Libre 1 question

[Jimmy2202]

Hi guys.

So after not using my Libre sensors for a few months I’ve decided to give it another go.

Today has been my first day, and so far so good.

My question is does the Libre 1 monitor your levels even if you don’t scan? Because today I can clearly see 2 spikes when I had breakfast & lunch but I know I didn’t scan at that time and see any high readings?

I’m sure last time I used the Libre it never did this. I will attach a photo to show you what I’m seeing.

 

[helli]

The sensor stores 8 hours of data and, when you scan, you download the last 8 hours.
If the time between scans is more than 8 hours, you will see a gap in your graphs.

So, yes, the Libre is monitoring your levels all the time including those spikes you see.

But, the great thing is you can see your levels spiked and came back down so they should not be a major concern for you.

 

[Robin]

Hi guys.

So after not using my Libre sensors for a few months I’ve decided to give it another go.

Today has been my first day, and so far so good.

My question is does the Libre 1 monitor your levels even if you don’t scan? Because today I can clearly see 2 spikes when I had breakfast & lunch but I know I didn’t scan at that time and see any high readings?

I’m sure last time I used the Libre it never did this. I will attach a photo to show you what I’m seeing.

Whenever you scan the sensor, it downloads the last 8 hours worth of readings, so yes, it is giving you that information, and should have been giving it to you when you used it before. I wonder, if you were scanning a lot when you used it before, you just didn’t notice.
Edit: Helli types faster than I do!

 

[rebrascora]

The Libre sensor samples your blood every few minutes and stores the information for up to 8 hours. As long as you scan it within 8 hours of your previous scan, you will get all that data and it will plot the graph to show what your levels have been doing in between scans, so the graph above shows that you spiked up to about 13-14 after each meal and then came back down, which is great because it looks like you got your bolus insulin pretty well spot on for each meal. If you want to try to reduce the height of the spike a bit you need to inject the bolus insulin a little bit earlier before you eat, but most nurses would be very happy with that result as you are mostly in range.
Well done!

 

[Bruce Stephens]

If the time between scans is more than 8 hours, you will see a gap in your graphs.

And somewhere (Sensor Usage on the app and something similar on the reader) it'll show the percentage of sensor data you've scanned (so if you always scan at least every 8 hours it'll show 100%). (Having said that, maybe it takes a bit off if a sensor fails? Mine is saying only 92% which doesn't seem right.)

 

[Jimmy2202]

The sensor stores 8 hours of data and, when you scan, you download the last 8 hours.
If the time between scans is more than 8 hours, you will see a gap in your graphs.

So, yes, the Libre is monitoring your levels all the time including those spikes you see.

But, the great thing is you can see your levels spiked and came back down so they should not be a major concern for you.

Ahh thank you. That makes sense, and no it’s not concerned me at all as they came back down nice and quick… perks of a very active job 🙂 thank you helli

 

[Jimmy2202]

Whenever you scan the sensor, it downloads the last 8 hours worth of readings, so yes, it is giving you that information, and should have been giving it to you when you used it before. I wonder, if you were scanning a lot when you used it before, you just didn’t notice.
Edit: Helli types faster than I do!

Yes I was scanning ALL THE TIME 🙂
I won’t this time as I’ve got used to diabetes a lot more since then

 

[Jimmy2202]

The Libre sensor samples your blood every few minutes and stores the information for up to 8 hours. As long as you scan it within 8 hours of your previous scan, you will get all that data and it will plot the graph to show what your levels have been doing in between scans, so the graph above shows that you spiked up to about 13-14 after each meal and then came back down, which is great because it looks like you got your bolus insulin pretty well spot on for each meal. If you want to try to reduce the height of the spike a bit you need to inject the bolus insulin a little bit earlier before you eat, but most nurses would be very happy with that result as you are mostly in range.
Well done!

Thank you. I actually didn’t inject today for these meals as I was at work and I soon burn it off quickly

 

[rebrascora]

Thank you. I actually didn’t inject today for these meals as I was at work and I soon burn it off quickly

That is even better! Nothing like a free lunch! Insulin free particularly! 😉

 

[Jimmy2202]

The Libre sensor samples your blood every few minutes and stores the information for up to 8 hours. As long as you scan it within 8 hours of your previous scan, you will get all that data and it will plot the graph to show what your levels have been doing in between scans, so the graph above shows that you spiked up to about 13-14 after each meal and then came back down, which is great because it looks like you got your bolus insulin pretty well spot on for each meal. If you want to try to reduce the height of the spike a bit you need to inject the bolus insulin a little bit earlier before you eat, but most nurses would be very happy with that result as you are mostly in range.
Well done!

Hi @rebrascora
So to totally eliminate the spike, you would inject earlier and that way you wouldn’t get the spike?
I was told to inject 15 mins before food so that’s what I’ve always done.
And if I go longer than 15mins I freak out a little and start panicking 🙂

 

[helli]

Hi @rebrascora
So to totally eliminate the spike, you would inject earlier and that way you wouldn’t get the spike?
I was told to inject 15 mins before food so that’s what I’ve always done.
And if I go longer than 15mins I freak out a little and start panicking 🙂

Inje ting insulin works at a set speed. If you look for NovoRapid graphs you will see when it peaks.
However, different food is absorbed at different rates. We kind of know this with the fast acting carbs we take to treat hypos. But you also have slow acting carbs such as something with fat in it like chocolate.
The real art is timing the insulin dose to match the peak of the bolus potency with the peak of the carb absorption.
Then you have the added complication that insulin works at different speeds for different people and different people digest the same meal at different rate.
Therefore, timing insulin becomes ”advanced diabetes” and not something I would suggest someone tries in the first few months after diagnosis.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Then you have the added complication that insulin works at different speeds for different people and different people digest the same meal at different rate.

And different injection sites in the same person can be different.

 

[rebrascora]

I found that I needed to go much longer than 15 mins at breakfast time. Currently I inject about 45 mins before I eat breakfast but I just found that by slowing increasing the prebolus time by a few minutes each day until I found the right timing. (it was over an hour with Novo(not so)Rapid which was why I changed to Fiasp. I tried squats and sit ups and all sorts to get it to work quicker but it didn't help. It is usually just 20 mins at other times of day for me but it can depend on my pre meal BG. If it is already high, I need longer. Everyone is different in this respect, so you have to experiment (best done on a day off when you have plenty of time) to see what works for you and always err on the side of caution. I just keep scanning with my Libre until it shows my levels starting to drop but I have quite a fast digestive system so the glucose from my food hits my blood stream really quickly but the insulin takes it's time. It's rather annoying but I have a routine now where I inject before I get out of bed and then get washed and dressed and a coffee and read the news whilst I am waiting.

 

[nonethewiser]

Hi @rebrascora
So to totally eliminate the spike, you would inject earlier and that way you wouldn’t get the spike?
I was told to inject 15 mins before food so that’s what I’ve always done.
And if I go longer than 15mins I freak out a little and start panicking 🙂

See about switching to fiasp insulin, find it works quicker than novorapid & reduces chance of spiking.

Using novo would wait 20 sometimes 25 mins before eating, now on fiasp 15 is enough even injecting few mins before it can dampen down spiking compared to novorapid, in own experience anyway.