Libre

[Tashka]

Hi
My name is Tash. I have been sick for 20+years but still no diagnosis. And don't take any medication at the moment.
I have purchased a Libra as last year was in a&e and my blood sugar was low. Blood test at GP shows 3.4 at 10am but GP sent me away telling me that I don't have diabetes and asked me not to waste her time. I know I don't have diabetes and never suggested I have it. I might have a hypo but definitely not diabetes. So my GP is a waste of time. But who knows, maybe it's for a better as I will not have any problems with DVLA.

Can anyone please explain what is going with my Libra? Is it me or faulty Libra?
We woke up at middle of the night because Libra alarm screamed due to low sugar but the graph did not show it.
Today scan showed my sugar was 4,2 but graph again shows something different
I would be very grateful if someone could explain this please.
Please see attached photos
Thank you very, very much.

Hi
My name is Tash. I have been sick for 20+years but still no diagnosis. And don't take any medication at the moment.
I have purchased a Libra as last year was in a&e and my blood sugar was low. Blood test at GP shows 3.4 at 10am but GP sent me away telling me that I don't have diabetes and asked me not to waste her time. I know I don't have diabetes and never suggested I have it. I might have a hypo but definitely not diabetes. So my GP is a waste of time. But who knows, maybe it's for a better as I will not have any problems with DVLA.

Can anyone please explain what is going with my Libra? Is it me or faulty Libra?
We woke up at middle of the night because Libra alarm screamed due to low sugar but the graph did not show it.
Today scan showed my sugar was 4,2 but graph again shows something different
I would be very grateful if someone could explain this please.
Please see attached photos
Thank you very, very much.

 

[Tashka]

Also in the first 3-4 days my sugar was much lower according to Libre than the last few days.
Is it normal? Something is really weird. just don't have any idea is it me or Libre?

 

[Antje77]

Also in the first 3-4 days my sugar was much lower according to Libre than the last few days.
Is it normal? Something is really weird. just don't have any idea is it me or Libre?

You'll need to confirm those numbers with a fingerprick to be sure.
For many of us, the Libre tends to read a tad lower than blood, and it's often worse during the first two days.

 

[barrym]

As for readings outside the range shown by the graph, there's plenty of good explanations hereabouts, but basically, Libre smooths the graph if it looks like an exceptional figure which isn't in line with readings either side.

 

[EllieM]

I believe night time readings can be affected by "compression" lows if you are sleeping on the libre.

 

[Tashka]

Thank you everyone for answering.

I thought about "compression" but not sure.
I don't know what is wrong with me, but definitely know that anger is helping me. I have been many times in situation when driving and losing control over the situation, feeling like very drunk (I saw doctors many times. Apparently I am a liar, making it up and some found it funny). But every time after I am scared or angry I feel better and have some control over the situation.
Does anger, scary situations raise blood sugar?
Does anyone feel very, very cold when sugar is low?
Sorry for many questions and probably they are stupid. This is the last place where I can get answers. Am I looking in right direction or not?
Tomorrow I will try fasting and see what happens. Looks like every time that I remember when I was very ill, it happened when I did not eat. I have a stomach problem as well and did not eat before leaving home (less in, less out) that looks like makes the matter worse (pain in the top left side of my stomach and diagnosed as IBS. I don't think it's IBS)

 

[EllieM]

Does anger, scary situations raise blood sugar?

I think so.
Stress raises cortisol levels that can push levels up.

If you think your issues are potentially caused by hypoglycemia (I have no idea whether this is the case), I'd suggest using a blood testing meter when you think you are low, as cgms are notoriously unreliable when people are out of range.

There are a number of reasons for non diabetic hypoglycemia (which is a real condition though I don't know if you have it) and unfortunately you need an endocrinologist to diagnose them. I would have hoped that a number of low readings on a meter would be sufficient to convince a GP to refer you.

What did the hospital say when you went to A&E?

But honestly, in the interests of the safety of yourself and others, please consider pulling over if you feel out of control when driving.

And here's one of my favourite links to a study done recently to see what the blood sugars of non diabetics do.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring Profiles in Healthy Nondiabetic Participants: A Multicenter Prospective Study - PMC (nih.gov)

(My apologies for not crediting the person who first posted it, am failing to find it in the DCUK search function. Maybe @NicoleC1971 ?)

 

[LittleGreyCat]

I occasionally get woken up in the middle of the night by low glucose alarms, and have put it down to sleeping on my side on top of the sensor.
This results in a graph similar to the one you posted where the reading comes right up again and so the software treats it as an anomaly.
Sometimes the Libre 2 can warn of a low or high which doesn't quite happen because it guesses a few minutes ahead (because interstitial fluid readings lag behind venous blood by a few minutes) so you can get spot readings which don't fit the graph.

Oh, and have you considered changing your GP?
There is obviously something going on which needs checking out.

 

[Tashka]

Good morning.
Thank you everyone for your responses

My GP's are no better or worse than average. I don't see a reason to change for the 3rd time. Of course I have to stay away from the one who told that if I have a low blood sugar it's not diabetes. I wonder if she is so stupid or it was a way to get rid of me.

To stop on the road when I am feeling bad is no option. I have to get home as quickly as possible. I start vomiting, possible diarrhea, terrible headache, very cold even in very hot car. So the best way to get home or ... But definitely not stop. Without medication I can't recover.

 

[Tashka]

Yesterday I decided not to eat and monitor my blood sugar. I think I also forgot to drink

Surprisingly, my blood sugar was normal, even better than usual. But after 24 hours I was absolutely sick.
Pain in the back(spine area)
Pain in the muscles (mostly right leg)
Pain in jaws, gums, neck
Terrible headache which was much worse at the base of head
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Chest pain (more like pressure inside)

Needed hydrocortisone injection and tried to drink pepsi. Now feeling weak but better.

My libre showed good levels blood glucose. Kinetic (from Argos) was 0.6 - 0.8 lower.
After hydrocortisone injection libre showed
9.1 at 00:58
8.2 at 01:04
But kinetic 7.2 at 01:03.

I will see GP on Tuesday and ask to check my sugar to compare with libre. Hopefully they have a reliable blood monitor. The reason to see the GP is I need to sort my diagnosis for travel insurance because if something happens and medical care costs a lot money, the insurance company will find a way not to pay as I have been complaining a lot but officially just have Raynaud's syndrome with which I disagree as my legs are blue not because of cold. They are blue when I stand but who will listen me? I even made a 3 min video in the bath to prove. (Water is the same temperature. Doctor said the problem cold floor). Whatever. The reason to know my diagnosis is up to date and give right information travel insurance.

I will tell the GP all of this but she will definitely tell me that it's in my head and to eat more often when is not always possible with my stomach.

 

[Tashka]

Please see attached my graph from yesterday. And a second one from last year.
The difference is I did not have breakfast yesterday.
On the early one I had breakfast. The next morning I gave up as I realised that I might miss work if I didn't stop fasting. Looks like last year I felt better but sugar was lower. Hopefully it's me not a Libre fault

 

[Tashka]

What did the hospital say when you went to A&E?
QUOTE]
EllieM thank you very much for the answer.

It was more weird than normal.
The doctor asked when was my due date. I am more menopausal woman than of childbearing age. Then I was told how good I was looking for my age to cover their embarrassment. They admitted me to the hospital but when they found out that I was not pregnant they let me go. Had some injection but I felt so bed that did not ask what it was. Told to go to GP.
I asked GP why and what test showed to make an assumption that I am pregnant but no answer.
Later at GP blood test showed low blood glucose -3.4 nmol and low potassium. Usually my blood tests are perfect. This was The first time in my life that any test came back as abnormal.

I am suffering from low potassium from time to time. I know that this can cause specific symptoms (heart palpitations and abdominal pain) so I got some potassium tablets at Holland and Barrett and take one-two pills when needed. High potassium is dangerous as well so have to be very careful

 

[Jaylee]

What did the hospital say when you went to A&E?
QUOTE]
EllieM thank you very much for the answer.

It was more weird than normal.
The doctor asked when was my due date. I am more menopausal woman than of childbearing age. Then I was told how good I was looking for my age to cover their embarrassment. They admitted me to the hospital but when they found out that I was not pregnant they let me go. Had some injection but I felt so bed that did not ask what it was. Told to go to GP.
I asked GP why and what test showed to make an assumption that I am pregnant but no answer.
Later at GP blood test showed low blood glucose -3.4 nmol and low potassium. Usually my blood tests are perfect. This was The first time in my life that any test came back as abnormal.

I am suffering from low potassium from time to time. I know that this can cause specific symptoms (heart palpitations and abdominal pain) so I got some potassium tablets at Holland and Barrett and take one-two pills when needed. High potassium is dangerous as well so have to be very careful

Hi,

Your test results at the GP. (The “3.4 mmol” & potassium.) was this done taking a sample of blood from the arm & sent to the lab? Or was the 3.4 result of a finger prick?
Are you certain the “3.4” wasn’t your potassium level??

 

[Tashka]

So sorry for not replying sooner. I am so upset about all this mess with my diagnosis.
I saw a few endocrinologists. Last one was last January in RUH Bath. He wasn't interested at all. 4 years ago a private hospital test for Addisons was screwed up. So the doctor wasn't even interested to listen. Told that test for Addisons will be repeated and if negative he doesn't want to see me any more.
The test came back negative and I am discharged.
Now I need a letter from RUH endo that I do not have any endocrinological issues for travel insurance and DVLA (just to protect myself). My understanding that if I am discharged it's mean I am healthy or diagnosed and conditions under control.

 

[Tashka]

Hi,

Your test results at the GP. (The “3.4 mmol” & potassium.) was this done taking a sample of blood from the arm & sent to the lab? Or was the 3.4 result of a finger prick?
Are you certain the “3.4” wasn’t your potassium level??

Sorry for not replying sooner. The venous blood was taken and sent to the lab.
Please see a screenshots. I am not a troll and a real person. And not making it up as doctors are saying that to get rid of me

 

[Tashka]

About the Libre.
Looks like with every day the graph showed the higher results. I have contacted them and they kindly offered me a new one and this one I have sent back to them.
So nice company with a great customer service.