Type 1 Dexcom vs Libre CGMs

[CarlyB]

Hello,

I’ve been doing research into CGMs and would like to hear people’s opinions. Do you prefer the Dexcom G6 or the Freestyle Libre?

Thanks

 

[eventhorizon]

Hi. Just remember the Libre is not a CGM without the addition of some third-party hardware and apps. But I've only tried the Libre-MM-X drip and must say I'm pretty happy with it.

 

[CarlyB]

Hi. Just remember the Libre is not a CGM without the addition of some third-party hardware and apps. But I've only tried the Libre-MM-X drip and must say I'm pretty happy with it.

Thanks for your advice

 

[EllsKBells]

Personally, I preferred the Dexcom - more accurate, stayed on a lot better, and could get it to last longer, not to mention that they don't seem to suffer from the never ending supply issues with the Libre. But, and it's a big but, the Libre is a lot cheaper over a year.

Depends what you want from it really - the Libre is not a CGM, but can be made into one with some third-party bits and pieces.

 

[MeiChanski]

Hello I have been fortunate enough to try both. Libre, in my eyes is not a CGM, you have to scan it to show results. However it does provide a graph and trends for you to identify where you are going wrong. Unfortunately it lags 15 mins behind a figure prick test, so if you are dropping or going up rapidly, the libre might not have picked it up. It also doesn’t have alarms to alert if it’s predicting a low or a high. If you want alarms, as others have said, you’ll need a third party gadget for it. Whereas Dexcom does have that feature and it also provides trends and data. It lags around 5 mins behind a blood test so you can intervene much quicker. unfortunately it is far too expensive for the NHS to fund it. Libre might be a tad easier to get. I found both to be fairly accurate but adhesive on the Dexcom didn’t stick well on me and I have dry skin. Sometimes Dexcom loses signal and sometimes it has sensor issues. I’ve had less issues with the libre sensors. However, libre 2 is coming to the UK soon, some time this year. That provides alarms and alerts so it’ll be interesting to see that compete with Dexcom.

 

[CarlyB]

Hello I have been fortunate enough to try both. Libre, in my eyes is not a CGM, you have to scan it to show results. However it does provide a graph and trends for you to identify where you are going wrong. Unfortunately it lags 15 mins behind a figure prick test, so if you are dropping or going up rapidly, the libre might not have picked it up. It also doesn’t have alarms to alert if it’s predicting a low or a high. If you want alarms, as others have said, you’ll need a third party gadget for it. Whereas Dexcom does have that feature and it also provides trends and data. It lags around 5 mins behind a blood test so you can intervene much quicker. unfortunately it is far too expensive for the NHS to fund it. Libre might be a tad easier to get. I found both to be fairly accurate but adhesive on the Dexcom didn’t stick well on me and I have dry skin. Sometimes Dexcom loses signal and sometimes it has sensor issues. I’ve had less issues with the libre sensors. However, libre 2 is coming to the UK soon, some time this year. That provides alarms and alerts so it’ll be interesting to see that compete with Dexcom.

This is very useful, thank you!

 

[slip]

Ask 100 people their views on something and you'll probably get 100 different answers. What is it you actually want to know?

I've not used the Dexcom - but I have used another proper CGM in the past, it can be good to get alarms - but it's also good that you can turn them off
Thats one thing I do like about the Libre, you can access the data as and when YOU want. Obviously if you are self funding the Libre is cheaper but you could also get it on the NHS if you're in the UK, as you can the Dexcom but the criteria is a lot stricter. Meichanski mentions the lag, technically both measure the same thing and so suffer the lag but each has it's own algorithm to deal with that and some people find one works better than the other, personally I find the libre pretty good accuracy wise.

 

[CarlyB]

Ask 100 people their views on something and you'll probably get 100 different answers. What is it you actually want to know?

I've not used the Dexcom - but I have used another proper CGM in the past, it can be good to get alarms - but it's also good that you can turn them off
Thats one thing I do like about the Libre, you can access the data as and when YOU want. Obviously if you are self funding the Libre is cheaper but you could also get it on the NHS if you're in the UK, as you can the Dexcom but the criteria is a lot stricter. Meichanski mentions the lag, technically both measure the same thing and so suffer the lag but each has it's own algorithm to deal with that and some people find one works better than the other, personally I find the libre pretty good accuracy wise.

This is really useful, thank you.
Have you ever had issues with the supply of sensors for the Libre being delayed?

 

[tim2000s]

If you're interested in the accuracy of the Libre, I've written about it a few times - a couple of examples are below:

https://www.diabettech.com/diabetes/freestylelibre-the-only-way-is-up-or-down-or-maybe-up/

https://www.diabettech.com/xdrip/li...using-a-third-party-transmitter-a-case-study/

The main benefit from it is seeing what really happens when you eat and the direction of travel of your glucose levels. As the others have said, it's not CGM, and it's not perfect, but if you can get it on prescription, it's a lot better than fingerpricks.

 

[slip]

Have you ever had issues with the supply of sensors for the Libre being delayed?

I'm self funded (lucky enough to have a family member work for Abbott so get them at 'Family&Friends' rate) so I wasn't at the mercy of the latest prescription delays, saying that I was forced to be without a sensor for 3 days this week as there was briefly a lack of stock for F&F purchases