Libre readings between scans

[Schmoukes]

Hi folks. I’m new to Libre - and a big fan. Loving the break from finger pricking. Can you help me understand how Libre gives me readings between scans? I scanned at 10.30pm and again at 09.36am so how is it creating the jaggy graph between those two points?

 

[Rokaab]

It takes readings every 15 mins and stores the last 8 hours of readings in the sensor, when you scan it, it gets all 8 hours of data so the reader or phone can fill in the the graph for the last 8 hours,
It is a continuous monitor so as long as you scan at least every 8 hours you will have 24 hour monitoring

 

[Schmoukes]

It takes readings every 15 mins and stores the last 8 hours of readings in the sensor, when you scan it, it gets all 8 hours of data so the reader or phone can fill in the the graph for the last 8 hours,
It is a continuous monitor so as long as you scan at least every 8 hours you will have 24 hour monitoring

Thank you!! So there’s nothing to be gained from scanning more frequently! That’s brilliant. Thanks for the info.

 

[Rokaab]

Thank you!! So there’s nothing to be gained from scanning more frequently! That’s brilliant. Thanks for the info.

Well except that its useful to know what level you're at at various points of the day, like before meals, if you feel like you might be a bit high, to see how your levels are doing after that meal (and if you are on anything like blood glucose lowering meds to see what effect they have), to tell if your feeling hypo'ish because you're low or just because you had a bit too much alcohol and probably various other things.

I scan anywhere between 20 and 30 times times a day

 

[KK123]

Hi folks. I’m new to Libre - and a big fan. Loving the break from finger pricking. Can you help me understand how Libre gives me readings between scans? I scanned at 10.30pm and again at 09.36am so how is it creating the jaggy graph between those two points? View attachment 45782

Hi there, if you go onto the freeview libre site (where you download your data), and then download the glucose option, it will show you the data that it has logged every 15 minutes (ie the recordings it has taken itself). You can then see ALL the readings including your swiped ones.

 

[LittleGreyCat]

Thank you!! So there’s nothing to be gained from scanning more frequently! That’s brilliant. Thanks for the info.

You nee to scan more frequently than every 11 or 12 hours, though.
If you leave it over 8 hours you will see gaps in the graph, as shown in your picture.

Something to aim for is to have your BG reading within range 100% of the time.
To know that you have to keep taking readings so you don't get any gaps.

From your posted trace you seem to be spending a lot of time in Hypo territory, which isn't good if the results are accurate.
Remember that the readings from the LIbre are consistent but not necessarily accurate and you have to cross check with finger pricks to know if your sensor is reading over, right, or under.

 

[Schmoukes]

You nee to scan more frequently than every 11 or 12 hours, though.
If you leave it over 8 hours you will see gaps in the graph, as shown in your picture.

Something to aim for is to have your BG reading within range 100% of the time.
To know that you have to keep taking readings so you don't get any gaps.

From your posted trace you seem to be spending a lot of time in Hypo territory, which isn't good if the results are accurate.
Remember that the readings from the LIbre are consistent but not necessarily accurate and you have to cross check with finger pricks to know if your sensor is reading over, right, or under.

Many thanks. It’s a new sensor and I think it’s recording too low. I have never seen it so low overnight before and I’m type 2, no meds so not experiencing hypos. I went a day without a sensor, just using finger prick tests - that’s where the gap came in.

 

[searley]

Thank you!! So there’s nothing to be gained from scanning more frequently! That’s brilliant. Thanks for the info.

Unless its prescribed in which case your care team will expect you to be making use of the sensor ie 8 or more scans a day

Also if you drive and are on insulin you are required to test pre driving and every 2 hours after

Pre meal scan and 2 hours post meal will give you a better picture of how different meal affect you

 

[urbanracer]

Many thanks. It’s a new sensor and I think it’s recording too low. I have never seen it so low overnight before and I’m type 2, no meds so not experiencing hypos. I went a day without a sensor, just using finger prick tests - that’s where the gap came in.

Please be aware that overnight readings can sometimes be problematic. It is suggested that if you lay on the sensor during your sleep, the pressure can force interstitial fluids away from the sensor filament and so basically it has nothing to read, which results in a false low. You may not have actually been in (what most of us insulin users would take to be) the danger zone.

 

[Glucobabu]

Please be aware that overnight readings can sometimes be problematic. It is suggested that if you lay on the sensor during your sleep, the pressure can force interstitial fluids away from the sensor filament and so basically it has nothing to read, which results in a false low. You may not have actually been in (what most of us insulin users would take to be) the danger zone.

I agree with you. Every time the Libre shows hypo at night I do a blood test and almost always the result is much higher. I suggest one should never take a corrective action without doing a blood test - whether high or low!

 

[searley]

I agree with you. Every time the Libre shows hypo at night I do a blood test and almost always the result is much higher. I suggest one should never take a corrective action without doing a blood test - whether high or low!

Not sure if its still the case.. but when libre first came out i was stressed that libre results should not be used for treatment decisions and to always confirm with a blood test

Nigh lows or normally due to compression of the sensor