Question on Continuous Glucose monitoring

[CathyFP]

Is CGM ever recommended for type 2 diabetes? As someone newly diagnosed withT2 and trying to control it with diet and also taking Metformin I am wondering if CGM would help me. Also it does seem expensive and looks like you can’t get it on the NHS for type 2?

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Is CGM ever recommended for type 2 diabetes?

Only rarely, I think: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng28/chapter/Recommendations#continuous-glucose-monitoring

But then I think testing with test strips isn't recommended for someone treating their diabetes with diet and Metformin. I think there's a decent case that someone like you (on medication that does not carry the risk of hypoglycaemia) should be supported in using test strips at least occasionally, and at least (Cochrane suggests) for the first 6 months after diagnosis.

As a summary, CGM is definitely worthwhile for those of us using insulin intensively, but it's much less clear who else might get enough value out of it.

(Personally, I think using a Libre sensor once or twice a year would be useful enough to be worthwhile (because it shows what happens over the whole day), but I have no evidence to support that. It just feels like it could be helpful for enough people with Type 2 that it would be worth funding for everyone with Type 2.)