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Free libre + trial
- Thread starter gail2
- Start date
Hi @gail2 I have had a few of these now and still have one in the cupboard for use before my next appointment. I tend to use them in the two weeks before I go for my blood tests to see what is happening with my BG as th consisten visibility is so much better than the point in time testing. But I have to remember not to get to concerned if I get the odd high spike or low reading as they are exceptions and not the norm.
Hopefully you'll get some good information but I don't think that they are necessarily a constant requirement for us T2s like they are for T1s.
Hopefully you'll get some good information but I don't think that they are necessarily a constant requirement for us T2s like they are for T1s.
They are not a constant requirement for people with Type 1.
They are certainly advantageous for many of us but we survived for decades with finger pricking and there are some around who remember having to test their urine.
I appreciate I may sound pedantic but suggesting to a newly diagnosed person with Type 1 that a CGM is necessary 100% of the time could lead to unnecessary concern when it fails. Or when their healthcare team decide it is not needed at the start as it can lead to extra anxiety as well as potentially blunt hypo awareness.
I am not alone in consciously taking CGM-breaks because I do not see them as constant requirements and am keen not to reliable upon potentially faulty technology.
@gail2 I hope you find the data you get from your Libre useful. As with all data, the true value is what you do with it.
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gail2
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I'm on insulin and tired of finger pricking tests. I know it's will not eliminate them 100% but my fingers are so painfull due to nerothpany sorry about spelling. That i think I wood like to try this approach and see how it goes IT can't hurt to try it and see if this approach works have asked one of the nurses who comes to do my insulin if they wood be happy with using the results from lidre and she said yes go for it, we have lots of our insulin clients using them So im going to
Gail
Gail
gail2
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
It's me again have some questions about it some may be good some may be cack bear with me
1) I will be self funding how much am I looking at per month roughly
2) how long do the sensors last
3) are they shower proof or can you buy a sticker to cover them
4) is it easy to set up your phone to display levels
5) does phone have to be a certain minimum distance from sensor
6) is the delivery service for them fast or slow
7) can you set level ranges ie low for me 4.5 to high 10.5
Thanks im sure I will think of more after all it's my diabetic life and I want to control it better and im tired of sore hurting fingers
Thanks I advance
Gail
1) I will be self funding how much am I looking at per month roughly
2) how long do the sensors last
3) are they shower proof or can you buy a sticker to cover them
4) is it easy to set up your phone to display levels
5) does phone have to be a certain minimum distance from sensor
6) is the delivery service for them fast or slow
7) can you set level ranges ie low for me 4.5 to high 10.5
Thanks im sure I will think of more after all it's my diabetic life and I want to control it better and im tired of sore hurting fingers
Thanks I advance
Gail
Bruce Stephens
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
£100, roughly. They're £51.74 for a 15 day sensor.
They're waterproof (up to 30 minutes at up to 1m depth). Mostly it'll be the glue that gives up, and yes, you can buy a variety of stickers and straps to help with that.
Yes, of course. It'll depend on the environment, too: 5m in a garden might work but 5m with your phone in another room might not.
Alarms can be set freely, but the range (used in drawing graphs and calculating Time in Range and so on) is more limited: minimum is 3.9 and maximum is 10.0.
gail2
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- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
'Thanks for that your answers mean a lot to me
8) j read in another thread that they are bringing number 3 out so does that mean plus will soon be out of date and not available
Sure i will think of more like I said excuse if questions seem daft at all but I want to go into this with my eyes fully open and who better to ask than you lot
Cheers gail
9)What's the difference between 2+ and 3+r
8) j read in another thread that they are bringing number 3 out so does that mean plus will soon be out of date and not available
Sure i will think of more like I said excuse if questions seem daft at all but I want to go into this with my eyes fully open and who better to ask than you lot
Cheers gail
9)What's the difference between 2+ and 3+r
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Bruce Stephens
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Libre 3 is out, but for whatever reason they're not selling it in the UK (it's only available for some patients, usually as part of an HCL). I think we all assumed there'd be a transition of everyone over to Libre 3 (the sensor and applicators are smaller and presumably cheaper to manufacture) but that hasn't happened.
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
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The 3/3+ is really more designed for using with an insulin pump as it has more features to make a closed loop more effective I believe. It is also slightly smaller.
The 2+ is the standard sensor that most of us use and is not being phased out. I don't believe the 3?3+ is available to buy and will likely be a bit more expensive.
My concern with your trial/use of a Libre is that you have no means of testing your levels yourself and there are times when CGM need a double check with a finger prick. You have been very open about your mental health problems and the Libre could add to that. For instance, they are prone to what we call compression lows where if you roll over in bed and lie on them for any length of time, they will give a false low reading and the alarm will go off. It can make you wake up in a panic and if you have no means of double checking it yourself, you will need to call for the staff to come and check with a finger prick and I imagine you will be very concerned whilst waiting, thinking that you are hypo when you are likely not. It can be quite frightening until you get used to it or find a good placement spot where it is less likely to happen. The spikes after meals can also be a real eye opener and could cause concern and there is nothing really that you can do about those because you don't have meal time insulin and even if you did you would not be able to do anything about the timing of it, which is the way to lower the spikes.
It seems like you only get your levels tested twice a day so your fingers really shouldn't be sore. Perhaps the lancing device is set too deep for your skin, so ask for it to be lowered and see how you get on with that.
For £100 a month I cannot honestly see what benefit you will get out of it but that you might get some anxiety. If you were in charge of your own insulin and on a full MDI regime, then I would say the benefits would outweigh the concerns. I understand that it is interesting to see what your levels are doing and it can be quite addictive but I am not sure what benefits you will gain when you can't do much about those levels. Most of your food is provided, so you can't change that and you are unfortunately limited in what you can do exercise wise because of your poorly knee.
The 2+ is the standard sensor that most of us use and is not being phased out. I don't believe the 3?3+ is available to buy and will likely be a bit more expensive.
My concern with your trial/use of a Libre is that you have no means of testing your levels yourself and there are times when CGM need a double check with a finger prick. You have been very open about your mental health problems and the Libre could add to that. For instance, they are prone to what we call compression lows where if you roll over in bed and lie on them for any length of time, they will give a false low reading and the alarm will go off. It can make you wake up in a panic and if you have no means of double checking it yourself, you will need to call for the staff to come and check with a finger prick and I imagine you will be very concerned whilst waiting, thinking that you are hypo when you are likely not. It can be quite frightening until you get used to it or find a good placement spot where it is less likely to happen. The spikes after meals can also be a real eye opener and could cause concern and there is nothing really that you can do about those because you don't have meal time insulin and even if you did you would not be able to do anything about the timing of it, which is the way to lower the spikes.
It seems like you only get your levels tested twice a day so your fingers really shouldn't be sore. Perhaps the lancing device is set too deep for your skin, so ask for it to be lowered and see how you get on with that.
For £100 a month I cannot honestly see what benefit you will get out of it but that you might get some anxiety. If you were in charge of your own insulin and on a full MDI regime, then I would say the benefits would outweigh the concerns. I understand that it is interesting to see what your levels are doing and it can be quite addictive but I am not sure what benefits you will gain when you can't do much about those levels. Most of your food is provided, so you can't change that and you are unfortunately limited in what you can do exercise wise because of your poorly knee.
Lucyr
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I’d agree, your diet is already working for you and your blood sugars are acceptable. I don’t know your exact levels but your weight and insulin doses reducing prove this. There isn’t realistically any actions you’re going to take based on the libre that would make it worthwhile to you.
Stick with what’s working, if testing is making your fingers hurt can you invest in an accuchek fastclix device instead? They’re available online or in boots. Or do you have to use the single use lancets which I do agree are painful?
Stick with what’s working, if testing is making your fingers hurt can you invest in an accuchek fastclix device instead? They’re available online or in boots. Or do you have to use the single use lancets which I do agree are painful?
mashedupmatt
Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
@gail2 your care team should consider prescribing a CGM as it would help you a great deal - this is from NICE
tesser raggy
New Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- He/Him
@gail2 You could also take the Dexcom free trial.
I tested out both, and settled for Dexcom 1+ on monthly contract. It is cheaper than the Libre one. And I found it had less dropouts.
You can take it on contract, and stop/start it on the app/account. Dexcom told me to do this. So buy a couple of months, get a stock and then stop for a while.
I use one for 10 days. Learn what to eat and what to avoid, then take a break from it.
A month supply, inc delivery. Register for no Vat = £84
So missing every other one costs me £42/month
And less finger pricking!
I tested out both, and settled for Dexcom 1+ on monthly contract. It is cheaper than the Libre one. And I found it had less dropouts.
You can take it on contract, and stop/start it on the app/account. Dexcom told me to do this. So buy a couple of months, get a stock and then stop for a while.
I use one for 10 days. Learn what to eat and what to avoid, then take a break from it.
A month supply, inc delivery. Register for no Vat = £84
So missing every other one costs me £42/month
And less finger pricking!
mashedupmatt
Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
The OP has her care team administer her injections I believe so should be relevant IMO
Lucyr
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Yes but only takes insulin once per day. The T2 eligibility is for more than one injection a day, I understand Gail is capable of fingerpricking but that staff keep hold of the meter.
mashedupmatt
Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Fair enough but there is definitely an argument to be had (I certainly would)
@gail2 it is lovely that you are thinking of options to improve the management of your diabetes.
I find my CGM wonderful to help manage my diabetes, I frequently use it to add a bit more insulin or fend off a hypo with some glucose.
But it can be difficult not to obsess about my BG as it is there on my phone all the time. So much so that I intentionally take CGM breaks.
It doesn’t help that it is not reliable, particularly when outside standard BG ranges. But that is a known limitation of the physics used in the design.
If you are going down the CGM route, make sure you are familiar with the limitations. Those will be the limitations that the manufacturers fail to mention but we learn from other forum members. https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/cgm-limitations-and-precautions.108188/
Please take care not to become a CGM obsessive by focusing too much on the numbers or CGM frustrated by not being away of limitations and confuse them with inaccuracies.
I believe it is important to consider mental health when deciding about a CGM.
I find my CGM wonderful to help manage my diabetes, I frequently use it to add a bit more insulin or fend off a hypo with some glucose.
But it can be difficult not to obsess about my BG as it is there on my phone all the time. So much so that I intentionally take CGM breaks.
It doesn’t help that it is not reliable, particularly when outside standard BG ranges. But that is a known limitation of the physics used in the design.
If you are going down the CGM route, make sure you are familiar with the limitations. Those will be the limitations that the manufacturers fail to mention but we learn from other forum members. https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/cgm-limitations-and-precautions.108188/
Please take care not to become a CGM obsessive by focusing too much on the numbers or CGM frustrated by not being away of limitations and confuse them with inaccuracies.
I believe it is important to consider mental health when deciding about a CGM.
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gail2
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Have asked at eb at hospital and they say im not eligible@gail2 your care team should consider prescribing a CGM as it would help you a great deal - this is from NICE
Am going to test both and see which i prefer. Am going onto this with my eyes wide open and know at times i will need to test myself via fingerprint both ,u nurses and the home are supporting ,e In this can I say thanks for your posts everyone
I’m about a week ish into my first week and it’s opened up some things to me.
One slice of brown bread in the morning will take me from 6-7 to around about 12 or 13 maybe even 14
The thing is a finger prick test wouldn’t show this because it would be normal ish after 2 hours.
I’m new to T2 so I’m not a 100% sure if that’s bad or not. I thought I should want an increase of up to 3 on my bloods then a slow increase and slow decrease.
Bread is almost vertical after 10 mins after I eat.
I’m going todo about 3 sensors. So will only pay for 2 more.
It’s about £4 a day according to their website.
So far. Any ice pop, ice cream, beer and bread is a no no.
Pasta, chips and potatoes in different forms are fine.
It’s a tool but for type 2 I’d say don’t get too obsessed with it.
One slice of brown bread in the morning will take me from 6-7 to around about 12 or 13 maybe even 14
The thing is a finger prick test wouldn’t show this because it would be normal ish after 2 hours.
I’m new to T2 so I’m not a 100% sure if that’s bad or not. I thought I should want an increase of up to 3 on my bloods then a slow increase and slow decrease.
Bread is almost vertical after 10 mins after I eat.
I’m going todo about 3 sensors. So will only pay for 2 more.
It’s about £4 a day according to their website.
So far. Any ice pop, ice cream, beer and bread is a no no.
Pasta, chips and potatoes in different forms are fine.
It’s a tool but for type 2 I’d say don’t get too obsessed with it.