Should cgm users be exspected to leave the cinema each time they want to check their levels on there phone?

[Lucyr]

You could try a dummy run at home where you don't check for a couple of hours and see how that works.

Oh that’s a good idea. Make it a cinema experience - put the lights off, film on, whatever snack you’d have if you’re a snack person.

 

[Thebearcametoo]

In a cinema a quick check wouldn’t bother me and you can set your phone to be dim and be in night mode if that’s an option too to minimise light seepage. Sitting near an aisle means you’re nearer the ambient lights that are on stairs so there will be less contrast too. In theatres it’s more of an issue as if your phone lights up your face, which they tend to do, that can really distracting for actors but you don’t have that issue in cinemas.

Also a sensor reading of 5 is what you were 15 or so minutes ago so if you’re falling quickly you may already be hypo but your sensor hasn’t caught up yet. Not everyone has hypo awareness especially when sitting still so it’s not unreasonable to want to do the odd ‘just in case’ check.

 

[Lucyr]

Also a sensor reading of 5 is what you were 15 or so minutes ago

Do you have any evidence of this? The cgm data I’ve seen says the lag is far less and only a couple of minutes

 

[rebrascora]

How about choosing an aisle seat at the back so you are less likely to disturb anyone with a quick look at your phone and if you do need to go out you are not having to disturb others in your row to get out. Personally I would find it much more distracting having someone leave the cinema and come back in a few mins later than having someone check their phone. I have a reader, so I can just scan my sensor with the reader to get a reading and usually do it when the sound and light from the film is likely to disguise any light or bleep from my reader. I don't think I can mute the bleep when I scan hence I time it with what is going on in the film.. Usually when I go to the cinema there are only a few other people in anyway and have never encountered any upset or had anyone even look over at me. Same with the theatre and I have had my alarms vibrate a few times there and needed to top up with a jelly baby or even some insulin and no one has batted an eyelid. That said, I can calculate and inject a correction in the dark lying down when only half asleep, or walking along the street, so I am a bit of a dab hand at just getting on with it and the more relaxed you are about doing what you need to do , the less others will be aware that you are doing anything. I would just not look at social media sites if you read such negative comments and let them affect you. Do what you can to mitigate disruption to others but to me leaving the cinema twice or 3 times during a film and returning is far more disruptive than a quick look at your phone.

 

[Robin]

Also a sensor reading of 5 is what you were 15 or so minutes ago

That was the case when the original Libre was brought out, because interstitial fluid readings lag behind blood capillary readings. But now they have an algorithm that tries to work out what you would be now, if your reading was x fifteen minutes ago. I find it tends to overshoot, if I’m dropping or rising fast.

 

[helli]

@Sara Grice sorry you had to deal with such toxic behaviour in an online discussion.
I think it is important to remember the thoughts shared by ignorant people online are not necessarily the same as those experienced by people in real life - it is too easy for those cowards to hide behind a keyboard.

No, there is nothing wrong with checking your BG when at the cinema and I am sure if those people knew the alternative was you suffering from a hypo which would distracted them far more from their wonderful movie, they would change their minds.

Those of us on a diabetes forum understand how we all manage our diabetes differently so it is wrong to judge one person based on how your aunt's neighbours dog deals with the condition.

I continue to be concerned by your anxiety which is stopping you enjoy life. I believe you need assistance in dealing with this. It is very easy for those of us with more confidence say "I can watch a movie all the way through without looking at my CGM". But we are not you so that does not mean you must behave the same way.

I like the idea of a home movie night to see how you cope. Maybe you will become so immersed in the film that you will be able to switch off your diabetes thoughts for a couple of hours. But if you can't that is not a bad thing. You are in a safe environment with no one to judge you.

Above all, find a way to be you and to enjoy being you.

 

[Tdm]

To answer your question, no, we shouldn't be expected not to look at our cgms in the cinema, in the same way we don't manhandle wheel chair users out of their chair and into a cinema seat, but have places were they can watch from their chair.

My blood glucose shows on the homescreen so will light up for, like, 5 seconds. If there is anyone next to you you can explain before the film starts...whilst one may be annoyed if they think you are, say, checking the time, checking your blood sugars is essential and so likely not to annoy a reasonable person

Having said that, what i actually do is try to have no fast acting insulin on board, and switch my phone completely off. I'm not so bothered about crucial alerts, it's the other noises my phone may make.

 

[John Gray]

[...] doesn't airplane mode turn off Bluetooth as well?

If you're talking Android, the answer is Yes - but you can then turn on Bluetooth again.
While attending early music concerts, I turn on Airplane Mode and Do No Disturb, which action turns off WiFi and Bluetooth,
then I turn on Bluetooth again, to keep Libreview on my phone getting data from my Libre sensor .

 

[helli]

If you're talking Android, the answer is Yes - but you can then turn on Bluetooth again.
While attending early music concerts, I turn on Airplane Mode and Do No Disturb, which action turns off WiFi and Bluetooth,
then I turn on Bluetooth again, to keep Libreview on my phone getting data from my Libre sensor .

My Android phone has "saved" this setting.
Therefore, now when I turn on airplane mode, the Bluetooth setting remains on.

 

[Ieva DUK]

IMO you should be able to check things on your phone, to make sure you're ok, as long as the brightness is dimmed and there's no beeping going on (unless you're having an emergency). I agree with @rebrascora , that if your anxiety is more about disturbing others - choose an isle seat and that's that. I've seen people be disruptive in so many ways, that someone checking their medical app on the phone (as long as it's not on full brightness and lifted in front, blocking the view) would literally go unnoticed. I've been to shows where I've noticed a gentleman adjusting his hearing aid on his phone in front of me, twiddling with the volume until he was happy with it. I've seen people check their video cameras of their pets at home etc. It's on me for being so nosy and having magpie instincts that draw my attention to anything that shines and by no means those people's fault. Going to the cinema is a group experience, yes, but you need to be mindful of the people around you, just as they need to be mindful of you.
Anxiety is a powerful force, I know that very well. Telling yourself to just not do it is as good as telling yourself to just not be sad when you're suffering. You'll get there through practice. Maybe go to quieter viewings first, when there's less people, to work up your confidence and reduce the anxiety. There's no need to barricade yourself indoors and feel like you can no longer do things because of the diagnosis. Do the things you enjoy doing, just find a safe and helpful way to do it, that would work for you and your health - both physical and mental

 

[Leadinglights]

It is no more disrupting probably less than people munching popcorn and slurping drinks.
People are generally immersed in the film and will not even notice.

 

[PhoebeC]

No, we shouldn't be banned from checking.

I use my watch, its not bright, takes a second, I wouldn't check unless I felt low or high. I wouldn't have even used my blood glucose machine in the past in a cinema unless feeling high or low. Its a 1-2 hour window, so that should be okay to not check. I do worry that CGMs make people check more than needed, too much information isn't always a good thing.

My watch vibrates only in certain modes for alarms. That's what I use most of the time for my alarms, as I notice it. Again I would use my pump device if needed to adjust my insulin, people use their phones, I would be quick, on low brightness and try to hide the screen from others.

In 20 years I have never even nearly fallen with a hypo, I don't know how common it is, but this doesn't feel like a risk for me in a cinema full of people. Walking on my own in the peaks that is more of a risk. I do worry your diabetes is stopping you doing things. In the timeframe of a film diabetes should be able to forgotten about. I am sorry if this is not the case.

 

[John Gray]

My Android phone has "saved" this setting.
Therefore, now when I turn on airplane mode, the Bluetooth setting remains on.

I only have a cheapo Motorola, so it is either that, or ignorance of how to do the Save!

 

[SimonP]

I went to the cinema on Friday with my two children, I didn't turn my phone off (I never do), though I did (and do always) put it on silent and made sure to put a block on all BG related alarms (which can override silent) for 3h to ensure they didn't go off in the film. Using XDrip+ fwiw.

I did use my smart watch (shielded with my hand, but it's not very bright anyway - Garmin) and I also used my phone (which I left under my leg so I could at least feel any vibration alarms and looked at it in that location) to look at BG trajectory before I then quite happily injected two correction doses during the film (counting the clicks to know how many units I was dialling up).

I very much doubt I disturbed anyone though I guess someone might have smelled phenol and perhaps though the film had added smello-vision (Jurassic World, destroyed laboratory scene) so probably got even more value from their ticket than they expected. You're welcome Odeon 😉

I also had a packet of hypo skittles in my pocket (which I didn't have to use, though slightly annoyingly by the time my BG was in the right place the kids had almost completely demolished the popcorn! 🙂)

 

[SB2015]

Hi @Sara Grice I understand tge anxiety over hypos but for many bags of around 5 are very normal so you are not going to fall as a result if levels there.
When hypo you will pick up symptoms way before you get to falling down levels. I do have hypo stuff everywhere at home in small Tupperware pots. Like you I was very worried about stairs whilst hypo. Stashes avoids the problem and my DSN said if you get caught out and have to go down stairs go on your bum.
In a theatre my alarms are on silent. I check my levels before it starts and if dipping or worried I will I will have a JB
If I feel odd during the performance I will glance at my monitor (my pump or phone) and if low I will treat without checking (I am not going out to wash hands and finger prick - I never do. I use a wipe of the first drop of blood to ‘wash’ the finger, then test with the next. ) If I end up a bit high for a couple of hours fine, I can correct it afterwards.
If I was very very low I will eat where I am. The last thing I want to be doing is walking around. Having said that I have had a few lows 3.5- 4 but nothing serious.

I think that the idea of practice runs at home is a good one. Set an alarm on your phone for a period of time and gradually extend this time without looking at your sensor. You can still build in a check before you start and replicate the theatre/cinema situation.

Whatever you want to/used to do will be possible (apart from deep diving!!!!). I was scared of swimming at the start. I eventually got back to it (it took me two years!!!)
Identify the concern and then take steps to work towards overcoming them so that you can do things again. Small steps. Take your time. You are doing great and it does get easier. People on here will get, have ideas, choose what works for you.

 

[Leadinglights]

A friend of nearly 80 diagnosed about 2 years has continued with bell ringing, line dancing, her overseas trips, confident in her Libre to keep her safe, the Frio pack to keep the insulin safe even in the Sahara Desert.

 

[helli]

A friend of nearly 80 diagnosed about 2 years has continued with bell ringing, line dancing, her overseas trips, confident in her Libre to keep her safe, the Frio pack to keep the insulin safe even in the Sahara Desert.

A friend who struggled with anxiety taught me that it doesn't matter what someone else can cope with. We are all different with different health concerns, including mental health.
As she explained it to me, "you wouldn't tell someone with a broken leg to run a marathon because someone older has run one so don't tell someone with anxiety to leave their comfort zone because someone older has done so." (I am paraphrasing because I don't remember exactly what she said.)

 

[Lucyr]

Whatever you want to/used to do will be possible (apart from deep diving!!!!)

Why not deep diving? I know T1s on pump and cgm that do that, though they switch to injections for diving holidays.

 

[Lucyr]

As she explained it to me, "you wouldn't tell someone with a broken leg to run a marathon because someone older has run one so don't tell someone with anxiety to leave their comfort zone because someone older has done so."

It is different though. From experience the only way to get through severe anxiety is to face your fears and do it. I used to have a fear of testing and injecting in public, when I wanted to conquer that fear I just went out testing and injecting everywhere, building up in a way that felt comfortable but basically just forcing myself to get through it repeatedly for as much exposure practice as I could.

 

[rebrascora]

Must say, my fear of nocturnal hypos was cured by a week of having them almost nightly about 10 months after diagnosis. Not that I actively chose to do that, it just happened when I increased exercise despite my best efforts at reducing my basal and I hypoed 6 nights out of 7. What it taught me was invaluable.
I now sleep really soundly pretty much every night because I no longer fear them, whereas before I was waking up 2 or 3 times a night to test in case I was getting low. Even when I wake up hypo now I can just chew a couple of jelly babies and be back to sleep within minutes with no panic at all because I am so relaxed about dealing with them, so I do agree with @Lucyr that the way to overcome your fear is to find ways to face it and realise that you can deal with it. If that is setting yourself little targets in order to build up to it or throwing yourself in at the deep end will be down to the individual, but I would suggest that engaging in online discussions on Facebook or whatever is unlikely to be helpful to you and people with the most extreme views will usually shout the loudest, so you are better to spend your time devising a plan to start challenging yourself. If you need moral support, go with the person in your life who you feel has your back and gives you confidence the most. Choose seats at the back. Go to a quiet showing and choose an action movie or something rather than a dark and moody film where any sound or light from your phone will be more obvious. Make sure there is no bolus insulin active in your system and your levels are reasonably stable when you go. Build it up slowly as you confidence increases. Once you get a few films under your belt you will find it isn't the big worry you think it is.
I remember going to see Top Gun Maverick with my friend after a Lebanese meal and my levels hit 17 during the crucial and very dramatic bombing mission scenes and I had injected plenty of insulin for the meal but the stress of the movie pushed my levels up higher and higher. I ended up jabbing a whole load more insulin at that point to bring them down in the middle of the movie by just counting the clicks as @SimonP mentioned and I very much doubt anyone in the cinema was even remotely aware of what I was doing apart from my friend next to me.