FreeStyle Libre experiences

Tips, Tech & Gear C/GM
61

i am on medicare and aarp and they did not use to cover cgms, but i think that now they are covering the dexcoms. i see my NP next week to download my trial FreeStyle Libre, and i will ask her about it.

i was never able to wear the dex on my abdomen b/c of lack of fat. i tried my upper backside around my hip area, but found it very uncomfortable. then i tried my thigh, which seemed the best place for me, except it was difficult to pull up and down my pants. i would like to ultimately wear it on my arm on my shoulder area, as that feel like the place i could pinch up the most “fattty” tissue. (thats where i am wearing the Libre right now and it has lasted 2 weeks w/out a problem )

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62

The back of my arms seems to be the best I’ve had (still not great, but better than anywhere else).

Kind of funny that the place I have the best luck with is not an approved site! That definitely seems to fit with my general experience of getting the best results when I don’t follow the D rules.

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63

That’s where they put my trial Enlite sensor. It was so awkward and uncomfortable.

That’s the only approved site for the Libre, and I really don’t mind it there, except that I’m a side sleeper (but since I’m not really in need of checking during the night right now, not too worried about it being off because of that - I’ll worry about that when the time comes), and it’s right where my son grabs when I pick him up/put him down. :slight_smile:

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64

Haven’t been sharing much as I’ve still got the unreliable sensor going (got derailed by a glutening so haven’t gotten the replacement yet). Today I had the perfect example of my delayed pancreas “help” recorded on the Libre:

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The 1st (black) arrow is an Afrezza correction (a 4). The 2nd (green) arrow is the landing, nice and steady…then bam, 3rd arrow (red) is my pancreas kicking in. Dropped hard and fast to the 50s (I was at 192 when I corrected - darn cupcake indulgence). This is what makes life so unpredictable right now, and corrections such a hazard, especially at night (which is why I chose to eat the cupcake during the day!).

ETA: no I’m not actually going low all night long like it shows…still sitting about 20-30 mg/dL above the libre when I’m steady.

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So, havent returned the reader/sensor for replacement yet as I wanted something with me for the potluck today. Oddly enough, as the sensor reaches the end of its life (3 days left), it’s becoming more reliable - today has been almost perfect. :confused: Thoughts? Today’s numbers:

8:30 80 ReliOn 67 Libre
9:20 130 ReliOn 133 Libre
9:35 162 ReliOn 159 Libre
10:25 158 ReliOn 173 Libre
11:45 58 ReliOn 57 Libre
3:30 101 ReliOn 78 Libre
4:30 90 ReliOn 81 Libre
5:30 107 ReliOn 95 Libre
6:00 113 ReliOn 101 Libre

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66

Those readings are tremendously closer to each other than I get with Dexcom and my meter…

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67

I’m amazed. I don’t know what changed, though - I want to know so I can get this kind of accuracy with the next sensor!

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@kenrick seemed to swear by implanting the sensor for a day before activating it… if I remember correctly.

I think I’m gonna take he libre plunge myself. I’m a little concerned though that the Caremark website says it’s not covered… but I’m sure I can finagle my way through whatever hoops they lay out in front of me

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69

Someone else advised me to put it in 2 days before activating, so I might try that. It just took a week for it to line up is the issue…

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70

Emily, these are excellent numbers, fairly comparable to what we get on the Dexcom. Just to confirm, that is the same sensor that was 30 under the first week?

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Yes, same sensor I’ve had on through this thread up to this point! It started lining up more with my meter last night (sporadically), was off during the night, then perfect today.

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72

Yesterday my Dexcom read 138 while my fingerstick said 227. Unfortunately this spread is fairly typical whenever my bg is actually moving

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73

I understand that you often suffer from high inaccuracies w your Dexcom. In general, we don’t, although there are exceptions. Of course, whenever BG moves very quickly in an unpredictable way, Dexcom numbers lag. But, for us, even in these circumstances they are rarely off by more than 30-40, and when they are off by 30-40 it is typically for a few minutes only.

What is strange is that my son is quite lean as well. This limits our sensor life cycles, and does introduce additional noise. But we don’t see the drastic differences you see.

74

Hmm, and now back to 30 lower. I have no clue why nighttime is the most unreliable time?

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3 posts were split to a new topic: How do you obtain your Freestyle Libre sensors in the US?

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A post was merged into an existing topic: How do you obtain your Freestyle Libre sensors in the US?

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I have just started my free trial Libre sensor. I also started new dexcom, and intentionally delayed Libre startup to make better comparison. Libre is on left arm, dexcom on right.

I inserted Libre Sat 2 pm, not realizing the startup time was 12 hours, so wished I had done it sooner. Started new dexcom 2:30 pm.

So started getting Libre readings at 2:10 am, but did some logs, half asleep.
F = flat
U = 45 arrow up
D = 45 arrow down
SU or SD if straight up or down, but haven’t gotten this yet.

Majority on both have been flat.

Time Libre Dexcom. Meter Bg
2:10a. 107 F, 125 F . 133
2:15a. 109 F, 130 F. 128
8:53a 100 F, 141 U, 125
9:03a. 108 F, 149 U,
11:32a. 86 F, 88 F,
12:18p. 85 F, 98 F, 94

Now 24 hrs since start Libre and dex. They are much closer.
2:07p. 127 F, 125 F. 135
3:51p, 154 U, 149 U,
4:34p, 105 chm
4:44p, 88 chm
5:05p, 65 chm
5:13p, 69 chm, 93 on Neo.
5:21p, 81 F,
5:50p, 103 F,
6:05p, 114 F, 110 F
6:17p, 115 F, 107 F, 122 BG verio
7:00p, 84 F, 85 F.
7:10p, 82 F, 83 F. 91 on Neo BG chk
8:07p, 48 F, 59 F. 87 on Neo BG chk

(Does not show arrow when there is the check symbol, noted above as chm)

The 3-430 ish time frame shows libre a bit confused. I was “snacking” at costco, walking, and gave bolus so was quite a bit going on BG wise. When I scanned, it kept giving me the indicator to check BG with meter, but I chose not to until I got home. At the same time dexcom was rising, to about 160, then fell quickly.

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78

It seems like at first there was quite a bit of difference betweenness your Libre and Dexcom numbers, then Libre got closer throughout the day? How’s it going today?

I finally got the replacement reader/sensor thing straightened out with the pharmacy. I inserted a new sensor Friday morning, then activated it Saturday night. This time it hasn’t been hurting like the first sensor did at first, so that may be part of why the first sensor was so off. I started getting data yesterday morning, and so far it seems a bit more accurate. There was a slight period where it was telling me I was going low when I wasn’t (2:10, while I was in church), not sure why. It’s been really nice to be able to use this for testing “new” foods (baked potato last night), instead of using a ton of strips.

8:35am - 82 Libre, 72 ReliOn
10:15am - 106 Libre, 115 ReliOn
12:20pm - 92 Libre, 97 ReliOn
2:10pm - 66 Libre, 87 ReliOn
5:50pm - 69 Libre, 72 ReliOn
6:50pm - 145 Libre, 127 ReliOn
7:10pm - 157 Libre, 139 ReliOn
7:45pm - 146 Libre, 135 ReliOn
10:30pm - 82 Libre, 87 ReliOn

I normally would’ve corrected last night, but I wanted to see what would happen, plus I’ve been having pretty unpredictable drops because of some renewed beta cell activity (my endo is excited…I have mixed feelings, as the unpredictability is not fun).

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79

Yes, the numbers on both got better, as expected.
So far today:

Time. Libre. Dexcom Meter BG
9:27 83 F, 84 F
9:43 70 F, 90 F. Neo 81, Next 86
11:16 131 F, 126 F
11:46. 126 F, 126 F

I like the ability to get reading on demand from Libre, so can see rapid changes, minute by minute. Dexcom only updates every 5 minutes and averages, so it is slower to show the rise or fall.

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80

@MM2, these are great numbers! I am shocked that it converged so qickly.

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