Abbott freestyle libre

Belwyn

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi I have a query re Freestyle libre. I have been using it since July and I think it is great. However I am experiencing problems with sensor errors ( try again after 10 mins). Abbott replaced a sensor a month or two ago as I was getting a lot of the messages and today with a sensor 4 days old they have started again. Phoned Abbott and they are sending a replacement, foc
The last sensor was ok apart from some gaps in the graph, not seeming equating to error messages.. Has anyone else had similar problems

Thanks
Alex
 

vic hill

Well-Known Member
Messages
279
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
have now tried 3 sensors all seem ok as i run in tandem with my acc-chec pumped glucose testing machine match up pretty good but all machine do have some some small difference bit like going back to wee testing not accurate in real time but all are great guide if you break down to LOW MIDDLE ,HIGH range s and as you may say 5 min s is a very fast change ,ref if going low very fast or a steady high blood sugars
do you know i think we all have bad deals as CUTOMERS they send you new sensor to replace your one.
you should have another one for the uncertain results that can cause you grief worry and may lead to confushion
as they are so expensive ,,,,,CUTOMERS GOOD WILL AND ALL THAT hmm
same if you buy something from a shop and goes wrong you have to take it back and replace it what about the cost of travel i.e. taxi ,bus train or biking and walking all we get is the new article , and that is that ********* ..
the trouble is they have to stand the cost on faults bit the them washing machines that catch fire should be stopped and new supplied not still catching fire and COSTING A LOT OF MONEY
WELL THATS MY GRIPE
STAY GGOD VIC
 

pennyliz

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 2
have now tried 3 sensors all seem ok as i run in tandem with my acc-chec pumped glucose testing machine match up pretty good but all machine do have some some small difference bit like going back to wee testing not accurate in real time but all are great guide if you break down to LOW MIDDLE ,HIGH range s and as you may say 5 min s is a very fast change ,ref if going low very fast or a steady high blood sugars
do you know i think we all have bad deals as CUTOMERS they send you new sensor to replace your one.
you should have another one for the uncertain results that can cause you grief worry and may lead to confushion
as they are so expensive ,,,,,CUTOMERS GOOD WILL AND ALL THAT hmm
same if you buy something from a shop and goes wrong you have to take it back and replace it what about the cost of travel i.e. taxi ,bus train or biking and walking all we get is the new article , and that is that ********* ..
the trouble is they have to stand the cost on faults bit the them washing machines that catch fire should be stopped and new supplied not still catching fire and COSTING A LOT OF MONEY
WELL THATS MY GRIPE
STAY GGOD VIC
 

pennyliz

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I am new to forum, been using Libre a few months, it's excellent but the cost is desperate on a pension! Had problems with knocking sensor off my arm while swimming, of course it can't be re attached, but I found that covering it with microporous tape prevents this and sensor still works.Try to swim twice a day to help blood sugar levels but a1c always too high.
 

vic hill

Well-Known Member
Messages
279
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
hi penny liz
yes I have just done a comparison on small blood strips like the true and gluco rx just uses the bottle of strips and this is funded by myself as the nhs provide me with a pump and all that goes with it

so what i am trying to do is the cost of each blood strip which is at the monent
TRUE RESULT STRIPS ARE working out at
£0.44 pence each now on the GLUCO RX GO . BOUGHT FROM THE SHOP ON THIS SITE (very good delivery )
cost each £0 38 pence each
not sure how long you have been a type 1 if you use the LIBRE the cost per day is £3-57 that only for the sensors 14 day period not the cost of meter
i find the libre is great for say overnight basel adjusting and also if you drive a lot is great for instance reading

but with the strip testing you may use before swimming and the worst time for going low is after excise do not ask me why but somebody can tell you why better than i can so do test after swimming or any long walking after say 30 mins
hope this helps VIC ON INSULIN 59 YEARS YES 59 YEARS GOOD LUCK
 

AJKOK11

Member
Messages
11
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Just purchased the freestyle libre here in the UK.

24 hours after starting, been really disappointed with the accuracy of the readings. Currently it shows my level at 4 but I know from my existing test kit I am 6.2. Overnight it showed me below 3 when I never went below 5.

Worrying if you can't rely on it. Really want it to work, but that's a huge variance.
 

Energize

Well-Known Member
Messages
810
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
The Libre can take 24-48 hrs to settle down so you could find the readings improve as yet. However, all meters, ie blood glucose meters, test strips etc will often give a different reading, even if from the same blood sample. There are many factors causing slight differences.

The Glucometers and the Libre have a % range of tolerance to be acceptable. Sorry, I can't quote you the figures but you can find this info out on Google etc, or even in the forum here, but you may have to read back a bit.

Many people attach the new sensor 24 hours before the current one expires and then activates the new sensor once the old one has finished.

If you are still concerned re the accuracy of the sensor, give Abbott a call and they will explain the tolerance %. Most people seem to find the sensor to be pretty accurate, although not necessarily the same as your meter. Because the finger-prick is a test on the blood, the Libre is sampling interstitial fluid, so there is a basic difference in the test itself. Also, being interstitial fluid, it will take a bit longer to reflect the blood glucose level. The extremes, ie higher figures and the lower figures may show more discrepancy too. If the blood glucose level is changing very quickly, ie raising or lowering quickly, again the Libre sensor won't pick up the changing levels of glucose as quickly as the blood test and therefore will likely show a larger discrepancy. Body hydration also plays a huge part in the accuracy of the readings so may I suggest you make sure to be drinking lots of water to keep well hydrated.

Give the sensor a bit longer and then see how it goes. It could be that your glucometer reads a bit high or low took, of course ;)
 

Brunneria

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
21,889
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I must be one of the lucky ones where the Libre 'just works'.
All my sensors have been accurate to within about 0.3mmol/l and consistent about it. Except for one which was consistently out by 1mmol/l. So that was incredibly easy to compensate for. :)

Mind you, I only ever trust my comparison tests when the arrow is horizontal, because that means the bg isn't rising or dropping rapidly, and capillary blood and interstitial fluid won't be far out.

If the arrow is rising or falling then all bets are off!
 

David Wass

Well-Known Member
Messages
63
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I had the same problem attach a new sensor as the old failed. I phoned libre they happily sent a new one received it ok went sent back the old one but couldn't as the jiffy bag that came with it had no address. Again today 3 days before it was due to run out failing and can sense as ging to fail as the same repeated error try again in 10 mins. When i called libre last time they advised me that there are phones which are making the sensors fail. He said it was the Samsung Galaxy S7 software which they think are doing it. I have the S7 Edge but he couldn't definitely confirm if the software on my phone was doing it too. He wouldn't confirn if other phones are doing this. If they know why not roll back the software wheb itvwas working fine as i never use to have problems. Confusing.