Freestyle Libre rather than cgm?

MushyPeaBrain said:

Still much more about the insertion for me though. I felt sick watching the dexcom insertion (needle phobic) but no issue with the libre. Totally painless too!

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HI Mushy, the sensor is painless I can assure you of that you do not see the needle at all either. It's just a case of plonking contraption on body part and slight pressure on it and it's in. The design could be better I agree
As the Dexi sensors last more than double the length of time than the Libre the Dex is still far cheaper

If you can insert an Insett II set, you can insert a Dex or Medtronic cgm sensor

CarbsRok said:

As the Dexi sensors last more than double the length of time than the Libre the Dex is still far cheaper

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And I think this is where definitions come in to play. The upfront cost of the Dexcom is ~£1200. The upfront cost of the Libre is ~£138. The affordability of the Libre is therefore far superior to that of the Dexcom.

The long term running costs of the Dexcom are lower as long as you can get four weeks out of a sensor. On a month by month basis, you will pay £100 per month for Libre, and you may pay £58 per month for the Dexcom.

Over the first twelve months, assuming the 1 month sensor life, the Dexcom works out at the upfront cost plus 2x Sensor packs (4x Sensors) at £256 per pack. So your first twelve month cost is £1712.

For the first twelve months with the Libre, you will pay for the starter pack (£138) plus the sensor at £48 per sensor every two weeks. This works out at £1290.

Going into your second year, the annual cost of the Libre is £1248.

The Dexcom is £768 (assuming the month per sensor). You may, however need to add an additional transmitter in the second year with the Dexcom once the battery is dead. If you do, that will set you back a further £300, making the Dexcom roughly 85% of the cost of Libre over the second year.

Over the two year period, then, it seems that the overall cost of the Dexcom is between £2480 and £2780. The overall cost of the Libre is £2538.

There are obviously some significant assumptions around Transmitter and Sensor life on the Dexcom in this calculation, but the point I am making is that in reality they are much closer in total cost than many people think, and the key difference is really affordability and perception of affordability.

It is much easier to fork out £138 up front than £1200 upfront, and then to maintain a habit in £48 or £96 chunks than in £256 chunks.

tim2000s said:

It is much easier to fork out £138 up front than £1200 upfront, and then to maintain a habit in £48 or £96 chunks than in £256 chunks

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Mushy is already using the Vibe insulin pump so in this case your calculations wouldn't apply

@MushyPeaBrain, going on the discussion in the pricing topic, the vibe is the receiver and you need the sensors and transmitter which animas sell as a starter pack.

MushyPeaBrain said:

It is very useful to know you both find insertion of the Dexcom easy. I keep asking my DSN if I can see one in the flesh as I'd also like to compare size etc but they seem very reluctant to arrange this. I even made sure they understood I was self-funding!!

I am right then that the Vibe is the transmitter and I am good to go with just the sensors? Also do you know deep the Dexcom goes? I have quite thin arms but am managing to put libre there which means I am not having to use any pump sites - a big bonus

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Puzzling MPB....... the Animas rep came to my clinic with dummy G4 sensors so cant see why yr clinic cant arrange for the same for you

CarbsRok said:

Once the sensor expires all you do is restart it as if it's a new sensor. There are ways and means of making the sensor stick and stay stuck so it keeps working Some of us could run a master class in the art of sensor sticking

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Does this method also apply the the Libre, as i have one fitted and the sensors are £48.00 a fortnight as, they last a fortnight.