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What Does Everybody Use To Check Their Blood Sugar? What Do You Find The Most Reliable?

A DiabetesTeam Member asked a question 💭
California City, CA

I’m currently in my insurance. I have the freestyle libre. The alarm sensors go off a lot, telling me my sugar is low, or they can’t be read. And quite a lot of times they just stop working. So I’ve asked for the Dexcom because it has much better reviews. I’ve also sent them pictures showing the difference between the blood stick and the libre and it’s huge. I think it’s dangerous because no one even told me that there would be a big difference or difference at all. And just to make sure I asked… read more

July 29
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A DiabetesTeam Member

I started using the Libre (original) in 2018 and have been on the Libre2 for about 3 years now (late 2020) and can say that I have had a great experience using (them)

The Libre2 improved functionality - I never have one fall off, ever, in fact it's a bit of a chore to get them off sometimes when they have run out

I have had a handful fail and I mean like maybe a half dozen and given that I wear 26 a year that's actually a pretty low failure rate

Now do they sometimes read a little high or a little low "consistently"? Yes they do - for the price they are charging for them I would expect that you could calibrate them after starting them up, but maybe Libre4 or 5 before that is available

The Dexcom, at least in Canada, was only ever submitted for approval "specifically" for Type 1 Diabetics so, again, just Canada, a Type 2 would never get insurance coverage (generally) so would have to pay out of pocket

I take No Diabetic Meds and my insurance pays for the Libre2 and/or test strips if I use my AccuChek meter (which is long dusty now - can't remember exactly the last time I did a stick test)

PS - you can turn off the alarms or set them to lower/higher levels - I have my low alarm set at 3.5 mmols/63 since my sugar often dances just below that 4.0/72 "start of a low" reading - I reduced the "pesky" alarms but still get one if I am "really low"

July 29 (edited)
A DiabetesTeam Member

I do finger stick, Ultra Touch 2

July 29
A DiabetesTeam Member

Canadian (retired) Public Sector Health Insurance

July 30
A DiabetesTeam Member

Hi, what insurance do you have that pays for the Libre 2?

July 29
A DiabetesTeam Member

I use the traditional finger stick testing, works well for me.

July 29

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