What should you know about CGM use in type 2 diabetes?

CGM displays current glucose alongside a direction arrow and a record of recent movement. This can reveal a rise after meals, a fall after activity, or overnight patterns. Trends help with discussion, but they do not explain every change. Sensor delay, pressure on the sensor, illness, dehydration and device problems can affect the result. Your prescribed medicines, especially those that can lower glucose, should never be changed solely because of one unexpected alert.

Learn how to start the sensor, check adhesion, silence or respond to alerts and share data if your team uses remote review. Keep a written backup of medicines and know the alternative glucose-check method advised for your device. Compare readings with how you feel, and confirm unusual results when instructed. Inspect the skin after removal and report ongoing irritation. Bring trend reports to appointments with notes about meals, exercise, sleep and illness; context makes the data more useful.

Seek urgent help if low glucose causes confusion, collapse, seizure or unsafe behaviour, or if you cannot keep treatment down. Get emergency assessment for high glucose with vomiting, marked drowsiness, severe dehydration, abdominal pain or unusual breathing. If the sensor fails while you are unwell, use your agreed backup method and contact your diabetes team rather than guessing at medicine doses.

What should each alert mean for my treatment plan? Which readings require confirmation? How should I manage exercise, travel, illness or a sensor failure, and when should we review my trend data?