Freestyle Libre reader vs Glimp app

[Postleneo]

Just felt compelled to share... Been using the Freestyle libre now for about 3 months and find it a great piece of kit especially been able to scan the sensor to see trends and impending Hypos etc. My only issue is that the readings can differ from the actual BS readings between .5 and 2 mmols and the information from the reader is restricted to show data on the graph in 2 hr intervals. By chance I discovered an app called Glimp which can be used either instead of or along side the Libre reader. The difference I have found, however, are unbelievable!!. Firstly, I have read that the app can still obtain data from the sensor for a number of weeks after the 14 day limit! The app also seems to be more in line with actual BS readings examples are as follows

BS reading........ Libre Reader........ Glimp app
7.5....................... 8.7 ....................... 7.4
7.5....................... 8.5........................ 7.8
7.4 ...................... 9.1........................ 8.2
7.6 ...................... 9.3........................ 8.3
7.5....................... 8.6........................ 7.4
4.5....................... 4.9........................ 4.4
8.6 ...................... 9.7........................ 7.9
Secondly. As I am going to officially be pumping on the 28th of this month I was planning to use the info from the libre reader to help me with a starting point for insulin adjustments however as the info on the reader shows the graph plotted over 2 hour periods I would need to estimate an approximate time my blood sugars changed... however, with the glimp app you can scroll along the graph line which shows the exact time of changes which for me will be much better for example last night my readings were stable until 12:07 then dropped until 01:52 dropping by 1.8 mmol then remained stable until 03:39 then began to raise! Another great feature is that there is also a CGM function which will set of an alarm if you go outside your pre set range (which I am eager to try out) only thing with this is that you need to ensure your phone is attached to the sensor. And finally what I am impressed with is that you can also input your actual BS readings and the app will calibrate the data. Overall I am really impressed as not only will I save money but also get more accurate readings!! Have only been using the app for 1 day along side the Libre reader but so far ... wow!!!... Has anyone else used this app? if so would be interested how you have found it and if the CGM function works as well as hoped

 

[angehud1977]

Just felt compelled to share... Been using the Freestyle libre now for about 3 months and find it a great piece of kit especially been able to scan the sensor to see trends and impending Hypos etc. My only issue is that the readings can differ from the actual BS readings between .5 and 2 mmols and the information from the reader is restricted to show data on the graph in 2 hr intervals. By chance I discovered an app called Glimp which can be used either instead of or along side the Libre reader. The difference I have found, however, are unbelievable!!. Firstly, I have read that the app can still obtain data from the sensor for a number of weeks after the 14 day limit! The app also seems to be more in line with actual BS readings examples are as follows

BS reading........ Libre Reader........ Glimp app
7.5....................... 8.7 ....................... 7.4
7.5....................... 8.5........................ 7.8
7.4 ...................... 9.1........................ 8.2
7.6 ...................... 9.3........................ 8.3
7.5....................... 8.6........................ 7.4
4.5....................... 4.9........................ 4.4
8.6 ...................... 9.7........................ 7.9
Secondly. As I am going to officially be pumping on the 28th of this month I was planning to use the info from the libre reader to help me with a starting point for insulin adjustments however as the info on the reader shows the graph plotted over 2 hour periods I would need to estimate an approximate time my blood sugars changed... however, with the glimp app you can scroll along the graph line which shows the exact time of changes which for me will be much better for example last night my readings were stable until 12:07 then dropped until 01:52 dropping by 1.8 mmol then remained stable until 03:39 then began to raise! Another great feature is that there is also a CGM function which will set of an alarm if you go outside your pre set range (which I am eager to try out) only thing with this is that you need to ensure your phone is attached to the sensor. And finally what I am impressed with is that you can also input your actual BS readings and the app will calibrate the data. Overall I am really impressed as not only will I save money but also get more accurate readings!! Have only been using the app for 1 day along side the Libre reader but so far ... wow!!!... Has anyone else used this app? if so would be interested how you have found it and if the CGM function works as well as hoped

Thanks for this. I am a new user with freestyle libre and finding it invaluable to track movements etc. I have not heard of Glimp before, can I get this app in my iPhone?

 

[Medusa41]

Hi @Postleneo - Not heard of that app. Will have to investigate as it sounds pretty good. I use the libre - alternating 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off. Will look into this, thanks.

 

[Postleneo]

Thanks for this. I am a new user with freestyle libre and finding it invaluable to track movements etc. I have not heard of Glimp before, can I get this app in my iPhone?

Hi unfortunately I believe the app in only available on Android sorry about that :-( but if you do a Google search one may be similar for the iphone.

 

[Postleneo]

Hi @Postleneo - Not heard of that app. Will have to investigate as it sounds pretty good. I use the libre - alternating 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off. Will look into this, thanks.

My pleasure hope you find it as useful as I do please bear in mind that it is only available for Android devices

 

[tim2000s]

Firstly, I have read that the app can still obtain data from the sensor for a number of weeks after the 14 day limit!

Yes and no. The sensor doesn't stop transmitting data, but for most of us who have tried Glimp found that it continued to transmit the last 12 hours of data collected at the end of sensor life. There have been a lot of discussions on this on the Freestyle Libre Users Facebook page.

Secondly. As I am going to officially be pumping on the 28th of this month I was planning to use the info from the libre reader to help me with a starting point for insulin adjustments however as the info on the reader shows the graph plotted over 2 hour periods I would need to estimate an approximate time my blood sugars changed...

The reader allows you to see the last few hours, and also a view of the day. You can also download the data from Libre and view it using the Abbott software, which is, to be fair pretty good. That's very helpful. Alternatively you can use the LibreLink App on an Android phone and it will upload the data to Diasend for you, which is also excellent for reviewing data.

The only warning with Glimp is that some users have found that it interacts in an odd way with the Sensor NFC and it has been known to kill sensors. I experienced that when I used it on a couple of occasions.

 

[Binary]

I am surprised that anyone has been able to get a couple of weeks extra using the Glimp app. My own experience when trying to move the libre change day by using the Glimp was that after eight hours it would flatline and provide no data of any value.

Maybe starting by Glimp makes a difference?

Interesting to see some comparisons between blood glucose tests. I use both the libre freestyle and the libre link and while the figures agree if I scan with both immediately after the other I have occasionally seen a difference between them as big as 0.3. Despite both being officially recognised by Abbott I guess they both use slightly different algorithm.

 

[tim2000s]

Despite both being officially recognised by Abbott I guess they both use slightly different algorithm.

I suspect they use the same algorithm (I'd expect that to be required for regulatory purposes), however, over the past 15 mins, the data is captured every minute, so if your two scans overlapped the sensor readings I can easily see how you might get different results.

 

[Binary]

I suspect they use the same algorithm (I'd expect that to be required for regulatory purposes), however, over the past 15 mins, the data is captured every minute, so if your two scans overlapped the sensor readings I can easily see how you might get different results.

I initially assumed that they used the same algorithm and would therefore produce the same results. I have scanned with one, got one set of results, scanned with the other got a different result rescanned with both and both returned same set of results. I was under the impression that initially the Libre Link was not initially a product of Abbotts but could be wrong about that.

Discovered by accident when I scanned with one device and the wife scanned with the other within seconds of each other.

 

[tim2000s]

I initially assumed that they used the same algorithm and would therefore produce the same results. I have scanned with one, got one set of results, scanned with the other got a different result rescanned with both and both returned same set of results. I was under the impression that initially the Libre Link was not initially a product of Abbotts but could be wrong about that.

Discovered by accident when I scanned with one device and the wife scanned with the other within seconds of each other.

But seconds can overlap the difference between one minute and the next's sensor reading, i.e. if you scanned at A & B, with the different systems, you'd get the same result, B & C, different results and C & D, the same. Timing is quite important.

 

[Binary]

I would expect that

But seconds can overlap the difference between one minute and the next's sensor reading, i.e. if you scanned at A & B, with the different systems, you'd get the same result, B & C, different results and C & D, the same. Timing is quite important.

View attachment 22291​

I would expect that with your scenario but that not what has happened. Looking at your graph lets pretend that A and C were the freestyle libre and B and D were the libre link. A and C would still show results of 5.2 while B and D would show results of 5.5.

The freestyle libre isn't a great time piece and slowly loses minutes. I have to reset it every couple of months. I assumed that when it scans it just collects the last so many minutes worth of data but if it used a start and end time based on the date/time of the receiver then that could possible account for the occasional difference.

 

[tim2000s]

I would expect that


I would expect that with your scenario but that not what has happened. Looking at your graph lets pretend that A and C were the freestyle libre and B and D were the libre link. A and C would still show results of 5.2 while B and D would show results of 5.5.

The freestyle libre isn't a great time piece and slowly loses minutes. I have to reset it every couple of months. I assumed that when it scans it just collects the last so many minutes worth of data but if it used a start and end time based on the date/time of the receiver then that could possible account for the occasional difference.

We know that the sensor array has an onboard timer, because it needs to determine when to aggregate readings, however, it doesn't need to have a Date:Time clock, as that function can be handled by the reader/app. We also know that the sensor has a maximum memory capacity equivalent to 8 hours of data. The easiest way to find out is to run glimp over the data and see what you end up with, as it's possible to see the collected data in the Glimp logs.

 

[Postleneo]

Cheers for the responses and info guys will definitely keep a close eye on the Glimpse performance especially sensor burnout and data scanned post 14 days .Thanks Tim for info about Diasend very useful

 

[Notorious]

Yes and no. The sensor doesn't stop transmitting data, but for most of us who have tried Glimp found that it continued to transmit the last 12 hours of data collected at the end of sensor life. There have been a lot of discussions on this on the Freestyle Libre Users Facebook page.


The reader allows you to see the last few hours, and also a view of the day. You can also download the data from Libre and view it using the Abbott software, which is, to be fair pretty good. That's very helpful. Alternatively you can use the LibreLink App on an Android phone and it will upload the data to Diasend for you, which is also excellent for reviewing data.

The only warning with Glimp is that some users have found that it interacts in an odd way with the Sensor NFC and it has been known to kill sensors. I experienced that when I used it on a couple of occasions.

Hi. I had 2 sensors that continued to transmit valid and fairly accurate data for a week after 'officially' expiring. The last one I had didn't though. Random good batch? I will wait to see what this one does.

 

[justadad]

Hi,
Bought the libre for my son few days ago. Libre reader reads lower values than the conventional BG meter. I was unable to install librelink due to unavailability in my country. APK option did not work either. Installed glimp instead and it reads in between the libre reader and the BG meter. Which do you recon is more accurate? Plus, my son is on antibiotics, and I can't find any reference as to the impact antibiotics can have on the readings. This because the leaflet that came with the antibiotics suggested possible wrongful elevated readings of sugar if tested from blood or urine.
Anyone care to share their experience?

Thanx,

 

[Carterc2]

I have been using this Glimp app and it isn't too far from my BG readings.

Also I have recently upgraded to Samsung S8+ and the official Libra app does not work with this phone. However this Glimp app works a treat.

I also see if the Libra sensor still transmits after the 14 days

 

[zbluebirdz]

With the Glimp app, you can "recalibrate" the reading by entering the blood pricking results. I've found that the Glimp often needs these results to be somewhat similar to the blood pricks and Libre reader's readings.

NB: 3 of 4 sensors I've had, the sensors stop working at the end of the 2 weeks of usage.

 

[Markh75]

Hi does the glimp app register a reading from your Libre monitor or do you always have to use the phone?

 

[Postleneo]

Hi does the glimp app register a reading from your Libre monitor or do you always have to use the phone?

Hi there.... For the past 9 months or so have been self funding the Dexcom G4 as it links to my Animas pump so have not used Glimpse for quite a while. What I remember is that you need to scan the sensor with your phone .... They may however have updated and made changes to the app since I have used it. Sorry I can't give you any up to date information as last used glmp around 12 months ago .

 

[CherryAA]

I just tried glimp - it gave what looked like promising readings for about an hour, failed to respond to my morning liver dump, then stopped doing anything .
I am still in the last two days of the libre. The libre has continued working but the glimp is a total bust at present.!
no clue if im doing something wrong.