The steady glucose monitor (CGM) has undoubtedly turn out to be the diabetes sport changer. When it involves monitoring your blood sugar effortlessly and ceaselessly, fingersticks merely can not evaluate. The units might be costly, relying on your insurance coverage protection, however having this fixed stream of information may also help you tighten your general administration and enhance each your A1C and Time In Range.
Not certain which CGM is best for you? Here is a fast rundown of the continual glucose screens accessible on the market.
The Competitors
Dexcom G6
Dexcom’s present mannequin, the Dexcom G6, is most likely essentially the most profitable CGM ever launched. This is the machine that satisfied many individuals with diabetes that CGM know-how has lastly been achieved proper. Many of the perfect options of the G6 had been by no means seen earlier than. Let’s assessment among the options:
- The sensor is inserted with a straightforward one-button applicator
- Glucose information is mechanically transmitted to a smartphone, smartwatch, or Dexcom receiver each 5 minutes
- The Dexcom sounds alarms for each high and low blood sugar readings, and alarm threshholds might be personalised.
- Glucose information doesn’t simply point out your blood sugar stage, but additionally developments. It predicts in case your blood sugar will proceed to rise or fall.
- You may transmit your blood sugar information remotely to caretakers and family members – a godsend for folks (and faculty nurses).
- It might be worn for 10 days (although some have hacked the machine to increase it)
The G6 is additionally most likely the main CGM for interoperability: the power to sync it with different units. It’s subsequently the selection for many loopers.
Keep your eyes open for the discharge of the Dexcom G7, which will likely be even smaller and simpler to make use of. It’s anticipated to debut someday in 2022.
FreeFashion Libre 2
For a number of years, nearly everybody agreed that the Dexcom G6 was the perfect CGM on the market. But with the discharge of Abbott’s latest mannequin, the FreeFashion Libre 2, there’s now some severe competitors for that title.
The new Libre 2 provides many of the game-changing options that after set the G6 aside, and really beats it in different methods. Here are the small print:
- The Libre 2 additionally has customizable high and low blood sugar alarms
- It additionally has a straightforward one-button sensor utility
- Glucose information is displayed on both a Libre receiver or a wise machine
- The Libre 2 additionally exhibits upward and downward glucose developments
- The LibreLinkUp app mechanically sends glucose information to distant customers
One main distinction is that the Libre 2 is, strictly talking, a flash glucose monitor. Your receiver or good machine doesn’t mechanically obtain information from the sensor – it is advisable bodily scan the sensor by holding your machine inside 1.5 inches of it for about one second. (Low and excessive blood sugar alarms, nevertheless, will sound with out scanning).
But the Libre boasts a number of huge options that Dexcom can not compete with but:
- The sensor lasts 14 days
- The sensor is the smallest on the market, concerning the measurement of 1 / 4
The Libre 2 additionally tends to be inexpensive than the G6.
Medtronic Guardian Sensor 3
The Medtronic Guardian Sensor 3 is the least talked-about of the key CGM programs. Most customers of the system buy it to make use of in live performance with the MiniMed 670G and the 630G insulin pump programs. To be sincere, until you’re utilizing a type of Medtronic pumps in a loop system, only a few of our group members would advocate the CGM.
It has a number of particular drawbacks. It is not FDA-approved for therapy choices, that means that earlier than you make a blood glucose determination (like dosing insulin) in response to the Guardian Sensor information, you’re supposed to substantiate with a fingerstick. It’s additionally not accredited for kids beneath 14, and the sensor solely lasts 7 days. For extra particulars, take a look at our article on the tech.
The Eversense XL CGM System
A novel possibility that most individuals with diabetes are unfamiliar with, the Eversense CGM system makes use of an implantable sensor that sits beneath the pores and skin for as much as 90 days. You do should put on a relatively cumbersome transmitter on prime of the sensor implant, though it may be eliminated and changed with ease.
Eversense nearly went beneath through the COVID-19 pandemic (it wasn’t a very good time for a product that requires a visit to the physician’s workplace each 90 days), nevertheless it was rescued by one other enterprise and is now back on the market.
The Eversense CGM shares most of the options of the standard CGMs. It gives excessive and low blood sugar alerts, it beams its information to your smartphone, and it permits distant customers to watch blood sugar readings. The transmitter additionally vibrates throughout alarms, which is each extra discrete and means you don’t must have your smartphone inside earshot to profit from the alert system.
Users might or might not just like the Eversense sensor and transmitter setup. The cumbersome transmitters stick onto your physique for about someday – they have to be eliminated frequently for re-charging and to use a brand new adhesive. However, it’s good to know that the sensor gained’t get knocked off by a door body, and if you wish to take away the transmitter briefly, it’s simple to take action.
The system additionally requires two fingerstick calibrations per day.
The Eversense is actually the brand new child on the block. When we requested followers for his or her opinions on CGMs, not a single individual that had tried the Eversense responded. You can discover critiques of the system elsewhere, reminiscent of this one from our partners at BeyondType1. If you’ve used the Eversense CGM, we’d love to listen to your ideas!
How to Try a CGM for Free:
We know that, sadly, many people are on the mercy of complicated medical insurance plans. It’s attainable that one CGM will likely be considerably inexpensive than one other for you, which can tie your fingers – that is, in case you’re fortunate sufficient to have protection for a CGM to start with. We additionally know that it may possibly appear practically inconceivable to seek out out out of your insurance coverage how a lot medical gear will really value you.
The main CGM producers perceive how irritating the system is, and have made an effort to get samples of their merchandise into your fingers with out a number of crimson tape.
Dexcom will send you a free sample through its Hello Dexcom program.
And Abbott will send you a free sample through its MyFreeStyle program.
Medtronic will also send you a free sample through its Guardian Connect evaluation program.
Which CGM is Best? Here’s What Our Community Thinks
I feel it’s honest to say that almost all of our readers choose the Dexcom G6 (and that they actually, actually don’t just like the Medtronic Guardian Sensor 3). If there was a single most consultant remark, it was this one:
“I hated Medtronic, liked Freestyle, love Dexcom.”
Many consider that Dexcom is the gold customary. They typically choose the actual fact you do not want to scan the sensor:
“I love the Dexcom! I like that I can see it on my Apple Watch and phone without having to scan it like the Libre.”
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“I’m at the moment utilizing Dexcom G6. I like that it shows on my Apple Watch and provides me alarms. I additionally take pleasure in not having to scan it and that it lasts (for me) with out points for 10 days.
Some values Dexcom’s superior interoperability:
“I personally prefer Dexcom because it is a lot more compatible with other apps and pumps. I personally have had far fewer issues than when I used Libre. Libre would not last the full 14 days I think mainly because of how active I am.”
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“I love my Dexcom 6 because I loop with Omnipod, which has been life-changing.”
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“Dexcom + the Sugarmate app changed my life.”
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“There are pros & cons to each. I went from Libre to Dexcom primarily for a closed-loop system with Tandem. The extra adhesive perimeter is a plus with Dexcom. It’s beyond me why Libre didn’t consider that, especially when you wear their sensors for 14 days.”
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“Dexcom connects to my phone and Garmin Forerunner 945. This is great when you are training.”
But not everybody agrees! The Dexcom’s bigger measurement and price obtained a justifiable share of criticism:
“I dislike the wonky readings the first 24 hours, I find it to be slightly bulkier than other CGMs, and I get compression lows If I sleep on my Dexcom.”
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“I started with the Dexcom and found it to be too intrusive and uncomfortable. I love, love, love the Libre 2! Can’t go wrong with either though. Game changer for us!”
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“Libre to Libre 2 all the way. However, with the smaller G7 coming out we are going to give it a shot. The direct to watch is what we’re excited about. My son hated the other Dexcom, said they were uncomfortable and painful to insert.”
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“I used Dexcom for years and it was obnoxious and obtrusive (to not point out $$$$). I switched to Libre2 and I really like this little factor a lot greater than Dexcom. It’s simple to make use of, comparatively cheap, lasts without end, it suits into MY life (no alarm fatigue!), I’ve by no means had one fail (in 3 years), and numbers have been actually correct for me primarily based on lab take a look at outcomes. Love it!
I’m within the US and with the assistance of a third occasion app, my libre 2 information is collected by Bluetooth and transmitted to my cellphone. Easier than Dexcom, accessible on the pharmacy, and cheaper by far. And I do know there is a lot dispute, however my sensors are all the time dead-on correct.”
Libre customers are additionally excited concerning the upgrades that got here with the Libre 2:
“I’ve only ever used the Libre Freestyle and Libre 2. They were both effective tools but I preferred the Libre 2 as it had better accuracy and I like the high/low glucose alarms.”
The poor Medtronic system actually got here in for a beating:
Dexcom G6. I’ve a Medtronic one and hated it. Alarmed on a regular basis, was typically off, and so forth. Love my Dexcom”
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“Dexcom is SO much better than Medtronic. But SO expensive.”
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“I started with Medtronic and happily changed to Dexcom. More accurate, feels more secure on my arm… looks better too and lasts longer than the Medtronic did.”
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“I started with Medtronic and I didn’t like it. It always went off and never got any sleep with it on. Then I switched over to Dexcom and have had no problems.”
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“I love the Dexcom G6 that I have right now. I have used Medtronic’s CGM that worked with their pump before and did not like it anywhere near as much as the Dexcom. The Dexcom is much more accurate and reliable and I have not had any problems with the Dexcom staying in place as I did with the Medtronic one.”
Finally, we most valued the opinions of these which can be acquainted with all three:
“I wore the Guardian Sensor by Medtronic for 3 years before I agreed to give the Dexcom G6 a try. I wore them side by side for 6 weeks before I conceded. I had been a loyal Medtronic customer. Been with Dex for nearly two years. Management has never been better. I helped my type 2 stepmom get started on the Libre and she liked it. But after seeing my graphs on the Clarity app, she decided to give the Dexcom a try. In 6 months her a1c is 6.6.”
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“I used Medtronic, Libre, and now Dexcom. I disliked Medtronic but it was what I had to start with. It started getting really twitchy near the end before I switched to Libre. For the Libre, I really liked the low cost, the long wear time, and the accuracy. I disliked having to scan to get numbers but it wasn’t bad … Have been on Dexcom/tSlim now for about a month and absolutely LOVE it! I find it pretty accurate. Love having the alarms again (mostly – lol). I just wished my insurance covered a larger chunk of my costs for supplies.”
Takeaways
There you have got it. The Dexcom is most likely the king, however it may be very costly and a few discover the sensor too cumbersome. The FreeFashion Libre 2 requires annoying handbook scanning, however customers love how slim it is, that it lasts 14 days, and the decrease value. (And as for the Medtronic Guardian system, the much less mentioned, the higher).
We hope that the ideas and opinions of different group members enable you to to determine which CGM is best for you!
