Dexcom G6 general advice

[little fawn]

I am currently using Freestyle Libre. However, there are no alarms to make me aware when my blood sugar is rising too high or more importantly falling too low!! As I do have a lot of hypos through the night I don't sleep easy as I am constantly worrying I might be dipping too low.
I believe Dexcom G6 has alarms which can be set to avoid these incidents through the night. I am willing to fund this myself if it's not available for me on the NHS.
Is anyone out there using Dexcom G6 who could comment on G6 and let me know if it would help me overcome my nightly hypos and get a sound night's sleep!!!

 

[trophywench]

Hi - what's the Libre telling you about your overnight levels?

 

[Kaylz]

If your going hypo during the night you should be able to see a pattern and adjust basal as best you can to stop it, yes it may have alarms but the lows are still going to happen so stopping the lows in the first place would be my main priority by making adjustments xx

 

[Pumper_Sue]

I am currently using Freestyle Libre. However, there are no alarms to make me aware when my blood sugar is rising too high or more importantly falling too low!! As I do have a lot of hypos through the night I don't sleep easy as I am constantly worrying I might be dipping too low.
I believe Dexcom G6 has alarms which can be set to avoid these incidents through the night. I am willing to fund this myself if it's not available for me on the NHS.
Is anyone out there using Dexcom G6 who could comment on G6 and let me know if it would help me overcome my nightly hypos and get a sound night's sleep!!!

The G6 does rather like to alarm an awful lot unfortunately. So far I have had 4/10 faulty sensors which have been replaced. I certainly would never use the sensors to make any clinical decision and would never ever incorporate the G6 with a closed loop pump.

Other users have had great success with the G6 so it's great if it works for you, not so good if it doesn't.

 

[m1dnc]

I have tried Libre, Medtronic Enlite, Medtronic Guardian 3 and the Dexcom G6, and have found the G6 to be far and away the best. For me it is very accurate - rarely more than about 5 % away from a finger test - consistent and easy to use. This week I signed up for a 12-month contract, which shows you how much I appreciate it. Unlike Sue, I am very happy to use it for clinical decisions.

You can tailor the alarms to suit and can adjust alarms on your phone as well. There are a couple that are always on though.

You can buy a starter pack for £159 which includes a transmitter and 3 sensors (3 x 10 days) for a trial

 

[Pumper_Sue]

You can buy a starter pack for £159 which includes a transmitter and 3 sensors (3 x 10 days) for a trial

Which is fine as long as you have a compatible phone, otherwise you need a receiver as well.

 

[CosmicHedgehog]

I self fund the G6. It's great. i am hypo unaware at night so i need the alarms too. The g6 has a 'hypo soon' alarm if your blood sugar is dropping to hypo level, so, with that you can eat a buiscit or something and avoid the hypo altogether.. or if you miss that alarm you will get a hypo alarm (under 4mmol) and an urgent hypo alarm (under 3.1) you can choose how often they alarm, i have mine set to alarm every 15 mins for hypos as thats how long you would normally wait after treating to check again, if i'm still hypo it will alarm again. with the direction arrows you can see if you are going back up or need to treat again. it works very simmilar to the libre, its just you dont have to swipe and it has alarms for highs and lows. Occasionally i get a bad sensor but they are very good at replacing them and normally get a new one to you by the next day or so. On the whole the G6 is very very accurate. In my opinionthe g6 is far better than the libre, and of course if it is not being accurate you can calibrate (do a blood finger test and input the correct reading in to the g6 app and it resets to that blood sugar)

 

[Lizzzie]

I have a love-hate relationship with mine. The great thing is that it works for what you want. Going low? Horrible alarm, detected as early as you like, problem solved. My hypo signs have returned

2 The downsides 1) is the constant trace. Mine seem to go up before they go down after food and I find this hard to watch on a screen - in the old days I used to check 4 hours after a meal. Now I watch it go up and squirm a bit while it goes down and I hate that.

I also tend to eat more. Snacking and taking insulin and trying to keep.the trace between the lines can get obsessive. I didn't think I was an obsessive sort but I really have to have words with myself sometimes.

I'm slowly going low carb as a rest of all this, although Im not particularly fat and T1

2) I just feel a bit like a machine. I am not my own person anymore. I take my phone places where I wouldn't have before. I look at my phone more. There is a psychological effect to all this I dislike

Oh yeah and check the list of phones - I had to buy a new one. Luckily I get my dexcom on the n h s (phew!)

 

[Jon-Manchester]

I am currently using Freestyle Libre. However, there are no alarms to make me aware when my blood sugar is rising too high or more importantly falling too low!!

I am a "newbie" to all of this diabetes stuff, but I have been looking into the miaomiao which seems to address these concerns?
Couldnt you use that with the Libre or am i misreading the miaomiao's capabilities?

Jon

 

[Bruce Stephens]

2) I just feel a bit like a machine. I am not my own person anymore. I take my phone places where I wouldn't have before. I look at my phone more. There is a psychological effect to all this I dislike

I know what you mean.

I'm finding myself much more relaxed trying to keep to the Time in Range idea (and really just trying to keep to that, with the rather broad range 3.9-10.0), since most of the time I am in that range, so scanning the Libre just confirms that (so scanning gives positive feedback). And sure, sometimes after eating I go a little over, but I'm allowed some of that.

I think my control is no worse (only with fewer hypos), but I guess I'll see what the next HbA1c is, and I feel more relaxed about it.

 

[little fawn]

I am a "newbie" to all of this diabetes stuff, but I have been looking into the miaomiao which seems to address these concerns?
Couldnt you use that with the Libre or am i misreading the miaomiao's capabilities?

Jon,
I use MiaoMiao with Libre. I find it helpful but it can get disconnected and through the night this is problematic so am now considering using Dexcom G6 after Xmas.

 

[little fawn]

If your going hypo during the night you should be able to see a pattern and adjust basal as best you can to stop it, yes it may have alarms but the lows are still going to happen so stopping the lows in the first place would be my main priority by making adjustments xx

Hi Kaylz,
Thanks for your help. I get what you're saying.
Your HBA1C results are amazing!!! How do you do it?
Are you on the pump, low carbing, looping or what?! Do you have many hypos daily? I am curious to know how this is achieved. Are you on very fast acting insulin like Fiasp? I know what suits one person isn't for another.

 

[MrDaibetes]

When libre 2 finally hits the UK it will have alarms, but you still need to swipe to see what that alarm is for.
There are DIY options out there for turning libre into a CGM.
I have used Dexcom and guardian 3 and both are reliable IMO. I currently use guardian 3 with 670g in auto mode.

 

[Kaylz]

Hi Kaylz,
Thanks for your help. I get what you're saying.
Your HBA1C results are amazing!!! How do you do it?
Are you on the pump, low carbing, looping or what?! Do you have many hypos daily? I am curious to know how this is achieved. Are you on very fast acting insulin like Fiasp? I know what suits one person isn't for another.

I doubt it would be too good at the moment but basal dose is in adjustment lol

No I'm MDI on Novorapid and Tresiba, 30g carbs breakfast, 40g dinner and 30g tea, no I don't suffer many hypo's at all

Despite those hba1c's I've been dealt a lot of c**p in my minimal 3 years with diabetic macular oedema less than a month after diagnosis which required urgent treatment and then lasering to both eyes last year for proliferative retinopathy so clearly good hba1c is everything
xx

 

[little fawn]

I doubt it would be too good at the moment but basal dose is in adjustment lol

No I'm MDI on Novorapid and Tresiba, 30g carbs breakfast, 40g dinner and 30g tea, no I don't suffer many hypo's at all

Despite those hba1c's I've been dealt a lot of c**p in my minimal 3 years with diabetic macular oedema less than a month after diagnosis which required urgent treatment and then lasering to both eyes last year for proliferative retinopathy so clearly good hba1c is everything
xx

 

[little fawn]

 

[little fawn]

I doubt it would be too good at the moment but basal dose is in adjustment lol

No I'm MDI on Novorapid and Tresiba, 30g carbs breakfast, 40g dinner and 30g tea, no I don't suffer many hypo's at all

Despite those hba1c's I've been dealt a lot of c**p in my minimal 3 years with diabetic macular oedema less than a month after diagnosis which required urgent treatment and then lasering to both eyes last year for proliferative retinopathy so clearly good hba1c is everything
xx

 

[Kaylz]

Sorry @little fawn I don't have a clue what your trying or wanting to say xx

 

[little fawn]

Hi kaylz,

I doubt it would be too good at the moment but basal dose is in adjustment lol

No I'm MDI on Novorapid and Tresiba, 30g carbs breakfast, 40g dinner and 30g tea, no I don't suffer many hypo's at all

Despite those hba1c's I've been dealt a lot of c**p in my minimal 3 years with diabetic macular oedema less than a month after diagnosis which required urgent treatment and then lasering to both eyes last year for proliferative retinopathy so clearly good hba1c is everything
xx

Hi Kaylz,
Sorry about the confusion. I'm new to this and was fiddling about with the buttons.
Anyways wanted to write back to you to say you are a real trier. Don't ever give up. It's upwards and onwards!
I've had diabetes for nearly 60 years Type 1 and am relatively unscathed by it!!! I am on porcine insulin which most people including doctors don't have much knowledge about nowadays. I've been on this insulin since childhood.
However Kaylz when the "miracle" human insulin first came out I was changed onto it after being on porcine for over 20 years. EVERY diabetic was changed on to it at that time. Initially I had problems on it. My body didn't like it. After 6 months on it I got proliferate retinopathy
which went on and on with more and more laser over a period of 2 years. I nearly went blind in both eyes. That was 40 years ago! I also had macular oedema then too. Since then I have had no further treatment. I got through it and so can you!! You are doing everything right. I admire you.
I persisted and fought hard to go back to animal insulin (porcine) as it works for me. I was on human insulin for 8 years. The doctors finally relented. My eye problems stopped and so did all that lasering.
Things have advanced so much with all these modern insulins since those days but I know how porcine insulin works and it seems to agree with me though not for everyone. I have good days and bad days like us all and can't always fathom out why I went high or low but I feel safe on this insulin. Knowledge is power.
PS can you tell me how many units of insulin you take to cover meals and overnight amount. My control isn't as good as yours!
Cheers xxx

 

[Kaylz]

Hi kaylz,

Hi Kaylz,
Sorry about the confusion. I'm new to this and was fiddling about with the buttons.
Anyways wanted to write back to you to say you are a real trier. Don't ever give up. It's upwards and onwards!
I've had diabetes for nearly 60 years Type 1 and am relatively unscathed by it!!! I am on porcine insulin which most people including doctors don't have much knowledge about nowadays. I've been on this insulin since childhood.
However Kaylz when the "miracle" human insulin first came out I was changed onto it after being on porcine for over 20 years. EVERY diabetic was changed on to it at that time. Initially I had problems on it. My body didn't like it. After 6 months on it I got proliferate retinopathy
which went on and on with more and more laser over a period of 2 years. I nearly went blind in both eyes. That was 40 years ago! I also had macular oedema then too. Since then I have had no further treatment. I got through it and so can you!! You are doing everything right. I admire you.
I persisted and fought hard to go back to animal insulin (porcine) as it works for me. I was on human insulin for 8 years. The doctors finally relented. My eye problems stopped and so did all that lasering.
Things have advanced so much with all these modern insulins since those days but I know how porcine insulin works and it seems to agree with me though not for everyone. I have good days and bad days like us all and can't always fathom out why I went high or low but I feel safe on this insulin. Knowledge is power.
PS can you tell me how many units of insulin you take to cover meals and overnight amount. My control isn't as good as yours!
Cheers xxx

Wow you've been through a lot!
I haven't a clue on the profile of your insulin but I'm very interested so I'll have a google of it later, being diagnosed in 2016 I was put straight onto Novorapid and the Professor that was dealing with me after admission to hospital put me straight onto Tresiba for basal, I consider myself quite lucky with that as it seems to be a sought after insulin by many and had only been approved for prescription here (Scotland) a couple of months before I was diagnosed
I've also suffered an eating disorder the year after diagnosis where I developed an irrational fear of carbs as a fellow Type 1 had said my macular oedema was my own fault as I'd been eating carbs
At the moment I'm 1U:10g carbs for my Novorapid and currently 14 units Tresiba for my basal, considering I was only on 1 unit of Tresiba up until last December its a big jump but my honeymoon lasted a long time
xx