It is always fun to put health professionals in the ‘shoes’ of people with diabetes. I was surprised at my reticence around the insertion of the Libre Flash monitoring device. If you have been reading my ‘Turn back the clock’ blogs (www.edhealth.com.au and click Blogs) you know I’ve started a journey of looking at my own health risks for developing diabetes in my future. Some of my past glucose levels have been higher than they should be so the thought of a device sitting in my arm delivering BGLs over the next 2 weeks is a little daunting.

Since the launch of the Libre Flash monitoring system I’ve heard of the potential for inaccuracies at times, especially in the first 12 hours of a new sensor. Some people are waiting to activate the reading of the sensor for 12 hours to address this one. There has also been discussion about an issue with the chemistry of some individuals not being compatible with the system.

An hour after the sensor was inserted I got my first reading … drum roll please maestro … 5.2mmol/L … soon after eating a wholegrain roll. It was very convenient being able to scan instead of trying to do a fingerprick check without being able to wash my hands in the middle of a conference session. I have to admit though … wish I could have done a fingerprick check to see it the result was accurate!

Abbott Diabetes Care have given over 100 health professionals one of these systems this week. There are going to be a lot of readers sitting around the rooms of the health professionals in the trial. Will we be tempted to loan the reader out for people to trial in their care or to gain greater insight into those people we have struggled to help achieve a tighter range for their levels? The reader is designed for personal use. Infection control issues are real if used with more than one person, especially with the reader doubling as a capillary blood glucose meter so I won’t be sharing it with others.

My journey has moved into a new phase as a ‘Libreated’ woman. The first flush of excitement has settled and my sensor, reader and I are falling into the natural rhythm of our trois ménage.