FREESTYLE LIBRE ON SALE!!!!

[noblehead]

The Libre is only licensed to be used on the arms @Hill28, when I reported my first sensor they were very thorough and must have asked 3-4 times during the conversation if the sensor was placed on my arm.

Given the amount of issues with the sensor inaccuracy I don't think that NICE will approve the Libre until these issues are resolved.

 

[tim2000s]

Given the amount of issues with the sensor inaccuracy I don't think that NICE will approve the Libre until these issues are resolved.

Depends on what data is presented to them. The Abbott accuracy study showed results over 28,000 readings compared to bloods that were comparable to those of blood testing meters. With the number they have in the wild, you wonder what percentage are really inaccurate?

 

[noblehead]

Depends on what data is presented to them. The Abbott accuracy study showed results over 28,000 readings compared to bloods that were comparable to those of blood testing meters. With the number they have in the wild, you wonder what percentage are really inaccurate?

Difficult to say, but when you read forums such as this and the amount of people who are having issues with the Libre it doesn't give you confidence that the Libre will be available on prescription any-time soon, also the cost would have to come down quite considerably before it was approved as the sensors are way over-priced.

 

[steve_p6]

To be honest I can't see the price shifting as they are already price conpetitive with eg Dexcom and no one else is really in the game yet. They have spent the last year unable to meet demand and the new capacity will be eaten up through opening up in the UK and also entering those markets where they haven't even started yet.

 

[noblehead]

@steve_p6, trouble is we (insulin dependant) still have to have access to bg strips to comply with the DVLA regs and such, prescribing both would be very costly in a time when the NHS is trying to cut costs............hence why I think the cost of the sensors to the NHS would need to be considerably reduced from its current price.

However I hope I'm wrong................

 

[steve_p6]

@noblehead i dont disagree its just that until there are more competing products fighting for market share there will be no pressure to cut costs. BG strips are a case in point, people will argue about favourite meters and such, but you can easily source 50 strips for £7 now. Best we will see in short term from NHS will be these two week runs with the Freestyle Pro so that the docs can have a proper view of what happens outside of the clinic, that pays in for only £50 a throw.

 

[Brunneria]

The Libre would certainly be a godsend for something like diagnosing reactive hypoglycaemia. Sooooooo much more cost effective than the current methods, with multiple clinic appointments, extended OGTTs etc.

We definitely need more competition to drive the prices down.

Does anyone know how Freestyle have managed to increase their sensor production so much? New facility? Extension of present facility? and how much it has been increased by? None of that automatically assumes that quality has deteriorated. The new production line may be better.

They seem to have reduced the waiting list significantly over the last two months, which is a very good thing.

 

[tim2000s]

Does anyone know how Freestyle have managed to increase their sensor production so much? New facility? Extension of present facility? and how much it has been increased by? None of that automatically assumes that quality has deteriorated. The new production line may be better.

They opened a new plant and have increased it to such an extent that you can now order 6 sensors in single order and the queues have now gone.

 

[Brunneria]

They opened a new plant and have increased it to such an extent that you can now order 6 sensors in single order and the queues have now gone.

Awesome! Thank you for this info.
Well worth knowing.

 

[noblehead]

@noblehead i dont disagree its just that until there are more competing products fighting for market share there will be no pressure to cut costs. BG strips are a case in point, people will argue about favourite meters and such, but you can easily source 50 strips for £7 now. Best we will see in short term from NHS will be these two week runs with the Freestyle Pro so that the docs can have a proper view of what happens outside of the clinic, that pays in for only £50 a throw.

In total agreement @steve_p6, hopefully competition will bring down the price.

 

[tim2000s]

Interestingly, I was sent an email this morning with an opportunity to invest via the government sponsored Enterprise Investment Scheme in what is believed to be the world’s first truly non-invasive, real-time, continuous monitoring glucose monitoring device, delivering results in cir. 0.5 seconds, and to be developed as a hand-held device for professional use, or a smart wrist band type device for diabetics.

Apparently it has already been subject to a Research Ethics Committee trial at the Royal Liverpool Hospital, a larger scale volunteer study and received the Bionow Healthcare Product of the Year award 2015.

If anyone knows what it is I'd be intrigued!

 

[Hill28]

I can't find a product like that on the bionow award website. It's not being mentioned.

I would love to try an alternative to the Libre, now that more and more sensors are misbehaving..

Still feeling pain on my leg, hesitating to take the sensor off, since it's my last one and it's working

 

[steve_p6]

The magic search word on Bionow was Glucose, company is Credent Medical in Nov 2014 awards but can't find anymore than that. chairman is Alan Edwards but There is little info out
there other than his profile.

Chairman
Credent Medical Ltd
2008 – Present (8 years)Liverpool Science Park

Credent is an early stage Medical technology company developing a personal use hand held non-invasive blood glucose monitor.

The technology is aimed at painless, convenient measuring of blood glucose for Diabetes

Tim - did you not get a prospectus with this offer?

 

[Robbity]

My kit arrived about an hour ago - from France as the driver proudly told me! I also ordered some test strips from ebay for comparison and they've also arrived today - so nice timing! (They were also cheaper than I can normally find my current Countour Next strips so I'm debating about switching over to them especially as Bayer has apparently now sold off its diabetes side to Ascensia, I think...)

Since I tend to be a very restless sleeper do I need to worry at all about the sensor coming off overnight?

Robbity

 

[robert72]

My kit arrived about an hour ago - from France as the driver proudly told me! I also ordered some test strips from ebay for comparison and they've also arrived today - so nice timing! (They were also cheaper than I can normally find my current Countour Next strips so I'm debating about switching over to them especially as Bayer has apparently now sold off its diabetes side to Ascensia, I think...)

Since I tend to be a very restless sleeper do I need to worry at all about the sensor coming off overnight?

Robbity

I used to worry about the sensor coming off in bed so wore tubi-grip over it, but I don't bother about it anymore.

 

[noblehead]

Since I tend to be a very restless sleeper do I need to worry at all about the sensor coming off overnight?

Only on my third sensor and not had any issues with the adhesive, even knocked them a few times on door frames and they've not budged.

 

[Brunneria]

I was paranoid about the sensor coming off, to start with. I used to think of it as a ring of sticky, with the sensor in the middle.

Once you have peeled off your first sensor you will realise that it is a disc of sticky, so even if it starts to lift at the edge, the middle bit (underneath the white plastic) is still firmly attached to you.

Haven't had a problem.

If you are worried, maybe sleep in something that has sleeves?

 

[Robbity]

Many thanks!

I
If you are worried, maybe sleep in something that has sleeves?

Yes I already do that in the winter. I'm just wanting all eventualities covered since they're so pricey!

I hope that I'll get some light shed on why I seem to be currently getting spikes (liver dumps?) late afternoon now instead of early morning/wake up dumps.

Robbity.

 

[buzzmonkey]

just ordered my starter kit, so looking forward to getting on with this

as an IT specialist, I was intrigued with the idea of collecting the data somehow, had a google around and found this, slightly concerning blog post

http://type1tennis.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/abbott-libre-uploading-your-life-to-us.html

 

[Hill28]

@Robbity I would think twice before switching to Freestyle Libre for blood testing, since for that te Libre is far less convenient than the Contour Next. The Libre gives a lot of errors when blood testing and it requires far more blood than te Next.

Btw the Contour Next is not being paid for anymore by the dutch insurances so I have to switch as well to another backup meter.