Life with Libre

[Scott-C]

Could work?

You've been googling images too much, hen!

 

[maglil55]

Have you tried looking in sports direct, I'm sure they'll have something to help keep it dry/safe x

I had a look online but no luck. I know what I'm looking for but I may end up just making it. I'm even starting to think cling film could work!

 

[Ultramum]

Lateral thinking here - I have intermittent tennis elbow. I use a support from Boots which is basically an adjustable armband with Velcro so that you can adjust the setting. However I use it just below my elbow rather than round my own bingo wings so not sure how secure it would stay higher up - plus all the waving around at Aqua in the deep end

 

[maglil55]

Lateral thinking here - I have intermittent tennis elbow. I use a support from Boots which is basically an adjustable armband with Velcro so that you can adjust the setting. However I use it just below my elbow rather than round my own bingo wings so not sure how secure it would stay higher up - plus all the waving around at Aqua in the deep end

That's the sort of thing I want but yes there are loads of elbow versions but the only upper arm one I've come across is on a USA website. Can't find the same thing here.

 

[Chook]

Have you looked on eBay or Amazon?

 

[Scott-C]

You're a few days too early to try this just yet, but once you've got seven days in the bag, you'll get a "daily pattern" graph. Librelink shows it, but the reader allows you to tweak it for customised periods in the related software, and also graphs post-meal peaks. Hba1c is all well and good, but it's just an averaged number. The daily pattern takes out the top and bottom 10% outliers and then overlays the remaining 80% over an extended period to show a typical day , so it's easier to see recurring patterns. Google modal day and ambulatory glucose profile. It shows a median line, and a dark blue band where glucose is 50% of the time, and a lighter blue for the rest. It provides way more info than an hba1c. I could easily see on mine that I'm pretty much where I should be most of the day but went both too high and too low at night, so knew I'd have to pay attention to that.

Glad to see you're sticking with it. Each sensor is slightly different, just like each car has a slightly different clutch. Over time, you kind of get a sense about how good or bad a sensor is. It's a bit like me and my cousin. He knows everything about football and I know nothing. We could both watch the same game, he'll see the tactics/strategy, I'll just see some guys playing football. The more you use it, the more you'll see, including being able to adjust for errors.

 

[maglil55]

Have you looked on eBay or Amazon?

Yes but the problem has been resolved.
The clear dressing from Boots dispensary keeps it watertight and it is staying put. No curly bits at the edges yet. The tubular bandage the staff at the sports club suggested was inspired. It isn't waterproof but that doesn't matter as it goes on top of the Boots dressing. The Boots dressing also has the sensor firmly in place so there is no chance of the elasticated tubular bandage knocking it off. Been 2 hours in the pool and everything stayed secure.
Full blown Aqua next week now with arms in full use.

 

[AndBreathe]

It might work. I'm going off the Rocktape idea as it doesn't have a good write up and I had more than enough today with dangling tapes. Although the tubular support isn't waterproof I think the Boots dispensary dressing will keep it waterproof and the support should hold everything in place. Bingo wings may be good for inserting the thing but not so good swinging about with an errant sensor on the end in deep water! Thank goodness I took a buoyancy belt with me today. Deep water aqua is difficult enough but Look - no arms is impossible.
The support thing you can double up as a compression support so I'll see what that is like tomorrow.
My other discovery today is I do actually spend a fair bit of time in the 5's. The scan is showing a lot of time in the 5's and since I know it's scanning high I know it's right. Also noticed in the lower range it's closer so I don't have to panic.
Tomorrow is grandson swimming but still energetic.

Coincidentally, I was in my local Lidl this morning, and noticed the had the remains of a kinesiology tape offering the reduced section at £1.75. Lovely shocking pink colour .

It professes to be waterproof, lasting for up to a week. Kinesiology comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes (oh, and colours).

Edit - Just saw you have a solution you're happy with for now. That's the main thing.

 

[maglil55]

You're a few days too early to try this just yet, but once you've got seven days in the bag, you'll get a "daily pattern" graph. Librelink shows it, but the reader allows you to tweak it for customised periods in the related software, and also graphs post-meal peaks. Hba1c is all well and good, but it's just an averaged number. The daily pattern takes out the top and bottom 10% outliers and then overlays the remaining 80% over an extended period to show a typical day , so it's easier to see recurring patterns. Google modal day and ambulatory glucose profile. It shows a median line, and a dark blue band where glucose is 50% of the time, and a lighter blue for the rest. It provides way more info than an hba1c. I could easily see on mine that I'm pretty much where I should be most of the day but went both too high and too low at night, so knew I'd have to pay attention to that.

Glad to see you're sticking with it. Each sensor is slightly different, just like each car has a slightly different clutch. Over time, you kind of get a sense about how good or bad a sensor is. It's a bit like me and my cousin. He knows everything about football and I know nothing. We could both watch the same game, he'll see the tactics/strategy, I'll just see some guys playing football. The more you use it, the more you'll see, including being able to adjust for errors.

Oddly enough after days of it measuring high it is now measuring low. Not by much - under by about 0.2. It does give me a Daily graph but I assume this is something different as you cannot tweak it. I was looking for a way to expand it to get a closer look at some areas.
I still have the 3am dip so I am looking for it now. As soon as I move the dawn rise starts and that's one I never have any idea where it will end up although thankfully it is staying out of double digits. Rest of the day I'm mostly fine but as the data builds up I'll no doubt start to notice other patterns. Finding it very interesting though and my poor stabbed fingers are recovering.

 

[Bluetit1802]

I think you are missing out not having the reader. I don't know how the app works as I've never used it, but the reader graphs do tell you in mmol/ls what your post meal peak was, which saves having to guess when scanning, and the 15 minute logs tell you in mmol/ls what was happening whilst asleep.

Glad you found a solution for your aquarobic sessions.

 

[Brunneria]

Funnily enough, I was having a rummage on Amazon earlier and found a black neoprene iPod armband for just £5 something, p&p free.

It will be interesting to see what happens with it, but it is Reuseable, so I am hoping it will reduce the Opsite tapeconsumption!

Anyone know if Libre have a max functioning temperature? I can probably search it out, but wondering if anyone can remember off the top of their head?

Edited to add: turns out the Libre functions between 10 and 45 degrees Celcius

 

[Scott-C]

It does give me a Daily graph but I assume this is something different as you cannot tweak it.

To get the Daily Patterns graph in librelink, tap the menu button at the top left and click Daily Patterns. Don't use librelink, but it looks like the pic below on the reader software. That's mine for the three months to December. Unlike the daily graphs which show just a single day, it overlays 90 days on one graph to see recurring patterns, and then if there are areas of concern, the daily graphs can be looked at for more detail. Librelink allows you to create a graph for 7, 14, 30 and 90 day periods. The reader software will do it for any period.

 

[maglil55]

To get the Daily Patterns graph in librelink, tap the menu button at the top left and click Daily Patterns. Don't use librelink, but it looks like the pic below on the reader software. That's mine for the three months to December. Unlike the daily graphs which show just a single day, it overlays 90 days on one graph to see recurring patterns, and then if there are areas of concern, the daily graphs can be looked at for more detail. Librelink allows you to create a graph for 7, 14, 30 and 90 day periods. The reader software will do it for any period.

View attachment 22400

Got it - thanks for that.

 

[maglil55]

I've decided I like this. I'm starting to trust it now. I've taken 3 readings to check today and all put the Libre reading 0.2 under so I can live with that.
Delighted to have solved the Aqua problem too. 30 hours on and the Boots dressing is still on. It is like Opsite but a lot easier to apply. The tubular bandage is from Boots as well and it is easy to put on. Just enough support to stop it moving about. Used it today and I just rinsed it with my swimming gear when I came home and hung it up.
Was less happy with the 9.6 DP. No nocturnal visit to the loo but movement starts the rise. Also got another 8.3 blip which doesn't usually happen and no logical reason for it.
Had to laugh at the grandson as one of the members asked if I'd injured myself to which grandson replied 'No , it's Nana's secret sugar thingy. She's keeping it dry. '
Still getting the 3am dip. Highest average is obviously DP time in the morning but if I knew the answer to that one I'd be worth a fortune.

 

[Brunneria]

I get a dip at 2.30am too. It is often the lowest reading I get throughout the 24 hours. Every night. Like clockwork.
And my body reacts to the dip with a wee liver dump that brings my bg up to around the high 5s.
Then it dips a bit.
Another mini rise.
It looks a little like a stone skimming a pond, skipping across the water surface.
And so on until, like you, I wake up or get up.

I really don't know why the low happens. It doesn't seem to make much difference what I eat the night before, or when I eat it. When 2.30am rolls around, I go low, then bounce up again.
(and I often wake up at that time too, nip to the loo and then go back to sleep - I used to think it was a full bladder. But I have changed my mind. I think it is the near hypo and the liver dump that wakes me enough to become aware of the full bladder)

Am so glad you are liking the Libre.
It takes some getting used to, but it is well worth the negatives (IMHO) to get the stupendous positives.

 

[maglil55]

I get a dip at 2.30am too. It is often the lowest reading I get throughout the 24 hours. Every night. Like clockwork.
And my body reacts to the dip with a wee liver dump that brings my bg up to around the high 5s.
Then it dips a bit.
Another mini rise.
It looks a little like a stone skimming a pond, skipping across the water surface.
And so on until, like you, I wake up or get up.

I really don't know why the low happens. It doesn't seem to make much difference what I eat the night before, or when I eat it. When 2.30am rolls around, I go low, then bounce up again.
(and I often wake up at that time too, nip to the loo and then go back to sleep - I used to think it was a full bladder. But I have changed my mind. I think it is the near hypo and the liver dump that wakes me enough to become aware of the full bladder)

Am so glad you are liking the Libre.
It takes some getting used to, but it is well worth the negatives (IMHO) to get the stupendous positives.

I was wondering if that's when I'm in my deepest sleep? Like you it corrects it quickly.

 

[Brunneria]

I was wondering if that's when I'm in my deepest sleep? Like you it corrects it quickly.

Yes, it is probably something to do with circadian rhythms...

 

[maglil55]

It went a bit weird today. I'd cut down on the finger pricks after 3 readings yesterday that put it 0
2 under. This morning seemed fine too although I was surprised at FBG 7.7 and pre breakfast 7.3. Libre still seems pretty much 0.2 under. Left it to Libre after that and I got the usual slight rise after breakfast then into the fall. Later though it seemed to take a nosedive - 3.8?? Nah felt fine but it was enough for me to rescan and got a 4.1. Decided a check was in order and I was at 6.1. So that was quite a big difference. Checked again 15 mins after the finger prick and it was 5.8 so getting closer again. I'll do another check before bed.
The dip was a bit later at 3.30 am . Slept right through until 7 ish when I had to visit the loo , quick scan had me at 6.9 ( had gone to bed earlier last night at 6.3 ) and I guessed that was probably 7.1. Back to bed and had a nice lie in - did go back to sleep. It did start to rise but going back to sleep it dipped again until I finally did get up.
Maybe the answer to DP is stay in bed?

 

[maglil55]

Glad to say Libre has been a bit more settled today. Was starting to lose faith since yèsterday morning I had No idea where I was. Varied the day before between measuring way too low or way too high and even the trends were a bit doo lally. Now back to measuring just a wee bit below.
The daily pattern graph has been about for a couple of days now. Quite interesting. I know I have a morning peak thanks to DP but surprisingly the rest of the day is quite smooth and within limits (although a little higher than ideally what I want). I've cut my finger jabs again today as both checks were fine.

 

[Carol3120]

I have been using the Libre for 3 days now. I get a difference of 50mg/dl almost every time. Other times 30mg/dl difference. The Libre is always higher than the finger stick (Freestyle Light). I'm not sure what number is correct. I've written to Abbott but haven't gotten a reply as yet. Any suggestions? Thanks!