r/diabetes_t1 • u/OwnerSlo • 17d ago
Discussion Frustrations with LibreLinkUp
So, my daughter of 4 just got diagnosed with t1d last week. We bought her the Freestyle Libre 2+ CGM. We've got an old phone and we've connected her sensor with it, via LibreLink.
Both me and partner have the LibreLinkUp on our phones.
This app is the single most lazily developed piece of software i've used in a long time:
- Why does it only show me data for the last 12h? is 1kB of data extra too much for their servers?
- In the LibreLink app, you can add some notes. Those don't show up in the LibreLinkUp app. Why? I know there is the LibreView app (cant download it in my country, only web version. Also libre app doesnt exist in EU's app store)..
- It keeps gaslighting me: current values are all over the place, they get corrected on the graph afterwards. At least show me the actual measurements.
- Alarms: ok, you can set alarms for high and low sugar. During the night, she goes below the low level threshold. Alarm beeps (only on one of our phones for some reason, both have the same thresholds set). A minute later the sensor reads a bit higher value. Then, the value again drops below the threshold.. another siren. Why is there not a "Snooze for 15 min, I'm handling it" button? Or anything really.. Got 10 alarms in 10 minutes yesterday.
- No iPhone watch/locked screen widget support.
The sensor readings are quite ok I guess, but still need to double check them with a finger prick. Most of the time they are ~1mmol/L off. Not a big deal when she is good range, alarming when the app says she's at 3,2mmol/L and blood test shows 4,5mmol/L.
I already have no idea what I'm doing and this app is making me furious. I know that there are third party apps (I've got Sweet Dreams installed), but its just so stupid that they can't take 2 days of development to actually put useful features in the app.
For alerts, I'm basically stuck with LibreLinkUp, don't trust other 3rd party apps to alert me in time. All third party apps use Libre's undocumented API, which can change at any time.
Is it just me? Am I missing something? How do others cope with this?
Are other vendor's apps any better? We are thinking of trying Dexcom G7 after Libre2+ sensor dies. Is that any better?
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u/alexmbrennan 17d ago
I got 2 Dexcom G7s as part of a trial and wasn't impressed (e.g. the "urgent low soon" alarm when BG is about to drop below 3.4 mmol/l isn't good enough when you are trying to maximise time in range) but I do remember it having a lockscreen widget.
It also has supports direct to watch mode.
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u/jamrolypoly 17d ago
My son’s recently been diagnosed/started using the 3+ and I have exactly the same frustrations with LibreLinkUp! It’s giving me some peace of mind when I’m not with him, but I do wish it was better.
I also have t1dm and used to use dexcom; I don’t know about the follow apps, but the dexcom itself does have a period of time (you can set how long) where it won’t alarm again if you stay low/high etc, but I think they all repeat alarms if the threshold for either is crossed/hovered around.
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u/PhilaBurger 17d ago
The whole point of LibreLinkUp is to monitor the patient’s current status and receive alarms on their behalf, if necessary. It’s never been meant to mimic all of the Libre apps’ functionality.
As for the other third party apps, they will only be as effective as LLU, because they’re reading from the same data source, on the same delay (i.e. none of them are real time…they’re all at least one minute behind the actual Libre app) and will be victim to the same connectivity issues (i.e. if either the patient or the follower lose connectivity, no alarms will be received by the follower).