CGM Libre free trial

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If he has a diabetes specialist team you could discuss cgm options in general with them - as well as the libre 2, the dexcom one should be readily available (in theory) as an alternative choice. If physically scanning the sensor may prove difficult for him, then that would just have the readings going to the phone or reader without scanning.

LibreLink is the right app for libre 2 though
 
Ok thanks all, odd that I can't find the version 2 app. I'll try and have a chat with his diabetic team on Monday. Trying to see if the Doro 8100 with NFC would work which would kill 2 birds with 1 stone but it's not on their list
 
stuarta said:
Ok thanks all, odd that I can't find the version 2 app. I'll try and have a chat with his diabetic team on Monday. Trying to see if the Doro 8100 with NFC would work which would kill 2 birds with 1 stone but it's not on their list
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It's just called LibreLink. (The same app supports both the original Libre and Libre 2.)
 
stuarta said:
Ok thanks all, odd that I can't find the version 2 app. I'll try and have a chat with his diabetic team on Monday. Trying to see if the Doro 8100 with NFC would work which would kill 2 birds with 1 stone but it's not on their list
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The phone would need both NFC and Bluetooth. The phone scans the sensor with NFC to get readings, but it sends alarms for high and low levels via Bluetooth. Personally, I find the Libre 2 reader ideal for me. There have been a lot of software issues with Librelink app as it is compatible with so many phones. There have been phone operating system updates which have knocked out the alarms on the Libre or in some cases caused the phone to be unable to scan, effectively rendering the sensor useless. This is mostly why it has gained a reputation for being unreliable, but there does also seem to be an element of it suiting some people's body chemistry better than others. There have been much less problems with the reader because it doesn't get software updates and it is much easier to pick up the NFC signal with the reader than a phone from what I have read, so if your Dad is a bit shaky or struggling with coordination, I would recommend asking for a reader and stress that he doesn't have or want a smart phone.

That said, it will likely take a bit of time to get it on prescription so it is worth getting the free trial and using that with an old phone if you can get it to work, until you get the sensors on prescription. I would hope that you would be supplied with a reader, but you may have to contact Abbott to get one once the sensors are prescribed.

Being able to scan as many times a day as you like gives you so much more information and the alarms can really help you head off hypos before they happen, so I really do think it would be very helpful to your Dad and probably a bit of peace of mind to you. Libre has been a real game changer for most of us with our diabetes management.
 
Ok thanks guys for all the advice and @rebrascora for the detailed notes. I've been chatting to my sister and I think at the moment the priority is to have the Doro phone we were looking at with the emergency response so will get one of those phones. Also completely agree being an IT engineer that a handheld device has so much less that can go wrong with it than a smartphone app and not having to faff with updates.

I'll get on the case with the trial and then chasing his diabetic team and hopefully it will make life a little bit easier for him. You guys all seem to get on with it well
 
stuarta said:
I'll get on the case with the trial and then chasing his diabetic team and hopefully it will make life a little bit easier for him. You guys all seem to get on with it well
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It's worth trying, at least.

If the need to scan becomes a problem, others are available (Dexcom One being the most popular). While I think most people use a smartphone there's a receiver available, though I've no idea what that's like to use.

The FreeStyle reader is pretty easy: press the button and put the reader against the sensor (clothing doesn't get in the way) and it shows the reading. It does need charging every couple of days. (Micro-USB.)
 
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