Finger prick or sensor

[jessA2024]

So, think this whole starting insulin is getting my anxious about hypos

Is it worth self funding a sensor like free style liber or doing fi her prick testing?

I will be on a long acting insulin, it's alot of money a month to self fund a sensor but truing to work out if be beneficial

 

[Antje77]

So, think this whole starting insulin is getting my anxious about hypos

Is it worth self funding a sensor like free style liber or doing fi her prick testing?

I will be on a long acting insulin, it's alot of money a month to self fund a sensor but truing to work out if be beneficial

Fingerpricks are more accurate than sensors, so a sensor is no guarantee to prevent a hypo.
When I started on insulin I used fingerpricks and tested a lot to get an idea of what was happening.
Like you, I was apprehensive of hypos until I experienced one.

For me, I felt funny, a bit shakey, tingly mouth, and wondered if this was a hypo. So I tested and it was a hypo indeed. I ate two sweets and retested after 15 minutes, turned out I was well above 4 again, and that was the end of my fear of hypos (although I've had some nastier ones in the years following).

Libre gives out a two week free trial if you've never used one before, which can be very helpful in spotting trends and patterns.
If it were me, I'd save that trial until a little later. Finding the right dose of insulin can take some time, so during the first two weeks it'll likely mainly tell you your BG is on the higher side.
Once titrated up and seeing reasonable numbers, it can be of much more use to find patterns and see where you can use some adjustments in your meals or medication.

However, if using one now helps with the anxiety of starting insulin, it 's not a bad idea to use it now, and maybe buy one in a while.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Sampling | Diabetes Care | Abbott

Claim your 14 day free sensor if you have diabetes and have not tried the FreeStyle Libre 2 sensor before

www.freestyle.abbott

 

[jessA2024]

Fingerpricks are more accurate than sensors, so a sensor is no guarantee to prevent a hypo.
When I started on insulin I used fingerpricks and tested a lot to get an idea of what was happening.
Like you, I was apprehensive of hypos until I experienced one.

For me, I felt funny, a bit shakey, tingly mouth, and wondered if this was a hypo. So I tested and it was a hypo indeed. I ate two sweets and retested after 15 minutes, turned out I was well above 4 again, and that was the end of my fear of hypos (although I've had some nastier ones in the years following).

Libre gives out a two week free trial if you've never used one before, which can be very helpful in spotting trends and patterns.
If it were me, I'd save that trial until a little later. Finding the right dose of insulin can take some time, so during the first two weeks it'll likely mainly tell you your BG is on the higher side.
Once titrated up and seeing reasonable numbers, it can be of much more use to find patterns and see where you can use some adjustments in your meals or medication.

However, if using one now helps with the anxiety of starting insulin, it 's not a bad idea to use it now, and maybe buy one in a while.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Sampling | Diabetes Care | Abbott

Claim your 14 day free sensor if you have diabetes and have not tried the FreeStyle Libre 2 sensor before

www.freestyle.abbott

Hey thanks for the advice so I did the free trail it was good when it worked but most the time it was about 6 numbers out from what the reading was on a finger prick test .

It kept loosing connection with the app also

So I took it off and stuck to finger pricks .
Getting used to it now

 

[Jordi77]

I've found that the sensor is more accurate to find a hypo because it got me a lot in the last couple of weeks and I have used a finger prick to check and it has always check out that each hypo I've had has always been right with both the sensor and by meter and as well and I do the same for when I check for ketones I prick my finger for that as wellthat's goes the same for a hyper

 

[SussexGeoff]

So, think this whole starting insulin is getting my anxious about hypos

Is it worth self funding a sensor like free style liber or doing fi her prick testing?

I will be on a long acting insulin, it's alot of money a month to self fund a sensor but truing to work out if be beneficial

I too started on Insulin a couple of months ago and had the same fears. I asked for a sensor kit on the NHS but, of course, that was a pointless question.

So it's always been finger prick testing for me. I'm sure I speak for most when I say I still hate it.

My advice is don't become too paranoid or obsessive about testing. It took over an old friend of mines life, obsessively testing.

My results are still, generally, high unless I do something demanding physically. Different for everyone of course.

I hit a 4.5 as my lowest but just shoved 5 dextrose sweets down my neck and rested.

Keep with the finger prick tests too I'd say