Freestyle Libre Or Dexcom G6?

[Michael090382]

I am currently on my third G6 sensor after being on the libre for a while before that. I can honestly say I would never go back to the libre. The G6 has given me so much more of an insight into my control especially with the ability to receive alarms, no scanning and it really is exceptionally accurate for me. So much so that I only really check my bloods for driving and so far I have had no issues.

I would suggest if you are considering it, call Dexcom and chat to them, they were really helpful with me and more than happy to answer questions. I never received that when I used the libre.

 

[Chris Bowsher]

Thought i would just chip in and say that the dexcom is an amazing piece of kit coming from someone who has no previous experience of CGM. the 30 days trial was a real eye opener.

But post trial, back to finger test, I am now experiencing anxiety about my blood sugar levels and constantly checking, worrying about going to bed and what will happen, and i am using so many more test strips then i ever used before, because i just have no idea what is going on compared to the Dexcom.

I was not like this before i used the CGM.

 

[Michael090382]

Thought i would just chip in and say that the dexcom is an amazing piece of kit coming from someone who has no previous experience of CGM. the 30 days trial was a real eye opener.

But post trial, back to finger test, I am now experiencing anxiety about my blood sugar levels and constantly checking, worrying about going to bed and what will happen, and i am using so many more test strips then i ever used before, because i just have no idea what is going on compared to the Dexcom.

I was not like this before i used the CGM.

I did the 30 day trial in the first instance and just before that ended I ordered another 3 sensors from the online store. This was because the transmitter lasts 3 months so I thought it would be a waste to not try and get some more.

I will try it again for the final 30 days too. Why don’t you give it a go?

 

[Chris Bowsher]

@Michael090382

I am in no way denying the technology is amazing, but it felt like an unnecessary appendage.

I'm unconvinced it raises my quality of life enough and i was quickly relying on it, which scared me a bit to be honest.
Also i think i got lazy, it was so good I was more inclined to wing it and see how it goes than calculate more precisely.

I spent a lot more more time thinking about my condition and looking at my phone with only a marginal improvement to my Hba1c

Hba1c came out about 50 versus 54 the three months preceding trial.

+ the £150 per month cost.

I'm never saying never though, When i'm old old, i will, for sure, be using CGM.

 

[tim2000s]

Hba1c came out about 50 versus 54 the three months preceding trial.

The question really is what is your real time in range without CGM? (You'd need a blinded trial to find that out) - that's generally where the CGM makes the biggest difference.

 

[Chris Bowsher]

@tim2000s over 30 days i was coming in at 69% 'in range' on the Dexcom. My intuition says that may not be more than 5 % or 10% higher than my non cgm 'in range' percentage, My CGM 'out of range' periods followed a similar pattern to the pre Dexcom ones and corrections too, in fact i think i was probably a little more lazy whilst using with the Dexcom, but this is all pure guesswork as you will be aware.

 

[Chris Bowsher]

The question really is what is your real time in range without CGM? (You'd need a blinded trial to find that out) - that's generally where the CGM makes the biggest difference.

Thinking about it, thats a really interesting thought, evaluating a users finger prick blood control using CGM

has anyone ever done that?

 

[tim2000s]

Thinking about it, thats a really interesting thought, evaluating a users finger prick blood control using CGM

has anyone ever done that?

Some hospitals will do it, but there is always the down side that blinded CGM trials have a bias effect because people know they are being measured and therefore act differently in the measurement period.

 

[Draco16]

with only a marginal improvement to my Hba1c

Hba1c came out about 50 versus 54 the three months preceding trial.

Hi, was the the 50 an estimated HbA1c from the Dexcom?

If you compare the first 2 weeks of the trial with the last 2 weeks...

Did your time in target improve in the last 2 weeks?

Did your average glucose reduce in the last 2 weeks?

 

[BeccyB]

Just a note for those of you concerned about the difference in price between Dexcom and Libre - it's possible to extend Dexcom G5 sensors past the official 7 day use, and I believe it's possible with the G6 now too, this obviously cuts down the number of sensors you need to purchase. Personally I can get 2-3 weeks from a G5 sensor, and I have heard of people getting longer, although it doesn't work for everyone due to different healing rates and tolerance of "foreign objects" in the body.

 

[Froggychops]

Well after 5 days use this is what I think so far....

PRO'S
Alarms - this has help me a great deal and even though can be annoying waking you up in the middle of the night etc, it has allowed me to keep a closer eye on my levels and take action sooner. For example if the alarms goes off due to my levels going higher, I can take that extra unit of insulin to stop it going too high and as long as I am not stacking insulin that is already on board. Dealing with a potential hypo due to the alarms letting you know before you actually go hypo.

Placement on the body - now I didn't mind the Libre on my arm but the amount of times I have knocked it on the doors is unbelievable! I have never ripped one out of my arm by doing this but it still hurts pulling on your skin! I am not shy wearing my Libre on my arm but the G6 is so much better placed on the belly that you forget you have it on and does not show through clothes.

You don't need more will power! - So let me explain a little. With the Libre you have to physically decide to scan yourself, whereas the G6 is constantly sending data to your phone. I just go in Dexcom app and there straight away there is a reading. I know it's the same with the Libre that all you do is scan and get the reading but for me to stop what I am doing and get the scanner and scan myself, still makes it effort when I have my phone in my hand 85% of the time.

CON'S
Monitoring - keeping your phone constantly charged or at least 6 meters from you. I have to carry a spare charging lead everywhere and also a power pack to ensure my phone never goes flat.
Still carrying a blood testing kit. Now I know they say you can make medical decisions based on the reading off your phone but what happens if you phone dies or the sensor does not pick up a reading! I am not confident enough to not have a back up available.

Price and less usage time - so I was getting my Libre Sensors for £35 with a usage time of 14 days each. So roughly just over £ 70 a month. The G6 will cost £150 a month contracted if I want to get them cheaper. I think what we need to remember is the Libre is a Flash Glucose monitor and the G6 is a CGM so I can understand the price difference.


So above are my personal pros and cons.
In conclusion I have decided to change over to the G6 as I have never seen my graphs look so straight ad I believe the G6 gives me that push to change my medication when needed due to the alarms. Like I said above, with the Libre I could go hours and hours without a scan as it's your choice and not something warning you to take action. This for.me is a game changer to how I personally manage myself and to try and achieve a better A1c

Really like your pros & cons, and agree 100%. I have been using the G6 for just 10 days and I have never felt so in control of my diabetes as I am now (and I have been a t1 diabetic for 26 years). I am a convert

 

[Froggychops]

Well after 5 days use this is what I think so far....

PRO'S
Alarms - this has help me a great deal and even though can be annoying waking you up in the middle of the night etc, it has allowed me to keep a closer eye on my levels and take action sooner. For example if the alarms goes off due to my levels going higher, I can take that extra unit of insulin to stop it going too high and as long as I am not stacking insulin that is already on board. Dealing with a potential hypo due to the alarms letting you know before you actually go hypo.

Placement on the body - now I didn't mind the Libre on my arm but the amount of times I have knocked it on the doors is unbelievable! I have never ripped one out of my arm by doing this but it still hurts pulling on your skin! I am not shy wearing my Libre on my arm but the G6 is so much better placed on the belly that you forget you have it on and does not show through clothes.

You don't need more will power! - So let me explain a little. With the Libre you have to physically decide to scan yourself, whereas the G6 is constantly sending data to your phone. I just go in Dexcom app and there straight away there is a reading. I know it's the same with the Libre that all you do is scan and get the reading but for me to stop what I am doing and get the scanner and scan myself, still makes it effort when I have my phone in my hand 85% of the time.

CON'S
Monitoring - keeping your phone constantly charged or at least 6 meters from you. I have to carry a spare charging lead everywhere and also a power pack to ensure my phone never goes flat.
Still carrying a blood testing kit. Now I know they say you can make medical decisions based on the reading off your phone but what happens if you phone dies or the sensor does not pick up a reading! I am not confident enough to not have a back up available.

Price and less usage time - so I was getting my Libre Sensors for £35 with a usage time of 14 days each. So roughly just over £ 70 a month. The G6 will cost £150 a month contracted if I want to get them cheaper. I think what we need to remember is the Libre is a Flash Glucose monitor and the G6 is a CGM so I can understand the price difference.


So above are my personal pros and cons.
In conclusion I have decided to change over to the G6 as I have never seen my graphs look so straight ad I believe the G6 gives me that push to change my medication when needed due to the alarms. Like I said above, with the Libre I could go hours and hours without a scan as it's your choice and not something warning you to take action. This for.me is a game changer to how I personally manage myself and to try and achieve a better A1c

I have been using the G6 for a month now. Previously I was beginning to lose the Hypo warning signs; the G6 has now given me the confidence to undertake any activity happy in the knowledge that the G6 will give me warnings. My blood sugar levels have never been so well controlled and it has encouraged me to be more disciplined about diabetes management. I’m a convert.....

 

[Scott-C]

the G6 has now given me the confidence to undertake any activity happy in the knowledge that the G6 will give me warnings

Docs are starting to pay attention to the Quality of Life aspects of cgm too, as well as just plain old a1c.

For example, here's a dsn tweeting a scorecard of people recently put on libre. The Distress scores have gone way down.

https://mobile.twitter.com/sotonDSN/status/1044973516167270400

And in the attached pdf, docs in Edinburgh where libre has been on script since March report good results on quality of life and say that aspect shouldn't be underestimated.

No wonder really: we're having to deal with a constantly moving unpredictable target, so giving us technology which actually lets us see it moving so we can take pre-emptive steps to steer it is a no-brainer.

 

[DunePlodder]

How many more surveys like the one in your Edinburgh pdf do we need before the NHS is convinced of the value of Flash or Continuous Glucose Monitoring?
The last sentence says it all:
"Patient reported outcomes are overwhelmingly positive - the impact of FM on quality of life should not be underestimated."

 

[Scott-C]

How many more surveys like the one in your Edinburgh pdf do we need before the NHS is convinced of the value of Flash or Continuous Glucose Monitoring?

Looks like the lead author of the paper is getting impatient too if this tweet by him is anything to go by! Pretty amazing figures, numbers under 48 almost doubling, numbers above 75 more than halving and good progress in the mid-ranges too. The NHS puts so much weight on a1c as a measure of control, the ccgs which continue to refuse are going to look pretty dumb if these sort of figures stack up over time.

 

[tim2000s]

Looks like the lead author of the paper is getting impatient too if this tweet by him is anything to go by!

Him and every other diabetologist that is getting hung up by CCGs and APCs to try and get this stuff onto prescription locally.