 40s. The paramedics administered sugar water via an IV and she became responsive pretty soon afterwards. Even though she seemed normal, her heart rate was concerningly low. They recommended taking her to the ER.

I could not brave the hospital alone this time around. It was all so overwhelming. My husband went with me and we asked our 16 year old son to keep an eye on his younger brothers.

Fortunately, the ER doctor decided my mom did not need to be admitted. He attributed the low heart rate to new medication she had been prescribed during her last hospital stay so told me to pause that medication and after he felt her glucose levels were stabilized, he released my mom. We were home before 5am on 1/25/26.

Earlier that same day (5pm) I had gotten in an argument with my mom. She was annoyed that I was nagging her about not eating enough nutritious food. She told me that if she could eat then she would eat, but everything was making her want to vomit. She told me I wasn’t sick so I didn’t understand and asked if I thought she was intentionally not eating. I told her that obviously she was not doing anything on purpose, no one wants to be sick. I just wanted to ensure that the little she ate was nutritious. I told her that if she is not able to eat, then at least drink the Glucerna shakes. She asked me why I was yelling at her if I didn’t think she was not eating on purpose. The last thing I said to her that night was, “Forget it, I won’t say anything to you anymore, do what you want!” The last thing she said to me was, “I should just go die”

Not our best moment, It’s a lose lose situation. She’s right, I’m not the one who is sick. But I am the one going through it ALL with her. Going forward, I told her that it’s important she is fully transparent with her doctors. Be honest about the hard days. My mom is such a prideful person, she hates appearing weak. If she was already annoyed with me chasing after her diet, she was really going to loathe me monitoring her glucose / insulin. All of this sucks, because as previously stated…cancer sucks! What can you do when life just seems to pile on and you feel completely out of control? I don’t know, but for us….we are going to just keep on fighting, one day, one challenge at a time.

Positive vibes and prayers appreciated.