Freestyle Libre - worth every penny

[Jason_Avoneg]

Hi,

While I grumble at paying £100/month for sensors, credit where it's due.

It's a game changer for me, the challenge for me is finger pricking, I just can't do it during my work hours, because I'm in a lot of meetings, I know this is a poor excuse, but you just look like a pleb if you're busy drawing blood and etc during meetings with senior stakeholders and etc.

Also I can't be bothered to prick as often as I really should.

Accuracy - it's super accurate for me, matches my One Touch Verio which has been my go to meter for a few years now.

Easy of use - if you have a NFC smartphone no need for their silly reader, no need to carry an additional device. The software is pretty sweet.

Application - I've had no issues with mine, I've stupidly stuck it in my tricep, and done a work out that involved chest and triceps and no weird pains or etc. There is a slight sensation as it's living inside my tricep, but nothing too concerning.

Cost - probably the elephant in the room for most, but really, I think most people can find £100 a month, whether it means less meals out, less beer, less etc, I'm sure most of us can find £25/week if we really want to.

Blood sugars - I was soaring all over the place, and truth is I stopped testing my sugars consistently years ago...but not anymore, within 3 days I'm getting closer to the 5-7mmol range. I've only finger pricked around 5 times since to validate my trust in the Libre sensor. I've got good hypo awareness so generally have a feel for where I am...

If anything, and if there are any Abbott reps on here, perhaps you could look into a discount code or something for those of us who fund it personally. I know there's a code floating around for free delivery, but even a 10% code or similar would really help...

 

[CherryAA]

Hi,

While I grumble at paying £100/month for sensors, credit where it's due.

It's a game changer for me, the challenge for me is finger pricking, I just can't do it during my work hours, because I'm in a lot of meetings, I know this is a poor excuse, but you just look like a pleb if you're busy drawing blood and etc during meetings with senior stakeholders and etc.

Also I can't be bothered to prick as often as I really should.

Accuracy - it's super accurate for me, matches my One Touch Verio which has been my go to meter for a few years now.

Easy of use - if you have a NFC smartphone no need for their silly reader, no need to carry an additional device. The software is pretty sweet.

Application - I've had no issues with mine, I've stupidly stuck it in my tricep, and done a work out that involved chest and triceps and no weird pains or etc. There is a slight sensation as it's living inside my tricep, but nothing too concerning.

Cost - probably the elephant in the room for most, but really, I think most people can find £100 a month, whether it means less meals out, less beer, less etc, I'm sure most of us can find £25/week if we really want to.

Blood sugars - I was soaring all over the place, and truth is I stopped testing my sugars consistently years ago...but not anymore, within 3 days I'm getting closer to the 5-7mmol range. I've only finger pricked around 5 times since to validate my trust in the Libre sensor. I've got good hypo awareness so generally have a feel for where I am...

If anything, and if there are any Abbott reps on here, perhaps you could look into a discount code or something for those of us who fund it personally. I know there's a code floating around for free delivery, but even a 10% code or similar would really help...

If in the UK and T1 , you may be able to get it on the NHS come November ! glad its helped you. Its helped me ( T2) enormously.

 

[Jason_Avoneg]

Thanks, though I don't fancy my chances...I'll speak to my GP about it, but ultimately I am happy to fund it if need be...

 

[pinewood]

Glad it's helping you! I used it for a couple of years until the adhesive gave me a reaction. I now use Dexcom and love not having to carry the reader around with me. On that note, does anyone know if Libre works with iPhones yet?

If anything, and if there are any Abbott reps on here, perhaps you could look into a discount code or something for those of us who fund it personally. I know there's a code floating around for free delivery, but even a 10% code or similar would really help...

FYI, that's probably 99% of people currently. Very few receive it on the NHS. Abbott are therefore very unlikely to give out any coupon codes. What I've never understood is why they don't offer a direct debit and auto-delivery scheme; I'm sure that would be popular and also helps their bottom line in getting a consistent income stream.

 

[Mark_1]

I think if they dropped the price the increase in orders would cover the difference. If it was cheaper I'd use it more often. Due to its unreliability (I've yet to have one that's lasted the full 2 weeks) I only use them occasionally.

 

[stayingalive]

Yes, Freestyle Libre has changed everything for me - I'm delighted with the improved control, the ability to check without scaring strangers on the train (or indeed senior stakeholders!) and to check my sugar even when my fingers are too cold to get blood out of (eg when surfing). Has anyone got any suggestions for dealing with teh skin irritation though? I've just started, after 2 years, getting a bit of a reaction on one arm. Could we persuade them to use kinder glue?? Or is there a magic moisturiser people use?
And really hope the NHS locally will pay from November - its got to be cost effective compared to the number of test strips I used to get through.
I've been type one for nearly 25 years and think this has made a major difference to my (healthy, active) life expectancy.

 

[Jason_Avoneg]

Glad it's helping you! I used it for a couple of years until the adhesive gave me a reaction. I now use Dexcom and love not having to carry the reader around with me. On that note, does anyone know if Libre works with iPhones yet?


FYI, that's probably 99% of people currently. Very few receive it on the NHS. Abbott are therefore very unlikely to give out any coupon codes. What I've never understood is why they don't offer a direct debit and auto-delivery scheme; I'm sure that would be popular and also helps their bottom line in getting a consistent income stream.

Indeed, but with the NHS funding position there should be a shift, hell even a discounted direct debit solution wouldn't go a miss...

So 8 days in, and I truly can't even notice it in my arm anymore, glue isn't bothering me and I'm testing my blood sugars around 40-50 times a day...there's been months where I've not tested at all with finger pricks...

No phobia or anything, just got fed up with it after years of doing it...

Right I better order another few sensors ;-)

 

[Cliodb]

Hi,



Easy of use - if you have a NFC smartphone no need for their silly reader, no need to carry an additional device. The software is pretty sweet.

I would like to it out and have a NFC phone (samsung s7) dose that mean i can just buy a sensor and not the reader/starter kit ?

 

[Jason_Avoneg]

Yes, just buy a sensor, download libre link and you're good to go.

I have a HTC U11 and use that to read the sensor.

 

[Cliodb]

Yes, just buy a sensor, download libre link and you're good to go.

I have a HTC U11 and use that to read the sensor.

awesome ! the cost of the starter kit was to much for me, but will be able to afford a sensor

 

[Jason_Avoneg]

Just remember the sensor needs to be replaced every 14 days.

 

[DCUKMod]

awesome ! the cost of the starter kit was to much for me, but will be able to afford a sensor

Cliodb, if I recall, when I started using the Libre, the starter kit came with 2 sensors, plus a reader/meter, so it was a bit of a dollop of cash. These days, it's possible to choose how you start more selectively, which can pnly be a good thing.

Whilst loads of the Samsung range of phones have the relevant NFC technology built in. you might find this site to be useful, to check for yourself:

https://www.nfcworld.com/nfc-phones-list/

Whilst I have always only used the Libre from time to time, I have learned some fascinating things about my own diabetes I would never have picked up with even loads of finger prick testing.

I hope, if you decide to go ahead, that you find it to be useful.

On the downside, they can be addictive!

Good luck with it all.

 

[Levy]

Hi,

While I grumble at paying £100/month for sensors, credit where it's due.

It's a game changer for me, the challenge for me is finger pricking, I just can't do it during my work hours, because I'm in a lot of meetings, I know this is a poor excuse, but you just look like a pleb if you're busy drawing blood and etc during meetings with senior stakeholders and etc.

Also I can't be bothered to prick as often as I really should.

Accuracy - it's super accurate for me, matches my One Touch Verio which has been my go to meter for a few years now.

Easy of use - if you have a NFC smartphone no need for their silly reader, no need to carry an additional device. The software is pretty sweet.

Application - I've had no issues with mine, I've stupidly stuck it in my tricep, and done a work out that involved chest and triceps and no weird pains or etc. There is a slight sensation as it's living inside my tricep, but nothing too concerning.

Cost - probably the elephant in the room for most, but really, I think most people can find £100 a month, whether it means less meals out, less beer, less etc, I'm sure most of us can find £25/week if we really want to.

Blood sugars - I was soaring all over the place, and truth is I stopped testing my sugars consistently years ago...but not anymore, within 3 days I'm getting closer to the 5-7mmol range. I've only finger pricked around 5 times since to validate my trust in the Libre sensor. I've got good hypo awareness so generally have a feel for where I am...

If anything, and if there are any Abbott reps on here, perhaps you could look into a discount code or something for those of us who fund it personally. I know there's a code floating around for free delivery, but even a 10% code or similar would really help...

Completely agree with you! I took the plunge and bought my starter set 3 months ago after my A1C came back at over 8 (again) and I decided I seriously needed to get my a*se in gear.

Being really honest, my main downfall with managing my diabetes was also testing. I've been diabetic 15 years and no matter how much I've tried to keep myself engaged with my control, I never managed to do it. I couldn't be bothered with the constant testing and spent many days just testing once or twice a day, not having a clue what my levels were doing the rest of the day. It would go well for around a month after my hospital appointments, but I always slacked off again.

In that respect, Libre has completely transformed my life and my control! I haven't had an updated A1C since starting, but Libre is currently predicting a 6.4 which would be the lowest it's ever been and I'm seriously over the moon with that. I'm now happily scanning 20 times a day, not feeling fed up with it like I did with finger pricks, and the trends are really making me think about my food/exercise/basal doses a lot more than I used to.

Sure, it sounds like a lot of money but in my eyes it's a small price to pay for my health and there's no way I'm giving this up!

 

[Celsus]

Hi @pinewood, the Libre does not yet work with your iPhone if you think in the terms of reading directly from your sensor. When, I would be happy to buy e.g. the iWatch or whatever for that convenience.
And results are so reliable that I no longer use the old stuff with finger pricks and sticks anymore. (I live outside UK, so OK for the driving.)
Too bad with all those regulations holding back our usage of such devices, as technically they could easily implement this including alarms etc. But the regulations make the manufacturers risk adverse. Personally I switched to the Libre from the very start of it, paid for it myself as found the benefits so profound. They have also improved on the 'adhesive glue' on the sensor, so you might have that as a fallback in case you run sour with the DexCom. Funny thing is that I also tried the DexCom many years back in pre-clinical testing, as well as the Glucowatch if you remember those? But here I was probably too early, as they both gave me the allergic symptoms as you describe you got from the Libre. Sometimes we suffer by being the industry guinea pigs!

 

[Wurst]

I get the libre on the health insurance here in Germany, I have to part fund it ~ 30 euros every 3 months but I was paying the same for 3 months worth of test strips.

It certainly is an improvement over finger pricks but I find Abbot (German) customer service dreadful. In the first 3 months I've had two dud sensors and knocked one off :-
1) Read 3 mmol too low for the entire 2 weeks.
2) Packed up after a week with an error message saying the sensor has a fault and no further explanation.
3) Knocked one off with a week left , reattached it manually as the hole was still open but read too low most of the time so effectively useless.

I contacted Abbot on the first two occassions and they were very evasive. For the first issue they suggested I do a finger prick test, which obviously I had done to assess it was 3 mmol too low and then they tried selling me more test strips. For the second issue they accused me of mis-treating the sensor for it to fail!

If I had to fully fund this myself I would seriously reconsider. The fact that you can't reattach a sensor is a pure money making scheme on their part. How difficult would it be to make the asserter re-usable ?

 

[tim2000s]

The fact that you can't reattach a sensor is a pure money making scheme on their part. How difficult would it be to make the asserter re-usable ?

The same is true of any of these devices, and the main reason is that when you introduce it into the body it is sterile. As soon as you remove it then re-use it, it is not, and no medical device company wants to be sued by a user due to their arm falling off after a bacterial infection as a result of the reintroduction of a non-sterile invasive technology.

So the answer is that it will never happen.

 

[Celsus]

So the answer is that it will never happen.

Hi Tim,
You are as blunt and ruthlessly honest as always.
And unfortunately you are 100% right!

It started with the disposable needles 30+ years ago, where all incl the nursing staff tells you that you should always put on a new one before using your insulin pen for the next jab. While reality is that none so far ever got stomach infections from reusing the same needle till the pen is empty. (OK, maybe I should never say never?)
But now the same with the Libre sensor. It could perfectly well also run for another 2-4 weeks, while they artificially have put a dead-stop into it after just 14 days of usage. All to avoid some extreme rare liability exposure and still maximizing the profit they carve out from us diabetics and tax paid state healthcare provision.

 

[Diabeticliberty]

Very interesting thread this one. Libre isn't the most accurate thing in the world. Still who needs accuracy as it's only a medical device? Why have free accurate equipment requiring finger pricks on prescription when you can pay a hundred quip per month for something that well you know just kinda wings it? It's a no brainer if you ask me.

 

[Celsus]

Try an use your finger prick meter on the different fingers, and you will be surprised about the fluctuation. Likewise, most meters are not even precise when measured up against full fledged lab instrument using arterial blood. For some more fun, try and measure your bg from a finger you had out in the cold on a winter day, while measuring your bg at same time from the other hand you kept warm in a glove/pocket. And you will understand that all the mobile bg meters on the market are just giving rough indicators about the true bg. And for your specific sample above, all mobile meters are going bunkers when tasked to measure lows.

 

[Diabeticliberty]

Try an use your finger prick meter on the different fingers, and you will be surprised about the fluctuation. Likewise, most meters are not even precise when measured up against full fledged lab instrument using arterial blood. For some more fun, try and measure your bg from a finger you had out in the cold on a winter day, while measuring your bg at same time from the other hand you kept warm in a glove/pocket. And you will understand that all the mobile bg meters on the market are just giving rough indicators about the true bg. And for your specific sample above, all mobile meters are going bunkers when tasked to measure lows.

Finger prick blood test meters when leaving their place of manufacture must conform to a tolerance of accuracy of no more than +/- 10% Meters may fluctuate greater than this if contaminated or damaged or just through time. This in essence is why manufacturers will provide control test solution. I personally have yet to do a control test where the meter did not accurately record the solution according to the data on the side of the bottle in 33 years of blood glucose testing. I have 2 Accuchek Mobile meters and while they inevitably offer differing results from each other for the same sample of blood. The discrepancy is never more than 10% and usually a lot less. The discrepancy for my specific sample above is in my own opinion way beyond acceptable. The predicted HbA1c that my Libre reports generate are wildly inaccurate compared to a laboratory test. My most recent was approximately 12 points adrift. I am by no means isolated in the conclusions that I have arrived at. I speak face to face on a very regular basis to a number of Libre users. Their experiences are not vastly dissimilar to my own.