Better Diabetes Management with Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre

How important is peace of mind? I’m sure you’re all for it.

I’m living with diabetes, and I just found out about it very recently. I was honestly playing it off and not thinking about it until my doctor told me to get some tests done. I have had several symptoms like headaches, ants on excretions, etc. but I was in denial. Test results came and it confirmed what I was fearing the most, I had type 2 diabetes just like my mom and dad. It was a burden for me to spend a lot for maintenance medicine, just like any other diabetic out there. I had to change a lot of things like monitor my food intake, take medicine religiously, etc. I was able to have good results in the past but I bet it was just because of the diet I had to go through before having my blood glucose tests. It’s my fault. I didn’t know how hard it was to live with diabetes, and how to manage it until this happened.

Diabetes management has been very hard for people living with the condition. The grueling task of checking blood glucose levels has always been a burden, discouraging people young and old to stay away from pricking just to see how they are doing daily and nothing has been done to better it.

It’s already 2020 and I am happy to finally see medical and technological advancements in diabetes management. I’m glad to have been able to know and use the Abbott FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring system. It’s a first in the Philippines and is currently the number one sensor based glucose monitoring system in the world. Before this, there was no technology available in the country to monitor your glucose aside from the routine finger pricking method which you will not be able to do in a more regular basis due to the pain and inconvenience that you have go through every single time you prick . The goal to decrease A1C, reduce hypoglycemia, limit glucose variability (to maintain it in a normal level) and monitoring it is very tricky as it doesn’t give so much information. 

Finger pricking is useless if patients do not prick regularly as they should (according to doctors’ instructions) and if the patient stops monitoring, the doctor won’t have information he/she would need. If you use a flash glucose monitoring system like FreeStyle Libre, doctors would have a better idea about your condition. When you scan using the FreeStyle Libre reader over the sensor, it shows your actual glucose level and plots it in an 8 hour history trendline. The sensor actually can provide a comprehensive glucose reading as it allows you to frequently scan – you can scan even every minute! It doesn’t get your readings from the blood but from the interstitial fluid (ISF) that surrounds the cells (below your skin). 

The system also has LibreView, a free, secure cloud based management platform which would be a convenient way for your doctor to view your glucose data. The reader conveniently shows patterns over a particular date or period of time where you have been using the sensor. It provides data you and your doctor can easily understand. It also shows time in target (if you are above, within, or below your target glucose range), and a summary of your low glucose events (shows readings lower than 70 md/dL in 4 different 6 hour periods).

I have been using it for a couple of days now and found out a few things. The sensor won’t get detached from you, unless you force it. It’s got a medical grade adhesive and is water resistant. I would advise you to wash the site of your arm using  plain soap, dry, and then clean with alcohol wipe. The reader can also do manual blood glucose level checking as it can work with FreeStyle Optium Glucose Strips.

The reader can be charged full in 2-3 hours and would last around 7 days. It also displays how many days you have left before you should replace your sensor (as each one can be only used up to 14 days). There is an Edit icon on the device which can be used to indicate if you’ve eaten (and it locks down after 15mins).

The FreeStyle Libre Reader and Sensor can be purchased online through Lazada or in selected major Mercury drugstores. It costs Php 3,500 for the reader and the sensor is Php 3,500 as well. Senior citizen and persons with disabilities (PWD) discount privileges are also available as long as there is a doctor’s prescription. I suggest you get it via Lazada because they have free delivery. Their customer service hotline is at (02)87028577 and is open weekdays from 8:30am – 5:30pm excluding public holidays. I actually called when I had a problem with my sensor and after a few troubleshooting steps, they replaced it after arranging delivery from their head office. I am satisfied they acted fast and efficiently. That’s very assuring to know, and it really means they care.

Now you too can take advantage of this technology which is now available in the Philippines. I’m a diabetic and have seen its benefits first-handedly. I get peace of mind and am assured that I can monitor my glucose levels in a more granular level with reliable and accurate data. With my lifestyle, I now know what’s happening in my body and that give me a peace of mind, it’s priceless!

Dingdong Dantes and his Dad for Ensure

I'm sure you've watched it several times on TV where the good looking Dingdong Dantes takes hold of his Father's bike and restored it. His Father though, even when extremely happy about that, felt a little helpless as he thinks he couldn't do the things he did when he was much younger. That picture just tells so much about Filipinos nowadays that when they reach the number 50, they think their poor physical condition could hamper fulfilling their dreams. It is known that in order to be in tip top shape, you need nutrition for strength and their own families to support them in order to achieve their goals. The question is, how do they achieve this goal? 

"Loss of strength is a sign of deterioration of health, when the body experiences loss of strength. 8 out 10 complain if they get out of hospitals when they go back home. The loss if lean body mass can be attributed to consuming only 60 percent or less of their nutritional requirements for a day, it makes them at risk for nutritional gaps. They should always ask their doctors to solve this." says Dr. Dimaano from Abbott Nutrition Philippines.

Dingdong says "I had real life experience in helping my father achieve his dreams. I knew back then, I had to do something when my Dad said he's too old to relive his passion for riding bikes. I had to refurbish my Dad's bike and remind him to rebuild energy + fitness, as his son I wanted to have the duty to remind him of his nutrition so he could live his life to the fullest."

Abbot Ensure has a balanced nutrient formula - made of three major nutrients plus 28 vitamins and minerals. It also has high protein content, prebiotics, good for those with lactose intolerance. It's good to have something help the elderly regain or maintain their strength, and drinking it twice a day for 8 weeks can get their muscle strength.

KUMAGCOW

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Abbott Introduces Glucerna 123 Challenge

People at my age constantly fear dreaded diseases like hypertension and diabetes. Being born to folks who have them just made me a little depressed because I'm surely going to have it pretty soon. The key is having a change in lifestyle and it starts now. Simple exercise and a balanced diet plus knowing proper steps to manage diabetes is the key. We were schooled about it last Thursday and it was awesome we had Glucerna to take us along a journey called the 123 challenge. It's a 12 week program specially designed for people who have diabetes. For people who have problems with this, listen up because you might learn a thing or two.

Step 1 - Manage your blood sugar response. For people who are resistant to insulin, they have a higher risk of having complications. Maintaining proper blood sugar levels means you have yo eat right and have time for exercise so you can have major impact on your own health. 

Step 2 - Help manage weight and your waistline. Increasing physical activity even in a short amount of time can make your life a little better. Coach Jim even taught us a couple of moves for a max of 4 minutes which he used to train athletes and contestants of The biggest Lose when he had a stint there. Check this out!

Now there's no excuse not to workout with these simple tips and exercise routines. :)

Step 3 - Support heart health! Because heart disease is a common complication of diabetes, it is a must to have your own personalized exercise routine designed and based on your age and activity level. It's a pretty good advise imho. I think I should do something about myself too. I've seen all the warning signs and I pretty much don't want to die at an early age. I want to accomplish my dreams first and spend my years with loved ones. I actually got my blood sugar checked in one of the kiosks during the event, I had like 274 which is way beyond the limit. This might have caused my hypertension. I have to get checked :)

Oh, I almost forgot. They've also launched an app for people with diabetes at http://www.glucerna123challenge.com.ph if you want to participate. It's available for iPhone or Android smart phones so just go there and download it now! There's also a rewards program in every can if Glucerna Triple care that can get you points to use in the site :) Thanks Abbott and Glucerna! This day was awesome because of you! :)


For more information

Please visit their website

http://www.glucerna123challenge.com.ph