Best CGM for triathlete

[eddyspaghetti]

Hi all,

My Dr has proposed I try out using a CGM.

3 options put forward are

1. Freestyle Libre
2. Dexcom G5 mobile
3. Medtronic Guardian Connect

I have a very active lifestyle, with a lot of cycling as well as running and swimming, >10 hours a week and very vigorous - I sweat buckets.

Can anyone speak from personal experience about using these systems? My major concern is the transmitter detaching or otherwise breaking down too quickly. Secondarily, the thing not being too conspicuous or annoying generally.

I will of course give it a go, but wondered if there is a clear winner from the 3 above

Many thanks

 

[catapillar]

@eddyspaghetti I've not used a freestyle libre, but it would definitely have the flatest profile of the three sensors because it is NOT a CGM, it's a flash glucose monitor so the sensor doesn't have a transmitter. If you want a cgm that alerts you to highs and lows, that's not what the libre does.

My understanding is that Medtronic may still be having sensor supply issues so may not be taking on new customers. You need to use the special supplied tape x2 over the Medtronic sensors to connect the transmitter and they are quite sensitive to being moved around/jostled.

Dexcom sensors are probable the bulkiest, the transmitters are a bit fatter than the Medtronic transmitters, but they are fairly resilient.

For any of the sensors you can buy things like tegaderm (to glue them down better) and kinesio tape to tape them on more securely (although neither Medtronic not dexcom like being completely covered by tape as this can cause compression lows so you'd need to cut out a hole for the transmitter to poke through).

 

[eddyspaghetti]

Thank you catapillar, that is very helpful, appreciate the objectivity.

 

[Draco16]

I've used the Libre and now Dexcom. Both are great. I also cycle and run a fair bit.

One downside of the Libre I found is when cycling. As you typically wear the sensor on the back of one upper arm, first you need to get your scanner or phone out and into your opposite hand and then reach across and scan... this proved quite tricky while cycling at speed! It was a small factor in why I moved on from the Libre to Dexcom.

There is now a transmitter device (Blucon I think it is called) that turns the Libre into a CGM and might help get around this, but as it fits on top of the Libre sensor it does make it bulkier.

 

[EllsKBells]

@eddyspaghetti I've used libre and dexcom. The libre is definitely a lot flatter, but as noted above, it won't give you alerts. Personally, I've found the dexcom more accurate, and it standing out doesn't bother me. However, if you are wearing a skinsuit/similar doing a triathlon, the one thing I've found I really have to be careful of is not catching the bottom of the transmitter holder with whatever item of clothing I'm taking off, because you could quite easily rip it off.

Another thing to consider is the adhesive - for me, the libre adhesive was a lot 'stickier' than the dexcom, and I do occasionally get a rash from the dexcom sensor, although I can't be 100% certain if it is that or the micropore tape I sometimes use to hold it down.

I believe I've seen someone round here say you can swim for 30 minutes with the libre. No idea about the dexcom, although I'm not convinced the sensor would stay attached unless you had something else on top of it to stop the bandage like bit becoming saturated.

 

[eddyspaghetti]

thanks everyone, this is very useful, really appreciate your responses

 

[Celsus]

...
I believe I've seen someone round here say you can swim for 30 minutes with the libre. No idea about the dexcom, although I'm not convinced the sensor would stay attached unless you had something else on top of it to stop the bandage like bit becoming saturated.

I am frequently out surfing/body boarding in big waves/hobycat catamaran sailing for a whole day or afternoon with my Libre on. Also been doing 6+ hours in tropical water-fun parks. Hasn't fallen off/detached one single time so far. OK, most of the times out in the ocean I have been wearing a 'shorty' where the sensor is sitting just inside the arm-sleeve edge, but still.

Was actually just coming to this forum thread, as wanted to hear if anybody knew if its possible to get the software required for a Garmin Smartwatch to interface with the blucon transmitter to get the bg readings (via e.g. Bluetooth on your smartphone)?
Or is that software only available for the Android Wear devices?

Battery life and sport tracking capabilities are just so much better on many of the Garmin SmartWatches compared to the Android based ones. But would be neat of course to get the bg levels included now you are doing intensive sports at the same time as a Type1.

 

[Lar oli mu]

I have a very active lifestyle, with a lot of cycling as well as running and swimming, >10 hours a week and very vigorous - I sweat buckets.

I’m using freestyle libre sensors for a year now and have been an ambitious basketball player in my 20s. What you definitely have to consider is that the Libre sometimes is late on hypos. That could be a huge bummer because the level you are measuring might be a few minutes behind, I’ve heard and felt myself of up to 15 to 20 minutes. I don’t know what the facts are on this, but consider feeling a hypo before the libre senses it. That’s not a huge help while running a triathlon. Isn’t it?