Smart watches

[Alan6240]

Hi

Can a smart watch give you blood glucose readings?

I have seen them advertised but do they really work?

Thanks

 

[urbanracer]

Hi

Can a smart watch give you blood glucose readings?

I have seen them advertised but do they really work?

Thanks

Hi @Alan6240

I just want to ask you to be specific about what you want to know here.

There are many 'smartwatches' on the market which can communicate with your smartphone and a Constant Glucose Monitoring (CGM) sensor device (such as the Freestylye Libre) using Bluetooth technology. As long as the phone / watch has a suitable app installed then you can see your glucose levels on your watch.

I have seen some other devices starting to appear on the market. These watches have a sensor on the back and appear to be claiming that they can measure blood glucose directly. I am thinking of testing one myself as they ONLY cost about £20 to £30 at the bottom end, but I've seen no evidence that they are approved as "Medical Devices" so their accuracy may be somewhat dubious. Look at Amazon and check the user reviews - it's a pretty mixed bag of responses. The devices could be good for trend analysis though.

Whilst not wishing to appear too disparaging about cheap Chinese goods, the low introductory price makes me wary. If you were to Google "non invasive blood glucose testing" (or similar) you will find many products which have been in the pipeline for a while but they are clearly going to cost ££££ when and if they are eventually released. Getting FDA and EU approvals for a medical device is probably the biggest obstacle here.

 

[Alan6240]

I was asking about the smart watches with the sensor on the back.
I have read reviews, and as you mentioned, they are a mixed bag.

I just wondered if anyone had tried one.

 

[KennyA]

Hi Alan6240

There was a thread on these a month or so back (can't find it though) after an advertising blitz - I'm talking about the ones that claim to tell you what your BG and blood pressure is without actually checking blood or interstitial fluid - I think the general consensus was that it was a con.

 

[KennyA]

Found it:

Blood Glucose Monitoring Watch

Hi All and good evening, Asking on behalf of my husband who has Type 2 controlled with tablets. He is considering buying a blood glucose monitoring watch as his fingers are becoming increasingly sore using lancets. Have any of you lovely people experience of these watches, please.

www.diabetes.co.uk

 

[HSSS]

I’ve seen these mentioned the last month or so on various diabetes sites. Without fail everyone that’s tried one says they are a con.

 

[Mike88]

Hi

Can a smart watch give you blood glucose readings?

I have seen them advertised but do they really work?

Thanks

Hello, I use FSL2 with an iPhone & can read my current BG on my Apple Watch or Garmin using the Shuggah app. It was a bit fiddly to set up, via a calendar complication & widget but works well enough to give me a close enough idea of where I am without scanning with my phone. Great when at work or driving. It isn't perfect but better than nothing. You will still have to be within Bluetooth range of your phone. Other options are available for Android but I haven't used them.

Hope that helps & best of luck

 

[holdem]

Hello, I use FSL2 with an iPhone & can read my current BG on my Apple Watch or Garmin using the Shuggah app. It was a bit fiddly to set up, via a calendar complication & widget but works well enough to give me a close enough idea of where I am without scanning with my phone. Great when at work or driving. It isn't perfect but better than nothing. You will still have to be within Bluetooth range of your phone. Other options are available for Android but I haven't used them.

Hope that helps & best of luck

hi i have a garmin and an iphone i have libre 2
i have downloaded shuggah but cant seem to get it to work at all
do you have a walk thru of how you managed to get your blood readings on your phone and the process? I have googled it but nothing that really makes sense.

thanks

 

[drahawkins_1973]

This is good guide for i phones and Apple watches if helpful.

How to see blood sugar on an Apple Watch using Shuggah

How do you get blood sugar levels from FreeStyle Libre 2 on an Apple Watch? Get instructions for free Shuggah app here. Real-time CGM. No scanning.

lovemylibre.com

 

[Mike88]

This is good guide for i phones and Apple watches if helpful.

How to see blood sugar on an Apple Watch using Shuggah

How do you get blood sugar levels from FreeStyle Libre 2 on an Apple Watch? Get instructions for free Shuggah app here. Real-time CGM. No scanning.

lovemylibre.com

This is what I followed when I first set Shuggah up. I had an Apple watch back then. When I switched to a Garmin I didn't do anything. My BG reading was there in my calendar, on my Garmin, as before. It does work a bit better on an Apple watch, the trend arrow is also displayed. I prefer my Garmin as it is a better fitness tracker & the battery last for 2 weeks.

 

[13h]

Found it:

Blood Glucose Monitoring Watch

Hi All and good evening, Asking on behalf of my husband who has Type 2 controlled with tablets. He is considering buying a blood glucose monitoring watch as his fingers are becoming increasingly sore using lancets. Have any of you lovely people experience of these watches, please.

www.diabetes.co.uk

Hi
I bought one from ebay , it does say not for medical, I do fitness, the blood pressure and heart rate work well , but the blood sugar is way out . I bought it after being out of libre sensor due to a faulty sensor , no good for type 1 as need continous monitoring.
I don't think the people selling should be allowed to claim it measures blood sugar. When my sugars are 12 it reads 5 when 20 reads 8 . When 6 read as 4 .can be dangerous as gives false sense as if sugars are in normal range.