Life with Libre

[yorkref]

After a fair bit of thought and research I decided to take the plunge and have a go with the Libre sensor. I thought it might be useful to record my thoughts in one place in case anyone else was thinking about it.
I had a few misgivings but my main concern was it would fall off as I spend a couple of hours in a swimming pool 3 or 4 times a week which is well beyond their 30 mins maximum. With that in mind I decided I have to tape the sensor. I eventually went for Opsite transparent tape but I put some gauze over the sensor so that the Opsite is sticking to my arm not the sensor.
I ordered direct from freestyle and have to say the order was processed and arrived quickly. Yesterday I made sure I read everything and that I was happy with what I had to do. Today I waited until the afternoon when my BG is pretty stable, had a shower , made sure I was nice and dry then used the medicated wipe.
As suggested I picked the back of my arm. Being left handed I went for the right arm. If I'm honest I would have preferred to fix it to the abdominal area but I followed the instructions.
It was straightforward enough. I did find the applicator difficult to open but that was probably because I didn't want to damage it. Opened the sterile pack with the sensor , lined up the black indicator lines and very tentatively pressed down to attach the sensor to the applicator.
It contains a needle - yes it does. Very much like a long Lancet needle and that's going to be such in me for 14 days? Told myself not to be silly , put the applicator in place and pressed down. There is an advantage to bingo wings - I didn't feel a thing.
Next step is to remove the applicator. Easier said than done as I'd managed to nip some of my skin into it. A bit of gentle extraction later I freed my skin and the applicator without detaching the now stuck sensor.
With Hubby's help I applied gauze and Opsite to ensure it stayed put. I'm leaving it quietly in place until tomorrow afternoon and will activate it.
Once I got over being tentative it was surprisingly easy and painless to attach. Just hoping activation is as problem free tomorrow.

Stated with Libre in May 2017 - first pad came off after 5 days and replacement lasted 7 days!
What is best way to fix pad securely

 

[MPM]

Diabetic now for forty odd years, Coeliac for the last 4, currently on pump.
I have been using the Libre for the last year and have had very varied results, from being spot on to quite inaccurate.
The present one I am using has been out by at least 2.5 since I started it and as far off as 3.5 at times.
This has also been the case with the overnight readings too where there are no rapid changes in blood glucose levels, a reading of around 3.5 in the morning with the night time graph showing me as being low all night yet when I check with my meter the reading has always above 5.5.
I like the libre but think the company has still some work to do with the accuracy of it perhaps it is time they looked at the possibility of allowing the user to calibrate the sensor.
Michael

 

[gavin86]

Not sure what they'd say, but may be worth telling Abbott about the problem sensors - I'm sure they'd be interested in getting hold of it (+ an export of your meter readings). They might even replace it.

 

[MPM]

Not sure what they'd say, but may be worth telling Abbott about the problem sensors - I'm sure they'd be interested in getting hold of it (+ an export of your meter readings). They might even replace it.

Thanks for the reply but from what i read they require you to use their meter and test strips to do the comparison i am not really interested in changing my meter at the moment. I suppose i will have to live with it. Having said that i started a new sensor yesterday and the readings have all been around 2 below my meter reading.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Thanks for the reply but from what i read they require you to use their meter and test strips to do the comparison i am not really interested in changing my meter at the moment. I suppose i will have to live with it. Having said that i started a new sensor yesterday and the readings have all been around 2 below my meter reading.

I had an inaccurate inconsistent one replaced. I emailed them rather than phoning and said very little in my email. I told them I used the Codefree meter for comparisons, mentioned some of the inaccuracies but sent no images or paper work to back this up. The only thing I did do different was coincidentally I had a venous blood glucose test at the surgery whilst wearing it so was able to compare that. Again, it was all verbal, no written evidence. I had a reply back asking for the reader number, and once done they sent me a replacement sensor by return.

 

[Fleegle]

I have started with one in the last two weeks. I to get lower reading than my SD code free - but equally that is completely random and known to read higher. I also get the slow downward trend all night - as low as about 3mmol.
This is consistent across two sensors. It does go up and down as I eat though so it is tracking even a little lower than it should. The HBA1C test will tell.

BTW - in one sitting on my SD code free with three strips I got 8.4, 7.1, 6.5 - and short of taking three every time and averaging I suspect the Libre is more likely to be accurate - I don't know?

I did email them about the first sensor - they have sent me some test strips to try and see what the difference really is. I will do this over the next couple of days. They also sent me out a new sensor.

I presume that they fall under the same regulations as any other meter meaning that they have to be within (is it 15%) of the mark. So I think that when it tells me I am 5 I could be as high as 5.75 and I am not too worried about that. I suppose I would be if it read 15 - but then I would be worried about a lot of things.

I hope it is not as inaccurate as suggested. When I did my research before buying I could find next to no bad news on them across several sites

 

[Fleegle]

I might have to eat my words. As I sat here reading the post mine had dropped to 3.8mmol so I decided to do the check with the strips supplied with the libre. And it read 6.2mmol. I waited ten mins, with a scan at 5mins and found that the number rose to 4 on the scan. Even so - the two are 2.2mmol out - 50% of the meter reading or 30% of the blood reading. Even if you apply the .5mmol rule to the blood test it is still 1.7mmol out. So I called them - they are sending another sensor out but I, as a newbie relying on this for all of my food testing, have lost confidence big time. Thinking of getting my money back now.

 

[Bluetit1802]

relying on this for all of my food testing, have lost confidence big time.

How I try to judge them is by ignoring the actual levels but looking at the rise from start of meal to the peak (as shown on one of the graphs) On the whole, this rise is normally consistent even if the levels are way out. It is the rise you need to look at when testing out food as that is the most important for those of us not on insulin etc. The graph is an excellent tool to show this.

I also find this 10 minute wait from finger prick to scan is different. Sometimes it is less than that and sometimes longer. I think it depends on how quickly the glucose is rising or falling.

 

[maglil55]

I think I must have been lucky. Ever since I started putting them on 2 days before I activate them they have been 0.1 or 0.2 under the test strips. I am sticking with the inside of the arm too. I find 15 mins between finger prick and scan is the closest.

 

[EngineerMe]

Not sure if there's another thread on here for general freestyle advice so posting here...

Got given a free meter and sensor by a rep at my clinic today, I applied it around noon.
I haven't activated it yet because I remember people saying it takes a while to settle down. How long do people usually wait?? Was thinking of activating in the morning.

Anyway, so far... quite painful. I have skinny arms and it feels like I've had a jab Hopefully my arm gets used to it.

 

[maglil55]

Not sure if there's another thread on here for general freestyle advice so posting here...

Got given a free meter and sensor by a rep at my clinic today, I applied it around noon.
I haven't activated it yet because I remember people saying it takes a while to settle down. How long do people usually wait?? Was thinking of activating in the morning.

Anyway, so far... quite painful. I have skinny arms and it feels like I've had a jab Hopefully my arm gets used to it.

I wait 2 days. It will settle and you get used to them. This thread was my experiences from my first sensor to now.

 

[gavin86]

Re: accuracy, mine is usually within +/- 0.5 of strips. And strips can vary by that much on their own.
I find the only time it is out by 1 or more is at high numbers, 15+

It's my first sensor so we'll see, but yeah - I'm less interested in the number, more interested in the rises/falls and how that relates to my actions

 

[maglil55]

Re: accuracy, mine is usually within +/- 0.5 of strips. And strips can vary by that much on their own.
I find the only time it is out by 1 or more is at high numbers, 15+

It's my first sensor so we'll see, but yeah - I'm less interested in the number, more interested in the rises/falls and how that relates to my actions

Strange. The only time mine was way out was the 1st one where I activated in under 1 day and it was in the low range not the high. Incidentally, I was low just not as low as Libre was suggesting.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Strange. The only time mine was way out was the 1st one where I activated in under 1 day and it was in the low range not the high. Incidentally, I was low just not as low as Libre was suggesting.

I think it varies from sensor to sensor, and more importantly from person to person. The usual statement "we are all different"
I leave mine between 24 and 48 hours before activating but are still a lot lower than either my Codefree (very much lower) or my Accu Chek Mobile. On average over all my sensors between 0.3 and 1.1 lower, mostly around 0.7 lower. I did have one that averaged higher, but this was the erratic one I had replaced. I understand the Libre reacts differently when glucose levels are rising or falling quickly, which could be something to do with the amount of glucose in the interstitial fluid or the way the Libre calculates the amount.

I use the app and reader, so can see all the 15 minute readings. Some of these coincide time-wise with a scan. Very often the scan is significantly different from the 15 minute reading done at the same time and also the 15 minute readings before and after the scan..

 

[maglil55]

I think it varies from sensor to sensor, and more importantly from person to person. The usual statement "we are all different"
I leave mine between 24 and 48 hours before activating but are still a lot lower than either my Codefree (very much lower) or my Accu Chek Mobile. On average over all my sensors between 0.3 and 1.1 lower, mostly around 0.7 lower. I did have one that averaged higher, but this was the erratic one I had replaced. I understand the Libre reacts differently when glucose levels are rising or falling quickly, which could be something to do with the amount of glucose in the interstitial fluid or the way the Libre calculates the amount.

I use the app and reader, so can see all the 15 minute readings. Some of these coincide time-wise with a scan. Very often the scan is significantly different from the 15 minute reading done at the same time and also the 15 minute readings before and after the scan..

@Bluetit1802 - I keep meaning to ask you do the 15 mins on the reader actually give you a numerical reading once every 15 mins? The App gives you the graph but you only get a figure if you scan.

 

[Bluetit1802]

@Bluetit1802 - I keep meaning to ask you do the 15 mins on the reader actually give you a numerical reading once every 15 mins? The App gives you the graph but you only get a figure if you scan.

Yes it does. One column shows the date. One column shows the exact time. One column shows the actual reading in mmol/ls. Another column shows any scan readings. Other columns show codes for meals started and any other notes you make such as fasting, bedtime etc. There are other columns that presumably show when insulin is taken but of course I don't use these. They are downloaded as text files, then I copy and paste to an excel sheet, sort oldest to newest and delete the columns I'm not interested in.

 

[Fleegle]

I must be allergic to the Libre which is a great shame because I hate the sight of blood.
I put on third sensor (each has only lasted three days so far - plus an additional failed to start so 4 in total) and they all do the same. They start off looking good - I eat the go up - I wait they go down. But then bang - the fall starts. Today it was about 4pm and it has gone down and down and down - I am now at 2.4. At 2.7 my test strip in the Libre said 5.1!

It is consistent for me - every single sensor has done the same and as I search the internet I see that a lot of people have this problem.

Like all things - maybe it just doesn't work for everyone.

 

[maglil55]

Yes it does. One column shows the date. One column shows the exact time. One column shows the actual reading in mmol/ls. Another column shows any scan readings. Other columns show codes for meals started and any other notes you make such as fasting, bedtime etc. There are other columns that presumably show when insulin is taken but of course I don't use these. They are downloaded as text files, then I copy and paste to an excel sheet, sort oldest to newest and delete the columns I'm not interested in.

I'm getting kind of tempted by the reader. Doing fine with the App but I'd like to be able to download the data and examine it more closely and I don't see a way to do it without the reader.

 

[maglil55]

I must be allergic to the Libre which is a great shame because I hate the sight of blood.
I put on third sensor (each has only lasted three days so far - plus an additional failed to start so 4 in total) and they all do the same. They start off looking good - I eat the go up - I wait they go down. But then bang - the fall starts. Today it was about 4pm and it has gone down and down and down - I am now at 2.4. At 2.7 my test strip in the Libre said 5.1!

It is consistent for me - every single sensor has done the same and as I search the internet I see that a lot of people have this problem.

Like all things - maybe it just doesn't work for everyone.

Have you spoken to Abbott about it? It may be you don't get on with the sensor but I'm glad I persevered.

 

[EngineerMe]

It's my first day using the sensor after waiting 24 hours after insertion (couldn't make myself wait any longer!).

Accuracy wise it seems OK, but did say I was 4.8 when I felt low and meter said 3.3 - I think this was due to the lag. Other than that it seems pretty accurate.

But my arm is hurting quite a lot now, as if it's rejecting the sensor. I think maybe the filament is in my tricep muscle, or maybe near a nerve. I'll see how it goes but at this rate I can't see me getting to 14 days with it still in.