Freestyle libre question

[KesLouise]

Hello all

Hope you are keeping well!

I’m on day 4 of my first sensor and have a few questions for people who have used it for a while.

Do you tend to scan the sensor with the scanner or with your phone?

Is one preferable to the other?

How long before the first sensor runs out should I insert the next one?

Many thanks in advance

 

[xfieldok]

I put the next one on 24 hours before the current one ends.

I activate with the reader then use my phone.

 

[Rokaab]

I put the next one on 24 hours before the current one ends.

I do that as well.

I use both the reader and the sensor, I find the reader much more convenient to use and much more discreet (it's a lot smaller than most phones out there for a start), but the reporting, app use and other stuff on the phone app is better, so I use the reader mostly too see what I'm at but do make sure I scan with the phone every 8 hours at least so it has all the data.

 

[Rose22]

Hello all

Hope you are keeping well!

I’m on day 4 of my first sensor and have a few questions for people who have used it for a while.

Do you tend to scan the sensor with the scanner or with your phone?

Is one preferable to the other?

How long before the first sensor runs out should I insert the next one?

Many thanks in advance

Oh that’s brilliant, I am on day 2 of my first Libre sensor! How are you finding it?
I am self funding, to see if it’ll help me see patterns and just feel more confident with trying to introduce exercise and see how my carb counting/ insulin doses are... and what happens during the night. Do you mind me asking, did you have to do all the courses to get it on the nhs.? My dn said I’d need do carb counting course (first one was a years time) and then attend the Libre course plus 3 month follow up course. I’m guessing this has all stopped due to shutdown? I’ve only been on insulin 7 weeks, so a sort of newbie. But found left to my own devices completely! No appointments, no follow ups. I’d email my levels to the dn to check ok. I was told to do fixed doses, after a bad hypo, I’ve switched to carb counting as best as I can. Finding the Libre really great so far, and fingers have had a rest! So nice when in target! Slightly alarmed when see high spikes.
I’m using my mobile to swipe.

 

[KesLouise]

Oh that’s brilliant, I am on day 2 of my first Libre sensor! How are you finding it?
I am self funding, to see if it’ll help me see patterns and just feel more confident with trying to introduce exercise and see how my carb counting/ insulin doses are... and what happens during the night. Do you mind me asking, did you have to do all the courses to get it on the nhs.? My dn said I’d need do carb counting course (first one was a years time) and then attend the Libre course plus 3 month follow up course. I’m guessing this has all stopped due to shutdown? I’ve only been on insulin 7 weeks, so a sort of newbie. But found left to my own devices completely! No appointments, no follow ups. I’d email my levels to the dn to check ok. I was told to do fixed doses, after a bad hypo, I’ve switched to carb counting as best as I can. Finding the Libre really great so far, and fingers have had a rest! So nice when in target! Slightly alarmed when see high spikes.
I’m using my mobile to swipe.

I probably should have said I’m self funding for the exact same reason. I’ve been on insulin since July 2019 when diagnosed and can’t see a consultant until August / September. I’m on the list to attend the kaT1e course here but obviously it isn’t running at the moment with everything that is going on. I don’t know if and when the libre course will start up again but would be good to attend.

I am alarmed by the spikes as well, seeing it on a graph looks so strange!!

 

[KesLouise]

I do that as well.

I use both the reader and the sensor, I find the reader much more convenient to use and much more discreet (it's a lot smaller than most phones out there for a start), but the reporting, app use and other stuff on the phone app is better, so I use the reader mostly too see what I'm at but do make sure I scan with the phone every 8 hours at least so it has all the data.

Interesting how does that work in terms of the data you share with health professionals, which one do you share or can you share both? Sorry if that seems a silly question!

 

[KesLouise]

I put the next one on 24 hours before the current one ends.

I activate with the reader then use my phone.

Brilliant thank you. So at what point do you activate the next sensor?

 

[Rokaab]

Interesting how does that work in terms of the data you share with health professionals, which one do you share or can you share both? Sorry if that seems a silly question!

At the hospital they take the reader and plug it into their machine so grab the data off that, but for generally talking to them (or my DN at the docs, or anyone who happens to be interested) its a lot easier to show stuff on the phone - bigger screen, more info, easier navigation

Brilliant thank you. So at what point do you activate the next sensor?

I activate my new one when the old one runs out

 

[MarkHaZ123]

If you have the app on your phone you will see at the bottom that it tells you how many days till you change your sensor. Each one you have for 14 days. When you get to the last day it will count the hours down. I started on a Wednesday with the libre but Iv got it to a Sunday now to change as I don't do anything on a Sunday so makes sense to change whereas I'm always busy during the week

You will find it helps alot. I wanted it from November when I did the Dafne course as others that were on it had it and with my job and how busy I usually am it helps more as I don't always have to finger prick. I finally got it in February and it has helped so much to bring levels down as you can work out where you are going wrong with things and when certain readings always come up

 

[Ushthetaff]

Hi I’ve been on the Libre for ages prob about 15 months maybe longer .i use both reader and phone , a word of caution if you don’t already know , when you activate a new sensor make sure you activate it FIRST with your reader NOT your phone , because if you do you’ll only be able to use your phone , if you activate with reader first you can use both .
I love the Libre it’s helped me immensely I use to have terrible HB1 ac results. But now so much better all thanks to Libre. Beware of information overload as you can take bs so easily and frequently. Don’t worry about some spikes in blood sugar it’s not the end of the world .

 

[Peter03]

Just a word of warning if you get unusual highs or lows always do a blood strip test before you take any action as the libre is not perfect, I hope you find it helpful, it certainly will help with your control if you need help

 

[KesLouise]

Thanks everyone for all of your advice it’s really going to help!

I’ve just done the libre academy online to get a bit more of an understanding which was also helpful.

I’ve also just seen on another platform that there has been an update to libreview which means that data from 2 sources will be combined, don’t know if anyone else has seen that