Libre 3

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

Mark Johnson

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Steroid Induced Diabetes
Hi All ,
My 10 year old daughter has induced Diabetes' from the steroid medication she needs for her Liver , We have been having a nightmare with lots of Lows , I have got her a iphone which shows the Libre 2 readings but i would like it put on her apple watch (both have data ) As the Libre 2 keeps lossing connection and as she's only 10 , Sometimes she forgets her phone when she has to go to other areas of the school.

So the question is can anyone tell me can you get the Libre 3 notifications on her apple watch which will alert her if she looses connection to the Libre sensor , Her Current Libre 2 sensor does lose connection and we have replaced this on a few occasions now , She has only has a Libre 2 fitted for 3 weeks and we have had various problems. We are looking at getting the Libre 3 hopefully this would be better advanced than the Libre 2 .

Thanks in advance for any help.

Mark
 
You may struggle to get much help here for Libre 3 as there's very little experience of it compared to L2. Getting L2 onto Apple watch requires 3rd party software. I think pretty much all need the phone to be in the mix. There is only one solution for connecting sensor to watch that I am vaguely aware of and that is Android/WearOS based so no use to you.

Hopefully someone will drop by and say I'm talking rubbish and suggest something that suits. Fingers crossed!
 
@Finn lives in Germany and was using Libre 3, as does @MarinaDE. Perhaps they might know more.
 
I don't have experience with getting readings on an Apple watch.

As @Proud to be erratic said, I have used the Libre 3. I live in Germany, so my experience will be different from someone in the UK, and availability varies between Germany and the UK.

I was prescribed Libre 3 (they moved all patients in Germany from Libre 2 to Libre 3 a few years ago) and was also prescribed a reader, which I preferred over the app. The Libre 3 reader looks exactly like the Libre 2 reader, but grey instead of blue. If I activated the sensor with the reader, I could get readings on both the reader and the app.

I found Libre 3 to be more accurate than Libre 2, there's no need to scan to get a reading (including when using the reader) and it's much smaller - probably a plus for a 10 year old.

Have you though of a Spibelt or a similar small bum bag/running waist pouch for carrying the phone around at school?

Have you downloaded the LibreLinkUp app to get readers from her phone to your phone? I know that's not the same as her having readings on a watch, but it would give data and alerts on more devices.

Can you adjust the lost connection alert so it goes off sooner? I can't remember what settings there were for this in the app. It will probably be similar to what's available in the Libre 2 app.

I've found with sensors (Libre 2, Libre 3 and now Dexcom G6) that devices (readers, phones and pumps) maintain connection between when they're kept on the same side as the sensor with the screen facing out. The data doesn't travel well through the body. It needs a direct line of contact or else it loses connection. Phones disconnect less for me, but keeping my pump or reader on the same side gives me a better chance of maintaining connection.

I know the above doesn't answer the question you asked, but hopefully it helps you if you need to find another solution.
 
HI @Mark Johnson. I don't know if it will be any help to you but i work in a primary school and carry my phone in a small bag i wear across my body. There is enough room in it for a pack or two of dextrose to head off any low if i'm elsewhere in school away from my bag. Only very ccasionally it comes up as lost connection but i just scan and its ok.
 
Many Thanks for your Replies , We will get me daughter a small Bun Bag which will help , What a good idea.

We are having a meeting next week with the Libre Rep so i can ask him many questions. Thanks again Mark.
 
Mark Johnson said:
Many Thanks for your Replies , We will get me daughter a small Bun Bag which will help , What a good idea.

We are having a meeting next week with the Libre Rep so i can ask him many questions. Thanks again Mark.
Click to expand...

Hope the meeting goes well @Mark Johnson 🙂
 
I use the Libre3 and yes, my Apple Watch pings me if there's a signal problem, or if my blood sugar has gone too low.
 
Hi MarinaDE , Have you got a specific APP or do you use a back door APP ?

We have just put on a Libre 3 this morning onto my daughters underarm and the sensor has stopped working so another 1 being sent out , Its So frustrating.
We have changed from the L2 as the readings were no were near the finger prick monitor , Early morning the L2 shown low at 3.8 and when we did the finger print was 7.4 a big difference. Thanks Mark.
 
@Mark Johnson Funny you should ask — I just checked, and there's no specific app on my watch, but I get the notification anyway. I guess it's synched to my iPhone.
 
Ha , No problem i will have a look at my Daughters watch see if i can get it to show notifications , PS Do you have any issues with the L3 ?
 
Mark Johnson said:
Ha , No problem i will have a look at my Daughters watch see if i can get it to show notifications , PS Do you have any issues with the L3 ?
Click to expand...
No, I've never had a sensor not work, so I've been lucky so far. I must admit, I'm a bit lazy about finger pricking, but on the occasions I've done it, it matches what the sensor says.
 
Mark Johnson said:
Hi MarinaDE , Have you got a specific APP or do you use a back door APP ?

We have just put on a Libre 3 this morning onto my daughters underarm and the sensor has stopped working so another 1 being sent out , Its So frustrating.
We have changed from the L2 as the readings were no were near the finger prick monitor , Early morning the L2 shown low at 3.8 and when we did the finger print was 7.4 a big difference. Thanks Mark.
Click to expand...
Are you aware of the limitations of CGM. If your daughter was lying on her sensor arm when she woke up, that will give a false low reading which we refer to as a compression low, when the person's weight pushes on the sensor and that causes it to compress the tissue underneath where the filament is sampling. This changes the chemistry of the tissue and results in the Libre reporting that levels have dropped. When the pressure is released by rolling off the arm again, the levels will gradually rise back to where they were before the compression started. It usually takes about half an hour to come back up. Gradually you learn either not to lie on it (probably more difficult for a child) or to place it somewhere that this doesn't happen.
We have a thread about the limitations of CGM which it is worth reading as some of it is not mentioned by the manufacturer but has been discovered by members using it and comparing notes...
forum.diabetes.org.uk

CGM limitations and precautions

Moderator Note: This helpful reply was copied from another thread as it details some of the commonly experienced limitations of continuous glucose sensors. My blood sugar has been in perfect range for days now, but although I haven't changed anything, I'm starting to get very short periods of...
forum.diabetes.org.uk forum.diabetes.org.uk

Bit concerned that you say you have placed it under her arm. It should be on the back of the arm, unless Libre 3 has different advice. There are more blood vessels near the surface underneath the arm which it is best not to risk catching.... but maybe I am misunderstanding you.
 
@Mark Johnson, a lateral thought but does the Dexcom G7 sync with apple watches? You'd need to ask Fexcom in respect of your daughter's phone model. I'm on android and had no difficulty in getting my phone to routinely talk to my Samsung watch, with no extra software.

The G7 sensor is very comparable to Libre 3 (as best as I can tell) in terms of size, tech performance and cost to the NHS. I have found G7 extremely accurate and way more reliable than Libre 2; I use it mainly through my phone and watch but sometimes I just use the Receiver (Dexcom's equivalent to Libre Readers). If you can't resolve the Libre 3 to apple watch challenge there ought not to be much resistance for your Hospital prescribing G7 - even if that is only for a trial period while the L3 question is progressed. Both are sensors with transmitter built in, so each sensor has a finite life then discarded - rather than the G6 which is bigger and has a reusable 90 day transmitter sitting on a 10 day sensor. G7 also has a much faster start up time for each sensor.
 
Hi Barbara , Sorry the L3 is on the back on her Arm , Thanks Very much for your reply in Low readings as She does peek up was up & about after getting up in the morning.
 
Hi Roland , We have had loads issues with L2 so trying now the L3 , which this morning has been very challenging again but my daughter is on the way to school so hopefully the L3 does the job today. We are having a meeting with the Libre Rep next thursday so we will ask loads questions , We have been offered the Dexcom but as we had got our heards around the L2 decided on the L3 , If we continue to have problems we will try the Dexcom. Just checked on google and

Can I view my Dexcom G6 Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) System data on an Apple Watch? Yes, you can check your CGM information on your Apple Watch! The Dexcom G6 app supports Apple Watch and can be used to discreetly view your glucose reading, trend arrow, and trend graph. So im not sure what Dexcom we would be offered but the G6 supports the Apple Watch , Thanks for replying this Forum is SO helpful , Thanks Mark.
 
Mark Johnson said:
Hi Roland , We have had loads issues with L2 so trying now the L3 , which this morning has been very challenging again but my daughter is on the way to school so hopefully the L3 does the job today. We are having a meeting with the Libre Rep next thursday so we will ask loads questions , We have been offered the Dexcom but as we had got our heards around the L2 decided on the L3 , If we continue to have problems we will try the Dexcom. Just checked on google and

Can I view my Dexcom G6 Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) System data on an Apple Watch? Yes, you can check your CGM information on your Apple Watch! The Dexcom G6 app supports Apple Watch and can be used to discreetly view your glucose reading, trend arrow, and trend graph. So im not sure what Dexcom we would be offered but the G6 supports the Apple Watch , Thanks for replying this Forum is SO helpful , Thanks Mark.
Click to expand...
That's great, Mark, completely understand - you want to make what you've got work before branching out. I also had endless issues with Libre 2 and once I could change after the update of NG17 I seized the opportunity to change to Dex One - which was a bit better but still stressful needing finger pricks before meal boluses.

I hope the Libre rep is straightforward and honest, rather than selling the product. My son-in-law regularly reminds me that sales is the final goal of any company and salesmen working for his US employers have poor salaries and terrific bonus rewards for their efforts, even in UK. Can Libre 3 be calibrated? Both G6 and G7 can.

I was suggesting the Dex G7, not 6, because the 7 is a single entity whereas the 6 is a 10 day sensor with a 90 day transmitter that has to be moved 9+ times. The G7 is small and discrete, in relation to the G6 and the 7 can go on buttocks for a child as well as abdomen and arm. The 7 needs max 30 mins to bed in and start (but with trial and learning that can be got down to 10 mins, by using part of the 12 hour overlap after 10 day usage), the 6 needs 2 hrs. The 7 is their latest product so potentially their top of range product.

Finally both G7 & 6 come with a Receiver, whereas I think that the Libre 3 does not. Don't underestimate the benefit of that Receiver. It works simultaneously with the phone app and the 2 methods can be used simultaneously, with the Receiver providing real time CGM, not needing a flash / scan. So a teacher or suitable adult can instantly get a reading without even needing to look at a watch or sleeping phone. My watch, incidentally, won't hold a full 24 hr charge without being allowed to sleep when not being looked at - which I'm OK with ( just shake my wrist/ hand to get a reading). But if a Teacher was having an "I wonder if" moment and wanted to unintrusively check your daughter's BG, then the Receiver is a perfect extra means of checking without creating a possibly unnecessary "angst" scenario for your daughter. And when the phone or watch tech just isn't playing, (power cut and WiFi down?) the Receiver is the perfect "belt to supplement the braces".

I'm not trying to get you to change your mind, just wanted to "air the thought I had" and at least let you see the options that might be possible. Regards.
 
Roland , Thanks very much for your Advice , Really appreciate this. We hope the L3 will work but if not the G7 Dexcom will be next on the list , We have got a iphone for the teacher & Daughter and also a phone contracts for both with DATA so that the teacher can check when the alarm goes off , I will ask the Libre Rep about notifications on my daughters apple watch and if this can be done if not are they going to produce a APP , I wont let the REP tell me any Porky's LOL.

Thanks again really appreciate this advice as this is Very helpfull & we have had a hell of a 3 months but we are Very positive things will get better. Thanks Mark.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top