Libre 2 and Invokana

[Kev79]

Hi folks,

This maybe a random question but can the meds your on effect the sensor readings? I’ve only been using my first sensor this week so still getting used to it.

The last few days I’ve been getting low readings from the sensor but finger pricks have been ok. Invokana pushes out excess glucose in urine and the low reads are happening after I’ve had good drink of water and visited the loo. As Libre tests a different fluid from blood, can this be effected by losing glucose via urine?

Thanks

 

[trophywench]

It tests interstitial fluid - and I wouldn't be surprised but really don't know. However Libre becomes unreliable at lower or higher levels so Abbott ALWAYS say to test BG levels if you are unsure of anything it happens to tell you. Therefore, what does your BG meter say?

 

[Kev79]

Just now the libre said 4 and going down but my BG monitor said 8.4. I guess I could try a different monitor to rule that out?

 

[trophywench]

Had you been lying on it overnight? What's happened since then?

 

[Kev79]

I am a side sleeper so probably have been lying on it some point, can that make a difference? I’ve been getting a few low readings today but the odd thing is the black chart line doesn’t follow the readings

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I am a side sleeper so probably have been lying on it some point, can that make a difference?

It can, yes. Doesn't seem to for me, but people have reported getting compression lows.

Doesn't seem impossible that medication like Invokana might screw with glucose in interstitial fluid. My guess is it's just not been tested that much, but I guess in other countries there might have been some testing (where people with T2 are more likely to use CGM).

 

[mikeyB]

The reason for the difference in readings is how Invokana works. It causes glucose to be forcibly excreted through the kidneys. The glucose has to be carried with fluid. Physiological controls in the body prevents fluid to be lost from blood, essentially to prevent sluggish circulation, which is dangerous, so the fluid has to come from elsewhere - the interstitial fluid, thus making its cargo of glucose move off under the influence of Invokana. That's where the glucose goes - it gets into the toilet.

Drinking lots of fluid will help level out the difference between the Libre and BG, but drinking to excess carries its own danger, as many marathon runners have found to their cost.

 

[Kev79]

That’s does make sense and kind of what I was thinking it was. Drunk more water yesterday evening and this morning and so far the readings have been better

 

[mikeyB]

Well done! That means yesterday you drank about the right amount to make up for what the Ivokana is doing to your physiology. Keep up the good work🙂