Best continuous glucose monitor

Deefshka

Member
Messages
14
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Unfortunately, the only way to get accurate blood glucose is to finger prick. The CGM's measure interstitial fluid, and not from your blood, like fingersticks. Interstitial fluid is the fluid that surrounds the cells of your tissue below your skin, and usually, glucose moves from your blood vessels and capillaries first and then into your interstitial fluid. So it's not that the CGM's aren't accurate, they're actually measuring something different.

However, that said, we can still get invaluable trends from the CGM's data.
Ah ok, that makes sense
 

LooperCat

Expert
Messages
5,223
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Other
I don't but @Mel dCP has a looping system going on and I think she uses a libre with a miaomiao and other tech. I know the Dexcom G6 talks to pumps like the medtronic 670G?
Hi, yes I do! I’ve built a DIY artificial pancreas system using Libre+MiaoMiao and Omnipod. I’m using an Apple based system, so I needed to build an app that collects the CGM data. It calculates where it thinks I’m going to be in an hour, and adjusts basal rates every five minutes based on that. It needs a little widget called a
RileyLink I have to keep on me all the time, that’s the bit that communicates between the phone and the pump. I check or calibrate the Libre every time I do a blood test. It’s working well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Juicyj

Scott-C

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,474
Type of diabetes
Type 1
  • Like
Reactions: Juicyj

Juicyj

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
9,018
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
Hypos, rude people, ignorance and grey days.
Just to confirm that Dexcom's technology in regards to CGM accuracy is pretty spot on after the calibrations, so although measuring interstitial fluids the same as the libre, it's technology allows for the time difference in this measurement, although not great when high or blood glucose is moving at an accelerated rate and should always use a glucose meter for driving too. I have found that after the initial 24 hour start I can measure virtually identical readings to my BG meter when I do check. The sensor can also be extended for a further 10 days too.
 

Juicyj

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
9,018
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
Hypos, rude people, ignorance and grey days.
I know this used to be the case but I thought DVLA accepted readings from Libre and CGM (https://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/201...libre-for-drivers-with-diabetes-92682519.html).
You may be saying for your peace of mind you always test with finger prick when driving. In which case, I apologise.

The advice from a Dexcom is to test from a meter before driving as it’s not been DVLA approved but also I have a responsibility to other road users so regardless of libre or any other device I want to ensure i’m safe and don’t lose my licence.
 

Mia4554

Active Member
Messages
27
Hi, I self fund a Dexcom g6 and you don’t have to calibrate it so no finger testing is amazing! I initially did blood test alongside it to see and found it very accurate. It has vastly improved my hba1c and my life! I was told recently at a diabetes uk group that as of April this year cgm readings from Dexcom g6 were accepted for driving. Really hoping that this is right but overall anyway I am so happy to have gone for it with the Dexcom. Hope you find something that works great for you
 

LooperCat

Expert
Messages
5,223
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Other
I don’t think they’re prescribing Dexcom for adults unless there are major issues such as total hypo unawareness - and by saying you have that, you’d automatically lose your driving licence.
 

LooperCat

Expert
Messages
5,223
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Other

Jordi77

Well-Known Member
Messages
681
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I'm using a contour next one meter and that is accurate as my sugars are normal on it as I have checked it on a couple of other meters and they are saying that my sugars are high and that's when I am having a hypo at 3.1 or below so I go by the contour and that I have used for a couple of years now and it's not a bad little meter to use just you have to have the app to go with it and that works from Android 7 and later but I'm on Android 9 but it works better and gives you a good idea of what is happening and a display of your sugars as well.
 

snufflebabe

Member
Messages
14
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi all,
I’m a type 1 diabetic and have been for 33 years.
I am after some advice.
What is the best continuous glucose monitor? I’m currently using freestyle libre but it’s not very accurate.
I am looking for one that is accurate and can alarm if my blood glucose is going low or high.
Any advice is much appreciated.
Thanks
Hi there I have the Miao Miao attached to my libre and I would recommend it, give high low alarms it has a bolus-calculator built into Apple app, also give predictions on app screen. Bearly scan these days and I find once I’ve calibrated the Miao Miao it is pretty accurate. The Miao Miao uses tomato app on android or spike on iPhone , however spike has has some issues with Apple it still works fine, but you need to reset it each week( I get my Bf to do that for me.) Also I’m not sure if you know but the libre has had a recent update so it’s more close to actual bg readings. You should have received an email about it from Abbott. Also my diabetic team are fine with me attaching the Miao Miao, as long as I do a proper bm, should I be riding or falling quickly. Hope that helps.
 

Bill_St

Well-Known Member
Messages
203
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Beware taking claims of “accuracy” from users on the internet.
At least read some of the peer reviewed medical papers (including those comparing accuracy)

Particularly beware of any claims of improved accuracy that mention calibration.

Just consider how they claim “it” to be “more” accurate.
Blood is tested with a strip and BGM: a sensor is calibrated to be the same as that BG reading: someone then claims it is more accurate because it IS reading the same! Now do searches on BGM accuracy.....BGM errors....strip errors.

The only real useful comparison is using professional blood glucose measurement as a standard. Something like YSI. As used in medical trials of accuracy under highly controlled conditions (and care in testing)

At low levels even the YSI has readings duplicated and rejected due to accuracy deviations of up to 10% on a single sample.
Does your home test with a meter costing a few pounds and strip costing pence really provide better results than equipment used by trained operators costing hundreds of thousands?
What value should we place upon the opinions of those that consider they and there equipment is/are better?

Single readings of levels are almost always inaccurate - professional tests rely upon hundreds or even thousands of levels that are then graphically or mathematically analysed to provide the one “accurate” level.
How many individuals actually do more than even one single strip reading to “calibrate”?
And how many different BGM do they use?
 

Scott-C

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,474
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Beware taking claims of “accuracy” from users on the internet.
At least read some of the peer reviewed medical papers (including those comparing accuracy)

Particularly beware of any claims of improved accuracy that mention calibration.

Just consider how they claim “it” to be “more” accurate.
Blood is tested with a strip and BGM: a sensor is calibrated to be the same as that BG reading: someone then claims it is more accurate because it IS reading the same! Now do searches on BGM accuracy.....BGM errors....strip errors.

The only real useful comparison is using professional blood glucose measurement as a standard. Something like YSI. As used in medical trials of accuracy under highly controlled conditions (and care in testing)

At low levels even the YSI has readings duplicated and rejected due to accuracy deviations of up to 10% on a single sample.
Does your home test with a meter costing a few pounds and strip costing pence really provide better results than equipment used by trained operators costing hundreds of thousands?
What value should we place upon the opinions of those that consider they and there equipment is/are better?

Single readings of levels are almost always inaccurate - professional tests rely upon hundreds or even thousands of levels that are then graphically or mathematically analysed to provide the one “accurate” level.
How many individuals actually do more than even one single strip reading to “calibrate”?
And how many different BGM do they use?

All valid points, Bill, but very few of us have a YSI available to us, so we just have to go with what we've got.

Experienced T1s know that a bg strip test is an estimation, but that's good enough for our purposes, so putting that reading into a libre/miaomiao/xdrip rig is also good enough.

One of the points which users of these systems always try to get across to newer users is knowing when to trust your cgm and knowing when to not trust it.

No-one is saying always take the reading at face value: do a reality check against what you would expect it to be. That can filter out the risk of misleading readings.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mia4554

Deb1million

Active Member
Messages
30
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
As Mel has pointed out, i'm self funding the G6, and have great praise for it after using the libre and wanting an alert to warn me about potential lows, particularly during the night, it was quite a step to jump from the libre to G6 in regards to cost (£159 a month) but it's been a great system in regards to accuracy once past the initial 24 hours and bedded in, however the real game changer for me is the alerts to high/low glucose, as this is where i wanted better control and more stability, it's all done through your smart phone and it's got a great app attached called Clarity which produces detailed reports, customer service is excellent and if i've had an issue they have replaced the sensor, the adhesive can wear thin close to the expiry on 10 days but it's a minor niggle, I wouldn't do without now.

Hi JuicyJ
Can you (or anyone else on here) please tell me why you have to self-fund your G6? Isn’t it available on UK prescription like the Libre?
I want to change to the G6 for the advantage of having alerts for low/high, but maybe all I need is a Miao Miao?
I’ve been T1 for 54 years
I learn all the latest developments on here, it’s great! Thanks
 

MeiChanski

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,992
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi JuicyJ
Can you (or anyone else on here) please tell me why you have to self-fund your G6? Isn’t it available on UK prescription like the Libre?
I want to change to the G6 for the advantage of having alerts for low/high, but maybe all I need is a Miao Miao?
I’ve been T1 for 54 years
I learn all the latest developments on here, it’s great! Thanks
Dexcom G6 is far more expensive compared to the Libre and there is a certain criteria you must fall into to get it funded by the NHS. Nonetheless the Miaomiao can do the same for alerts with the libre.
I was told the Libre 2 is coming out soon next year, that will have alerts for highs and lows.
 

Juicyj

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
9,018
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
Hypos, rude people, ignorance and grey days.
Hi @Deb1million

I self fund as it’s not available through my CCG and they only offer the libre to a select few so didn’t want to wait to start getting the benefits of using this.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Deb1million

Gary61

Well-Known Member
Messages
68
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I personally would recommend the Medtronc 670g over any of the others. It is admittedly harder to get used to in the beginning, but over a little time you will be able to iron out some of its quirks in order to suit yourself. I've just started a little blog on some of my experiences with it. After almost 3 months I have to remind myself sometimes that I am wearing a pump. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog/gary61.146959/