Publication Date: 11/13/2004
Remember that the information presented here is not intended to replace the care of your own doctor. Before making any changes in the management of your own illness, you should consult your physician or other qualified medical professionals.
Question
My 81 year old husband has poorly controlled diabetes. He has known he has it for six years and still hates to admit it. I feel he had it long before that because of his outbursts of rage. He goes from 50 mg/dl [2.8 mm/l] to 400 mg/dl [22.2 mm/l] within hours, but he hates to test. He usually doesn't realize it when he goes low or when he goes high and doesn't believe me much of the time when I mention it. Is there any study with the watch that would give him a chance to try one?Answer
Wearing a GlucoWatch Biographer G2 or a CGMS System Gold (the two continuous blood glucose monitoring systems in the marketplace as of 2004) does not replace self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG). If your husband is unwilling to do SMBG now, he needs to know that when wearing either of these "watches", it is recommended that a person with diabetes confirm the results of the watch by monitoring at least four times per day. If he is willing to do the SMBG that accompanies wearing a watch, the watch could reveal patterns in the blood glucose fluctuations you describe, so you could plan more effectively with meals and exercise.Your description of your husband's attitude towards his diabetes is one of strong denial. Before considering a watch, it might be more valuable to have him see a psychological professional who deals with chronic diseases.
