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Abbott libre continuous monitor

J

joaker

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I'm wondering about getting one of these for my T2 wife (on metformin) to use for a short while in the hope of identifying foods which spike her glucose. She doesn't use strips (she tried briefly when first diagnosed but we didn't make much sense of the readings). I am thinking that a continuous monitor for a month, along with a detailed diary of foods and activity, will reveal something. Although our diet is relatively healthy she does like bread for example, and it's hard to give up something without evidence it's doing harm.

Any views or advice gratefully received.
 
Splendid idea. It will show you exactly where her peaks are, and what is happening overnight. However, the readings are in mmol/l just the same as your finger prick meter. If she wants to try the finger prick method again you can come to this forum for help on understanding the readings.
 
I use the Libre and would recommend your plan to anyone, however the key is in understanding what the numbers and patterns mean so if that is where your problem lies it may just overwhelm you with data. As @Bluetit1802 says, you could try some finger pricks and post the results on here for help understanding them first.

It's great that you're trying to get to grips with everything x
 
Thanks, it wasn't so much the meaning of individual blood readings that caused a problem as connecting the readings with what had been eaten. I suspect that taking one reading half an hour after a meal wasn't sufficient. Our doctor wasn't enthusiastic about finger pricking, much preferring the HbA1c every few months.
 

Without self testing, or a sensor, you are working blind and if you are making serious errors with your food choices, a few months between HbA1c tests is a long time to have higher than recommended blood sugar levels.
Taking one reading half an hour after eating is a complete waste of time I'm afraid. The best testing method is to test immediately before food and then 2 hours after first bite. Keep a food diary including portion sizes and record the levels alongside. If the rise from before to after is too high there are too many carbs in that food. It is best to keep the rise under 2mmol/l and preferably a lot less. (under 1mmol/ at 2 hours would be good)
 
If you have a compatible android phone with NFC you won't need to buy a reader (saves ~£50) just use the official Libre app. But I'd say go for it, you might end up with too much information but that's better than nothing! You may need to do a few blood tests just to check the sensor is reading within scope though.
 

That's exactly what I've been thinking. My wife isn't into the level of monitoring that most people on here practice, hence my interest in the Abbott device. I need something easy to use that will reveal any foods that she should avoid. Those may be the ones I try to avoid her eating, but without evidence ..... I'm very clued up about T2 - it's a pity it's not me who's got it instead !
 

Go for it then. The readings are not as accurate as finger prick meters, some sensors read high and some read low, but they are consistent. You will need the software (available on the website) so you can download the data from the reader to view several different graphs that show all the peaks and troughs, the variances above and below your median, and much other informative information.
 

If you use this app with a phone rather than a reader, can you still download all the data and also export all the 15 minute readings?
 
Unfortunately none of our devices have NFC (just my bank card where I don't want it !). Agree about the blood tests though as it's differences rather than absolute readings that may not be critical. Thought we could sell the reader if we get an NFC mobile.
 

I have really enjoyed the additional information I got from the Libre, but already had a handle on what my bloods did and didn't do before I invested. It's great to track all that unseen stuff you could never capture on the finger prick tests.

Like Slip, my only concern would be the potential for information overload.

I guess it's up to you whether you guys dive straight with the Libre, or get the basics of understanding the numbers, then move on. Only you guys can make that choice.

On the selling the reader point, I'm not sure how well that would work, in reality. Over time, the reader builds up some past history which I don't believe is wipeable. Over time, of course, the memory fill up and data is lost from the longer history, but that doesn't happen if you just don't use it, I think it's just on volume of readings.

As I understand it, if you were to sell the reader, someone would have a history of all your wife's data to work out through the meter, and that would potentially skew some of the longer term graphs and reports the software generates. Of course, the new owner could just run very short term reports, until their data builds up.

If the reader expires fr whatever reason, during the the warranty period, I'm pretty certain Abbott would replace it, free of charge, unless it had been killed by some accidental event; like getting it wet or somehow crushing it.

Sorry about the length of this jaoker, but it's great you and your wife are looking to achieve more prompt feedback on here progress, than the periodic HbA1cs can give.

Good luck with it all.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
If you use this app with a phone rather than a reader, can you still download all the data and also export all the 15 minute readings?
Click to expand...

Good question! I've not used the app (iphone user!) so I don't know but I can't see why not. I can't off the top of my head remember any particular member on here who does use the app regularly - Tim may know? @tim2000s
 
Simple answer is that it's rather more complicated with the LibreLink app. There is no direct download of the data, although you are supposed to be able to upload all data to Diasend and then use that as your report management tool.
 
tim2000s said:
Simple answer is that it's rather more complicated with the LibreLink app. There is no direct download of the data, although you are supposed to be able to upload all data to Diasend and then use that as your report management tool.
Click to expand...

Can you not just access the data file when the phones plugged into a computer? (Simple me asks silly questions!)
 
Thanks. I should be OK with the data as my job involved data analysis/stats.
At £50 the reader is still cheaper than any other device we'd find of use at the moment.
 
Anyone had trouble downloading the software for the reader ? I get
Server Error
403 - Forbidden: Access is denied.
You do not have permission to view this directory or page using the credentials that you supplied.

The help desk initially said it wasn't available for Windows 10. So I don't have much faith in their advice now. Next suggestion was my computer security was blocking it. I let the poor woman go and said I'd look into it but on reflection I can't think what on earth I might have to stop the download. I don't think it's anything to do with my computer. I got the same error a week ago before the reader arrived but as I didn't need it then I didn't pursue it.
 
Delivered yesterday and been in use 24 hours. Straightforward to use apart from the inability to download the software so only have the figures when the reader is used rather than every 15 minutes, along with a tiny graph .

I think this is going to be a revelation. We assumed porridge was an excellent choice for breakfast but found an enormous spike afterwards. On the other hand the veg curry last night which included (new) potatoes resulted in a much lower spike and the low carbohydrate bread (Waitrose) has little effect.
 
Low of 2.7 overnight. No comparison with a blood test (only discovered in the morning), but Type 2 are supposedly not at risk from low blood sugar.
 
It is possible to have false lows whilst asleep, if the wife was laying on it, compression of the arm can have that affect or it could be just reporting low generally at the mo, only a blood test will show that. BTW T0Ds can go low but not that low usually.
 
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