Dexcom diabetes continuous meter.

TUVOK

Has any members experience of buying, setting up and performance of a Dexcom diabetes continuous meter please?

Heedtheadvice

Not me but Libre 2 yes.

DullGreyGuy

Libre, Libre 2 and Libre 2+ here too. Seen third parties now offering the Libre 3 for sale but Abbots website is as terrible as ever and can't see if you can buy them direct too (though they have removed the NHS only text)

There will be nuances between the systems but they broadly operate on the same principles. 

TUVOK

Heedtheadvice said:

Not me but Libre 2 yes.

DullGreyGuy said:

Libre, Libre 2 and Libre 2+ here too. Seen third parties now offering the Libre 3 for sale but Abbots website is as terrible as ever and can't see if you can buy them direct too (though they have removed the NHS only text)

There will be nuances between the systems but they broadly operate on the same principles. 

How have you found the Libre, also the cost of sensors, how accurate? has it helped with reducing your diabetes level.
A lot of queries I realize, but any help, insight would be appreciated.
I do not qualify for a NHS one, only 'finger pricking' meter' but I believe that I need a meter that can tell me asap what the food does and how it effects me.

DullGreyGuy

TUVOK said:

Heedtheadvice said:

Not me but Libre 2 yes.

DullGreyGuy said:

Libre, Libre 2 and Libre 2+ here too. Seen third parties now offering the Libre 3 for sale but Abbots website is as terrible as ever and can't see if you can buy them direct too (though they have removed the NHS only text)

There will be nuances between the systems but they broadly operate on the same principles. 

How have you found the Libre, also the cost of sensors, how accurate? has it helped with reducing your diabetes level.
A lot of queries I realize, but any help, insight would be appreciated.
I do not qualify for a NHS one, only 'finger pricking' meter' but I believe that I need a meter that can tell me asap what the food does and how it effects me.

Getting into medical stuff here so better read https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about-diabetes/looking-after-diabetes/technology/flash-glucose-monitors-and-continuous-glucose-monitors if you go half way down it describes the difference between a CGM and finger !!!!!!.

From a purely personal perspective they are great, they are normally within 0.1-0.2 of what a finger !!!!!! test says but there is a lag after eating but its constant so you can still see what the peak response was to eating a whole packet of donuts and how long you stayed above target.

The hundreds of data points a day and night along with not having to do 10 or so finger pricks in the day massively offsets the slight lag and in particular for me who is much more prone to hyperglycaemia than hypoglycaemia 

Heedtheadvice

Similar thoughts to the dull one!

Seems about  10 min delay.

It is not mine but  family member's via NHS supply for type 2 with severe need of  insulin injections and a history of ketoacidosis.

Positives:

Very easy to use. Sensor change ever couple of weeks easily done. Great to have readings at the touch of a button and the history in 'my' case saving several finger tests a day with addition of sleeping measurements too. From someone with type one 'that is very well worth any downside' where much more frequent tests can be required over a lifetime.

Recharge of monitor fairly infrequent.

Invaluable for a child with type one as much repeated finger tests can be sore and unreliable if hands are dirty such as after contamination with glucose etc that has not been ingested maybe indicating a hyper in error.

Negatives:

The sensors are not fully waterproof ( 20 mins immersion) but temporary thin plastic covers are readily and cheaply available for times of swimming etc.

Sensor reliability could be better - had about 4 failures ( stopped working or fell off ) over the last couple of years.

It can be a bit annoying getting  disturbances ( alarms ) during sleeping time but worth it when real situations. Not all are.

False alarms are often owing to poor comms between sensor and monitor still quite close together or when lying on the sensor.

Note phone App not being used.

DullGreyGuy

Heedtheadvice said:

Sensor reliability could be better - had about 4 failures ( stopped working or fell off ) over the last couple of years.

It can be a bit annoying getting  disturbances ( alarms ) during sleeping time but worth it when real situations. Not all are.

False alarms are often owing to poor comms between sensor and monitor still quite close together or when lying on the sensor.

I personally use the stretchy tape (stuff athletes use) over the top as I had problems with them falling or getting knocked off, is cheaper than the precut things that some people are selling but the 2 is better than the 1 was and the 3 is smaller so maybe lest prone to knocks. 

Alarms are optional so it depends on your level of need, dont use them personally but as mentioned risks for me are hypers which are neither fun nor good for you but not the same instant action required that hypos are. 


If we are adding all the considerations... I get annoyed that they are region locked so the ones in the UK can only be read by the app from the UK store or the UK reader. I've been abroad before and extended my stay so had to buy other sensors locally but then my app can't read it. Have to go through the rigmarole of creating a new userID in that country and logging into the App Store using that and then downloading the the local version of the app etc etc.

Heedtheadvice

All useful info.

The latter limitation is ridiculous!! Maybe country specific pricing protection....

We have found the round covers very useful as they have a central circular section that is not sticky so prevents pulling on the sensor. The last bought here ( libre 2 covers) was from fleabay at 10p each. Probably higher cost than tape but very convenient.

DullGreyGuy

Heedtheadvice said:

The latter limitation is ridiculous!! Maybe country specific pricing protection....

In principle there may be minor differences if the FDA have different requirements from NICE etc... the last couple of generations of iPhone vary by country both in terms the bands of 5G they can operate over but more notably US/Canada have no physical sims but can use 2 esims, China has 2 physical sims, rest of world has 1 and 1. 

I did ask Abbot what the differences were or was it just price protection, they said they couldn't tell me. 

TUVOK

Thanks for all replies, they are very informative.
It's very doubtful that I will be able to obtain one via the NHS, so my only alternative is to buy one and pay for the on going costs etc.

DullGreyGuy

TUVOK said:

Thanks for all replies, they are very informative.
It's very doubtful that I will be able to obtain one via the NHS, so my only alternative is to buy one and pay for the on going costs etc.

Same here, just remember to tick the box to say they are for medical purposes, rather than fun, and you dont have to pay any VAT on them.