# Technology and Diabetes



## Josh DUK (Sep 3, 2019)

Hi All,

How do you feel about technology used to manage your diabetes? What do you find it useful for? And is there something you would tell someone starting on a technology journey?


There are a lot of news stories that get posted on the forum about technology and diabetes and it would be good to hear your thoughts about what they mean to you. But also what the relationship between your diabetes and technology is. If you would like to share your story so that others can learn more about tech, we’d love to talk to you – reply to this post and we’ll be in touch.


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## leonS (Sep 5, 2019)

The first thing that I would point out is that technology is a noun and can not be used as an adjective as you have done. That is because I am 74 years old and was taught, with the aid of a stick, that such thing are important.

Joking apart:

I have just been connected up, or Libre-ised, and if you would like a few words on this then I would be happy to provide them.


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## Ljc (Sep 5, 2019)

leonS said:


> The first thing that I would point out is that technology is a noun and can not be used as an adjective as you have done. That is because I am 74 years old and was taught, with the aid of a stick, that such thing are important.


My 93 year old dad told told me about one teacher he named clipper smith, as he regularly received a clip round the ear , also if he had told his parents his dad would have given him another one as he must have deserved the first one, boy how times have changed. 



> Joking apart:
> 
> I have just been connected up, or Libre-ised, and if you would like a few words on this then I would be happy to provide them.



I love my Libre and would love to read your experience with it so far.


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## Robin (Sep 5, 2019)

I use a libre, and manage to upload the results to my laptop, which is the summit of my technological ability. I find it’s changed the way I manage my diabetes, I’m more focussed on 'time in range' than what my actual pre-meal or waking readings are.
(@leonS, from one pedant to another, two nouns are quite often linked together, as in Stock Exchange, Horse box, Motor car, Insanity clause!)


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## Schrodinger (Sep 5, 2019)

The advances in technology over the last 20 years for diabetes has been rather fun to watch.

While Libre/Dexcom help with many things and certainly with Libre the Trends have been very useful and is a great way to learn about whats happening.

However the technology is still fragile and unpredictable and people who solely rely on it I think are heading from trouble in the long run, while it certainly reduces the need to finger prick it does not completely replace.

But other areas where tech has improved is the Pumps the way the can now be used and customised with various programs to cover things like lazing about, exercise, night time sleep etc has been something I have watched and found fascinating (I do not use a pump myself) and low linking in with extra kit to 'loop' making an almost artificial pancreas and with the big manufacturers getting interested, the future does indeed look promising.

Other things that people seem to forget is the improvements in insulin delivery with the pens and the smaller needles, they for me are the best thing to have changed over the years.

Anyway just a thought


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## TheClockworkDodo (Sep 5, 2019)

Schrodinger said:


> However the technology is still fragile and unpredictable and people who solely rely on it I think are heading from trouble in the long run, while it certainly reduces the need to finger prick it does not completely replace.



I agree, I often point out to people who have replaced finger pricks with a Libre that the Libre is not completely reliable - most of us have had sensors fail completely and give all sorts of inaccurate readings, and if my blood sugar is rising or dropping rapidly the Libre is too far behind it to give an accurate reading, so I have to test if I think I might be hypo.  And sometimes a sensor reads a consistent 2 or 3mmol/L lower or higher than a meter, which I wouldn't know if I weren't testing.


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## leonS (Sep 7, 2019)

As I have no indication of a  hypo I attempted to get technological support in the form of continuous glucose monitoring. The SDN offered Libre, and I pointed out that this was not, by definition CGM as it does not include alarms on low or high BG.

The first sensor was in place in the afternoon of 29-8-2019 and because I walked rather more than I had expected to I had low sugar that late afternoon. A check by finger prick showed that the Libre was reading very close to the BG reading.

The idea is that I should use the Libre for a short time and the result be reviewed by the SDN. I was confident that I could install the software, although it runs only on windows and I never use windows.

I have an old lap-top with windows 8, bought several years ago because most things only run on Micro$oft, and I had a need to run some of these things.

I failed to install the software, a careful reading of the specification shows that far more RAM is needed than I have available. The DSN will take the reader, rather than getting result by e-mail, and download them, and I shall be back to finger pricking.

I sat, the other day, doing nothing in particular, but doing it rather well, when I thought that it was time for coffee. Out of idle curiosity I scanned the Libre. The reading was 2.6 mmol/L. Rubbish thought I, but I had a spoonful of marmalade and then did a finger prick test, which confirmed that the result was indeed accurate.

Now here is a disadvantage of the Libre. The results lag, so that the next scan showed "LO" and I was given advice on how to panic. It was interesting to be able to get a series of readings as my BG went up (I would never have pricked my fingers so many times), but a worry as the readings did not go up as quickly as I believe the actual BG did, due to the lag.

Is Libre a worthwhile use of technology? Yes, I think so, teething troubles apart, but I would much rather, be warned before a real low than be told long after it had ocurred.

I shall press for a proper BGM, but the Libre has given some useful incites into my technological [adjective] journey.  [by the way the examples given of two nouns used together are example of compound nouns and are thus correct as are "baby powder" and "fish food". We would not say "milk coffee"]

More power to all pedants...


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## everydayupsanddowns (Sep 7, 2019)

leonS said:


> I was confident that I could install the software, although it runs only on windows and I never use windows.
> 
> I have an old lap-top with windows 8, bought several years ago because most things only run on Micro$oft, and I had a need to run some of these things.
> 
> I failed to install the software, a careful reading of the specification shows that far more RAM is needed than I have available. The DSN will take the reader, rather than getting result by e-mail, and download them, and I shall be back to finger pricking.



There is a Mac version of the Libre software too, I have it running on my MacBook running Mojave (installed when on High Sierra I think). It gives an occasional warning when starting the program, but runs fine.


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## leonS (Sep 7, 2019)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> There is a Mac version of the Libre software too, I have it running on my MacBook running Mojave (installed when on High Sierra I think). It gives an occasional warning when starting the program, but runs fine.


I had thought that the Mac version was being phased out, I might be wrong. My system is Linux, so what chance do I have? It is possible to run some Micro$oft programs under Linux, but Libre uses Visual C++ and Net Framework. These are not available under wine (the program that runs Windows programs under Linux).


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## Bruce Stephens (Sep 7, 2019)

leonS said:


> My system is Linux, so what chance do I have?



Some cheap Windows-running computer, or a suitable phone, I imagine. I can use the software on my Mac, but I find the phone software rather more convenient now: it uploads automatically to LibreView (which is what they want anyway), the phone's screen is bigger and the software seems at least as good as what's on the Reader. (Still need the reader for stick tests, and if I used the bolus calculator it would be necessary for that.)


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## TheClockworkDodo (Sep 7, 2019)

I have a Linux machine too, @leonS - the Libre's still useable of course, but I can't download anything, and end up taking photos of my graphs in case I need them for future reference, which is far from ideal.  My partner has Windows at work, but as he hasn't been able to get to work since the beginning of June we haven't been able to upgrade my Libre yet. It would be very helpful if Abbott could take note and make software which is useable by people who don't have or want Windows or Mac (or any kind of smartphone), but I can't see it happening somehow.


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## leonS (Sep 8, 2019)

The worst part is that if Abbott were wiling to provide the required information, Linux programmers would almost certainly produce the software for free.

I eventually got the windows installation program to run. It proudly announced that it had installed the drivers. I expected to see an icon on the desktop or a new app in the list, or even have the program run when the libre was connected. But nothing.

If I were sure that I was to keep the Libre then I might be tempted to buy a cheap windows m/c. I don't want such junk, but it might be worthwhile. Phone or tablet is non-starter, eye sight is so poor that I need a 30 inch screen to see anything. I can see the big figures on the Libre and the smaller ones with a glass. The fact remains that Libre does not solve my problem - no hypo warnings. If I have to self fund it will certainly not be for this version of Libre.

The idea of pictures of the Libre makes me think that it might be possible to send pictures to the SDN and see if she can use those, rather than taking the reader for downloading.


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## Bruce Stephens (Sep 9, 2019)

leonS said:


> Phone or tablet is non-starter, eye sight is so poor that I need a 30 inch screen to see anything. I can see the big figures on the Libre and the smaller ones with a glass.



Actually you might well find a phone is about as usable as the Reader: the basic figure (with arrow) is about as big as on the Reader (I think), and the app can read it out (I just checked, and it said out loud (well, into my headphones) "six point four milimoles per litre, changing slowly"). (And, once I have the phone unlocked, that happens when I scan so I don't need to select the app.) The other graphs and things would presumably not be usable, but the data would be uploaded so you could view that in a suitably large web browser.

(I'm not saying it's an ideal solution for you. It's more a "well, if someone's giving you a phone for free, it's not silly to try it and see if it's worth it". But maybe the Libre 2 with alarms will offer more value.)


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## leonS (Sep 9, 2019)

You may be right, Bruce, but let us not lose sight of the problem.

First I need the Libre's information in a form that I can send to the SDN so that she can make suggestions as to treatment. I am not too interested having them so for myself at this stage. If I can not do this I will lose the Libre for a time at least while the results are uploaded. When the DSN wants to review the results with me, by phone, I will not have access to them. I really needed a quick solution to this before the first sensor runs out.

Second, as you point out, the Libre does not solve the main problem of no awareness of hypos. You say the 'phone tells you information when you scan, but the Libre reader does that too so I fail to see how it is better. The only solution as far as I can see is an updated Libre or another alarm producing CGM device.

Some finger-prick manufacturers are producing speaking meters. I pointed out to six makers (by e-mail) that the problem is not so much reading the result as bringing a very small sensitive area of the end of a strip to a very small spot of blood - only one replied to tell me that this problem was far too difficult to solve!


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## Bruce Stephens (Sep 9, 2019)

leonS said:


> but the Libre reader does that too so I fail to see how it is better.



It's different rather than better. (You'd be using just a phone rather than using a Windows (or Mac) computer.) I find it more convenient, but I'm fine using a smartphone. (And none of this helps if the Libre's not accurate enough to be useful.)

As I noted, I'm not suggesting using a smartphone is a sensible idea: I just think it's not quite as stupid as it might seem.


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## Patrick S. (Sep 9, 2019)

I have recently changed from Libre to Dexcom on advice from my specialist nurse.
Whilst the technology is advanced I regret to say that I have found the sensor reliability to be very poor. Apart from those that fail early in life several have failed to work beyond 7 days when the manufacturer claims 10 days life.
To protect against reliability issues one must carry a traditional meter and test strips especially if you are travelling. Had to go back to my GP to get some test strips recently. He would not give me the strips I used for my Freestyle meter and insisted on giving me a new One Touch meter and strips. This apparently reduces NHS costs BUT I have had many strips that have failed to work. They need a lot more blood than my previous strips and bearing this in mind the failure rate in my case makes them a false economy.
My old Freestyle strips were far more reliable than those I am now being given and my Libre sensors were ultra reliable.
So I have significant reservations about the technology and its cost to both self funding and NHS patients.
These advances are only satisfactory if they are reliable, and sadly my recent experience has not been good. Yes my faulty sensors are replaced free of charge but I am fed up with calling the manufacturer and requesting replacements.


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## steven (Sep 12, 2019)

I use household tools to manage my diabetes  ..an A5 size diary serves as my ✻diabetes logbook✻  ..bathroom scales to monitor my weight  ..I nevertheless buy-in 30mL urine bottles for my Diabetic Reviews.

Diet, exercise, and Metformin are the cornerstones of my regimen  ..personal biotechnology simply isn't marketed towards folk like me.

I can see the appeal of shiny gadgets and gizmos  ..but they aren't fit-for-purpose for me  ..and they ain't cheap, either.


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## SB2015 (Sep 12, 2019)

Hi @Josh DUK , here are some bits about the tech I use.  Hope that they help.

I have seen the improvement in my management as I switched first to a pump and then added in the Libre. 

With the pump:
- I am able to create profiles with *different basal rates, with variations of 0.01 *each hour has enabled me to get one that matches my needs, rather than a best fit in MDI
- I can give a much *more accurate Bolus* measured to the nearest 0.1 units, rather than rounding off to 1/2 units.
- I have *more flexibility* as I am able to turn down my basal rate (using Temporary Basal Rates) at any time during the day, which will take effect within the hour.  This enabled me to be more confident with the exercise that I do.
- it is easy to change my basal insulin with more accuracy during illness. This helps to avoid prolonged highs and ketones.
I had a drop of 10 on my HBA1c with this switch.

With the Libre:
- I can* see the impact of different food*s which has helped me to alter my diet and portion sizes to reduce spikes
- I have used the graphs to help me fi*nd appropriate timings for my pre-meal bolus* 
- Using the arrows alongside the glucose levels I generally* head off hypos*, so have far fewer than before.
With effective use of the Libre I reduced my HBA1c again.

I would not want to be without the equipment I use as I know that they have contributed to the improvement in my health and well-being


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## everydayupsanddowns (Sep 12, 2019)

The two main things I think are important for technology in relation to my diabetes are *information* and *insulin delivery*.

Vitally the information includes not just BG levels but also education and training on diabetes management, and is supported by a peer network (like here) to help trouble-shoot issues and assist through the challenges to mental health of living with a long term condition.

There have been a variety of different tools that have helped me during my pancreas impersonation career, different insulins, pens rather than syringes, BM sticks, bg meters, then smart BG meters that help calculate doses, insulin pump, and continuous sensors.

Each person will have their own ideal toolkit, and what works for one won’t necessarily work for someone else. So it’s good that we have choices, and can select from a range of options to put together our own individual selection.


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## Schrodinger (Sep 12, 2019)

I find the technology to be great and very helpful is aiding people to control there diabetes BUT what would happen if it all failed are became unavailable?

Some of us managed using Clinitest which had an accuracy of ooo 4 hours if you were lucky but more 6 hours LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL

As I note I would miss my tech if it was removed but its not the end of the world


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## leonS (Sep 20, 2019)

A few years ago now I was told by a young doctor that I had significant damage caused by poorly controlled diabetes. I responded with the question "What did you expect? I have been on insulin for 40 years (then) and damage is both cumulative and irreversible."

His response was that there was no reason why any damage should occur, and good control was perfectly possible.

I should have liked to have seen his efforts given the equipment that was available to me in the ten years or so following diagnosis. It was not possible to do a BG test in less that four hours, and urine testing produced only the vaguest indication of how one was responding to treatment. Close control? An impossible dream.

I can test my BG now in seconds, in just the time it takes to get the Libre reader out and switch it on. Could I manage without the technology? - yes! I could go around like an itinerant chemist with test tube and dangerous chemicals, and achieve very poor control, but I certainly would not wish to do so.


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## climbing mil (Oct 2, 2019)

Patrick S. said:


> I have recently changed from Libre to Dexcom on advice from my specialist nurse.
> Whilst the technology is advanced I regret to say that I have found the sensor reliability to be very poor. Apart from those that fail early in life several have failed to work beyond 7 days when the manufacturer claims 10 days life.
> To protect against reliability issues one must carry a traditional meter and test strips especially if you are travelling. Had to go back to my GP to get some test strips recently. He would not give me the strips I used for my Freestyle meter and insisted on giving me a new One Touch meter and strips. This apparently reduces NHS costs BUT I have had many strips that have failed to work. They need a lot more blood than my previous strips and bearing this in mind the failure rate in my case makes them a false economy.
> My old Freestyle strips were far more reliable than those I am now being given and my Libre sensors were ultra reliable.
> ...




Hi, I have Dexcom G6, and have had one sensor not work on initiation and that was replaced quickly.  Otherwise O have found it pretty reliable and liberating.  Until you have CGM you really have no idea what your blood sugars behave...


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## trophywench (Oct 2, 2019)

It was around 40 years ago (late 70s) that one could first purchase 'home use' BG meters, so I treated myself to one with savings and birthday money.  The hospital had been using one at clinics for 2 or 3 years by then.  Bit smaller than the first mobile phones as only the approx. size of HALF a housebrick!  LOL

These kids have NO idea, have they?  How many times have they boiled up a glass syringe or ditto their pee?


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## Bruce Stephens (Oct 2, 2019)

trophywench said:


> How many times have they boiled up a glass syringe



Or been just about to inject only to remember "oh, wait, this one's 40 strength insulin, not 20 strength".


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## trophywench (Oct 3, 2019)

Bruce Stephens said:


> Or been just about to inject only to remember "oh, wait, this one's 40 strength insulin, not 20 strength".



I never had that problem - I was on Ultralente (80u/ml) only once a day - 11 Exchanges.  I can still hardly believe our lives had to be so damned controlled - I was more than ready for a change when it became possible.


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## leonS (Oct 21, 2019)

All problems solved, well the technological ones are sorted.

I foolishly assumed that as I wanted to transfer data from a reader to a lap-top, a distance of half a meter, it would go directly there along a special wire.

This is NOT the case. The data must first be sent to the "cloud" then downloaded back from where ever that might be to my desk. To actually do this I have to log on to the Abbott site and run a program there. The hospital nurses have a special code which I put into Abbott's set-up and then they too get the results.

One must be careful to use the correct site (URL) or it starts asking "which country are you in?" and attempts to set-up a new user account.

I found the manual very useful. It is printed on white paper and when placed on the bedside table with the reader on top (it is just the right size), it makes the black reader much easier to spot in the half-light.


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## Bruce Stephens (Oct 22, 2019)

leonS said:


> This is NOT the case. The data must first be sent to the "cloud" then downloaded back from where ever that might be to my desk. To actually do this I have to log on to the Abbott site and run a program there.



But to get it there (from a Reader) you do have to connect the Reader to a laptop with a cable (not a special one, particularly, just the one you use to charge it). I think that doesn't require the usual bit of software, but a special driver of some sort which works with your web browser in some magic way. (At least, that's the case with macOS.)

And yes, your local diabetes team will have given you a code which (with less than half an hour's searching) most people will find a place to use.

(I still suspect most people will find a smartphone with the app more straightforward, though it is a little more awkward to find the right spot with the NFC antenna.)


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## leonS (Oct 22, 2019)

One of the dictionary meanings of the word "special" is "designed for a particular purpose". The cable is designed to connect two USB ports together, so is special in that sense. As USB provides a power source of 5 volts this cable is also used to charge the reader. A suitable cable is provided with the reader in Abbott's kit.

Yes, you do have to install "Drivers" to use the system, as I described. I just did not expect to have to use them with a web site, and had imagined that I could take data from reader to computer directly. I do not see why the data should be sent by such a circumlocutory route.

In fact I had to set-up a cloud account, before I could do anything. Putting in the code for the hospital, was the simple.

As I have no need of a mobile 'phone, smart or otherwise, I am reluctant to go down that route. Were I to get one I should not be able to use it as I would not be able to see the icons.

At the moment all that I need is to send data to the SDN every two weeks, and I can now do that.


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## Bruce Stephens (Oct 22, 2019)

leonS said:


> I just did not expect to have to use them with a web site, and had imagined that I could take data from reader to computer directly. I do not see why the data should be sent by such a circumlocutory route.



It is weird, yes. I was expecting to use the desktop software they offer and to upload from that (and as far as I can tell that's not possible at all). Presumably there's some shared bits of code, but to have the two ways of doing things so apparently distinct was unexpected, and using the web browser is strange.


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## ClaudiaKiwi (Oct 23, 2019)

leonS said:


> The first thing that I would point out is that technology is a noun and can not be used as an adjective as you have done. That is because I am 74 years old and was taught, with the aid of a stick, that such thing are important.
> 
> Joking apart:
> 
> I have just been connected up, or Libre-ised, and if you would like a few words on this then I would be happy to provide them.


Hi there. I am curious to learn how you find the Libre?


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## everydayupsanddowns (Oct 23, 2019)

ClaudiaKiwi said:


> Hi there. I am curious to learn how you find the Libre?



You can find more information about Abbott Freestyle Libre in the UK here: https://www.freestylelibre.co.uk/libre/

There are now mandatory nationwide criteria for access which can be viewed linked from this page: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about_us/news/flash-on-nhs

We have several Libre users on the forum, both funded and self-funding, intermittent and full time. Maybe start a new thread with any specific questions you have?


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## mike watson (Nov 18, 2019)

Hi all, I've just got the Libre system (self-funded) and found it makes a massive difference.  However my doctor says it is not available on NHS - I thought it had been cleared.  Has anyone else had this problem and know how to solve it?  I'm not sure I can afford £50 for a fortnight's testing!
Thanks,
Mike


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## Bruce Stephens (Nov 18, 2019)

mike watson said:


> However my doctor says it is not available on NHS - I thought it had been cleared.



It's available, but only for some patients. You can read the national criteria here https://jdrf.org.uk/information-sup...h-glucose-sensing/can-i-get-libre-on-the-nhs/ though your CCG may allow additional reasons. (The funding covers 20-25% of people with Type 1, so it's not the case that this is (at present) seen as something for everyone.)


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## mike watson (Nov 18, 2019)

Thanks, Bruce, that's very helpful.  I should know better than to believe headlines!  Internal domestic budgetary negotiations will be taking place...


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## MrDaibetes (Nov 18, 2019)

mike watson said:


> Hi all, I've just got the Libre system (self-funded) and found it makes a massive difference.  However my doctor says it is not available on NHS - I thought it had been cleared.  Has anyone else had this problem and know how to solve it?  I'm not sure I can afford £50 for a fortnight's testing!
> Thanks,
> Mike


There is a criteria to follow, you should ask your consultant to send a letter to your G.P


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## AndBreathe (Nov 18, 2019)

I didn't notice this thread when it was started, but i will nonetheless comment now.

When I was diagnosed in 2013, I was given a pot of urinalysis strips and sent on my way.  That is the sum total I have had for medical support in managing my T2 diabetes.

To be clear, by the first post-diagnostic checks, my HbA1c had reduced to 37, then lower since, with my last at 27, so it could be argued that I have never needed technology or other kit.  The reality is, however, that I, and many others like me, have invested heavily in both standard glucose monitoring kit, and a number of Libre sensors for additional context and knowledge.

I am very fortunate with my body's apparent ability to recover itself, and that I have been able to invest, financially as well as intellectually into my health, but this isn't the case for many others.

Every day there are significant numbers of people living with T2 diabetes whose conditions and/or quality of life could be enhanced by the provision of technology - whether that be the Libre/CGM or in the form of insulin pumps.  It is such a shame that additional latitude doesn't seem to be available to those in a position to provide that, or for those stuck in the bind.

To wind up, I'm not having a whinge about T2s being treated badly (although the services available to a lot of us can be considered significantly wanting), I am trying to get on record that the awarding and distribution of technology seems to be done by label, and not necessarily by personal, clinical need or circumstances.

I'll wind up by saying that I don't grudge anyone the technology they can have to improve their quality of life and hopefully health outcomes.  I just wish that for those non-T1s, whose only issue seems to be being stuck with the wrong label, it wasn't simply a distant dream.


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## Lizzzie (Dec 6, 2019)

Hello!   I have a Dexcom, which is a little sensor that sits on my tummy, measures my blood glucose and beams it to my phone.   unfortunately I once had a dreaful hypo that left me with very mild brain damage and it helps no end to control my levels and detect hypos before they become bad ones.      Unfortuantely it is also always there, invasive and intrusive and I have a love-hate relationship with it.  I spend a lot of time looknig t it going 'wow!   That is soooo clever!' but also feeling a bit like a robot.


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## Sam A (Dec 17, 2019)

I'm using a Dexcom for about 2 months now.  It is really helping me to understand what foods and exercise do to my blood sugar readings. The reporting from the sister app CLARITY to the core day to day DEXCOMG6 gives an amazing set of data analytics reports and estimated HbA1c.


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## johntheterrier (Sep 7, 2020)

Lizzzie said:


> Hello!   I have a Dexcom, which is a little sensor that sits on my tummy, measures my blood glucose and beams it to my phone.   unfortunately I once had a dreaful hypo that left me with very mild brain damage and it helps no end to control my levels and detect hypos before they become bad ones.      Unfortuantely it is also always there, invasive and intrusive and I have a love-hate relationship with it.  I spend a lot of time looknig t it going 'wow!   That is soooo clever!' but also feeling a bit like a robot.



Hi Lizzie, I'm looking into getting a dexcom, are you self funding? I presume getting one of these on the NHS is difficult??


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## everydayupsanddowns (Sep 7, 2020)

johntheterrier said:


> Hi Lizzie, I'm looking into getting a dexcom, are you self funding? I presume getting one of these on the NHS is difficult??



It’s certainly worth having a conversation with your clinic about it, because there is NICE guidance (mostly focussed on hypos) however the evidence reviewed for the 2015 guidance was on the weak side, and full time CGM is pricey, so it’s a fairly weak ‘consider’ recommendation that many CCGs brush off to save budget.

If you live in the right area, and have the right consultant/clinic thoigh it can certainly happen (one of our mods @MrDaibetes was recently granted funding for CGM with his insulin pump)

Unfortunately, my CCG are pretty hardline with their ‘NO’s (though I keep asking!). There are very few at my clinic who have funding - even those costing tens of thousands in ambulance callouts a year. Madness!


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## Bruce Stephens (Sep 7, 2020)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> If you live in the right area, and have the right consultant/clinic thoigh it can certainly happen (one of our mods @MrDaibetes was recently granted funding for CGM with his insulin pump)



If you happen to be pregnant it's worth pressing a bit, since a CGM should now be offered, if I understand correctly. (Obviously pregnancy isn't something any of us have most of the time.)


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## Dave W (Sep 7, 2020)

My involvement with technology and diabetes commenced when I was first diagnosed and issued with a test meter, finger pricker and a box of lancets. My control such as it was, relied on me keeping a record of blood glucose readings against carbohydrates consumed and certainly helped my control. I was perhaps fortunate that computer technology and the ability to construct spreadsheets gave me a slightly more refined insight into the relationships between foods and blood sugars.
My next step along the medical tech highway was taken when I commenced insulin therapy and was issued with a Libre CGM. This wonderful piece of microelectronics enables me to be more proactive with my control as I can test at will and spot trends in BG more or less in realtime and react accordingly to keep my BG within target.
I am well aware that there are some who feel the 15 minute delay between interstitial and plasma readings are a problem with the Libre system, but I am managing perfectly well. There are also those who have in some instances found a significant variation between plasma and interstitial results, but again I’ve not found a difference sufficient enough to impact on my control.
Bottom line as far as I’m concerned is medical tech really rocks and developments in all areas are accelerating year by year.

EDIT - Maybe slightly off course as far as Josh's original query goes, but communications technology has a very significant role in diabetes management. The fact that I'm posting this and others can read it it is a prime example and there are many very informative 'lectures', webinares etc available many of which can be extremely helpful in refining one's management of diabetes.


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## Lizzzie (Sep 10, 2020)

Hello!   Unfortunately I'm one of the very few, as I have brain damage that gives me a huge reduction in memory function (to the point of sometimes not knowing what I did a few moments ago - like find out I was hypo or take insulin); the Dex-com allows me to live a semi-normal life.


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