Any long time Dexcom users switching to Libre?

Diabetes Technology Glucose Monitoring
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Eversense does indeed look good, unfortunately it’s not yet approved or marketed here in Australia. I do also have concerns about long-term use, my T1 son is only 9 and it would have to last a lot longer than 90 days to be a viable option given the minor surgical procedure to remove.

Tony said “I went through hell when my wife used the Medtronic sensors”, so I’m not sure what makes you think he or she have used Dexcom at all.

Customer service varies by region, I can’t speak to what Abbott support is like but Dexcom support through AMSL in Australia is great.

Honestly though, by far the most posts about Dexcom are to do with restarting or related to ordering/purchasing, which seems to be more related to vagaries of different insurers/pharmacies in the US than anything to do with the product itself.

By far my biggest beef with Libre 2 is that Abbott’s marketing has very slyly positioned it as being equivalent to CGM, and gone very hard on facebook advertising. This has led to lots of ill-informed posts in ‘parents of T1s’ forums about Libre2 being better because it’s smaller, neglecting that it can’t do what real CGM can such as send alerts, therefore it has very little value at actually helping kids stay in range.

I’ll be interested to see how things go with Libre 3 and Dex G7 converging in form and function.

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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.

Interesting, that’s $10 per-sensor below the price of Libre 2 in Australia.

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Dexcom support is great where I am, 24/7 and 100% local, and almost all of the helpdesk staff are either T1 or parents of T1 themselves (I even heard the “sensor failed” alarm go off in the background while I was on a call, helpful lady said “Oh no, that was at my end wasn’t it?!”)

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there are also many threads about new Dexcom sensors not pairing with the transmitter, which is every 10 days. I also went to the lake a few months ago and saw a 10 year old with a dexcom with a huge patch with his phone in a plastic bag avoiding the water for 2 hours while I was in the water with my libre, miaomiao2, and opsite flexifit tape. I think that kid would be better off with a libre 2. it is nice to be able to see your numbers every 5 minutes, but realistically, the low and high alarms are more important.

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You seem to have developed a lot of vehemence against the G6. Have you actually used it? There’s no trouble pairing every 10 days. I think you’ve confused that with something else going on. All you do you it’s click the transmitter in, which is very easy, and it’s “paired”. There’s no trying to make your electronic devices find it or anything.

Yes, there are problems with failed sensors, but the Libre and Metronic sensors also have that problem. Yes, people often ask and debate the “should I calibrate?” question, but that’s not even an option with the Libre sensors. You just have to accept however off they are. And yes, some people choose to used extra adhesive, but not everyone needs it. I can get ten days easily out of the original adhesive, but not the 30 days wear I aim for. Hence, my own need for overtape and skin-tac. Thankfully Dexcom provides that overtape for free. How can you criticise the overtape when you yourself are buying Opsite tape for the Libre?

Oh, and the G6 is waterproof, just like the Libre. Perhaps the girl was avoiding the water for a different reason altogether? And having your smartphone in a baggie is just a smart choice around the water to protect it. How is that anything against the Dexcom?

I think what you’re actually thinking about is people who get “connection lost” alerts on their Tandem pumps, but I admit I could be wrong about that. That’s the only regularly occurring “pairing” error I can imagine. That’s a shortcoming of Bluetooth technology, though, not the sensor. Bluetooth doesn’t travel through water well, nor bodies made of water, so there can be pairing problems if pumps Bluetooth antenna is pointed into your body. Not always, but sometimes. And the fix is as simple as flipping the pump over.

It’s not that I think Dexcom is perfect for everyone. Trust me, I love that there are options, and there are some things not-Dexcom I’d be excited to try! (Though I loathe just about everything Medtronic and likely won’t fetter my tongue on their inferior products). I even live the idea that the Libre 2 can vibrate when out of range… But not enough to give up the rest of the Dex advantages. I just think you’ve come up with some mistaken impressions about the G6.

It can very much be a simple “insert it and press start” type of system if you choose. It’s those of us who are trying to get more from the system than it’s intended to deliver, and get more than any of the current Libre sensors CAN deliver, that do most of the talking.

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the u.s.14 day libre, miaomiao2, android 9 phone, ticwatch, and xdrip is what I am currently using and is equal to the dexcom g6 for thousands of dollars less per year for me. however, I can’t really recommend it, as most android phones will automatically update, making xdrip and libre useless. I am not a fan of Dexcom and their greed, and see the libre as an equal, less expensive option. you can also calibrate the libre when you use xdrip, but I’ve only seen major differences between the glucometer and the libre when I’m eating, or when I’ve recently taken insulin, or nsaid’s, but that is rare, and understandable…technically, glucometers were durable medical devices at first, and back in the 70s, they were about the same as a car. competition thankfully eventually drove the prices down, as will the Libre3

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Totally fair points. I pay cash for my Dexcom, so trust me, I know it’s expensive.

I only choose the G6 because it’s the sensor that works with Tandem’s Control-IQ software at this time, otherwise I might be open to the miaomiao option. I already use Xdrip. Unfortunately, none of your setup is an simpler of an option than using the G6

Personally, I’ve found my experience with the G6 and later it’s integration with Control-IQ to be life-changing in the best possible way. It’s the only reason I’m so defensive of it.

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I understand completely… xdrip rules. I tried a Medtronic pump maybe 15 years ago, but had trouble in the summer after the 2nd or 3rd day, often seeing ridiculously high numbers, having the infusion sight wet with insulin, always away from home and at the time, I had to choose between pens or the pump, they would not cover both, so I’ve been on MDI ever since… having the cgm is enough for me, I cant imagine having two infusions…I also tried miaomiao2’s tomato app, and I received 1 reading on my watch… useless, emailed them incessantly with no response… android 10 won’t work, and if you are able to figure out her to downgrade or keep Android 9, many other problems like NFC payments won’t work, libre 3 might be better, but my favorite thing about xdrip is actually the predicted lows which seem to work for me, and I never saw on the normal libre, or Dexcom clarity

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@roger5 Maybe that kid didn’t like swimming, or maybe his parents had read the same sort of FUD you’re spreading? We live across the road from our local swimming pool and have a family membership - my T1 son literally spends hours in the pool doing swim training and relaxing in the hot tub every week. One of his T1 friends does “Nippers” Surf Life Saving, also wearing his Dexcom - he lost a transmitter in the surf early on when he caught it on his board, and tapes it down since then. Dexcom is just as waterproof as Libre - the only advantage Libre has in the water is that you can [if you have a good enough dry case] scan it underwater, whereas Dexcom you have to have the transmitter above the surface for up to 5 minutes to wait for a reading - I know some divers use Libre for this reason. One of the other regulars at the pool sometimes wears a Libre, but usually covers it with Opsite as he said he has issues with them falling off otherwise.

I think you’re under some misapprehension as to how dexcom works, as there is no such thing as “pairing” between transmitter and sensor. Bluetooth pairing is done once every three months when starting a new transmitter. Almost all of those threads are about G6 sensor restarts, with the very occasional one being about a new sensor start where the sensor has the same calibration code as the old one - this IS a real issue I grant, but quite rare. G5 doesn’t have this problem.

I’m not claiming Dexcom is all roses, there are sensors that read intermittently (usually solved by having a big drink of water), and sensors that fail early, even transmitters that die. We’ve been using it for close to two years (first G5, now G6), and have had all of those issues. But for now, I’m still comfortable saying that Dexcom is the best CGM option. Libre 3, Eversense and other CGM in the pipeline may yet change that, and that’s a good thing for all of us - I’m not at all religiously devoted to Dexcom.

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And Abbott isn’t greedy, please? Dexcom only bled(no pun intended) money for a decade + as they developed the CGM technology before making a dime.

It’s fine if you don’t like Dexcom, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Abbott is selling Libre at a loss only in attempt to drive Dexcom out of the market🤔.

Competition is good.

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I wholeheartedly agree with competition and am appreciative of the benefits we receive from competition, however, I disagree with your belief that "

Abbott seems to want all diabetics on their products, not dexcom’s 5% of type 1 diabetics. I am not a fan of Dexcom"s customer service move to the Philippines, or their disposable transmitters… seems ludicrous that Ambrosia’s blucon is waterproof with a simple seal to change the batteries, but Dexcom charges an arm and a leg for theirs…or sometimes at Costco its just an arm or a few fingers, or if you pay a year In advance for sensors, blah, blah, blah…at least the G7 will have to be priced lower to compete with the libre 3

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@roger5 I wear both for a reason.

  1. Yes I use Skin Tac for my Dexcom, it comes off way easier than my Libre ever did or does. My Dexcom requires touch up under the edges because the adhesive really doesn’t like water and I snorkel 3 hours twice a week and do restarts on my Dexcom. But I also use Skin Tac for my Libre.

  2. Which then comes to the being able to restart Dexcom. I find it so much easier to keep my Dexcom and restart it versus having to find a new spot to put a new sensor on. Plus I find the restarts a lot more stable in readings. This would also save me money over a Libre but my insurance pays fully for a Dexcom.

  3. My phone goes in a stash pouch, not because I can get readings for my Dexcom. I am out in the ocean and it does not not like to communicate under water and I find it hard to try to hold up my arm overhead to try to get a reading. If you’ve been swimming a while the Dexcom is really slow to play catch up in past data just and doesn’t work well for my purposes. This is where the Libre shines. I still have to take the reader or phone out in a water proof pouch, I am out in salt water for 3 plus hours, but I can scan the Libre underwater and know what my sugars are. This has allowed me to be able to stay out for 3 plus hours because I know what my blood sugars are doing. The Libre has truly been a blessing for snorkeling.

  4. I wear both…the Libre solely because of snorkeling. I wore a Libre before a Dexcom and I was happy with it, until I switched to a Dexcom. The Dexcom I can get within 5 points of accuracy. Even with an ap to calibrate and give alerts I haven’t been able to get the accuracy out of the Libre that you can from a Dexcom. It can get close, sometimes but not most of the time. I know because I am always comparing my Dexcom to it and then I am doing some fingersticks to compare especially on the first days of starting or restarting a Dexcom sensor. My A1c improved with the Dexcom because of it’s accuracy and alerts. I have the new Libre2, it doesn’t seem more accurate.

  5. If cost is a factor the 14 day Libre especially with a miao miao is the way to go. It is truly an affordable blessing to have it available. But costs are going up with it. The new Libre2 is more expensive and I bet the Libre3 will be even more so. They have said they will keep offering the 14 day Libre and I hope they do, it makes it much more easily affordable for so many. And made the choice of just paying for one for me so I can snorkel with less worry and put one on my diabetic dog (with a miao miao) so I can have less worries for her too.

  6. I was on a Libre when it was first available in the US, before I was on a Dexcom. Libre customer service was awful. I used to hang up when reps answered I knew weren’t helpful and would give you a hard time about replacing a sensor. I have been impressed by their customer service now but I think they had a bad name for a while and now they are making a push to be competitive against Dexcom. Dexcom I was impressed with their customer service when I first started using them and I still have had no issues with them. I think some of the problems is they have grown so fast they haven’t been able to handle the growing pains.

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Seems the pricing on the libre 3 will be a little higher, however, my last u.s. libre 2 pharmacy co pay stayed the same as the u.s.14 day libre, after I had the endocrinologist send the prior authorization… Cigna tried to tell me it was a higher tier and told me the u.s. libre 2 would be more, but Abbott said that’s wrong, and they were surprisingly correct…unfortunately, my work is loud (highly recommended to wear ear plugs/ noise reduction ear phones), and I missed a few alarms on the libre 2, as well as the data on my watch… if the libre 3 doesn’t work with xdrip or smart watches, I’ll probably have to stick with the u.s. 14 day, but unless my insurance reasonably covers the Dexcom, I’m still using the libre…I’m surprised that the accuracy is off for you, however, I did see a big accuracy improvement with eversense for me, so some systems probably work better I some people

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@roger5 The Libre2 might cost you more after Jan 1st. Libre had told me it was the same cost too when I talked to them, but when I went to get one it was more. So I called Abbot/Libre and asked what was going on and they said they have a coupon code until Jan 1st to keep it the same price. I have no idea what you will be charged, but in my case I will revert back to the 14 day Libre if that’s the case as I don’t need to have a Libre2.

But the Libre2 is definitely supposed to be a higher retail cost without codes from Abbot.

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My wife has had the libre2 for a week - most excellent - I can finally sleep more

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I’ve been using Dexcom for 3 years. For the most part is has been fine. But for the last several months the receiver disconnects: “No readings alert. Please wait 30 minutes” for the stupid thing to reconnect. I’ve been on the phone with tech over and over. I’ve installed new transmitters, new sensors, and sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. Now neither the receiver or my smartphone stays connected. I’m going to Freestyle 2. This is getting ridiculous.

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@brycereichardt Just a note. I had a Libre on my dog, plus I wear one now with my Dexcom as the Libre reads underwater better. The Libre constantly loses it’s signal. Sometimes just for a few minutes, sometimes longer. My Dex is pretty good about not losing it’s signal for me. But some people seem to have real issues with it.