We recently went to an Orthopaedic surgeon to plan a surgery for my father-in-law. The doctor guided us about the surgery. However, the biggest aspect that we needed to take care of as a caregiver was effective management of his diabetes before and post his surgical procedure.
Diabetes is a condition when your body doesn’t make enough—or any—insulin or doesn’t use insulin properly. It can also lead to a variety of health issues.
Coming back to the surgery we have a big task on hand. The doctor has asked us to maintain good glycemic control till the surgery. We asked the doctor about how it can be achieved. His explanation was simple, he said we need to maintain the glucose levels in the target glucose range. He gave us a range of 70 – 180 mg/dL. The measure of time spent within the range is called Time in Range and it is an important metric that people with diabetes can use.
As I have shared on many occasions both the parents on my side as well as in-laws have diabetes; as a caregiver, we need to take care of many aspects and simple lifestyle changes go a long way. I have used Freestyle Libre for my mother as it has helped her to maintain her Diabetes, so with no doubt in mind, it was Freestyle Libre to my rescue in my father-in-law’s case as well.
I have personally seen the benefits of this device.
- Keeping a continuous track of the blood glucose levels meant continuous pricking of fingers, however, with this device, once the sensor is applied, we are sorted for 14 days, and we can keep checking the glucose levels as many times as we want.
- It helps to keep a historical record of your glucose levels.
- A quick scan can show the current glucose levels and also show trends.
- I can check Time in Range from the device with the target glucose levels shared by the doctor. It will help me check if there were any fluctuations.
- I can track the glucose levels after each activity – before or after food, after exercise, pre or post-medications, etc. to determine any variations. Since, it’s a Continuous Glucose Monitoring system I don’t have to prick, just a quick painless scan and I am done.
Increasing time spent in range has a positive impact on glucose management and lowers risks of related health issues. In fact, every extra hour in range has a positive impact on your glucose control, and every 10% increase in TIR can lower A1c by ~0.8%. Moreover, spending more TIR can reduce long-term health complications.
With this data, I am confident that I will be able to effectively manage my father-in-law’s diabetes. This won’t be beneficial pre-surgery only; I plan to use it post-surgery too to manage my father-in-law’s diabetes effectively.
To know more about Continuous Glucose Monitoring, visit this website.
You can buy Freestyle Libre here.
The information mentioned in this document is only suggestive/for patient education and shall not be considered as a substitute for doctor’s advice or recommendations from Abbott. Please consult your doctor for more information
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