Libre Newby

[berryr99]

Managing quite well with my new Libre: it has highlighted some dramatic overnight highs that I had no idea about and need to deal with.
I'm using the app and adding notes as I go along. Is it possible to add a note for something that happened in the past ? For example if I look at the app but forget to make a note at the time (Insulin/carbs etc) can I go back to the time I took insulin and add it in. I suspect not but just wanted to check.

TIA

Robert

 

[rebrascora]

Are you using the app on your mobile phone or a reader? If you are using the dedicated reader then unfortunately there is no way of adding a note after the 15min window after a scan'

If using a phone app, go to the menu, select log book and then select add note at the bottom of the page. You can then select the time that you want the note added and then you can enter whatever info you like. If you want to add a note on a different day to today, then I believe you back tab through the log until you get to the appropriate date and then select add note as before.
Hope that helps.

 

[berryr99]

Thank you, I am using the app and I've followed your instructions - all is OK now - couldn't find (but may not have looked too hard !) this in the instructions

 

[rebrascora]

No worries. I learned about it from someone else here on the forum, so happy to pass it on to you and pleased to hear it has worked.

 

[helli]

Managing quite well with my new Libre: it has highlighted some dramatic overnight highs that I had no idea about and need to deal with.

Before getting too hung up about those “dramatic highs”, I recommend checking with a finger prick.
CGMs like Libre are great provided you understand the limitations. One of these is that it is designed to be most accessible at “normal” BG (between about 4 and 8). Outside of this range, Libre has a tendency to exaggerate highs and low.

 

[berryr99]

Before getting too hung up about those “dramatic highs”, I recommend checking with a finger prick.
CGMs like Libre are great provided you understand the limitations. One of these is that it is designed to be most accessible at “normal” BG (between about 4 and 8). Outside of this range, Libre has a tendency to exaggerate highs and low.

I've done that in the middle of the night and the fingerstick readings are high too but not as high as the Libre.

 

[rebrascora]

How high do you go and which insulins do you use and when do you inject them?

 

[rebrascora]

Cancel that last part of the question, I see you are using Trurapi and Toujeo.
Do the highs follow particular meals like creamy pasta dishes or pizza or other creamy cheesey or perhaps lentil dishes, or do they happen regardless of what you eat?

 

[berryr99]

I think that I eat too much supper because of fears of night time hypos. I need to cut down and rely on Libre alarms a bit more for hypo warnings. I'm type 2 and sometimes my own insulin kicks in (for no reason I can see) so then its hypo time. Not a great deal of support from the GP's but they are starting to take notice now I'm on Libre

 

[rebrascora]

Are you really having night time hypos? Or could they just be compression lows? This is where you lie on the arm with the Libre on and the weight of your body compresses the tissue under the sensor causing it to report your levels have gone low when they haven't. It is a very common problem so always important to double check any lows at night with a finger prick too before you use a hypo treatment unless you feel obviously hypo of course.

It is best to not eat supper at all if by this you mean a late night meal or snack before bed. If you eat at 7pm then any meal time insulin will be mostly out of your system by bedtime and then you should be safe from the risk of hypo through the night unless you have had an unusually active day. I have just had 4 days on the trot of nocturnal hypos after 4 consecutive days of exercise despite reducing my basal insulin each night. The fear of nocturnal hypos is far worse than the reality in my experience but then I follow a low carb way of eating so it is rare for me to have much/any mealtime insulin in my system at bedtime unless I am high and inject a correction before bed.

 

[berryr99]

Thanks for the advice: These have been genuine lows - fingerstick tests and down to 4.5 (which is hypo level for me). So I overcompensate by loading up on carbs at suppertime. Now I have Libre I can start to trim down at suppertime. Need also to get onto a low carb diet - my diabetes has not been well controlled over the last few years and I intend to get on top of it. Already I have stopped snacking but there is room for improvement.

 

[helli]

These have been genuine lows - fingerstick tests and down to 4.5 (which is hypo level for me)

Why do you consider 4.5 to be a hypo for you?
Typically, those treated with insulin (or some oral meds which can cause hypos), 4.0 is considered a hypo.
People without diabetes, can safely experience lower BG so a hypo without diabetes is often considered to be under 3.5.
In addition, some people will treat a falling BG at around 5.0. This is not because they consider it to be a hypo but because they want to avoid a hypo by treating at the higher level.

To avoid over treating a hypo, the advice for those on MDI is to eat 15g fast acting carbs when hypo. Wait fir 15 minutes. If your levels are still below 4.0, treat again with 15g fast acting carbs.nIf BG is above 4.0, eat 15g slow acting carbs to avoid a future hypo.
All tests should be with a finger prick due to the well known limitations of the Libre.

 

[Lucyr]

fingerstick tests and down to 4.5 (which is hypo level for me). So I overcompensate by loading up on carbs at suppertime

4.5 isn’t a hypo though, it’s a normal blood sugar

 

[trophywench]

Yes, but thing is, if you do start to cut down on carbs with meals you'll most likely need to start reducing the amount of faster acting insulin you inject to cover them, so you need to consider a plan of how to achieve that, safely.