Libre v finger prick

[Smiter55]

Just to let everyone know that it seems to have settled in and I'm loving this In less than a few days I'm much more relaxed about my glucose levels. Much happier about being able to see what's happening and not just getting snapshots, and very sore fingers, from finger tests. Sadly unless I can persuade my gp otherwise, I will not be able to have this on regular basis. I can't see me being able to find £100 a month from my state pension. Such a shame as my diabetes is a bit erratic . Maybe one day us t2 people will be permitted these on prescription.

 

[MrsA2]

Once you learn what foods your body can handle you won't need constant monitoring, if you stick to safe foods.
I only use a libre when on holiday when I'm not in control of what goes into my meals. I still make good choices but can see if there was rogue recipe. Back home I don't need one and only finger prick once a day or a week.

 

[Robbity]

I did not realise you could apply the sensor and not activate it. Presumably once activated you would still have your 14 days life left. Could be useful if you know you are going to be travelling when it's time for a new sensor to be applied or in a situation where applying a new sensor would be awkward at that time.

Yes you should still get the full 14 days.

 

[onnecar]

Just to let everyone know that it seems to have settled in and I'm loving this In less than a few days I'm much more relaxed about my glucose levels. Much happier about being able to see what's happening and not just getting snapshots, and very sore fingers, from finger tests. Sadly unless I can persuade my gp otherwise, I will not be able to have this on regular basis. I can't see me being able to find £100 a month from my state pension. Such a shame as my diabetes is a bit erratic . Maybe one day us t2 people will be permitted these on prescription.

Yes I agree with you. I'm loving the sensor. It's not perfect and there are some glitches, but completely changed me from stressing out to more calm. I too have to pay. It's a lot of money but fortunately I can manage to pay, although it's going to make a difference to my income and other spending quite likely. I do hope everyone is funded eventually, but with the cash strapped NHS it may not be that soon.

 

[onnecar]

And I am only telling you what I have read and experienced through using CGMs for more than 4 years.
As I said earlier, Abbott does not share some of the idiosyncrasies of the Libre and how valuable it has been to learn from people on the forum who have been through years of experience. There is a kind of tribal knowledge amongst users.

Some people seem to find this difficult to accept. For example, there was a guy once who insisted the battery life of a Libre was exactly 14 days from the point a sensor is applied rather than a software setting that causes the sensor to expire 14 days after activating it. Multiple people on the forum explained how they applied their sensor 2 days before activating to allow it to bed in. But he would not accept this evidence.

Thankfully, we can chose what we want to believe. As I prepare for a 7 hour flight, I believe the early is round but others believe it is flat.

It's not quite the same thing is it? It's perfectly obvious that no battery is ever going to be that accurate anyway, so it has to be that the sensor is programmed to end at a particular time. That's an obvious conclusion and one that the company would probably agree with if you asked them. What we are discussing is a difference between what the company are stating and what you are saying. That is a different ball game. If you have hard evidence for this, I'd actually contact them and have a deep discussion about it. For me, as you say, we have a choice as to what to believe, where hard evidence and facts seem to be subjective. I remain undecided at this moment in time. I may well come to the same conclusion as you, or I may not. I'll be chatting to the nurse next week, so will also ask her opinion on the matter, since she will be analysing the results of the app. Incidentally, I wonder why the sensor therefore has to end after 2 weeks? I don't know how long the battery would last. I wonder if it is to do with the life of the adhesive?

 

[Deleted member 527103]

Incidentally, I wonder why the sensor therefore has to end after 2 weeks? I don't know how long the battery would last. I wonder if it is to do with the life of the adhesive?

I believe it is related to infection risk regarding having that alien object inserted in your arm.
There is a CGM which last 6 months but that is inserted under the skin through a clinical procedire.

For Libre 1 (and I believe early Dexcom), there was a hack to extend the life of a sensor and I read of some people having their sensor going for over 3 weeka.

 

[Jaylee]

So you can see that from what is said the focus is on the trend that is what the level was what it is and what it may be in the future and so the trend is evaluated and applied to the interstitial reading giving a predictive assessment of what the level is going to be based on the trend it is implicit in what they are saying.

Hi,

Yep, certainly a “layman’s” explanation in the video. It also explains the delay in rise from a hypo with the sensor interpretation on recovery progression, where in contrast I can feel better after treatment with the meter concurring.

Interestingly, though. The app I use does predict & alarm for hypos about 5/10 minutes in advance on a drop.
I’m fully hypo aware & passed it off the first couple of times as an errant prediction? But sure enough. A few minutes later, I felt it.
Certainly lessens the impact of a low getting an early warning.

Always back up with a meter. I’m usually happy on a flat level in range with the sensor within 0.6mmol. But I can calibrate the third party “CGM experience” app I use..
Gaining this understanding can prevent over treatment of lows, thus skyrocketing later.?
It’s easy for folk to panic seeing this low lag. I tend to snooze alarms for 45 minutes & fall back on my meter…

@onnecar , with regards to extending the life of a Libre? I’ve tried it with a third party app. (There are hacks to do this. Not recommended by Abbott.) what I discovered personally, is I can get 8 maybe 12 hours “grace” out of a sensor. Then there is a repetition loop of past data readings covering the final 4/6 hours of life..

 

[Smiter55]

Once you learn what foods your body can handle you won't need constant monitoring, if you stick to safe foods.
I only use a libre when on holiday when I'm not in control of what goes into my meals. I still make good choices but can see if there was rogue recipe. Back home I don't need one and only finger prick once a day or a week.

I've been diabetic since 1999 went into remission at one point dietary wise nothing has really changed. I eat around 80g carbs on an average day but my recent hba1c was high so I'm on new meds to try sort it out. Based on the readings from the libre my readings are erratic. If by safe foods you mean no sugary stuff then I already don't eat these. Since my gastric surgery 13 years ago anything sugary makes me ill. I feel the libre is giving me a much better picture.


Just to add I'm recently, near 3 weeks ago, had meds added which could cause hypo.

 

[Cultivator]

Yes I agree with you. I'm loving the sensor. It's not perfect and there are some glitches, but completely changed me from stressing out to more calm. I too have to pay. It's a lot of money but fortunately I can manage to pay, although it's going to make a difference to my income and other spending quite likely. I do hope everyone is funded eventually, but with the cash strapped NHS it may not be that soon.

 

[Cultivator]

I'm currently on a free trial of Libre2. I'm enjoying it a lot but it does seem to be showing smoothly 'satisfactory' readings most of the time - all slightly lower than I'm used to from finger pricks. I am 99% in the green zone -which feels unusual. Can someone remind me, are readings between 5.5 and 7 most of the time fine? My last hba1c was 50 which I thought a bit too high and that's why I got this free trial. I've been taking Metformin for about 12 yrs now and dapagliflozin for maybe 4 yrs, I go through phases of being more and less rigorous about avoiding carbs. This was my summer of drinking zero alcohol beer which I think, on reflection, might have pushed the HBA1C up a tad , maybe I'll try one this evening while I've got the sensor on. Sadly there's no way I can afford £100 a month after the trial but it's been interesting! How are trials going for other folk?

 

[MrsA2]

I'm currently on a free trial of Libre2. I'm enjoying it a lot but it does seem to be showing smoothly 'satisfactory' readings most of the time - all slightly lower than I'm used to from finger pricks. I am 99% in the green zone -which feels unusual. Can someone remind me, are readings between 5.5 and 7 most of the time fine? My last hba1c was 50 which I thought a bit too high and that's why I got this free trial. I've been taking Metformin for about 12 yrs now and dapagliflozin for maybe 4 yrs, I go through phases of being more and less rigorous about avoiding carbs. This was my summer of drinking zero alcohol beer which I think, on reflection, might have pushed the HBA1C up a tad , maybe I'll try one this evening while I've got the sensor on. Sadly there's no way I can afford £100 a month after the trial but it's been interesting! How are trials going for other folk?

Mine is usually in the green except when carbs are involved. But not all carbs are the same to me. This morning 2 bites of an iced cinnamon roll took me up to 12 but 3 slices of pizza tonight kept me under 10. I'm on no meds. Sometimes it seems to be one thing, sometimes another. But wearing it does show me that low carb keeps me in the green.
I fund them them for holidays and business travel when I can't always be in control of what goes into what I eat

 

[becca59]

Mine is usually in the green except when carbs are involved. But not all carbs are the same to me. This morning 2 bites of an iced cinnamon roll took me up to 12 but 3 slices of pizza tonight kept me under 10. I'm on no meds. Sometimes it seems to be one thing, sometimes another. But wearing it does show me that low carb keeps me in the green.
I fund them them for holidays and business travel when I can't always be in control of what goes into what I eat

The pizza would be counteracted by all the fat. Type 1s find pizza a nightmare, as blood sugars will eventually rise and require insulin. The timing of when to inject is tricky. It is best to give more than one injection over a long time period. Obviously as your body is still producing insulin the rise was taken care of. Though you May still feel 10 was a little high if it hung around at that for a while.

 

[Wendyw00]

It is useful to know that the sensor will always be 5 minutes behind your finger prick test. This is because interstitial fluid, which is what the sensor checks has a time lag of 5 minute from the reading of actual blood. This is why if your level is falling or rising quickly, particularly heading to a downwards low, it's recommended to double check with a finger prick test. Blood levels can sometimes change a lot in 5 minutes. If you want complete and absolute accuracy in the moment, probably best to use finger prick. I've just finished my libre trial and have purchased two more as I'm not eligible for free-funding. I'd be gutted to have to go back to finger pricking I must say. Only check now and again with that.

Have u looked at Dexcom I’m using a free trial libre and as I can’t get them prescribed I looked at others Dexcom g1+ you can subscribe monthly for 85 including postage that’s cheaper than libre .