FREESTYLE LIBRE ON SALE!!!!

[pmtbrew]

Lets see what everyone else thinks,


The Freestyle has been waring me of loe blood sugars for a few hours and even dropped below the range it can monitor (the 'LO' reading), so I ate some sugar before driving home.

Once I got back I did a control test (two blood tests with an Accucheck Mobile and the Libre Scanner) and the blood results were 7.7/7.4 compared to the 3.9 from the sensor.

I repeated the control test again just now and the results were 6.4/6.6 for the blood tests and 2.3 for the sensor result.

The blood results are consistent so believe them, but why is the sensor giving such low results? I've seen this once before, but that was quickly rectified.

Any thoughts, I'ce already asked Abbott about this and should hear back from them on Monday.

Paul

 

[smidge]

Hi Paul,

I find my Libre tends to run low for the first 24 hours and occasionally overnight - I can't always rely on the fasting level of the Libre. I also use a Mobile - and I find that runs a bit high at times (usually when I'm out of a 'normal' range) - when the Libre low and the Accuchek high coincide, it looks like the readings are miles apart. Sometimes they are for no reason, but often, I think one is a bit high and the other a bit low. I absolutely hate those LO readings though - it messes up my data and graphs! As the DVLA don't accept the Libre as a valid reading, I wish Abbott would just add the functionality to delete error type readings from the scanner so that I could correct the invalid readings and make use of the data and graphs.

Don't forget that you MUST do a proper BG test before driving. The Libre scan doesn't count but the police have the right to take your meters if you are involved in an accident - and if you have done no valid BG test but your libre scan was LO, you can bet they'd throw the book at you.

Smidge

 

[LucySW]

Is it a new sensor? In my experience, new sensors routinely read low for up to two days, most of all overnight.

Thats just what happened to me, especially with my first six sensors.

Anyway, I would always trust a blood test over a scan.

 

[AnaSofia]

I'm in the waiting list and it seems like an eternity. In Portugal it isn't sell so i've got to order one in another country...

 

[smidge]

New sensor in and started up - and as usual, 2 mmol low at the moment. Fingers crossed.

I was pretty worried about what I'd find under the old sensor when I removed it, but the SkinTac I used this time has really helped. I still have some redness and inflamed skin, but no weeping and no peeling skin, so definitely an improvement. All cleaned up now and a Compeed on to try to heal it. The whole process of changing a sensor is taking longer and longer though by the time I've cleaned and prepped my skin for the new one and cleaned away the adhesive and dressed the wound made by the previous one - it's no longer a 5 minute job! Not to mention the cost of all the consumables involved.

I just wish I could find something that would stop the irritation completely. Still, SkinTac has been the best so far for me.

Smidge

 

[asyarlk]

I've had my libre on since Thursday and the adhesive around the outside is slightly lifting. What can I do to keep it in place?

Is this a common issue?

Also how does your hba1c match with your libre readings/BG meter readings? I know that the libre is less accurate than my meter but my hba1c is similar to my average on my libre. Just wondered what everyone else has found.

Thanks

 

[robert72]

I've had my libre on since Thursday and the adhesive around the outside is slightly lifting. What can I do to keep it in place?

Is this a common issue?

Also how does your hba1c match with your libre readings/BG meter readings? I know that the libre is less accurate than my meter but my hba1c is similar to my average on my libre. Just wondered what everyone else has found.

Thanks

I find the edges can lift a bit, but usually not until the second week. I wear tubigrip over the sensor during the night to help stop them from getting any sideways force if I lay on them awkwardly, but otherwise I have a tough time removing them at the end of 14 days. I also have some Opsite tape in case one was to come loose but haven't needed it yet.

 

[Princesnikki]

I've had my libre on since Thursday and the adhesive around the outside is slightly lifting. What can I do to keep it in place?

Is this a common issue?

Also how does your hba1c match with your libre readings/BG meter readings? I know that the libre is less accurate than my meter but my hba1c is similar to my average on my libre. Just wondered what everyone else has found.

Thanks

I haven't got my libre yet but I trialled one for my hospital and when she put the senior on she cleaned it with an alcoholic whip and left it to dry thoroughly before placing the senior. I no this don't help now by may be help next time xx

 

[Princesnikki]

Still haven't had my email for my libre yet how long did ppl have to wait???

 

[robert72]

I haven't got my libre yet but I trialled one for my hospital and when she put the senior on she cleaned it with an alcoholic whip and left it to dry thoroughly before placing the senior. I no this don't help now by may be help next time xx

There is an alcohol wipe in the sensor box - hopefully people are using it, it's on the application instructions.

 

[Princesnikki]

There is an alcohol wipe in the sensor box - hopefully people are using it, it's on the application instructions.

Uh I no but it was the drying time I was referring to as mine didn't life and was a nightmare to get off x

 

[Hill28]

@smidge : Just to let you know, have a sensor running well again applied over Compeed, maybe you should try your luck

 

[AndyS]

New sensor this morning and boy was it an odd response. The background is that I had a few glasses of wine last night and didn't drink much water until about 1pm today when I downed about 2l. I had two cups of coffee this morning.

When I started the sensor, it gathered data for an hour from about 10am, then plummeted and stayed at the low level for ages. My bg at this point was about 5 mmol/l but I was showing 2.4 to lo on the sensor.

I ate some lunch and my bg went up to about 8 before dropping back to around 7. Then I drank the water and my sensor suddenly woke up. It's been within 0.5 mmol/l since.

This isn't proof but I do wonder whether dehydration might play a very large part in the inaccuracies we see....

Oooh. You have the advanced mode unlocked do you?

I am still trying to get at that section since I want to enable half unit insulin doses. Trouble I have is that they don't seem to have anyone at my local hosiptal diabetes clinic that has the HCP code.

 

[AndyS]

I don't use anything at all, simply follow the instructions in the manual. Have not had any problems - I find it sticks the whole 14 days and I struggle to remove it on day 14. I swim, shower 2-3 times a day and run 5-10km at least 4 times a week. Unless you have skin reactions etc. I really don't think anything extra is necessary.

Likewise. First sensor I got a little worried about at the end of the first week but I had to work to get that sucker off my arm a week later.

One thing I have found that seems to make a difference to how accurate the sensor behaves is placement. My first sensor ended up nearer the side of my arm and was constantly reading 2 units low.
The last 2 I have managed to get right on the back of my arm in the really soft fleshy bit and they are never more than about 1 to 1.5 below bloods. After a couple of days they seem to settle down and more or less match.

Getting the adhesive scrubbed off the skin takes some effort though

 

[robert72]

Oooh. You have the advanced mode unlocked do you?

I am still trying to get at that section since I want to enable half unit insulin doses. Trouble I have is that they don't seem to have anyone at my local hosiptal diabetes clinic that has the HCP code.

CAA1C

 

[AndyS]

CAA1C

Excellent!

 

[smidge]

CAA1C

I wondered when someone would crack and publish it on here - it's widely out there on the internet anyway. I think it's a bit of a cheek that Abbott withhold it from us when we're paying for the **** thing!

Smidge

 

[TOMJC]

I haven't got my libre yet but I trialled one for my hospital and when she put the senior on she cleaned it with an alcoholic whip and left it to dry thoroughly before placing the senior. I no this don't help now by may be help next time xx

When did you sign up. I think people who signed up in Jan are getting theirs at the moment. I signed up in March so quite a while for me it would seem. Very frustrated!!

 

[robert72]

I called Abbott today about my current sensor which is giving variable readings up to 40% lower than blood tests. They told me it was acceptable to be within 2mmol out anyone else heard that? In previous dealings they said it needed to be within 15% of the finger stick, so I wonder if they have moved the goalposts. I wouldn't pay £100/month for anything so inaccurate. I've done 60 blood tests since last wednesday and wonder what use this sensor is. They did agree to replace it after I read out some >2mmol results (of which there are several).

 

[Emmotha]

I called Abbott today about my current sensor which is giving variable readings up to 40% lower than blood tests. They told me it was acceptable to be within 2mmol out anyone else heard that? In previous dealings they said it needed to be within 15% of the finger stick, so I wonder if they have moved the goalposts. I wouldn't pay £100/month for anything so inaccurate. I've done 60 blood tests since last wednesday and wonder what use this sensor is. They did agree to replace it after I read out some >2mmol results (of which there are several).

That's new news! As we've mentioned before, 2mmol is a lot if you generally stay between 4 and 7!