I’ve been on a Dexcom for roughly 10 years, and have to say it is lifechanging having an CGM. The biggest issues I have, are actually with the company and how they treat their clients. I personally have been put through the wringer with their awful service and it causes additional stress and often delays with getting my supplies on time.
Long-story short, I recently saw the new Freestyle Libre 2 was cleared and wondering if anyone had made the switch to this after being on a Dexcom for awhile. From what I learned, the differences are that the Libre only alerts to say you are high or low, then you have to scan the sensor to see the number versus the Dexcom telling you the number. This doesn’t seem like an awful tradeoff to me if it alerts when out of range, scanning seems fairly minimal for having a lower stress and hopefully minimal issues with getting supplies. I also like the idea of a more affordable option should I have insurance changes.
I should add I am on the Omnipod insulin pump and saw they may be part of the development of the Libre 3? Maybe…
I started out using the Libre for a few months before switching to Dexcom. My only issue with the Libre is that it was very inaccurate for me. It constantly read 30-50 points low. The good part was that it was consistently low so I still knew about where my blood sugar was, and I believe the trends were accurate. But still, it was problematic especially when sending my data to my doctor and having it show 10-15% low which of course was not true. My doctor didn’t listen very well when I told him the readings were inaccurate.
I heard the new Libre 2 is supposed to be more accurate, but I’m happy with the Dexcom now so I don’t plan to switch back.
I am wearing both right now. I am blessed that all my Dexcom is free. But I like to snorkel and the Dexcom will not read underwater. So I decided to add a Libre.
I used to wear a Libre before Dexcom. The new Libre2 is no more accurate than the old Libre that I can tell. It does vary per sensor with no way to calibrate. On the Libre you get to set one high and one low alert and then you scan to know what you are at. Which is going to be close to the number you set for an alert. The Libre does update every minute.
Right now I got a coupon code from Libre for the new Libre2 sensors to be $35 each, but only good to the end of the year. The scanner was $75? At Costco. They were supposed to be $60 each. The ap for the phone isn’t approved yet. If you have insurance to cover it some are paying a lot less.
For my purposes as I am keeping my Dexcom, I will switch to adding the 14 day Libre versus the Libre2 to wear with my Dexcom after December. ($37 each all the time at Costco) I decided to test the new Libre2 on me in case I preferred it for my dog who is diabetic and wears the 14 day Libre with a miao miao. But the miao miao with the tomato ap or something similar gives more leeway with more alerts and I get a reading on my phone all the time for her.
I believe the Libre3 is set to maybe come out sometime next year that I think is supposed to give readings to your phone all the time, it will cost more and I’m not sure how fast
The Dexcom is better, no ifs about it. But for price point purposes if that’s an issue the Libre is still really good.
if you can wait for the libre3 that one would probably be comparable, however, the closest thing to Dexcom would be an android phone stuck on android 9, an android/Google wear watch also helps with a miaomiao2 addition and the u.s. 14 day libre sensor., and xdrip as your software…not the libre2. I currently am trying the libre 2, but it seems to miss highs and lows often. plus my work is very loud so I miss the xdrip predicted low notifications and ringtones…looks like there isn’t a solution for Android 10 yet. and the blucon is having issues with updated ios versions as well…staying on or downgrading to android 9 can also be very difficult, so I would stay on Dexcom if your insurance $ is comparable… mine isn’t… so I’ve been fighting with the libre for about 2 years now
Can you get your dexcom supplies with your Prescription Benefits? I get my from CVS and it works really well. I get my supplies next day. Pretty cool and much less frustrating.
What exactly is “all the associated nonsense” you’re talking about? The transmitter is one little thing that you pair once every three months, hardly a big deal?
Really??? Why is their 500 threads on this site about transmitters then. I went thru transmitter hell when my wife used the medtronic sensors.
I can take a libre out of the box and be done in 30 seconds - I don’t need half of a bent fork to separate the last sensor from the transmitter once every 14 days - I could have gotten dex for her but got the libre to keep things simple.
If you use it as designed, it really is no big deal. Remove old sensor, insert new sensor, transfer transmitter to new sensor, click “Start” - done.
It has so many advantages over Libre - No need to scan your transmitter any time you might want to see your BG (driving, cooking, working in the yard?), just glance at your phone/smart watch/computer screen and the readings are already there (or “Hey Siri, what’s my sugar?”). Plus you get alerts to warn you about rise/fall rates or high/low.
The long threads are from people trying to extend sensors beyond their design life of 10 days. People using Dexcom this way save a ton of money compared to Libre or any other CGM. It also used to be possible (with G5 and first gen G6) to put new batteries in transmitters and reset them with third party software, so you could use one transmitter indefinitely for pretty nominal cost.
The other reason that there are a ton of threads about Dexcom is that it’s by far the most popular CGM among educated users like you’ll find on this site because it works better than any other CGM.
I used the Eversense system, and it is more accurate and less expensive than the Dexcom. I’m sure tony24’s wife used the dexcom as designed…you are probably used to removing the transmitter, but it is still a hassle for many users, especially if you have ever tried the libre… there are also transmitter syncing issues with new sensors that have nothing to do with restarting sensors. there are also many threads devoted to the bad customer service after Dexcom decided to move customer service overseas
That was my earlier experience with Dexcom, and I was so grateful to be able to call Tandem instead for most sensor issues. I had to call Dexcom twice, though, in the last week, and was surprised at getting through to an American-sounding person immediately both times. (Failed inserter/stuck sensor, and then had no return shipping label in the return kit) I wonder if they changed something again?
The Dexcom G6 was my first CGM and I’m absolutely loving it… But I have no brand loyalty to Dexcom. I only choose Dexcom because it’s the only one currently compatible with my pump. I’d be willing to change to the most cost-effective option once Tandem adds compatibility with Libre
I’m concerned about the exact opposite of what you believe, though. Abbott has been very blunt that the Libre 3 will cost more, and current sensors can’t be restarted, so I assume the next gen won’t either. And Dexcom has emphasized that a goal with the G7 is reducing costs, though likely won’t be able to restart either since you won’t be able to disconnect from the transmitter. I’m assuming the costs between the Libre 3 and the G7 are going to even themselves out. Dexcom knows they’re losing business to Abbott because of costs alone. With no restarts likely possible, it’s probably going to be most cost-effective for me to stick with the G6. I can keep my costs to around $100/month, cash price with no insurance coverage, by doing two restarts and buying from Sam’s Club with a Plus level membership ($284 for 3 sensors, $125 for a transmitter). I don’t imagine either the Libre 3 or G7 will sell for ~$50 a sensor.
in Europe the libre 3 is $109 for 2 sensors, so $54.50 without insurance, I doubt the Dexcom will be anywhere close to that, and more insurance companies are covering the libre under the pharmacy benefit.
I’m sure the Libre3 will be more expensive . Although most of the technology is actually already in the Libre 2 as it communicates with it’s reader. Depending if you can calibrate it, that is the major drawback of a Libre. But it is getting close to the price of Dexcom if they keep raising the price.
The 10 day Libre was $25, the 14 day is $37 at Costco and the Libre3 is supposed to be $60 at Costco. (except for the temporary coupon). A pretty significant hike to the Libre 3. So I bet at least a $20 hike plus? The cost of the G7???
the Costco price for the g6 is $60 for the Costco membership($5 per month), the 3 month transmitter$146.04/3=$48.68, $318.54 for 30 days of sensors, $372.22 per month for the Dexcom vs $54.50 for the libre 3 (based on current European prices). the g7 might be a little less than the G6, but as Jane Austen said, “its not what dexcom says or thinks that defines them, its what they charge”. to paraphrase
Dexcom being only $60 at Costco is a good price, I didn’t know that. It would be $225 a month. But restarts could bring that price down considerably.
I had heard the Libre3 is cleared, I didn’t know it was actually for sale yet. UK (and some other countries) are still waiting to get Libre2. They’ve been told they might start switching people on the 14 day to the Libre2. It’s free for them if they qualify but keep in mind it’s hard to qualify and less than 17% get it and it’s given to a lot of kids. Most of the people I know pay for it themselves there. They pay about the same amount, about $35 a sensor for the 14 day Libre.
Dexcom is 159 pounds there or $175 a month for everything needed.
I agree the transmitter can be a nuisance! If my phone is too far from the transmitter I will get a signal loss message even after the phone is near the transmitter again. usually it reconnects pretty quickly but sometimes it doesn’t. sometimes I have to turn bluetooth and/or my phone off and back on to get it to reconnect.
