First Libre Lessons

[Boo1979]

I’m T2 and have been on Gliclizide for the last 21 years. Ive managed to keep my hba1c in pre / non - diabetic range without increasing my dose of drugs over the years, but have had to drop carbs lower and lower.
Ive invested in a 3 month supply of sensors to try and get more of a handle on what my sugars are doing as a) with daytime finger pricks on around 30g carbs a day I was getting an almost flatline pattern of results ( not a bad thing but strange given the meds I’m on) b) what variability there was, was mostly in fasting BG without any obvious pattern c) actual hba1cs have been lower than finger prick results would predict
Anyway, 2 sensors in, both of which produce almost identical readings as a finger prick test taken at the same time ( within 0.4mmol).
1) The first 2 week period had most readings in the 4’s & 5’s with occasional excursions into the 6’s while the second period had all readings in the 6’s and 7’s with 1 excursion to an 8. The only sig difference I can see between the 2 periods is that in period 2 my average daily carb intake was lower (21g) than in period 1 ( 39g) with a narrower spread ( 18-23g as opposed to 21-48g) Counter intuitive but interesting
2) period 1 had a lot of overnight readings in the 4’s but no hypos - everytime my BG got to 4.0 it would bounce back up by around 0.7 mmol before tracking back down again ( I would also wake up feeling ravenous when hitting low 4’s).This goes against everything Ive been taught about Glic, which is never to go to bed with readings below 6-7 without eating something first.The only time I ate something overnight to combat the hunger (6g carbs) , my fasting sugars were higher than normal the next morning
It’ll be interesting to track these observations over the next few sensors

 

[Deleted Account]

Well done on your results - they sounds great.

Regarding your night time low 4's, a number of people have commented that their night time lower values are due to pressure when they lie on their sensor.
If you ever wake up when the Libre says "4.low", it could be worthwhile checking if it is a real low.
Probably not worth setting an alarm to check ... unless you are curious ... because it is not a hypo.

 

[Boo1979]

Well done on your results - they sounds great.

Regarding your night time low 4's, a number of people have commented that their night time lower values are due to pressure when they lie on their sensor.
If you ever wake up when the Libre says "4.low", it could be worthwhile checking if it is a real low.
Probably not worth setting an alarm to check ... unless you are curious ... because it is not a hypo.

Thanks. I hadnt heatd about getting lows from lying on it although I tend to mostly sleep on my back ( well at least thats where I start out!)
Non of my 4s come with low attached - is that because Ive set my target range as 4-7.8 mmol With hypo at 3.9 and high at 8?

 

[Deleted Account]

Thanks. I hadnt heatd about getting lows from lying on it although I tend to mostly sleep on my back ( well at least thats where I start out!)
Non of my 4s come with low attached - is that because Ive set my target range as 4-7.8 mmol With hypo at 3.9 and high at 8?

The range that you set are related to where the red and blue lines appear on graphs.
You can still get higher or lower readings.

 

[Bluetit1802]

My sensor readings drop silly low at night sometimes, and I mean silly. Not every night, but some nights. I have finger pricked the odd time I have woken up and am nowhere near as low. I put it down to lying on it. Later sensors I placed under my arm rather than on the back, in a place I'm less likely to lie on and it doesn't get as low. (and also less likely to catch on door frames)

 

[Brunneria]

I find that each sensor has a range, and they can vary quite a bit. So it is possible (although I am not making any assumptions) that the difference between your first and sensor readings was the sensor, rather than a significant difference in your actual blood glucose levels.

For instance, most of my sensors show readings in the 5-6 range, but then occasionally one will turn up that sits in the 6-7 range, even though there is no significant change in anything else. The next sensor will then read as normal (5s and 6s). There was one that measured everything 1.5 mmol/l higher than 'normal' which I verified against prick tests. Didn't bother me at all once I had realised what was happening!

I just think that either the sensors vary slightly, or the position on my arm varies - maybe blood supply, or fat distribution, or something.