Should I switch L2 to Dexcom?

[barrym]

I’m having a bad week:-(

Sensor was due for change Monday 08:00. I always test BG with a finger prick 10 mins before warm up is completed, just to check that the sensor is likely to be working within a working tolerance. My rule-of-thumb is that within 1.0-1.5 is useable.

The last two have been great - started at 0.1 difference so never bothered to do any further checks.

Monday’s new one was out by over 2.

I put up with it for 24 hours with regular checks and it stayed pretty much the same.

So a call to Abbott, and a new one is on its way, and a new sensor applied.

24H on an a repeat performance.

So the next one fitted and it’s worse on first reading. So that’s two sensors ready to go back and a third on my arm that’s useless.

I know that a phone call will get it changed etc, but that's not the point. I’m usually very positive about L2, but they seem to be getting worse. Each episode is a 48 hours of stress as I’m sure you can all recognise.

So I have threatened to switch before (who am I kidding that anyone cares?) and have done my research, and spoken with my consultant. There are lots of negatives to the Dexcom One as far as I can see:

Poor app - just a RT display, Clarity required so that access via internet to get any sort of reporting.

No additional data can be entered into the app, like carbs or insulin.

The physical attributes seem poor. Loads of waste. Two hour warm up. Separate sensor and transmitter is clunky and fragile looking, albeit ecologically good.

All this I could put up with I think IF is was reliably accurate.

I’d be interested in the thought, experiences etc of those who trodden this path before.

 

[Dave with T2]

I’m having a bad week:-(

Sensor was due for change Monday 08:00. I always test BG with a finger prick 10 mins before warm up is completed, just to check that the sensor is likely to be working within a working tolerance. My rule-of-thumb is that within 1.0-1.5 is useable.

The last two have been great - started at 0.1 difference so never bothered to do any further checks.

Monday’s new one was out by over 2.

I put up with it for 24 hours with regular checks and it stayed pretty much the same.

So a call to Abbott, and a new one is on its way, and a new sensor applied.

24H on an a repeat performance.

So the next one fitted and it’s worse on first reading. So that’s two sensors ready to go back and a third on my arm that’s useless.

I know that a phone call will get it changed etc, but that's not the point. I’m usually very positive about L2, but they seem to be getting worse. Each episode is a 48 hours of stress as I’m sure you can all recognise.

So I have threatened to switch before (who am I kidding that anyone cares?) and have done my research, and spoken with my consultant. There are lots of negatives to the Dexcom One as far as I can see:

Poor app - just a RT display, Clarity required so that access via internet to get any sort of reporting.

No additional data can be entered into the app, like carbs or insulin.

The physical attributes seem poor. Loads of waste. Two hour warm up. Separate sensor and transmitter is clunky and fragile looking, albeit ecologically good.

All this I could put up with I think IF is was reliably accurate.

I’d be interested in the thought, experiences etc of those who trodden this path before.

Hi Barry - sorry but I am quite relieved to read this.

I am Type 2 controlled by diet and exercise. However, I have self funded Libre 2 for the last 18 months. Abbott have replaced at least half a dozen sensors for me that have been reading too high compared with finger pricks. In recent months my readings have been consistently higher than finger pricks but I have stopped complaining. They might as well just say low, medium and high for all the use they are now. Not sure why I am still paying £24 per week.

There is no point asking them to send another one because they are all doing it now. Of course it is a worry that my blood sugar level may be increasing but there is no indication of this when finger pricking. My exercise level and low carb diet have not changed in recent months.

My HbA1c was 40 back in November so I nervously await the next one in May.

Regards

Dave

 

[barrym]

Hi Barry - sorry but I am quite relieved to read this.

I am Type 2 controlled by diet and exercise. However, I have self funded Libre 2 for the last 18 months. Abbott have replaced at least half a dozen sensors for me that have been reading too high compared with finger pricks. In recent months my readings have been consistently higher than finger pricks but I have stopped complaining. They might as well just say low, medium and high for all the use they are now. Not sure why I am still paying £24 per week.

There is no point asking them to send another one because they are all doing it now. Of course it is a worry that my blood sugar level may be increasing but there is no indication of this when finger pricking. My exercise level and low carb diet have not changed in recent months.

My HbA1c was 40 back in November so I nervously await the next one in May.

Regards

Dave

Appology accepted.

What I don’t understand is the inconsistency. Surely the ‘mechanics’ of the device should come off a production line identically, so where is the inconsistency? Is it our body reaction maybe? One of the reasons I asked was because with the Dexcom One you can place it on the stomach which I feel would be more consistent than the back of arms.

Then there’s the finger prick. All these devices have to be within 15%, so each could be 15% out in opposite directions I suppose. That doesn’t bear thinking about.

I was told that Abbott calculate the error percentage as 'meter - sensor / sensor’, but if you use 'sensor - meter / meter’ it’s quite different. EG:

All that aside, I’m surprised by the lack of response. I thought there might have been switchers who’d have a view.

 

[eventhorizon]

Why not try Dexcom ONE? If you give them a call and ask nicely they'll send you a trail pack.

I find Dexcom more accurate and only leaves a tiny mark when removed compared to the L2.

 

[barrym]

Why not try Dexcom ONE? If you give them a call and ask nicely they'll send you a trail pack.

I find Dexcom more accurate and only leaves a tiny mark when removed compared to the L2.

I have a starter kit with my name on at my local DSN’s but a starter wouldn’t solve the vagaries of different sensors. I’m sure the rather feature poor software would suffice with some bolton tools if necessary. I don’t really want to start a new regime and find a few sensors in I’m in the same position

My consultant is pretty ambivalent about the Dex1, preferring what she gets from LibreView, and is non committal about the consistency/accuracy.

So how do you find the consistency of accuracy?

 

[h884]

Hi barrym

I changed to dexcom one as I was experiencing similar issues to yourself. Based on my experience (approx 9 months) I have found it much more accurate and reliable. Yes I have some issues with dexcom 1 but far less than with Libre 2.

Very frustrating. Good luck

 

[barrym]

Hi barrym

I changed to dexcom one as I was experiencing similar issues to yourself. Based on my experience (approx 9 months) I have found it much more accurate and reliable. Yes I have some issues with dexcom 1 but far less than with Libre 2.

Very frustrating. Good luck

Thanks for that. Nice to get a positive opinion.

As a matter of interest, what if anything do you do to record insulin, carbs, exercise etc? Also, what is the integration between the Dwx1 app and Clarity? I understand that Clarity uploads the data to the cloud, but how does it work? Does Dex1 app store locally and Clarity collect it in batches, or does it just collect when it’s running? Not explained that very well, hopefully you’ll get what I mean.

 

[h884]

Morning barrym

I use Omnipod so I record my carbs and insulin on my pdm. Data recorded by dexcom is automatically recorded in clarity and also diasend / Glooko. As a CGM I presume it does it all the time. I am not that tech minded so I may be wrong on this.

You link to diasend / Glooko when you start using dex one and can see all the data there as well. I think you can record carbs, insulin and exercise there as well.

Hope this is of some help

 

[EMM30]

I’m having a bad week:-(

Sensor was due for change Monday 08:00. I always test BG with a finger prick 10 mins before warm up is completed, just to check that the sensor is likely to be working within a working tolerance. My rule-of-thumb is that within 1.0-1.5 is useable.

The last two have been great - started at 0.1 difference so never bothered to do any further checks.

Monday’s new one was out by over 2.

I put up with it for 24 hours with regular checks and it stayed pretty much the same.

So a call to Abbott, and a new one is on its way, and a new sensor applied.

24H on an a repeat performance.

So the next one fitted and it’s worse on first reading. So that’s two sensors ready to go back and a third on my arm that’s useless.

I know that a phone call will get it changed etc, but that's not the point. I’m usually very positive about L2, but they seem to be getting worse. Each episode is a 48 hours of stress as I’m sure you can all recognise.

So I have threatened to switch before (who am I kidding that anyone cares?) and have done my research, and spoken with my consultant. There are lots of negatives to the Dexcom One as far as I can see:

Poor app - just a RT display, Clarity required so that access via internet to get any sort of reporting.

No additional data can be entered into the app, like carbs or insulin.

The physical attributes seem poor. Loads of waste. Two hour warm up. Separate sensor and transmitter is clunky and fragile looking, albeit ecologically good.

All this I could put up with I think IF is was reliably accurate.

I’d be interested in the thought, experiences etc of those who trodden this path before.

I switched to Dexcom one wish hadn’t as some urgent alarms not getting and so basic I cannot record on it