Libre 2

[Sydneyhorn]

I've just taken advantage of the free Libre 2 scanner offer and, after 24 hours, I'm already impressed.

I certainly wouldn't bother paying to have one full time but the free trial has already given me some insights as to what happens to my glucose levels around food and, most interestingly, at night.

The pin pricks are useful but, for example, my blood sugar dropped to 3.5% mmol/l in the middle of the night. Something I would not have been aware of without the Libre 2.

When I woke up it was 6.1 mmol/l but, after I'd dozed for another hour it dropped to 4.5% mmol/l. It then went up again to 6.3% mmol/l when I started moving.

My usual fasting pin prick test could have been anything from 4.5% to 6.3% depending when I did it!!!

I'm going to use it to really investigate what foods do what to my blood glucose over the next two week trial period.

Like I say, I couldn't/wouldn't justify the cost for most T2s like me but it's definitely worth considering getting a free trial and learning from the insights it can give.

 

[Rachox]

@Sydneyhorn , I agree, I had the free trial last year, I spent the first week eating as I normally do (LC less than 45g/day), then in the second week I tried a few experiments to see what I can ‘get away with’.
Just so you’re aware the lows you’re seeing at night time could be compression lows, that is false lows caused by lying on the sensor.

Edit for typo

 

[ianpspurs]

Don't test after a shower you'll imagine a hyper, slightly less so but also false after a comfort break of either number. I wear one most of the time as I wouldn't test nearly as much without it. Impossible to do a finger stab during exercise. Good that you are learning lots. The interim between pre food/drink and 2 hr equivalent fascinates me. Some experiments and some genuine mistakes (Mrs P putting very sugary caramel syrup in my coffee) with carby food ended up where I started but the steep rise and steep fall would never have shown up by Stabbo. Swipey is very revealing.

 

[KennyA]

I've just taken advantage of the free Libre 2 scanner offer and, after 24 hours, I'm already impressed.

I certainly wouldn't bother paying to have one full time but the free trial has already given me some insights as to what happens to my glucose levels around food and, most interestingly, at night.

The pin pricks are useful but, for example, my blood sugar dropped to 3.5% mmol/l in the middle of the night. Something I would not have been aware of without the Libre 2.

When I woke up it was 6.1 mmol/l but, after I'd dozed for another hour it dropped to 4.5% mmol/l. It then went up again to 6.3% mmol/l when I started moving.

My usual fasting pin prick test could have been anything from 4.5% to 6.3% depending when I did it!!!

I'm going to use it to really investigate what foods do what to my blood glucose over the next two week trial period.

Like I say, I couldn't/wouldn't justify the cost for most T2s like me but it's definitely worth considering getting a free trial and learning from the insights it can give.

I tried the Libre via free trial because of my continuing night sweats and nightmares. My A1c has been "normal" for nearly two years so I didn't understand why I was still having this problem, and if anything it had got worse.

When the Libre worked, it was fine. I had two fail and the third - which lasted the two weeks - read inconsistently high. I had a similar and consistent return over a week from the second Libre on "real" hypos in the early morning. The pattern I had was readings would be fine for most of the night but around 4-6am my levels would suddenly/quickly fall into threes. This drop wouldn't last long as I'd get a massive liver dump (accompanied by the nightmares, heavy sweats etc,) which if left to itself would raise my readings to high fives and six over the space of the next five or six hours.

I know the received wisdom is that T2s don't get real hypos. I think that needs to be thought about in the light of what the Libre is showing many of us.

 

[In Response]

I know the received wisdom is that T2s don't get real hypos. I think that needs to be thought about in the light of what the Libre is showing many of us.

Two thought on this
- are you sure the low readings were not compression lows when you turned to lie on your sensor?
- for people who are not treated with insulin, values in the high 3s are not considered as hypos.

 

[In Response]

Impossible to do a finger stab during exercise.

It is most certainly not impossible to finger prick whilst exercising. I have been doing so for over 15 years.I accept it depends upon the type of exercise (although you can momentarily stop for a finger prick) but at the gym on a treadmill, exercise bike, cross trainer, … I have become very adept at finger pricking whilst carrying on. Likewise when walking.
I now have the Libre but, given the readings are 15 minutes behind (yes, I know Libre 2 algorithm attempts to make up for this but it in not great when direction of trend changes) and my levels can fall very fast when doing cardio, Libre 2 alarms are next to useless so I need to finger prick.

In hindsight Libre is great to review the effects of exercise but limited use at the time.

 

[ianpspurs]

It is most certainly not impossible to finger prick whilst exercising. I have been doing so for over 15 years.I accept it depends upon the type of exercise (although you can momentarily stop for a finger prick) but at the gym on a treadmill, exercise bike, cross trainer, … I have become very adept at finger pricking whilst carrying on. Likewise when walking.
I now have the Libre but, given the readings are 15 minutes behind (yes, I know Libre 2 algorithm attempts to make up for this but it in not great when direction of trend changes) and my levels can fall very fast when doing cardio, Libre 2 alarms are next to useless so I need to finger prick.

In hindsight Libre is great to review the effects of exercise but limited use at the time.

Ok in those examples. Not easy on bench press, swimming or mid football game. You are also a type 1 so I can see why you need to finger prick since my bg can fall well into lowish 3s on HITT on exercise bike. We all have different regimes which have their own little challenges. Thankfully mine aren't as serious as yours. Take care.

 

[Mr_Pot]

also false after a comfort break of either number.

Are you saying your BG is affected by using the toilet?

 

[ianpspurs]

Are you saying your BG is affected by using the toilet?

Libre seems to imply that for 10 minutes or so. If my timer goes off within that time I will always wait or recheck (Alexa is a patient gal, JKP not so much) - can be a substantial fall. Took me a while to join the dots.

 

[KennyA]

Two thought on this
- are you sure the low readings were not compression lows when you turned to lie on your sensor?
- for people who are not treated with insulin, values in the high 3s are not considered as hypos.

Yes. The readings, which went down to low threes, explain the symptoms, which don't happen every night. If I had no symptoms, I would be more inclined to support the compression low idea. But as the low readings correlate exactly with the symptoms...