Type 1: Freestyle Libre

[SeanHomer_1]

Hi there guys,

I've just decided to give the Freestyle Libre a whirl.

I am on the skinny side and the back of my arm (where Freestyle say it must go) does not have a lot of meat to it! If there is anyone else out there that also uses the freestyle Libre and, like myself, does not have a lot of fat to them, I would like to know what your experience is like.

So far It is the second day of me having this odd white circle stuck to me, I had a bit of pain when applying the disc onto my arm...in fact I nearly passed out! The first night it caused some pain and discomfort.

I would love to hear any support about the Libre as I am deciding if it is something I will use in the long term.

 

[rockape37]

I'm just about coming to the end of my first sensor.

Personally and it is just my opinion i think tge libre sensor is just good enough as a guide as the readings can be way out either way sometimes.

If I'm honest with myself i wouldn't use it long term and thats both because the cost and accuracy of readings. I have one sensor left and will use it at a later date purely for monitoring when i eat or do something special or out of the ordinary.

As for pain on insertion I didn't feel a thing though I didn't like the look of the needle lol.

I hope i haven't put you off its just my own opinion.

Regards

Martin

 

[steve_p6]

People will place the libre on front of arm, stomach, thigh and appears to work fine.

Peoples expectations, experiences and needs vary but many will advocate how Libre has opened their eyes to BG behaviour, insulin and food responses and helped achieve HBA1C reductions.

 

[T1Dad]

Hi @SeanHomer_1, we use the Libre for my my 5 year old daughter. I can bet you my house that she has skinnier arms than you . Initially, we did think how the hell is thing going to stay on but it does. We use GrifGrips to help keep it on and they work well.

Overall, I can't recommend this device enough. We would find it difficult to cope without it now. Accuracy has been fine for the most part and no skin irritations/rashes have come up so far. Good luck!!

Check out the Libre Facebook group as well. Thousands of happy users.

 

[col101]

I've just started my third sensor about five minute ago. My experience is that the libre reading tends to be consistent in how it varies from my bg meter w which is fine

 

[SeanHomer_1]

I'm on day three of my first sensor now, it's consistency compared to my freestyle optium neo is a bit concerning but I am giving it some time to see if it calibrates to my arm a bit better.

 

[qe5rt]

I'm not really skinny but i don't have an ounce of fat on my arms. The first sensor i placed did cause a bit of discomfort like a painful insect bite from time to time. Right now i'm on my third sensor and i placed it on the bulgy part of the triceps, it was a bit of a mistake at first but i don't experience any discomfort from it at the moment. Only discomfort is when i'm wearing a thermal shirt for when i'm cycling, it's fairly tight and i do notice that something is pushing into my arm.

I don't find placing the sensor any more painful than drawing blood from the finger to be honest, the first one i barely felt at all, though i can imagine just like drawing blood from the finger that from time to time some will hurt more and some will hurt less.

As to how much i like it: i absolutely love it. My diabetes team has mentioned that in the beginning they were a bit in doubt as to whether it would yield better results. But they mentioned that most of the people using it have lowered their hba1c by 0.5-1%. I'll have my next blood test in december but at the moment i'm looking at a drop of about 0.5% compared to my previous hba1c. It really allowed me to see how long before a meal i have to inject my insulin giving lower spikes. I noticed when i'm rising during the night and slowly but certainly getting a fix for that. I see the impact of resistance workouts and bike rides. I even successfully managed a complete binge eating evening without going too high and because of the FSL i knew i had to wake up at 3 A.M. inject some insulin and continue sleeping making me wake up with a perfect value.

This all said it does take some time to get used to. You're basically receiving more data and to have the best results you need to act upon that data. When i think of it i probably made the most changes because of the FSL and it improved my overall control.

EDIT; keep in mind that the sensor can take up to 36 hours to function properly after injecting. They advice you compare with a finger prick until the values nearly match.

 

[Flakey Bake]

I find that the reading are inaccurate for the first 24 h, then they improved and are generally no more than about 0.3mmol out thereafter.

 

[Snapsy]

@SeanHomer_1 I have slim quite muscular arms and I find the sensor uncomfortable for the first day or so - I apply it (actually that's my husband's job) on a Friday evening and leave it until the Sunday morning before activating it, and that first night it's usually jolly sore.

It does calm down though. So far I've not had a problem with the sensors, and I've used the system continuously since February. I love it with a passion.

 

[SeanHomer_1]

@Snapsy What's the reason that you don't activate it for two days? Just curious

 

[Snapsy]

I give it 36 hrs to settle down, @SeanHomer_1 - I have done this from my very first sensor purely because of what I read on his forum (paaaaaaages and pages of posts - it took weeks!) while I was doing my research before I bought it.

I have no first-hand proof of this being the case, as I haven't ever tried activating it immediately, but the message I was getting from the posts on here was that it tends to be inaccurate for a little while after sensor application, and that that might be because the skin and tissue around the sensor probe is traumatised (as we both know, it does hurt a bit on application). That made sense to me, so that's why I leave it to 'heal' for 36 hours before activating it, so that I can be confident in the data it's giving me from the start.

This does mean that every other Saturday I am wearing a sensor on each arm! I might look a bit daft as a result, but I don't really mind! I'm not ever without a sensor - those 36 hours are covered by the previous sensor, if you see what I mean!

 

[SeanHomer_1]

I'm going to give this a go when I apply my new sensor! Thanks for the idea.

 

[Samwar]

I've just started my first one on Monday and love it the sensor Hert when I put it on but fine now and I've got no meat on me but it is out sometime with reading it told me bg was 3.1 when tested with strips it was 5.1 but it is helping as I've only be type 1 for a year and one week .

 

[SeanHomer_1]

Just a quick side note...
I'm going to be travelling in around two weeks, what do you reckon it will be like going through security with my Freestyle Libre patch on?

 

[tim2000s]

No issues at all. DOne it with Libre, Dexcom, carrying an xDrip and with an OpenAPS.

 

[Tonyb6000]

Had my Libre about six months. Not a lot of fat on me. I had an issue with an early sensor because I twisted my arm round to apply it. Keep your arm straight and loose so you don't get the little filament in your stretched muscle. The needle doesn't stay in, that's just for insertion, and never look at the needle before applying!

I love the libre. Wish it could talk to my pump. I had same issues with pump sets in my stomach hurting. They switched me to the kids sets that go in at an angle and they're much better. No pain at all.

Hope the Libre works out for you. Any problems with the sensors just call them. I've had two replaced for free, even when one fell off in the shower.

 

[steve_p6]

Just a quick side note...
I'm going to be travelling in around two weeks, what do you reckon it will be like going through security with my Freestyle Libre patch on?

The spectacle wipe packet in my pocket failed the scan at Stansted, Libre didnt trigger anything at all even on the handheld scanner!

 

[rockape37]

Just finished my first sensor which i removed with ease, the sensor came away leaving the sticky patch /pad on my arm but this also came away easily leaving no sticky residue at all.

Regards

Martin

 

[jakay42]

I have been using the Libra for around four months now and you get used to the variations, especially in the first 24 48 hours. It would have me in hospital after first application it reads so low. No problem with pain applying the sensor but what a carry on trying to get it off!! Has a tendency to read about 1.0 variation once it settles but that's just me. Good bit of kit just a little expensive.

 

[big-al]

I'm type 1, diagnosed 3 years ago. I've been using Libre for about a year now after being advised at the diabetes clinic. I have brought my HbA1c down to 6.4 at the last reading, this is mainly because I got a good insight into what was happening overnight. I haven't had a night hypo since I started using Libre. (I am quite obsessive about my BG control).

The only time there are discrepancies in readings are just after I start using it, it is usually 10 - 20% under, but I take this into account when doing the readings following a sensor change.

There is no problem at airport scanner security and I've never had any pain even when applying and no rash etc.

I've downloaded the app for the sensor to my phone so don't even need to carry a reader any more, the information on the phone is great, really well presented and easy to read.

One thing is be careful when applying sun cream, twice I have lost a sensor after applying sun cream then going swimming. I now keep lotions and creams well away from the site of the sensor.

The cost is the only down side but I think it is worth it for the amount of finger pricking you avoid and the ease of reading results and the insight gained.

I was given a good comment about diabetes control at my clinic.
'Diabetes control is like walking through a dark tunnel where you switch a light on 4 times a day when you check your BG. Having the Libre is like having a light on all the time.'

If you are thinking about it go for it, but remember each sensor is almost £50 and lasts 2 weeks.