Free libre + trial

[Lucyr]

I use Dexcom and can also access multiple reports but these are time consuming to access, buried deep somewhere

Last time I used Dexcom, which admittedly was a while ago, the reports were all easy to access via the clarity app? I don’t know if you’ve tried that or if it’s changed since then?

 

[Ade_essex]

@Ade-essex, while I fully agree that fps provide a degree of independent corroboration on those low readings during the night - chances are you did not wake during those low moments to take those fps.

However, from the graph they look fleeting and personally I would interpret them as of little consequence. However, since you are using CGM one thing that I found Libre very good for was the many reports available to the user quickly from the app; I use Dexcom and can also access multiple reports but these are time consuming to access, buried deep somewhere. Your reports include daily graphs and I suggest you look back over a few (or more) 24 hr periods to see if:
1. You get similar trends of low blips.
2. To see whether most nights are hovering around the 3.9 zone.

Also your Libre provides you with Time in Range data. If there is no, or barely any, Time below Range then that would also reassure me it's of little consequence. If sleeping through minor lows did bother me I'd probably drop into a routine of a small bedtime treat, such as a small chocolate biscuit - c.6 gms of carbs. This would be just to nudge myself up and the fat in the chocolate to slow the digestion for steady release through the night.

Incidentally, with Libre Reports and during the night time fasting period, it can be a great opportunity to experiment and find out how your body is now managing snacks, without most of the daytime distractions from the liver releasing glucose, etc. This isn't foolproof, since as we sleep our brain is hard at work doing it's housekeeping, including triggering dreams and (hopefully not) nightmares which can stimulate adrenaline (= more glucose!). But repeat graphs reveal trends and these stand up to scrutiny in their own right. This observation could apply to anyone applying for a free Libre or Dexcom as a Trial.

Thanks for the detailed reply. Very much appreciated. I suppose that my initial thought was that this particular sensor was reading consistently lower than the previous one and some random finger tests I've been doing. Since I started this one on Sunday, I have had 19 per cent of my time in the low red range (mostly at night) compared to zero per cent in the red with my previous sensor. And now I've just taken a finger test before coming to bed which showed 6.1 compared to the sensor which is showing 4.3 and falling as I'm lying here typing. And that was after a small handful of cashews as an evening treat just before 21.00. But I feel fine so will monitor things over the next few days. Thanks again for the reply.

 

[Proud to be erratic]

Thanks for the detailed reply. Very much appreciated. I suppose that my initial thought was that this particular sensor was reading consistently lower than the previous one and some random finger tests I've been doing. Since I started this one on Sunday, I have had 19 per cent of my time in the low red range (mostly at night) compared to zero per cent in the red with my previous sensor. And now I've just taken a finger test before coming to bed which showed 6.1 compared to the sensor which is showing 4.3 and falling as I'm lying here typing. And that was after a small handful of cashews as an evening treat just before 21.00. But I feel fine so will monitor things over the next few days. Thanks again for the reply.

Nothing wrong with periodic fps while using CGM. Not quite so sure about "random" fps; better that fps are structured and thus justify the hassle and inconvenience. By structured I mean at a similar time of day (eg 1st or last thing, every few days, to mentally allow some calibration of your CGM) or just before a meal (every so often, again as a calibration check - but might also give some insight into CGM interstitial lag against actual blood). This latter point presumes the user logs in the app events such as meals, exercise or a comment and thus provides some event to correlate a Libre reading with.

I'm assuming you are self-funding your Libre, since the criteria, thus eligibility, for NHS prescribing these for T2s is pretty tough.

In theory upgrades of CGMs have improved the "lag" by clever use of algorithm improvements. In practice this isn't always the case, particularly when rapid BG changes are occurring.

 

[Proud to be erratic]

Last time I used Dexcom, which admittedly was a while ago, the reports were all easy to access via the clarity app? I don’t know if you’ve tried that or if it’s changed since then?

Thanks, yes it's still possible. But needs one to change screen to History, wait until it's caught up, scroll many times to get to the bottom, then into the Clarity app, then find the report wanted. Not difficult, but way slower than getting to Libre Reports. More recently my G7 app has got very slow generally, taking several seconds to change screen or even to display a reading after waking the sleeping phone. I've tried clearing the cache and closing and reopening the G7 app, which brings brief improvement, but that improvement doesn't last.

 

[gail2]

Quick question about disposal of the plastic packing can it go in normal rubbish The sensor itself does it need to go on sharps box
Cheers
Gail

 

[Lucyr]

Quick question about disposal of the plastic packing can it go in normal rubbish The sensor itself does it need to go on sharps box
Cheers
Gail

The part of applicator that you use to apply the sensor goes in sharps box. Rest of packaging goes in rubbish except the cardboard into recycling. The sensor when finished needs to be cleaned then into battery recycling which you can find at a supermarket as it contains a battery so can’t go into the normal rubbish.

 

[gail2]

Thanks .Lucyr
1.