• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Weird start to New Year

L

Lotties

Well-Known Member
Messages
317
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Happy New Year All
What a start...
Lost my FL reader and debit card - elves?? New card ordered and hope I find my reader before I need to activate next sensor.

Sensor is giving odd readings since 9am, now 11.20am. Peaks and troughs between 8 & 10! No food today, since a nice trace for last night's Indian meal and nice overnight trace.
Could this be related to dehydration rather than a sensor issue? Tee2+ picks showed 5.3 which is expected.

Good news. Testing has identified a few things for me.
After Eights are a no go at the moment.
Found out that my liver is probably causing higher BG levels as a small amount of champers reliably drops my BG which then recovers. I haven't drunk for about 20 years except the odd gin at Chrimble. I think it stops my liver producing glucagon. Looking at the science, there's a switch related to CRTC2 implicated here. A new year research area for me.
Also, my 3am wakes (for years) are associated with BG dips to below 3.5 mmol/L and info on this site says this is related to Somogyi ie reactive hyperglycaemia.
Fantastically, these have eased recently and I am getting 5 hrs sleep at a time and waking up warm & fuzzy needing to stretch like a cat. This is amazing. I hope it continues!
 
Happy new year @Lotties ,

Did you know you can activate a Libre using the Librelink app on your phone?
I don't have an Abbott scanner just activate with the aformentioned app & use Glimp as a go to reader on my device.
 
Jaylee said:
Happy new year @Lotties ,

Did you know you can activate a Libre using the Librelink app on your phone?
I don't have an Abbott scanner just activate with the aformentioned app & use Glimp as a go to reader on my device.
Click to expand...
Thanks, Jaylee.
That's good! Phew. Back up in case it's permanently missing.
 
Last edited:
Sensor now regularly saying wait 10 mins, sensor reading unavailable.
Oh dear...
 
Yeah, I get 2.30am bg dips - unless I keep my carbs under v tight control, and then things smooth out a bit (but not completely).

years of 2.30 am nightmares and sweaty wake-ups with heart pounding, all explained by my first Libre sensor.
 
Brunneria said:
Yeah, I get 2.30am bg dips - unless I keep my carbs under v tight control, and then things smooth out a bit (but not completely).

years of 2.30 am nightmares and sweaty wake-ups with heart pounding, all explained by my first Libre sensor.
Click to expand...
Thanks, so good to know I'm not alone. My GP ignored it, my consultant prescribed Spironolactone; his registrar gave me sleeping pills (took one, still woke at 3am). Consultant tried to prescribed sleepers again in Dec. I'm so glad it's explainable. Luckily my sweats at night are now rare. I feel for you.
 
Last edited:
I believe once a sensor is activated, it is tied to thr unit which activated it, i.e cannot go from libre reader to smart phone app (and vice versa).
 
Last edited:
Mbaker said:
I believe once a sensor is activated, it is tied to thr unit which activated it, i.e cannot go from libre reader to smart phone app (and vice versa).
Click to expand...

It can, but you need to a) start it with the reader first and b) also activate with the phone within 60 minutes.
 
Lotties said:
Sensor now regularly saying wait 10 mins, sensor reading unavailable.
Oh dear...
Click to expand...

OK, don't panic.
I have that come up on my phone from time to time if I've been playing with both the Librelink app & Glimp.

Or sometimes it can happen if I consecutively scan within seconds on my phone?

It should right itself?
 
Jaylee said:
OK, don't panic.
I have that come up on my phone from time to time if I've been playing with both the Librelink app & Glimp.

Or sometimes it can happen if I consecutively scan within seconds on my phone?

It should right itself?
Click to expand...
Good advice
I'll stop scanning for a while and Carry On
 

Lotties - When you wake with those lows, have you validated a number of them? The reason I ask is the Libre is known for "compression lows" when an individual applies pressure (when sleeping, say) they can read low.

When I wear a Libre I routinely run at 2, which really is highly unlikely. I must admit I don't get too worked up about the night time sensor lows, because, unlike you, I feel fine.
 
Good point, but yes, they are validated.
For the last 15 years, I have been waking every two hours after going to sleep. The Libre showed a noticably low level at the point of waking and a rise after. On occasion, I was aware of a stress reaction as well.
Not really worked up about the low just happy to understand.
 
Last edited:
Grrr. Tee2+ finger prick is 6.6mmol/L 15 mins later
Sensor talking and saying 11.1mmol/L
 

When you say you validated them, is that using your blood glucose meter, or that you regularly wake up?

Again, from my owjn experience, I wake at 4am, every day. Not for long, but I wake. There is nothing special about my blood glucose at that time.

Actually, now that I need to take some thyroid meds, well away from food and drinks, I use that brief awakening to do that, so a bit of a silver lining.
 
I did pick test my BG once and it was pretty low but rising. Mostly, if I don't wake, I see no dips at that time. If I do wake, it has dipped.
 
My experience of compression lows is that they are usually wide U shapes, easily corresponding with me rolling onto that side, and lasting for the time I kept that position.
Easy to spot.
I get them frequently with the libre.

On the other hand, a genuine low at night is also v easy to spot (usually a V shape) with a subsequent blip up, and a bouncy series of bops afterwards (as my body tries to compensate, then over compensate, then over-over compensate until the alarm goes. That is nothing like my compression lows. Especially when they happen at the same time each night.
 
Mine are single, fang-shaped not u-shaped.
I'll need to ring Abbott customer service tomorrow. The sensor has just hit 18.0, with a flat top there, and is now on the way down. At least 10 above Tee2 prick.
 
My very first sensor started giving very high readings at 9.00am on the first of Jan 2020 after ~8 days of use. As it has now settled to roughly +5.0mmol/L above my Tee2+ blood results and 6.5 above its previous readings (but still tracking, correctly I think), Abbott are replacing the sensor. Sadly, without using the PC software (not the phone app) all of the patterns and averages will remain corrupt. I have suggested they review this and the operator says she will pass my concerns on. It was not clear if amending the data on the PC will be reflected on the reader and/or app. Response from the freephone number was very quick; they had my details on file.
I await the replacement and will try to change the sensor tonight when I get home.
It looks very much like a firmware bug, possibly related to the year date change.
 

Hi , I have Dexcom G6 and I’m happy with it but I need to change sensor every 10 days. If your insurance gives u the option , you might want to research it. My insurance gave me both options but I decided on Dexcom . So far , very happy . I can shower with it , which is very nice too . I just wish I did not need to change the sensor every 10 days . It’s a bit of hassle but it’s completely painless .
 
@Winnie-the-Pooh Thanks.
I'm Self-funded . On your recommendation I went to the Dexcom website which is very clear about pricing for kits and subscription service but not individual sensors. Immediately after, they also provided a visual link to the Type1 YouTuber who reviews diabetic tech; it's a good review putting them even although he didn't calibrate the Dexcom.
The subscription service will be about 1.5 times the price.
Although it appears that you can extend the sensor time with the Dexcom, hence possibly halving the price of them, purchasing a transmitter every three months is expensive at £200.
The tryout costs with both are the same for 1 month with the Dexcom kit winning hands down as I could buy additional sensors for another 2 months to really knock the price down.
The best point I see is being able to calibrate the Dexcom.
Rumour has it they are going to target the T2D market, too. Currently, sensor software and sensors are geared to the T1D market as far as I can see.
I think I'll stay with the Libre at the moment but all stay tuned as there may be a 2ndhand miaomiao2 for sale in the future !
Note you definitely don't need to buy a kit for the Libre as an android phone works well except Samsung S8 which I would check first.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…