Why I chose to wear the sensor

I decided to try out the monitor because diabetes runs in my family and we share a love for all things sweet and food in general that can be difficult to navigate.

Setting things up

I’ve always had a bit of a phobia of needles, so when I first saw the Libre glucose monitor's applicator, which looked suspiciously like a malicious egg cup, I was understandably anxious. As I raised the device to my upper arm my nerves almost got the better of me and I nearly forgot to sanitise my arm before using the device like I was instructed. Luckily, a quick reminder from a colleague stopped me before I made any mistakes.

When I finally positioned the device to my upper arm, I braced for what I thought would be an inevitable sting. Instead, there was just a loud click. No pain followed. Confused, I asked the Libre rep, "Did I do it wrong? There was no pain." It turns out the device had clicked into place perfectly, and painlessly—apparently this is the normal experience, but still a huge relief for a scaredy-cat afraid of needles like me.

Using the app and sensor

The monitor itself wasn't too troublesome to wear. Sure, it took a couple of nights to get used to, especially when I rolled onto that arm in my sleep, but it quickly became pretty normal and stopped bothering me at all after two days unless I focussed on it.

The setup on my Android was pretty intuitive, though figuring out how to tap my phone just right took a few tries. I enabled NFC, lined up the back of my phone with the sensor, and soon enough, I was getting consistent readings. I'll admit, even though the bluetooth kept the system updating without me needing to– I tapped my phone to the sensor more times than necessary like a child with a new toy.

Being my own science experiment

During my trial, I let myself enjoy an array of foods in excess—pizzas, noodles, and more than a few Maltesers (*cough* ½ a family box at games night), all in the name of science, I promise. Despite this sugar-assault, my glucose levels stayed below 9 mmol/L at all times, which was reassuring. It suggested that my body likely handles glucose quite well, even if it verges on pre-diabetes range on average.

Observing my glucose levels adjust, even during times when I didn't eat was fascinating for me. It showed me how processes like glucose release from the liver and gluconeogenesis—where the liver creates glucose from non-carbohydrate sources—play a large role in changing blood sugar levels or in my case elevating them to pre-diabetes range during periods without food which may be part of why my family has such a high prevalence of diabetes.

In summary

This experience highlighted to me the personal nature of glucose monitoring with devices like the Libre. These devices are designed not to compare us to a universal standard but to reflect our unique physiological responses. They enable people living with diabetes to feel more in control of their condition by seeing real-time effects of different food or exercise. I feel the real value of such technology lies in understanding and managing our individual health narratives rather than looking at “what is normal?”, looking instead at: “what does my body do and what is within my control?”

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