Insulin and CGM choices

[wizzard]

I am Type 2 diabetic. After 20 plus years on tablets, my Diabetic have advised me to go on Insulin.

With Type 2, I have to buy any CGM unit I decide to go with. Being a pensioner, I am trying to minimize the cost. Are there cheaper sensors than Libre please?

 

[Inka]

Welcome @wizzard 🙂 I don’t think there’s anything cheaper than the Libre but I’ll tag @Bruce Stephens because he knows more about all the tech than me. What you could do is use the Libre every so often rather than continually. That would save money.

There are a number of Type 2s here who self-fund the Libre so hopefully they’ll be along later to give their views.

 

[gll]

There's the glucomen day cgm which works out cheaper but the reviews aren't all that great when you read ones not sponsored or coming direct from them.
I think dexcom 1 and libre 2 work out about the same for continuous use.

I just hope someone starts to fight for T2s on MDI insulin for less restrictive CGM access. 🙄

 

[helli]

I am lucky to have Libre funded but before that was the case, I minimised the cost to me by not always using it.
Typically, I would use a Libre for 2 weeks and gather lots of data. Then use that data to make changes over the next 4 weeks without a Libre. Then for the next 2 weeks see if the changes are having an affect.

For example, learn from Libre the impact different meals have on my blood sugars and whether I should avoid certain foods, I can learn this in 2 weeks. I don't have to wear the LIbre to avoid them.

I assume this is more valuable from someone who is diet controlled and unlikely to experience hypos which need to be reacted to immediately,

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I don’t think there’s anything cheaper than the Libre

I think some can work out cheaper but only marginally. And Libre has the big advantage that it's simple: you can buy a sensor and use it whenever it seems like it'll be most useful. The others have more complexity (to get the best price you need a subscription, or you need a transmitter which adds its own lifetime).

 

[Lucyr]

There are slightly cheaper ones but I have tried them all and wouldn’t reccomend them. I’d reccomend libre, with breaks between sensors to reduce price to match your budget

Eg budget of £100 a month = buy 2 sensors per month and use full time

Budget £75 per month = buy 3 sensors every 2 months, and have 1 week break between sensors where you fingerprick

Budget £50 per month = buy 1 sensor per month, and have 2 weeks break between sensors where you fingerprick

 

[AceFace]

I have been self funded from the first freestyle Libre I have also tried Dexcom G6 G7 and One, with all the Dexoms you needed the correct phone and was always expensive, I have even tried Freestyle Libre 3 in Germany, overall I now use Libre 2 with xdrip best of all worlds, I can calibrate, I find it accurate, right price for best performance, and it pushes to my Tic Watch, Xdrip gives you your BG every 1minute instead of 5, handy for Hypos, it doesn't just give you arrows it give you + and - figures every minute, Libre is still the cheapest overall and as Libre 3 comes I think Libre 2 will be cheeper, it's a horrible world the can and can't haves if I win the lottery you are all getting them every month

 

[gll]

if I win the lottery you are all getting them every month

I already have my Lou funded CGM list of folks on here who need one but cant get one...just need that lotto win