# Slight dilemma advice needed plz



## Lion2012 (May 2, 2022)

Hi gang, hope all are keeping well. 

My 10 year olds libre 3 runs out this eve at 10pm. As you know these are not officially out yet on the NHS in England but we wr lucky enough to had received a couple of sample packs from our team. Love it, absolutely love it. Very small, very light and good accuracy. 

However, my son is due to switch to the dexcom (which i am anxious about) along with the tslim pump only as a trial to see how the pump fits in with our daily lifestyle. 
I know the dexcom also has a continuous glucose display transmitted to your phone using the app so i hope it is as accurate as the libre 3.... But my query is, we were due for the pump AND dexcom fitment on the 10th May. 
However, as his sensor runs out this eve at 10pm i said i would collect the sensor only on Tuesday eve to attach to my son before the pump so that i still have the continuous readings to my phone as this is now way too important to me watching his trends.. Alarms etc. 
But this means that between 10pm this eve and Tuesday evening there will be no sensor on him (could be longer as he has football training Tues eve so may not have time to fit it then) 
I have a few libre 2s in the cupboard, do i fit one of these for only a few hours (hate the scanning having been used to continuous information) or do i not put anything on him and just revert back to finger pricking for the hours or day required at school, through night etc??? 
I only ask as the alarms are important but seems tough on my son stamping a libre 2 which we are not keen on anyway to then remove it a day later? 

Many thanks. 

Paul xx


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## Lucyr (May 2, 2022)

Personally I’d just fingerprick for Tuesday, especially given libre is least accurate in the first 24 hours, but I’m not your son. Is he capable of recognising and communicating low/high symptoms or is he unaware, and does he have a preference of libre or fingerpricking?


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## helli (May 2, 2022)

The choice is entirely yours. Bear in mind that CGMs are relatively new and people with Type 1 have been surviving for decades with finger pricks and no alarms.


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## Lion2012 (May 2, 2022)

Thank you so much guys..... I will revert back to the finger prick, appreciate your advice.


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## Thebearcametoo (May 2, 2022)

I would finger prick too. Hope the switch to dexcom and the pump trial go well. We really like dexcom and the ability to help avoid hypos with the pump is great.


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## Bronco Billy (May 2, 2022)

I agree with the finger prick tactic. Keep the other sensor as a spare just in case, plus, as you say, it's not worth using a sensor for such a short space of time. Finger pricks are the ultimate back-up and it's important that everyone stays familiar with them.


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## helli (May 2, 2022)

Just wondering if you have to start the Dexcom tomorrow or whether you could postpone the start for 10 days.
I assume the timing is related to the tslim pump start date but, if not, you could use the Libre for more than one day.


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## Saoirse (May 3, 2022)

Just to say I have found the dexcom to be fantastic and very accurate.  Good luck for your switch


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## everydayupsanddowns (May 9, 2022)

I think that was a wise move @Lion2012 

There’s a tendency to almost feel reliant on the ever-present flow of data once you get used to it. Like @helli and @Bronco Billy I think it’s important for people with T1 to learn (or retain) a degree of comfort with using ‘old fashioned‘ techniques. These are important skills to fall back on and keep you safe if and when the high tech gadgets decide to fail at the least convenient moment.

As an example, when I was diagnosed in my 20s, the self-monitoring routine that was suggested was only twice a day. Breakfast and eve meal one day, then lunch and before bed the following, and an alternating pattern after that. Everything in between was based on sensing and responding to signals and indications from your body, and tuning in to what things ‘felt like’.

Of course, nowadays there is plentiful evidence that more frequent BG checks associate with better outcomes, and ‘routine’ care can involve anywhere between 4 and 10+ fingersticks a day with or without CGM… but sometimes it’s good to remember the old skills, and the slightly more relaxed attitude to BG variation, while keeping within the bounds of safety.


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## Lion2012 (May 16, 2022)

Thanks guys. Just an update on things really. Just before my sons liber 3 expired we had a great 'in range' routine going on. . As i resorted to finger pricks whilst we waited to collect the dexcom sensor Leo's bloods have since been great. The odd high from time to time for absolutely no reason at all but all in all his levels have been all within range. So i decided to keep to this method, at least until things do start to get a little out of control once more and then i still have the cgms in the cupboard and the option of the pump further down the line.


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