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CGM and your experience

T4RA

Newbie
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
PLEASE consider reading if you have any type of continuous glucose monitor to help a new type 1 out
I have never used any sort of CGM yet but am seriously considering trying one out.. I need to control my glucose levels better without the anxiety and unpredictability. I don’t know what to get, as a newbie they both scare me a little. A libre senor or Dexcom? Is one brand more accurate than the other? Share any information at all- everything is appreciated
 
Ive only experience with the libre
I had libre one self funded for a while i didnt like it to start. Maybe partly as the cost meant i used it periodically
Felt the readings were too jumpy and didnt have much faith...maybe i reacted too quickly to results and as such exaggerated the rollercoaster effect

I learnt to put it on 2 days before and readings became much more accurate smooth and less jumpy.


Im now on freestyle 2 which seems even more accurate. I use an app called shuggah which essentially gives you constant updates on your bloods from the freestly libre 2

I think they're brill i highly recommend.

I am hoping to move to omnipod 5 soon so i think you need dexcom for that but as things stand no knowledge of dexcom.
 
Cgm is now available to all T1s in the UK I believe.
Dexcom or libre 2 are the most popular.
Search the forum for 'Dexcom vs libre' you will find plenty of discussion threads.
 
CGM is life changing - can't advise you strongly enough to 'Do it'

It will show you your patterns and help you adjust your insulin to match the highs and lows, and what to expect from food as it hits your system (try watching a pizza go in - surprising what that stuff does to your BG.

Both Libre 2 and Dexcom are close in accuracy - some work better than the other - seem to be person/lifestyle specific. Currently both are the same price on the NHS (or near enough) so you can choose which one you like if you get your GP to prescribe.

Good comparison of the 2 here: https://www.diabettech.com/cgm/comparing-dexcoms-one-with-libre2/

I've been using the Libre 2 for many years - and know its problems well, so sticking with a 'devil I know' until I can see a benefit to go Dexcom.
 
I started self funding a CGM when I returned full-time to the UK. First Dexcom G6, now G7. It has been a game changer. Once I got used to inserting the sensors, using my phone or dedicated receiver to view levels, interpreting my patterns, I have found it an invaluable tool to manage my diabetes. It has helped me lower my HBac1, which over 10 years had averaged about 69 (8.5%), to 46 (6.4%). You can buy a month's trial of a G6 or G7 directly from Dexcom UK. (£159 or £154).

Have you been diagnosed by / referred to a hospital diabetes clinic? They should also be able to share their experience of how their patients are finding using CGM and the pros and cons.
 
T4RA said:
A libre senor or Dexcom? Is one brand more accurate than the other?
Click to expand...
One is likely to be more accurate for YOU. The thing is we all seem to differ in many ways so some people struggle with the Libre but I found it to be far more accurate than the Dexcom.
In the UK, Libre is available as a free trial which I would recommend to find out how it suits you.

The other thing to consider, assuming you will be using the phone apps, is that Dexcom app is supported on less phones than the LibreLink app. However, you can get around this if you are technically minded with an unofficial app like Shuggah or xDrip.
 
I have been living with T1D for over 45 years and experienced a lot of tech changes, mostly for the better.

My perception of testing is
Very old school was chemical testing of urine samples.
The equivalent of passing through a dark room full of furniture and later been given a map showing what route observers thought you had taken.

Then blood glucose testing (the standard blood glucose meter) by finger pricking. The equivalent of navigating the dark room and able to occasionally strike a match to see what is immediately around you. Much better.

Now we have flash glucose monitoring / continuous glucose monitoring. The equivalent of turning on the light in that dark room. You can see a clear route (almost all the time).

I cannot now consider living/ managing/ tackling T1D without one. The only challenge is finding the one that suits you and the support tech you use.
 
Freestyle Libre, first a Libre 1 and more recently Libre 2 made an unbelievable improvement to my management of my diabetes. I can now see pretty clearly how my insulin-carb regimen impacts on my glucose level and learn (usually) from my mistakes. The alarm facility is particularly useful for catching and heading off approaching hypos. I use a libre reader in preference to a phone as it's small, fits in my shirt pocket and doesn't get impacted by software updates.
If you are in the UK you should qualify for a CGM/FGM on prescription and if your GP is unable or unwilling to prescribe it would be worth asking to be referred to your diabetes specialist team.
 
I've used both the Libre 2 and Dexcom G6 and G7. As someone who was at first very daunted at the thought of being able to see what my blood glucose is doing all day long, I can say I'm very grateful for this technology. Finger pricking has its (huge) limits, a CGM gives peace of mind. I had to switch from the Libre to Dexcom because I found that the Libre was inaccurate, but only in the last months before I made the switch. No idea why, but now, after 1.5 years of having Dexcom G6, now G7, I will never go back to the Libre. Especially the G7 is so much more accurate and my A1c has gone even lower, my last one in November 2023 being 6.1% or 43 mmol/mol.
 
Like others here I am from the age of the home chemistry set of the early 80 s , when personal blood monitoring was well to be honest Buck Rodger’s territory , I had terrible control , which is to be expected if you don’t monitor your sugars , and suffered the consequences, right leg below the knee amputation and 11 % kidney function to name but a few . I will say the Libre system for me is an absolute game changer , my Hb 1 ac has reduced from high 90s to low 50s so I guess the proof that is good for me is there in black and white ,
I know there are many who think its not accurate enough well as far as my results are concerned it’s good enough for me and to be honest that’s all that really matters to me ,
Having come from an age when blood sugars were only taken at the hospital, having something that I can just look at my phone and give me reading is definitely an improvement ,
 
Do you self fund the G7?
 
I l
T4RA said:
Do you self fund the G7?
Click to expand...
I live in Switzerland and my health insurance covers my CGM. I don't mean to put the Libre down, that was just my personal experience with it, it worked fine for a year before it gave me wildly inaccurate readings. Perhaps it was a faulty batch. Many people are happy with the Libre. You can wear it for 14 days, the Dexcom lasts for 10 days.
 
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Hi, I’m type 2 newly on insulin. I got a free sample of Libre 2 and it was invaluable to me in helping me pinpoint which foods were causing sharp spikes. Sensor readings were off by .5 or more the first few days compared to finger pricks. Then it settled down. If I moved out of range of the phone it lost the signal but it was a simple matter to scan the device and all the information was there. I’m trying to establish a lower carb diet and it helped me with that.
I’m now trying a free sample of Dexcom1 for comparison. Just two days of ten into this trial. The sensor is a different shape from the libre and comes in two parts with a transmitter that clips into the device on your body and can be transferred to each new sensor and lasts 3 months.
Each sensor app is different. The libre seems more intuitive. But both are useful. I won’t qualify on NHS and will need to self fund hence my desire to try both out first and I have to say the suppliers were helpful and courteous. Inserting the sensor was painless and the libre stayed on the full 14 days. I didn’t swim but did have daily showers. Early days for the Dexcom.
Example: I love veg soup and use lentils as a protein. Found out it spiked me high and for hours after eating. Contact the suppliers and get your free trials cos you’ve got nothing to lose.
 
 
Agree with others above - get one. Life changing for control and to see what the heck happens to your BG in day and over night (when you'd never normally test).

Gives you more information to make changes and get more control.

Dexcom or Libre? Been on Libre for many years - and know their foibles and how to work with them, Dex from reading - there is no matching data to say one is more accurate than the other (no agreed standard on the accuracy calculations so each manufacturer can come out with slightly different ways to calculate that theirs is more accurate) - generally its not enough to worry, they are both pretty good most of the time.

Differences are - what do they connect to, how long to start up when its time to change - how do you stop them getting knocked off etc (how to live with them).

For a side by side analysis - https://www.diabettech.com/cgm/comparing-dexcoms-one-with-libre2/

HTH
 
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