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This. If you are in the US, you want a Freestyle Libre 2, which costs what you state, with coupons: $35/week In the European Union, the Freestyle Libre 3 is av

This. If you are in the US, you want a Freestyle Libre 2, which costs what you state, with coupons: $35/week In the European Union, the Freestyle Libre 3 is available and is far better technology than the Freestyle Libre 2, for a variety of reasons. This also does not require a prescription in Europe. Because I cannot get a Freestyle Libre 3 in Croatia, I order the Freestyle Libre 3 from Abbott Diabetes Care in Germany, without a prescription using a German mail forwarding service (I personally use myGermany). You can ship to the USA using this method. The pricing is also regulated by the German government, so the price of the sensor is reasonable. I actually use 2 glucose sensors in tandem: a Freestyle Libre 3 and a Dexcom G6. The Freestyle Libre technology is better than the Dexcom. It is also, way, way, cheaper. While these articles were for older iterations of the Dexcom and Freestyle Libre, they are still very applicable. [1] [2] [3] I use the Dexcom because it connects to my Tandem t:slim x2 insulin pump and it creates an “artificial pancreas”. It automatically manages my blood glucose, with very little effort. I can get a 6.2 or 6.3 A1c with almost no effort, using only the Dexcom G6 sensor (no Freestyle Libre 2|3 sensor use), and I have an profoundly messed up digestive tract, that really should profoundly mess up my blood glucose values. Anyways, the Freestyle Libre updates more frequently (1 minute versus 5 minutes) and responds to changes in blood glucose faster than the Dexcom, so I can take action and dose insulin much faster. With the Freestyle Libre 3, used in tandem with my Tandem t:slim x2 insulin pump using artificial pancreas technology via the Dexcom, my A1c hovers around a 4.9 or 4.8. [1] https://type1tennis.blogspot.com/2014/12/how-much-faster-is-freestyle-libre.html?m=1 https://type1tennis.blogspot.com/2014/12/how-much-faster-is-... [2] https://type1tennis.blogspot.com/2014/12/14-days-with-dexcom-g4-non-ap-and.html?m=1 https://type1tennis.blogspot.com/2014/12/14-days-with-dexcom... [3] https://type1tennis.blogspot.com/2015/02/another-view-of-freestyle-libre-vs.html?m=1 https://type1tennis.blogspot.com/2015/02/another-view-of-fre...

yudlejoza 6y ago
I've heard Freestyle Libre, and most portable models, is not very accurate. Freestyle Libre has the additional feature of continuity, which IMO, is likely to be more inaccurate (generally portable models take a blood drop and give one reading, i.e., are not continuous monitors). Any thoughts on this?
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- disabled 6y ago
  It’s static (blood glucose testing) sampling versus dynamic (continuous glucose monitoring via interstitial fluid) sampling. The best comparison is that it is like a picture (static sampling) versus a movie (dynamic sampling). It makes a huge difference: you can actually prevent blood glucose fluctuations, blood glucose lows/highs, with a continuous glucose monitor. With a blood glucose meter, at least with type 1 diabetes, you really only can take action after the blood glucose (static sample) is taken, and you really cannot use informed insight moment to moment to prevent things. The continuous glucose monitors tend to be pretty accurate. The Mean Absolute Relative Difference (MARD) for the ascribed devices: Freestyle Libre 3: 9.2% (in adults) Freestyle Libre 2: 9.2% (in adults) Dexcom G6: 9.0% (in adults) Also, I regularly test my blood glucose using finger sticks whenever I need to take a fairly large insulin dose and there is a large amount uncertainty of where I may possibly be (such as when my two sensors have a big discrepancy, and especially when my blood glucose is fluctuating). For that, I use Freestyle Lite blood glucose test strips. About 1 in 25 to 1 in 30 Freestyle Lite test strips I use is about 50 mg/dL off, despite me using proper testing technique, which is quite significant, since my blood glucose values are very tightly managed. It is obvious when it happens, looking at the Freestyle Libre 3 graph, and the Freestyle Libre 3 in this case keeps me from overdosing and causing a serious low.
paulsparkn 6y ago
Really interesting. Thanks for sharing your experience! In Australia we only have access to the Libre 1. Which is both frustrating as I’d like my girlfriend to have the ease of the Libre 2/3 (bluetooth etc) but it’s tolerable given the more open nature of the first iteration where we double the function life - essentially halving the high cost. I’m looking at grabbing a Bubble glucose monitor (https://www.bubblan.org/ https://www.bubblan.org/) that adds bluetooth functionality to the Libre 1 amongst other monitoring etc. Have you looked into OpenAPS / AndroidAPS to move away from the Dexcom? Still learning so this may be an overly simplistic question.
ivan_ah 6y ago
I'm very interested in the Freestyle Libre 3 and the order-from-Germany approach. They don't list the model on their website yet: https://www.freestylelibre.de/libre/produkte.html https://www.freestylelibre.de/libre/produkte.html so I can't check the price. Can you call on the phone and order? Also how does it work about shipping internationally? Do they ship to Croatia or do you need to ship to a DE address first, then FWD to Croatia. Contact info in profile. If you can send me any info or tips, I would greatly appreciate.

yudlejoza 6y ago

I've heard Freestyle Libre, and most portable models, is not very accurate. Freestyle Libre has the additional feature of continuity, which IMO, is likely to be more inaccurate (generally portable models take a blood drop and give one reading, i.e., are not continuous monitors). Any thoughts on this?

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
disabled 6y ago
It’s static (blood glucose testing) sampling versus dynamic (continuous glucose monitoring via interstitial fluid) sampling. The best comparison is that it is like a picture (static sampling) versus a movie (dynamic sampling). It makes a huge difference: you can actually prevent blood glucose fluctuations, blood glucose lows/highs, with a continuous glucose monitor. With a blood glucose meter, at least with type 1 diabetes, you really only can take action after the blood glucose (static sample) is taken, and you really cannot use informed insight moment to moment to prevent things. The continuous glucose monitors tend to be pretty accurate. The Mean Absolute Relative Difference (MARD) for the ascribed devices: Freestyle Libre 3: 9.2% (in adults) Freestyle Libre 2: 9.2% (in adults) Dexcom G6: 9.0% (in adults) Also, I regularly test my blood glucose using finger sticks whenever I need to take a fairly large insulin dose and there is a large amount uncertainty of where I may possibly be (such as when my two sensors have a big discrepancy, and especially when my blood glucose is fluctuating). For that, I use Freestyle Lite blood glucose test strips. About 1 in 25 to 1 in 30 Freestyle Lite test strips I use is about 50 mg/dL off, despite me using proper testing technique, which is quite significant, since my blood glucose values are very tightly managed. It is obvious when it happens, looking at the Freestyle Libre 3 graph, and the Freestyle Libre 3 in this case keeps me from overdosing and causing a serious low.

paulsparkn 6y ago

Really interesting. Thanks for sharing your experience! In Australia we only have access to the Libre 1. Which is both frustrating as I’d like my girlfriend to have the ease of the Libre 2/3 (bluetooth etc) but it’s tolerable given the more open nature of the first iteration where we double the function life - essentially halving the high cost. I’m looking at grabbing a Bubble glucose monitor (https://www.bubblan.org/ https://www.bubblan.org/) that adds bluetooth functionality to the Libre 1 amongst other monitoring etc. Have you looked into OpenAPS / AndroidAPS to move away from the Dexcom? Still learning so this may be an overly simplistic question.

ivan_ah 6y ago

I'm very interested in the Freestyle Libre 3 and the order-from-Germany approach. They don't list the model on their website yet: https://www.freestylelibre.de/libre/produkte.html https://www.freestylelibre.de/libre/produkte.html so I can't check the price. Can you call on the phone and order? Also how does it work about shipping internationally? Do they ship to Croatia or do you need to ship to a DE address first, then FWD to Croatia. Contact info in profile. If you can send me any info or tips, I would greatly appreciate.