Today, it’s been almost 3 years I lived with the FreeStyle Libre sensor on my arm. And I’ve been thinking… If I was starting again today, what tips and hacks for FreeStle Libre I would like to know from day 1?
I put together a quick summary of 6 powerful FreeStyle Libre sensor tips and hacks which could help you on your FreeStyle Libre journey. I learned these hacks either myself while using the Libre sensor or from others who I got to know within the Libre type 1 diabetes community.
These tips apply for both first and second generation of the FreeStyle Libre system.
Tip #1: Freestyle Libre reader advanced functionalities
- Always double press to turn off. This is the fastest way you can switch reader off which saves around a half of your battery life.
- The reader can be used as a blood glucose and ketone meter. The only thing you need are Freestyle Libre blood sugar test strips and ketone test strips.
- The reader can be used to calculate the insulin dosage for your meals. To set this up, go to settings -> professional options -> select that you are a health care professional -> enter code CAA1C -> click on insulin calculator. There you can set up your insulin/carb ratio, insulin sensitivity, target glucose, etc. If you don’t fully understand these things please have your healthcare professional do this for you.
- Do you want to use both the Libre reader and your phone to scan? Make sure you activate the sensor with the reader and then connect your phone. If you do it the other way round, the reader will not work.
Tip #2: Tips for better accuracy of sensor readings
- Stay hydrated;
- Avoid excessive amount of drugs containing paracetamol or ibuprofen. Vitamin C can also have negative impact on your readings;
- Avoid rapid temperature changes;
- Avoid excessive pressure on the sensor which can lead to compression low (Situations when your sensor reads lower than the actual blood sugar is)
Tip #3: Join Freestyle Libre Academy
This is a free on-line based educational platform with great content for Libre users. You can find great tips on how you can take credit of all functionalities of your Libre, how to manage your diabetes, etc.
Abbott rolled this academy out in the UK and Australia. However, with a bit of creativity you can enroll even if you live elsewhere. You just need to enter your name, email, and a UK postcode during the registration.
Tip #4: Turn your Freestyle Libre into full CGM
Libre is a flash monitoring system. Results are not instantly sent to your reader and you have to scan the sensor to get the blood sugar readings.
If you want the results to be sent instantly your phone you need a third party device and a third party app like Miao Miao or BluCon Nightrider.
These apps do another great thing. They will allow you to scan your sensor and get readings for extra 12 hours after the official sensor life ended.
(photo MM and nightrider)
Tip #5: Do not expect the sensor glucose and blood glucose to be always the same
Your sensor glucose and blood glucose will always be slightly different. It is because the Libre sensor and a glucometer use a different testing method.
The sensor glucose readings are taken from interstitial fluid (not from blood) and sensor glucose readings have always a slight lag compared to the blood glucose reading from glucometer. This video from Abbot explain this in detail.
Tip #6: Do not over-react and enjoy it
Having the data available 24 hrs a day is great help in managing your type 1 diabetes. It is also very easy to overreact when you see blood sugar going up, especially if CGM is new to you.
When I started using CGM, I was correcting way too much which resulted in my blood sugar going up and down a lot. I improved since then but I still do it sometimes.
My tip for you here is to relax, enjoy the great functionalities, and make any treatment decisions calmly. It will take you a bit of time to get your blood sugar under control but with discipline and consistency you will get there very soon. No need to rush!
Here is a video from my YouTube channel where I discuss these 6 tips in detail. Enjoy watching!
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional and everything here is my opinion in my own words. On this page, I am sharing my diabetic journey with you and do not provide medical advice. Certain links on this page are discount links and/or affiliate links. When you use affiliate links for your purchase I will receive a small provision from the seller.