Just got the Libre ting.

[The Coconut Dog]

Hiya!

I'm a 64 year old male. I'm a cancer sufferer, currently on Chemo, Steroids and other related tortures.

But with regard to my Type 2 - I have always put that to the back of my mind and not done much testing/ monitoring my food intake.

Yesterday, I was put on the Libre programme and got my monitor and App.

I've been glued to the blasted thing, watching the changes and fascinated with the technology itself.
I do believe this has focussed my attention to Diabetes though, so it's a good thing for me.

I'm interested in eating with glucose levels in mind, and would be grateful for any do's/ don't with regard to food.

Also, can any other users tell me how accurate you believe the readings are.

Other than that, I'm fine.

 

[Deleted member 527103]

Welcome to Libre-land. The land of numbers and analysis and a bit of frustration.

can any other users tell me how accurate you believe the readings are.

As someone with Type 1 diabetes, I am usually willing to use the readings for my insulin dose. However, there are well known limitations which need to be considered. I say "well known" but sadly DSNs rarely share these with us and it is mostly experienced Libre-onaires who pass on the inner secrets.
- Libre (and all CGMs) are designed to be most accurate at "normal" BG levels. When levels are low (under 4.0), the values reported by the sensor may be exaggerates. Likewise, when levels are high (over 8.0), the values reported by the sensor may report higher than "real". IT is recommended to check highs and lows with finger prick readings.
- Our bodies are not keen on things being inserted into us. Therefore, some of us find that for the first day or so of the sensor being inserted, the readings can be less reliable. Many of us apply the sensor a day or two before activating it.
- When pressure is applied to the sensor, the compression can stop the flow of interstitial fluid which is used to measure BG. As a result, the sensor can report false lows called "compression lows". This is most likely to happen at night when you fall asleep on your arm. The best way to overcome this is with sensor placement and may take some time to learn which part of your arm you do not lie on.
- As I mentioned, Libre does not take the readings directly from blood. It uses interstitial fluid. Interstitial fluid is about 15 minutes behind blood sugar changes. Libre takes this into consideration by extrapolating the current trend. Most of the time this is fine unless the trend has changed direction in the last 15 minutes in which case it can reporter lower or higher than you actually go. Libre will then "correct the prediction". This can be a issue if you are treating a high or low and make you think your correction has not worked. Again a reason to double check with a finegr prick.
- Some sensors are less accurate than others. I test my sensor once a day when my levels are in the normal range and stable. If they are out by a long way (bear in mind accuracy is measured as a percentage), Abbot is pretty good at replacing them.

 

[The Coconut Dog]

Thank you. Checking with a finger-prick make sense.
It seems to react well when I eat - ie it shows a rise in glucose levels. So that's good.