Blood Glucose Monitors & Type 1 and 2 Diabetes

[Consigliere]

Hi all,

Can blood glucose monitors and strips be prescribed by your GP or do you have to buy your own?

If you have to buy your own, which machine and strips do you recommend (and hopefully not break the bank).

• tried calling my GP but just cant get through so will have to pop in and see them, but thought i'd try to find out to make sure its not a wasted journey.

[K77 CTR]

Do you not have access to a diabetic nurse? I think there are requirements you have to meet to get them on prescription.

[Consigliere]

K77 CTR said:

Do you not have access to a diabetic nurse? I think there are requirements you have to meet to get them on prescription.

I don't think so, just the GP.

[Scrump]

SD code free is the monitor to purchase if paying yourself. The strips are much cheaper than other ones.

[blue_haddock]

I'm type 2 but rarely check my levels however i have been given blood glucose monitors a few times by the diabetic nurse and then had the relevant strips added to my repeat prescription.

[PositronicRay]

I use accu chek mobile.

[mike9009]

PositronicRay said:

I use accu chek mobile.

I'm type 1 and used to use this as well. Quick, easy and convenient.

Although I now have Freestyle Libre (Constant Glucose Monitoring), so don't use the Accu anymore.

[Riley Blue]

mike9009 said:

PositronicRay said:

I use accu chek mobile.

I'm type 1 and used to use this as well. Quick, easy and convenient.

Although I now have Freestyle Libre (Constant Glucose Monitoring), so don't use the Accu anymore.

How are you finding reliability of the Libre sensor? O/H is T2 and insulin dependent but is finding the Libre 2 sensors, maybe 1 in 6, fail before their end date.

[PositronicRay]

Riley Blue said:

mike9009 said:

PositronicRay said:

I use accu chek mobile.

I'm type 1 and used to use this as well. Quick, easy and convenient.

Although I now have Freestyle Libre (Constant Glucose Monitoring), so don't use the Accu anymore.

How are you finding reliability of the Libre sensor? O/H is T2 and insulin dependent but is finding the Libre 2 sensors, maybe 1 in 6, fail before their end date.

Yes I use libre 2 also, accuchek is my back up, mobile good for outdoorsy types.

Re libre 2 I seem to go through the odd phase of problems, although libre have replaced foc.

[Riley Blue]

PositronicRay said:

Yes I use libre 2 also, accuchek is my back up, mobile good for outdoorsy types.

Re libre 2 I seem to go through the odd phase of problems, although libre have replaced foc.

She must have had over a dozen replaced so far and has two to send back at the moment. Fortunately we've always had a spare.

[Brainpox]

Riley Blue said:

mike9009 said:

PositronicRay said:

I use accu chek mobile.

I'm type 1 and used to use this as well. Quick, easy and convenient.

Although I now have Freestyle Libre (Constant Glucose Monitoring), so don't use the Accu anymore.

How are you finding reliability of the Libre sensor? O/H is T2 and insulin dependent but is finding the Libre 2 sensors, maybe 1 in 6, fail before their end date.

Anecdotally there seems to be a lot of people who have lots of problems with Libres and others with very few. I follow the diabetes subreddits and quite a few there report needing to replace sensors regularly. The Americans especially are generally strongly in favour of Dexcom as they seem to be more reliable (and don't require scanning to get readings, but this is coming with Libre 3).

Meanwhile myself, I've used them a couple of years now, there was one moment the phone app bugged out and wouldn't start a new sensor - sorted by reinstalling the app - but otherwise they've all lasted the 14 days, except when I've knocked them off on a doorway or shower door.

[matchmaker]

Brainpox said:

Riley Blue said:

mike9009 said:

PositronicRay said:

I use accu chek mobile.

I'm type 1 and used to use this as well. Quick, easy and convenient.

Although I now have Freestyle Libre (Constant Glucose Monitoring), so don't use the Accu anymore.

How are you finding reliability of the Libre sensor? O/H is T2 and insulin dependent but is finding the Libre 2 sensors, maybe 1 in 6, fail before their end date.

Anecdotally there seems to be a lot of people who have lots of problems with Libres and others with very few. I follow the diabetes subreddits and quite a few there report needing to replace sensors regularly. The Americans especially are generally strongly in favour of Dexcom as they seem to be more reliable (and don't require scanning to get readings, but this is coming with Libre 3).

Meanwhile myself, I've used them a couple of years now, there was one moment the phone app bugged out and wouldn't start a new sensor - sorted by reinstalling the app - but otherwise they've all lasted the 14 days, except when I've knocked them off on a doorway or shower door.

My son is type 1 and has been using the Libre 2 for a couple of months yet. No problems so far.

[PositronicRay]

Things I do which may (or may not help)

Use back of upper arm
Clean area with surgical wipe
Fit 10-24 hrs before activation
Use a reader rather than a phone.

[Chocmonster]

Consigliere said:

Hi all,

Can blood glucose monitors and strips be prescribed by your GP or do you have to buy your own?

If you have to buy your own, which machine and strips do you recommend (and hopefully not break the bank).

• tried calling my GP but just cant get through so will have to pop in and see them, but thought i'd try to find out to make sure its not a wasted journey.

If you're Type 1 or Type 2 on Insulin then you'll get them free.

If you're a Type 2 on Diet & Exercise or Metformin then you have to buy your own. Was told this by my own Doctors this afternoon

I used to have a meter when I was first diagnosed but the Drs told me to stop testing a few years back and just rely on the 6 monthly check up, seems this is the guidelines from NICE. I'm now looking to get a meter again so interested in any experiences.

Edited by Chocmonster on Thursday 30th March 21:24

[Kermit power]

Brainpox said:

Anecdotally there seems to be a lot of people who have lots of problems with Libres and others with very few. I follow the diabetes subreddits and quite a few there report needing to replace sensors regularly. The Americans especially are generally strongly in favour of Dexcom as they seem to be more reliable (and don't require scanning to get readings, but this is coming with Libre 3).

Meanwhile myself, I've used them a couple of years now, there was one moment the phone app bugged out and wouldn't start a new sensor - sorted by reinstalling the app - but otherwise they've all lasted the 14 days, except when I've knocked them off on a doorway or shower door.

I wouldn't say that my wife's Dexcom is particularly any more reliable than her old Libre used to be, although the closed loop communication with her pump is brilliant!

The main issue with the Dexcom is that where the Libre just failed from time to time and didn't give a reading, the Dexcom sometimes leaves her very high, even though in theory there's nothing wrong with it.

Overall though, it's a quantum leap forward!

[Silver Hammer]

SD Codefree is an excellent option if you are paying for it yourself. I have used one for a few years and it has proved consistent and reliable. The strips are cheaper than any of the alternatives with discount codes available from Homehealth when buying 5 or 10 packs.

Maxwell

[Silver Hammer]

SD Codefree is an excellent option if you are paying for it yourself. I have used one for a few years and it has proved consistent and reliable. The strips are cheaper than any of the alternatives with discount codes available from Homehealth when buying 5 or 10 packs.

Maxwell

[mike9009]

I have used Libre for almost three years. I haven't had a sensor fail or fall off in all that time.

One slight unreliability issue recently is it Hba1c prediction. Currently the Libre says 7.4% but just had a blood test result at 6.5%. My best ever result. Not sure why the two hba1c results are so far apart..... as previously the Libre has been pretty accurate.

[Riley Blue]

PositronicRay said:

Things I do which may (or may not help)

Use back of upper arm
Clean area with surgical wipe
Fit 10-24 hrs before activation
Use a reader rather than a phone.

Thanks. She does the first two, I'll mention the others.

[PositronicRay]

mike9009 said:

I have used Libre for almost three years. I haven't had a sensor fail or fall off in all that time.

One slight unreliability issue recently is it Hba1c prediction. Currently the Libre says 7.4% but just had a blood test result at 6.5%. My best ever result. Not sure why the two hba1c results are so far apart..... as previously the Libre has been pretty accurate.

I've noticed this too. The libre seems to exaggerate high readings, so my theory is it distraught the averages.