Libre vs Enlite

[m1dnc]

Since I started using the 640G I have been a fairly regular user of CGM with the Enlite sensors. Before that I had been using the Libre system. Both self-funded.

With the news that Libre sensors will potentially be available on prescription next Spring, I thought I'd give one a try again to see how it compared with the Enlite. And to be honest, I think I prefer the Libre.

The insertion process is much, much better than for the Enlite. There's no fiddling with bits of sticky tape that ends up sticking to itself, and no need to keep checking every time you shower that the sensor isn't coming unstuck, or piling on yet another layer of Opsite to keep the edges down. And there's no need to do calibration fingersticks.

There are drawbacks, of course. There's no SmartGuard function, which I found very reassuring, and you do have to consciously scan the sensor.

Pricewise, there's not much in it if you buy the Enlites with Medtronic's discount scheme AND you re-use them at least once to extend their life to 12 days. But if you can get the Libre on prescription it's a no-brainer.

Finally, I have found the readings from the Libre to be much more consistent with fingerstick measurements.

 

[Sally71]

That will be interesting for all those people who complain that the Libre isn't very accurate!
We've always found it accurate enough, but as far as I understand it all of these things collect the data in exactly the same way, so I wouldn't expect anyone else's sensors to be any more or less accurate.

Thank you for posting, we've got a couple of years until daughter is due for pump replacement again, but I think she fancies the Medtronic complete with sensors next, so we'd have to swap systems. I'll show her this!
In fact she went for the Libre last time because she said the sensors were more comfortable (had done a trial for the Libre and worn a Medtronic sensor for a week for investigation once when her blood sugars were all over the place, so she had tried both)

 

[SB2015]

Since I started using the 640G I have been a fairly regular user of CGM with the Enlite sensors. Before that I had been using the Libre system. Both self-funded.

With the news that Libre sensors will potentially be available on prescription next Spring, I thought I'd give one a try again to see how it compared with the Enlite. And to be honest, I think I prefer the Libre.

The insertion process is much, much better than for the Enlite. There's no fiddling with bits of sticky tape that ends up sticking to itself, and no need to keep checking every time you shower that the sensor isn't coming unstuck, or piling on yet another layer of Opsite to keep the edges down. And there's no need to do calibration fingersticks.

There are drawbacks, of course. There's no SmartGuard function, which I found very reassuring, and you do have to consciously scan the sensor.

Pricewise, there's not much in it if you buy the Enlites with Medtronic's discount scheme AND you re-use them at least once to extend their life to 12 days. But if you can get the Libre on prescription it's a no-brainer.

Finally, I have found the readings from the Libre to be much more consistent with fingerstick measurements.

An interesting post. I discussed this with my consultant last time, and concluded that apart from the smartguard there was no reason to switch, whilst I still had hypo awareness. I am on the same timeline as @Sally71 ’s daughter and will be interesting to see what further developments there are in the next couple of years. In the current climate two years could mean a lot of changes.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

The Enlites have significantly more benefit for me in BG terms. Mostly because of SmartGuard which silently 'fixes' many of the little wobbles in my day, and especially overnight, but also the 'alert before high' which I have set when I am rising and looking to be 30 minutes away from 12.0mmol/l. It's not overly naggy, but allows me to think about whether I've made errors of judgement food-wise or with dose timing (eg I can stop a dual/square bolus and finish it early if the food is acting faster than I expected).

When things are going well on Libre I might have 70 - 75% time in range (15-20% above, 10% below). But with Smartguard and alerts I can get 80-90% in range with only 1% below

I find Enlites to be marginally more accurate than Libre I think (perhaps partly because you can pull an errant sensor back towards fingerstick BGs by calibrating, whereas with a Libre you just get what you are given). I generally get 12 days from an Enlite and 14 days from Libre.

 

[SB2015]

The Enlites have significantly more benefit for me in BG terms. Mostly because of SmartGuard which silently 'fixes' many of the little wobbles in my day, and especially overnight, but also the 'alert before high' which I have set when I am rising and looking to be 30 minutes away from 12.0mmol/l. It's not overly naggy, but allows me to think about whether I've made errors of judgement food-wise or with dose timing (eg I can stop a dual/square bolus and finish it early if the food is acting faster than I expected).

When things are going well on Libre I might have 70 - 75% time in range (15-20% above, 10% below). But with Smartguard and alerts I can get 80-90% in range with only 1% below

I find Enlites to be marginally more accurate than Libre I think (perhaps partly because you can pull an errant sensor back towards fingerstick BGs by calibrating, whereas with a Libre you just get what you are given). I generally get 12 days from an Enlite and 14 days from Libre.

Thanks Mike
All food for thought.