Hello yall. I was diagnosed T2D about a year and a half ago. Managed to take my a1c from 12ish to remission at 4.6 after ~6mo. Recently slipped up due to a lack of motivation and exercise and went back to 9. I want to get another Libre 2 but out of the ~4 I’ve had, 3 of them didn’t report accurate numbers, basically saying I should be dead at about 3mmol constantly. I warrantied 2 of them and gave up when the 3rd one still didn’t work right. I’m wanting to get another to help monitor my levels for the next couple weeks as I try to return to normal. Was curious if anyone had this experience and could recommend similarly functioning and priced alternatives that are more reliable? I hate poking myself all of the time. Thank you
Can you define "didn't report accurate numbers"? First, CGMs can be 20% off from a fingerstick and still be considered accurate. Second, you cannot compare readings at the same time -- it takes 10-15 minutes for glucose to enter the interstitial fluid which a CGM measures, so to accurately report, you need to take a fingerstick and then read your CGM about 15 minutes later. Third, CGMs are not great at specific readings at specific points in time. They are best used to analyze trends over time, to see how food and bolus shots react in your body to help you make better long-term decisions.
I highly recommend you read through https://www.reddit.com/r/Freestylelibre/, as it has been an invaluable resource for many others. Yes, a lot of people just bitch and moan, but others offer constructive and insightful information.
As in the number does not change or barely does and stays at about 3.5mmol even when a finger poke will report a different number consistently, basically implying I should be in a low glucose event constantly even though I’m still walking around and alive
Check the subreddit for similar posts -- there are explanations. It is highly unlikely that 3 of 4 sensors in a row are "bad." For many, they are applied incorrectly, and from your comment that you hate poking yourself, I would not be surprised if this was your issue. The applicator needs to be held down firmly and held in place for about 20 seconds after the sensor attaches for a strong connection. Many people gingerly hold the applicator and their readings are subsequently off.
The first one I had which was applied by a doctor was bad (they give them out in Canada) The second one I purchased was applied by myself and it worked fine but the adhesive failed so I asked for replacement. The ones I received afterwards did not properly function when applied the same way, so I asked for replacement, and had the same issue. My mother is a nurse and applied the last one for me to make sure it wasn’t the issue. Then I gave up after I used that replacement one a couple months later and it wasn’t working properly. I’m not afraid of the pokes, it’s just not convenient for me to carry them constantly in my line of work. I’m just merely asking if anyone is having any similar issues with inconsistency, and if they have any alternative recommendations. But thank you regardless