# Is it possible to Re-Develop your physical sense of lows? highs? after depending on CGM **URL:** \ **Category:** Treatment\ **Tags:** low-bg\ **Created:** [January 22, 2019, 2:24pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-it-possible-to-re-develop-your-physical-sense-of-lows-highs-after-depending-on-cgm/6238 "2019-01-22T14:24:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Nickyghaleb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Nickyghaleb](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Nickyghaleb)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2019, 1:59am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-it-possible-to-re-develop-your-physical-sense-of-lows-highs-after-depending-on-cgm/6238/21 "2019-01-23T01:59:14Z")
> [@Eric](#): > > But it is not just the physical feelings. It is applying all the things you **know** as well. I understand this now… Eric, a couple of months ago you told me to try to think about what my blood sugar was before testing or looking at a CGM. A couple of days later I reported back to you that I had been “guessing at my BG” with mixed success. You corrected me by saying you had never meant for me to _guess_ but for me to use context, knowledge, experience, etc. to try to see if I could figure out where I was. I’ve been thinking that way since. It’s not that I always know the difference between an 80 and 110, but sometimes I _do_, and even when I don’t, I still know I’m not a 200– or even a 150. If I’m not thinking about it throughout the day, then it’s absolutely a guess, but I’m thinking about it. I also use the CGM to an extent, but it’s for a vague bigger picture. I know when it’s wrong, and it’s “wrong” quite often. Between finger sticks, CGM, and my own understanding, I’ve got a great team. ---
**Author:** ![elver](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/elver/32/8772_2.png) [@elver](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/elver)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2019, 1:48pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-it-possible-to-re-develop-your-physical-sense-of-lows-highs-after-depending-on-cgm/6238/23 "2019-02-12T13:48:52Z")
@T1Allison My Endo had me do an experiment last summer based on some research she had been following on hypo-unawareness. The research purported that the triggers or signs for a hypo while individual for everyone could be partially “re-calibrated” . The theory was based on what many of us have gone through when we run much higher numbers for a time period, followed by in-range bgs . The in range bgs “feel” like a low even though aren’t because your body is basing the feedback on the range and not the actual bg. The test she had me run last summer was: 2-3 weeks of +200 bg (continuous, with no bg below 200) followed by 2 weeks of 85-140 bgs with no bg over 160. The last 2 weeks were insanely hard as we were vacationing back home in the South (think grits, Boudin, johnnycake, sweet tea, etc…) After a minor struggle to get to the lower threshhold the end result is that I do now have some hypo triggers that have long been absent. So to answer your original question, yes I think the hypo triggers can be “reset”, but that it also requires that our awareness of the trigger also gets “reset”. While the trigger (sweating, confusion, etc. ) may work again to a limited or full degree, can we still recognize it as such and utilize it as actionable information? ---
**Author:** ![T1Allison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c77e96/32.png) [@T1Allison](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/T1Allison)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 12:47am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-it-possible-to-re-develop-your-physical-sense-of-lows-highs-after-depending-on-cgm/6238/24 "2019-03-07T00:47:37Z")
I could be totally wrong about this…but after having a better run lately with time in range, and getting super reconnected to what my blood sugar is doing and why, and feeling like I know the significance of each trend change or fingerstick value like I _used_ to before I got so disconnected from my own bg awareness…here’s my current theory for my body and brain: When I know what my blood sugar is doing and why, and I know I’ll see a dip here and that it will correct itself or at least it will level soon or I have a pretty good idea of how many carbs I’ll need and how long it will take to correct the situation, **and I _feel_ in control of the situation** , I can feel my low symptoms in the upper 60’s. That’s when the front of my brain feels itchy. When I am out of sync in my day and things just aren’t quite working out and I don’t really know why my blood sugar is dropping or how intense the drop will be, and my Dexcom and my meter aren’t matching great and I don’t know if it’s lag or poor performance, that’s when my mental “unsettledness” takes over and crowds out the physical symptoms. Essentially, if I don’t feel in control of a situation, those thoughts/feelings/etc take over and I can’t feel my low symptoms even if they are probably there. Just thought this was interesting. I’ve seen it enough times in myself in the last several weeks that I feel fine reporting it. ---
**Author:** ![Beacher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a6a055/32.png) [@Beacher](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Beacher)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 1:42pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-it-possible-to-re-develop-your-physical-sense-of-lows-highs-after-depending-on-cgm/6238/25 "2019-03-07T13:42:14Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever seen that verbalized before, but it makes complete sense. Myself, I haven’t thought about it in terms of thoughts/feelings crowding out physical symptoms – that’s interesting. The way I think of it, when I’m sailing along in smooth water, I can be attuned to the tiny shift in wind, the tiny increase in wave strength or direction, that I wouldn’t notice at all in rougher, windier conditions. (Talk about a botched metaphor! LOL) Regardless how we see it, isn’t it a great feeling? ---
**Author:** ![T1Allison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c77e96/32.png) [@T1Allison](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/T1Allison)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 1:56pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-it-possible-to-re-develop-your-physical-sense-of-lows-highs-after-depending-on-cgm/6238/26 "2019-03-07T13:56:50Z")
> [@Beacher](#): > > The way I think of it, when I’m sailing along in smooth water, I can be attuned to the tiny shift in wind, the tiny increase in wave strength or direction, that I wouldn’t notice at all in rougher, windier conditions. Love this. Makes total sense putting it that way!! ---
**Author:** ![Eric](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/eric/32/9209_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 2:37pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-it-possible-to-re-develop-your-physical-sense-of-lows-highs-after-depending-on-cgm/6238/27 "2019-03-07T14:37:22Z")
> [@elver](#): > > My Endo had me do an experiment last summer based on some research she had been following on hypo-unawareness. > … > The test she had me run last summer was: > 2-3 weeks of +200 bg (continuous, with no bg below 200) > followed by 2 weeks of 85-140 bgs with no bg over 160. This bothers me. I keep reading it and wanting to know how an endo could suggest someone purposefully run over 200 like that. ---
**Author:** ![elver](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/elver/32/8772_2.png) [@elver](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/elver)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 3:08pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-it-possible-to-re-develop-your-physical-sense-of-lows-highs-after-depending-on-cgm/6238/28 "2019-03-07T15:08:49Z")
> [@Eric](#): > > how an endo could suggest someone purposefully run over 200 like that @Eric I had read a study that suggested a similar approach prior to my Endo suggesting it. I gained some (limited) sense of high/low after, but don’t know that I would ever use such an unorthodox approach again. My fight for a lower A1c just doesn’t support such high bgs anymore. However, prior to a cgm and pump, I lived in the 180+ all day /every day club. I was desperately afraid of a serious hypo event and did everything possible to never go south of 150 - ever. ---
**Author:** ![Eric](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/eric/32/9209_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 3:43pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-it-possible-to-re-develop-your-physical-sense-of-lows-highs-after-depending-on-cgm/6238/29 "2019-03-07T15:43:38Z")
It just seems to fly in the face of the _primum non nocere_ - “first, do no harm” thing. ---
**Author:** ![Eric](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/eric/32/9209_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 3:56pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-it-possible-to-re-develop-your-physical-sense-of-lows-highs-after-depending-on-cgm/6238/30 "2019-03-07T15:56:31Z")
Also want to mention - this is not a judgment on anyone who struggles with their BG and has a hard time with it, or has extended periods of high BG. I understand there are struggles with it. My comment is just that I am shocked an endo would advise someone to do that for 2 weeks on purpose. That’s what I think is crazy. ---
**Author:** ![CatLady](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/catlady/32/36_2.png) [@CatLady](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/CatLady)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 4:12pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-it-possible-to-re-develop-your-physical-sense-of-lows-highs-after-depending-on-cgm/6238/31 "2019-03-07T16:12:21Z")
Some research studies suggest that avoiding lows (less than 55) for several weeks helps restore hypo awareness. In my mind, that means running a little higher than usual…which makes a lot more sense than deliberately staging extended high BGs. ---
**Author:** ![elver](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/elver/32/8772_2.png) [@elver](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/elver)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 4:20pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-it-possible-to-re-develop-your-physical-sense-of-lows-highs-after-depending-on-cgm/6238/32 "2019-03-07T16:20:52Z")
@Eric I’m not offended - I see your point, and on some level i definitely agree with you. Nature is sort of weird sometimes though. My Endo is at times “progressive”, especially when i am super engaged. I get a lot of leeway, probably more than I am due from my Endo, as long as I am focused. As an aside, given where my BGs where less than 2 years prior, +200 isn’t too bad and I enjoyed the break. The break came at a time we were travelling and I got to eat like a gluco-normal with all my favorite down home foods which I would never even look twice at if I was trying to control my bgs. [Previous page](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/is-it-possible-to-re-develop-your-physical-sense-of-lows-highs-after-depending-on-cgm/6238.md?page=1)