What are CGMs?
CGMs are continuous glucose monitors that give you real time updates of what your blood sugar is. Usually this is transmitted to your phone. The CGM is a wearable sensor that tracks your blood sugar in the interstitial fluid, rather than direct blood. I, along with every diabetic, have found CGMs to be incredibly helpful in keeping us in range throughout our day.
Different CGMs:
What CGMs have you guys tried? I have used Dexcom since it was a g4, but recently I have been trying out Libre 3 plus, and I will start Libre 2 plus, since I am starting the Omnipod. I have a few pros and cons of those, but I am going to look into a few other CGMs to see which one may be the best fit for you and me! We will be looking at the Dexcom g7, Libre Freestyle CGMs, Medtronic Guardian 4, and Eversense 365. For each of these, I will give a list of Pros and Cons as well as my opinion on whether or not I would try them or stay away.
Dexcom g7:
A Dexcom g7 lasts up to 15 days and has a 12-hour grace period. It is pretty small and has a fast warm up of about 20 minutes. It connects to almost every pump you could think of. From my experience, it only took a few minutes to apply having only a few steps within the process. You are able to calibrate it if it is off, and usually it corrects itself. Additionally, it gives warnings for when you are going down or high really fast. You are also able to log activity, meals, and other things, which can help when your endo asks why you were 280 on march 20th, 2026.
My dislikes were how often they would fail during the insertion process. I had about 3 fail in a row, after my last one was not working well for the entirety of it. It also would tend to be super off after I had food, it would say I shot up to 300, and when I would finger prick, I would only be 220. This caused me to mis-bolus and have those lows.
Pros:
- Lasts 15 days
- 12-hour grace period
- Easy/quick application
- Connects to almost any pump
- Shares with a bunch of people
- improves A1C in good range
Cons:
- Fails often
- Often not accurate (for me)
Freestyle Libre Plus 3:
This sensor lasts 15 days, and is about the same as 2 pennies, making it the smallest CGM currently. It is also pretty inexpensive to some other CGMs on the market. It also connects to your phone which makes it easy to keep yourself in range. While also sharing your data in real time to your parents, friends, or partner.
There are a few things I dislike: The alert sounds are the same or super similar, so it is hard to understand if I am high or low when it goes off. As well as the inability to calibrate.
Pros:
- Helps you have a good A1C
- Lasts 15 days
- Smallest CGM
- Connects to your phone
- Shares data with family
Cons:
- Alert sounds
- Not able to calibrate it.
Medtronic Guardian 4:
I was not able to find much information on this CGM. However, I found that this sensor is part of the compatible Medtronic automated insulin dosing system and It lasts for 7 days. The process to put one on seems simple enough, but it requires more steps than other CGMs.
Pros:
- Helps you have a good A1C
- Connects to its own insulin pump
- Connects to Phone
Cons:
- Only lasts 7 days
- Many steps to put one in
Eversense 365:
This CGM is implanted just under the skin in your upper arm to last for 1 entire year. It comes with a transmitter that is removable, so when you need to put it back on, you do not need to put another transmitter that pierces your skin. The adhesive is also apparently skin-friendly to keep skin-irritation to a minimum. It has also stated that there are no compression lows from it.
Pros:
- Lasts 1 year
- Essentially no compression lows
- Incredibly small, less than 1 inch wide and long
- Removable
- Nothing piercing the skin
- Connects to phone
Cons:
- Could lose the sensor if you miss it falling off.
- The adhesive is changed daily
My Final Thoughts:
So, after researching and seeing the pros and cons of CGM, which one would you choose? Currently, I lean towards Freestyle Libre since it is cheaper, smaller, and for me most accurate. I also like how the 2 plus version is able to connect to a few different insulin pumps, so I have some freedom in choosing which pump works best for me. I am also able to share data with my family and friends if need be.
Since switching to the Libre 3 plus, I have had less compression lows, and blood sugar readings being incredibly off when I am high. I also have not had a sensor fail since switching (I have used 3) and they have all lasted the entire 15 days. The adhesive has only irritated my skin a little bit, but is only the size of a penny, so it does not concern me much.
Thanks!
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Peace
Gracie
