CGMs on the NHS

[CrazyCatLady2693]

I've never been told to test my levels at home before and my HbA1c check was decreased to annually as I was no longer in diabetic range. In the past year I have developed mild peripheral neuropathy and background diabetic retinopathy. While I understand they're not severe right now, I want to prevent the retinopathy in particular from progressing.

I am being treated as type 2, I currently only take Metformin. Anyone who has experience in the UK - are these concerns enough to ask for a CGM on the NHS? I think I'd like one because someone pointed out to me that my levels could be fluctuating a lot but because HbA1c is just an average that could actually discount any highs/lows..

 

[lovinglife]

Unfortunately CGM aren’t available to T2 on the NHS, many of our T2 members use them but they are self funded. I’ve never used one but I know you can get 14 day trial from some companies, I’ll tag a couple of people who may be able to give you a bit more info @KennyA @Rachox

 

[Rachox]

I agree with @lovinglife , that you are unlikely to get prescribed CGMs. I self fund following taking up the offer from Abbot for a free trial. The trial is now 15 days as they’ll give you the Libre 2 plus which lasts one day longer than the original Libre 2. I have learnt so much from using one by seeing what happens between occasions when you might have just done finger pricks. Here’s a link to the free trial:

Sampling | Diabetes Care | Abbott

Claim your 15 day free sensor if you have diabetes and have not tried the FreeStyle Libre 2 plus sensor before

www.freestyle.abbott

 

[KennyA]

Hi - I used the free Libre trial available from Abbot. It was informative and I'm glad I did it. It's a few years ago now so I'm thinking of buying a few weeks of Libre use, just to see what's happening.

I don't know of anywhere in the NHS that routinely funds CGMs for T2s. It's possible you could get your local NHS to pay for it, but you'd have to make an application and persuade them to treat you as a special case. I don't see anything in what you've said that would make me optimistic about your chances of success.

I think you've had misleading advice on the HbA1c. It isn't an average. It counts the number of glycated red blood cells at the point of test, and that enables a calculation that shows how your blood glucose levels are, based on information from the last three months or so (because that's how long rbcs generally live), which is heavily skewed towards the last month. It's generally accepted to be a better measure than one-off glucose testing, because it smooths out the short-term rises and falls in blood glucose that are normal for everyone.

You should have a look at some CGM graphs from non-diabetic people, because you'll see marked rises and falls in their blood glucose levels in response to food and various other things.

 

[Deleted member 527103]

In addition to the trial of Libre 2, I believe there is also a Dexcom G7 trial currently available.

Try Dexcom G7 or G6 Free Sample | Free Trial for 10 Days | Dexcom

Request a free sample trial of Dexcom G7 or G6 CGM for 10 days. Get started today with Dexcom CGM sample, free for people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

www.dexcom.com

 

[CrazyCatLady2693]

Thank you to all who have responded here, I really appreciate the suggestions. Honestly I don't know what type I am apart from not type 1, because when I was first diagnosed they said a lot about it being genetic and probably autoimmune because I have a load of other autoimmune issues, I saw an endocrinology nurse who used the term type 1.5 as well, but as the treatment is the same as with type 2 they said they'll treat it as type 2.. that was 7 years ago and because I got my levels down to a healthy range again I never really pushed for answers regarding type. I'm on Metformin, no insulin, so I'm imagining the chance of a CGM is very low, but if nothing else I will do the free trial just to see for myself what's going on.
Has anyone else had their diagnostician be so vague regarding what type they are? I tend to just say 2 because most people don't know past 1 and 2..