FREESTYLE LIBRE ON SALE!!!!

[malhotrn]

I called Abbott today to report a faulty sensor...and they informed me that they now have sensors available for children as well (below 18 yrs old)...That's great!

 

[noblehead]

Hi @noblehead. Just out of curiosity...which BG monitor do you use?

I only ask because this weekend I unfortunately had to swap to an old BG monitor...a Freestyle mini...and have found that the readings are much closer to the Libre. Normally I use a Bayer Contour next USB...which I have always found has always corresponded quite well with hypo symptoms...where both the Libre and mini are reading much lower. My hypo awareness has always been quite good...or so I've always thought...but my experience using the mini this weekend has made me wonder if I'm actually not experiencing symptoms until I'm quite low. I think my next step is to try and obtain some control solutions for both BG monitors and see what the results are...I know the theory on 20% variations etc...but there is a big difference between a LO on Libre and a 5.1 on my contour. Just wonder if anyone else has experienced anything similar.

Hi @Natalie1974

I'm on a insulin pump and it has a bg meter integrated, it's the Omnipod Tubeless Pump which also uses Freestyle Test Strips but not the ones the Libre uses.

As a suggestion why don't you get some bg test strips prescribed for your Libre so you can compare the sensor readings with your bg reading, you might as well take advantage of it having an integrated bg meter as it will save you carrying around 2 meters.

Before changing to a pump I was using the Accu-chek Aviva Expert but before that was using the Contour Next USB, always found it to be quite accurate and never had any issues with the strips, but you should do a control solution test if in doubt as this follows the manufacturers recommendations.

Just one other thing, as the Libre measures glucose in interstitial fluid there's going to be a small difference if you were to compare the readings from the sensor to a bg meter straight away, a good way of testing the accuracy is to test your bg levels and then scan the reader 20mins later to see how the two compare.

Sorry if this hasn't been helpful.

 

[Natalie1974]

Hi Natalie 1974, if it helps over the years I've used all kinds of glucose meters and for a long time used freestyle. I personally found that all of their meters, mini, freedom lite, Insulinx always read lower than other meters.
As you say on some occasions the readings I had on my freestyle I knew were too low compared to my actual level and how I felt.
From my experience they seem to run their meters lower. I would say the Contour USB is the more accurate one.
Also I've found the Libre can run consistently lower at times and not as accurate as a blood glucose meter.

I think I'm inclined to agree with you...as lovely as it would be to rely solely on the Libre...judging on the last few sensors I've had I would potentially be treating a hypo at 5-6 or even 7 and there doesn't appear to be a great deal of consistency at either end of the spectrum...or maybe I've just been unlucky so far...I really don't know. I have a couple more sensors to use so will persevere to see if there is any improvement but I think I will be sticking with my trusty contour...although will still see if I can get hold of some control solution just to be sure.

 

[Natalie1974]

I couldn't comment on how accurate your meters might be, but these days, if you have an errant sensor, Abbott are a bit sceptical of comparative meter/sensor/reader meetings, unless they are Abbott readers, or indeed the onboard reader in the scanner.

I know many people haven't had any reliability issues with sensors, but my experience has been quite patchy. Some have been very off, with my current sensor swinging between running very low and very high.

I self-fund my strips (and obviously the Libre too, when I use it), so routinely use the Codefree meter, but I have bought some Abbott strips, so that I have a robust comparator, should I need to call them. Would that influence which strips you might choose to have on prescription?

I had my last sensor replaced because the readings were so far out, but this was based on the Libre scanner and blood test result as well as the reading from my contour...all of which were hugely different...as below...it doesn't really inspire confidence...I had several of these type of readings though before I finally cracked and called customer services...to be fair the replacement has been a lot better. Thankfully I had a few spare test strips for the Libre but would be unlikely to get them on prescription because of these variations.

Libre blood test: 5.1
Libre scan: 2.3
Contour blood test: 6.4

 

[Scarlet10]

Had my e-mail today to say i can purchase this. I have only waited 2 months. I will need to wait for pay day end of the month first What strips will i need for this meter which i will need to buy? I have a accu-chek meter at the moment which i will continue with.

 

[robert72]

Had my e-mail today to say i can purchase this. I have only waited 2 months. I will need to wait for pay day end of the month first What strips will i need for this meter which i will need to buy? I have a accu-chek meter at the moment which i will continue with.

You'll need the Freestyle Optium strips for the Libre reader
https://abbottdiabetescare.co.uk/our-products/testing-strips/freestyle-optium-test-strips

 

[Brunneria]

Had my e-mail today to say i can purchase this. I have only waited 2 months. I will need to wait for pay day end of the month first What strips will i need for this meter which i will need to buy? I have a accu-chek meter at the moment which i will continue with.

Read the emails carefully! I only had 7 days to decide whether to buy or not - after that, my opportunity passed to the next person in the queue.

 

[Scarlet10]

Thanks @robert72 and @Brunneria

 

[Desbrina]

my email said that there was no time limit

Bottom of the email - Please note that there is no time restriction to complete your purchase

If in doubt, create the account then order when you have the money, thats what i did

 

[pmtbrew]

Taken me long enough but reading the threads regarding accuracy I have finally uploaded mt data on the accuracy of the Freestyle, for me the accuracy (generally) is almost perfect. We all have to bear in mind that the finger prick tests are also no accurate (which is why I compare the Freestyle data wit the average to two separate blood tests)

 

[Hill28]

I've had a lot of defect sensors among my last 5. Either they didn't start or in one case my reader did not even 'see' the sensor.
I've now put one on without compeed since it just not seems to work anymore with the compeed below. Hope my skin survives and that this sensor will finally start to give me some values again.

Anyone else noticed rising fault rates among there sensors?

 

[madusmacus]

It seems to be random for me :¬(

so far about 4/18 bad and replaced
of the rest usually either 1-2 mmol to high or 1-2 mmol to low compared to blood prick (but bloods not accurate either)
great for gauging spike triggers but I wouldn't trust this device if I had serious problems (which makes a mockery of the excellent software supplied)

in my opinion its about luck of insertion
get a good site your good to go
hit something weird sensor is dead or misreading

still useful though just dont really have any trust now :¬)

 

[Hill28]

It seems to be random for me :¬(

so far about 4/18 bad and replaced
of the rest usually either 1-2 mmol to high or 1-2 mmol to low compared to blood prick (but bloods not accurate either)
great for gauging spike triggers but I wouldn't trust this device if I had serious problems (which makes a mockery of the excellent software supplied)

in my opinion its about luck of insertion
get a good site your good to go
hit something weird sensor is dead or

still useful though just dont really have any trust now :¬)

Thanks. In that case I think I just used to have more luck in the past. I had 6 sensors in a row which worked absolutely fine, even when inserted over compeed and on my leg. However, it appears i can't get the sensors to work like that anymore.

 

[madusmacus]

Thanks. In that case I think I just used to have more luck in the past. I had 6 sensors in a row which worked absolutely fine, even when inserted over compeed and on my leg. However, it appears i can't get the sensors to work like that anymore.

Maybe they are a bit more flimsy now and the compeed damages them :¬(
I might try warming up my arm next time (2 days) see if they going better - ill report back

 

[Hill28]

Yes i

Maybe they are a bit more flimsy now and the compeed damages them :¬(
I might try warming up my arm next time (2 days) see if they going better - ill report back[/QUOTE

Finally back online after messing up 2 sensors. This one was bleeding vut it's working at least. Now please don't eat up my leg;p

 

[Hill28]

Yes i

Maybe they are a bit more flimsy now and the compeed damages them :¬(
I might try warming up my arm next time (2 days) see if they going better - ill report back

Finally back online after messing up 2 sensors. This one was bleeding but it's working at least. Now please don't eat up my leg without compeed;p

 

[Garr]

Just applied my first sensor but yet to turn on my reader. Am I better to wait til the morning to activate it, to let it settle, or do you just go for it?

 

[Natalie1974]

I admire your self restraint...I couldn't get my first one going quick enough lol.
Once registered on the reader it takes an hour to fire up before you're able to start scanning. I usually find the first couple of hours that the readings are way out but it usually settles after a couple of hours...but accuracy tends to improve more so by the morning...bearing in mind that I usually apply in the evening.

 

[Garr]

Cheers Natalie, I'm bursting to fire it up but another night waiting won't hurt I guess. And after guessing my bolus for my haggis, tatties and neeps (Burns night) I'm probably better off waiting!

 

[Hill28]

****, finally I got a sensor working and now it's hurting like hell when I walk. Think i hit a muscle or so. I also bled when I inserted it.

Next time I will put it on my arm again. Strange that I was able to put a lot of sensors on my leg, even with Compees under them, and they were all working fine. And now one after another is causing trouble and not working.

Abbot blames me for not using them correctly. They have a point there, but I also think the higher production rates are decreasing quality!