Hi all,
Diagnosed with Diabetes at the end of January, confirmed as type 2 a few weeks ago. Using insulin and have started metformin.
Was finding the finger prick regime didn't really give me sufficient insight into the impact of food, activity and insulin dosage so was happy to sign up for the free trial.
About 2 1/2 days in, here are my thoughts so far:
1. Setup was straightforward. I'm conscious that I'm younger than many around here (40) and not far from being a "digital native" but I'd have thought that if you can use a smartphone, you can use this. Was a bit concerned that part of the sticky label didn't fully apply (the sensor was loose from the skin on one side). Covered that side of the sensor with what I had to hand - plasters and left it for 24 hours (plasters started coming loose). Sensor is now fully stuck on so feels less likely to be ripped off and means it should be watertight so I can have a shower.
2. You must scan it every 8 hours otherwise you will lose data. It does not appear to send the data via Bluetooth. Slightly disappointing but still marvel at a wearable sensor that includes NFC, Bluetooth, and the ability to constantly record and monitor a biological process. Bit irritated that I can't leave my phone on silent without an alert constantly on-screen saying I won't get alarms. I'm happy for them to come through silently, I do not need to be constantly nagged!
3. Accuracy-wise, not had many issues - seems pretty close to my finger prick results which is good. Have adjusted target range to a max of 7.5 based on some posts I've read here and my understanding of what "good" looks like.
4. I'm loving seeing the impact of meals and insulin on my blood sugar levels over time. So far it has revealed that I go slightly low whilst sleeping. Reduced basal dose by two units to account for it and ensure I'm over 6 before going to sleep. Have a few regular meals and noticed that the bolus dose wasn't sufficient to reduce my levels to being within target so increased this by two units when having this meal. Has done the trick - numbers and trajectory look ideal now.
Conclusion: This type of device may not be for everyone. Some people may prefer finger-pricks and writing their numbers in a book. For me, this fits in better with my life, gives me better insight into my condition and allows me to manage it better.
Now to argue with the NHS for them to fund it going forwards - and argue I shall, if necessary.
Diagnosed with Diabetes at the end of January, confirmed as type 2 a few weeks ago. Using insulin and have started metformin.
Was finding the finger prick regime didn't really give me sufficient insight into the impact of food, activity and insulin dosage so was happy to sign up for the free trial.
About 2 1/2 days in, here are my thoughts so far:
1. Setup was straightforward. I'm conscious that I'm younger than many around here (40) and not far from being a "digital native" but I'd have thought that if you can use a smartphone, you can use this. Was a bit concerned that part of the sticky label didn't fully apply (the sensor was loose from the skin on one side). Covered that side of the sensor with what I had to hand - plasters and left it for 24 hours (plasters started coming loose). Sensor is now fully stuck on so feels less likely to be ripped off and means it should be watertight so I can have a shower.
2. You must scan it every 8 hours otherwise you will lose data. It does not appear to send the data via Bluetooth. Slightly disappointing but still marvel at a wearable sensor that includes NFC, Bluetooth, and the ability to constantly record and monitor a biological process. Bit irritated that I can't leave my phone on silent without an alert constantly on-screen saying I won't get alarms. I'm happy for them to come through silently, I do not need to be constantly nagged!
3. Accuracy-wise, not had many issues - seems pretty close to my finger prick results which is good. Have adjusted target range to a max of 7.5 based on some posts I've read here and my understanding of what "good" looks like.
4. I'm loving seeing the impact of meals and insulin on my blood sugar levels over time. So far it has revealed that I go slightly low whilst sleeping. Reduced basal dose by two units to account for it and ensure I'm over 6 before going to sleep. Have a few regular meals and noticed that the bolus dose wasn't sufficient to reduce my levels to being within target so increased this by two units when having this meal. Has done the trick - numbers and trajectory look ideal now.
Conclusion: This type of device may not be for everyone. Some people may prefer finger-pricks and writing their numbers in a book. For me, this fits in better with my life, gives me better insight into my condition and allows me to manage it better.
Now to argue with the NHS for them to fund it going forwards - and argue I shall, if necessary.
