FREESTYLE LIBRE ON SALE!!!!

[robert72]

In other news... I start 27th sensor tomorrow and it will have been one year on 22nd October.

 

[Emmotha]

In other news... I start 27th sensor tomorrow and it will have been one year on 22nd October.

It's gone so fast! I reckon I'm on sensor 26 now too. I did have a little break but also some sensors didn't go full term.

 

[michael_n]

Hello everybody!

I've just read about the Libre and I'm seriously considering of getting one, even though it will put a serious financial strain on my family. I've been a diabetic for almost 12 years (I'm 24 now) and my HbA1C has been in the 6% range all this time(mostly low 6s, but I also had a few 5s), but I know I can do better with fewer hypos and the Libre sounds like the perfect help for that.
The thing is I can only get it through a friend that lives in France so sensor replacement is out of the question. After reading this thread, I've started worrying about sensors not sticking and buying more than two a month isn't an option, considering that I'm in my last year of medical school so I have no income and my parents would barely afford those two sensors.

All things considered, should I get one now or wait for the sensor problems to be cleared ?
Thanks a lot.

 

[slip]

@michael_n have you registered on the abbott website? I did 6 months ago and still waiting to be able to buy the Libre so consider what and where you'll be late next year at this rate!

Financially I'd struggle too if I had to buy more than 2 sensors a month but you don't have to use the libre all the time if you have a bad month or 2.

As for sensors not sticking, everyone is different some have no problems what so ever other do, I hope am one of those that don't have problems!

 

[michael_n]

I haven't because I live in a country where Libre isn't available. I suppose I should ask my friend in France to register so I can get it as soon as possible. But why does this procedure take so long? Are they asking for paperwork proving that one is diabetic or such? I thought that, being self funded, anybody can buy it as long as they are available.

I definityle need this by July next year, since I will be staying at home studying for my Residency Exam for about 5 months and being under a lot of stress and without a tight schedule will definitely mess with my bg levels.

 

[SamJB]

Has anyone that has been on the waiting list received the Libre yet? I just want to get an idea for how long I'm likely to be on it for.

 

[jono80]

Has anyone that has been on the waiting list received the Libre yet? I just want to get an idea for how long I'm likely to be on it for.

I've been on the waiting list since late July, some people here have been waiting over 6 months. I got impatient and got a reader and a few sensors off eBay (at super inflated prices). It sounds like Abbott are ramping up production so hopefully supply will get better soon. They're dropping hints that they're coming to Australia as well: http://revolutioninaflash.com.au/

For me the it's been great, 3 sensors have worked well and I've learnt more about what my body does with carbs, exercise and insulin in the last month and a half than I have in the 17 years since I was diagnosed with type 1. I was getting fairly good A1Cs but with too many hypos, now I can spot lows before they become hypos and correct highs before they get too high. I've gone from graphs you could go skiing on to something more controlled looking though I've put on a little weight working it all out and tending to over correct when I see that vertical arrow and my blood sugar going up.

Comparing the interstitial readings from the Libre with blood glucose readings and my old Accu-Chek Mobile has been a little maddening, they can all disagree with each other by a mmol/L at times but I'm learning more as I go. I've not had a bad skin reaction but none of the sensors have stuck that well to me, as soon as I exercise and get a little sweaty the adhesive starts to give, I've been using Tegaderm patches to hold them on, too expensive to risk them falling off.

Sorry that turned into a bit of a review! I hope they're more readily available soon, I'm on my last sensor and not sure how i'm going to go without it.. might have to hit eBay again in the mean time :-/

 

[SamJB]

I've been on the waiting list since late July, some people here have been waiting over 6 months. I got impatient and got a reader and a few sensors off eBay (at super inflated prices). It sounds like Abbott are ramping up production so hopefully supply will get better soon. They're dropping hints that they're coming to Australia as well: http://revolutioninaflash.com.au/

I might buy on off ebay too. If you do that, can you still easily buy the sensors from them? I.e. You're not on a waiting list for the sensors if you haven't bought the reader from them?

 

[jono80]

I might buy on off ebay too. If you do that, can you still easily buy the sensors from them? I.e. You're not on a waiting list for the sensors if you haven't bought the reader from them?

No you can't buy anything directly from Abbott until you've got to the front of the waiting list as far as I know...

I don't know if you can request a replacement sensor from them if you had any issues with one purchased from eBay, I suspect not... Has anyone tried this?

 

[slip]

ebay starter pack: £450 and no backup support if you have problems................hmmm, let me think about this for a minute.

thats a NO then. I haven't got £450 to throw away.

 

[jono80]

ebay starter pack: £450 and no backup support if you have problems................hmmm, let me think about this for a minute.

thats a NO then. I haven't got £450 to throw away.

It's a gamble for sure. Where I live it costs the equivalent of £1000 and a few visits to your diabetes specialist to get paperwork signed and training for a Dexcom G4 with a month's worth of sensors. So for me it has been worth it.

 

[dancer]

My DSN has just told me that funding has been approved for me to have a cgm. I am absolutely delighted! Yippeeeeeee!!!!

This means that when an e-mail arrives to say a Freestyle Libre is now available, I can say, "Thanks but no thanks."

I will let you all know when that e-mail actually arrives. I've been on the waiting list since the 1st of April, so that's almost 7 months!

 

[Hill28]

This is getting annoying. Not only production problems are slowing down sensor delivery's. It seems Abbot decided now to also f*ck up the delivery process. I have been waiting for 3 weeks now for my sensors to arrive.

No Track & Trace numbers are provided anymore by Abbot, so I can not get in contact with DPD, which is making a mess out of the delivery as well.

Last time my package had clearly been opened and resealed. The delivery guy doesn't bother anymore to provide "not at home" tickets in my letterbox. And it is not allowed anymore to let your neighbours collect the package.

And the only Track and Trace info that Abbot provides is "Delivery problem at transport company" whatever that means...

So in short: DPD might have been here several times with my package (but I don't know for sure), I have no Track and Trace number so I can not make a delivery appointment. This sucks.

 

[robert72]

This is getting annoying. Not only production problems are slowing down sensor delivery's. It seems Abbot decided now to also f*ck up the delivery process. I have been waiting for 3 weeks now for my sensors to arrive.

No Track & Trace numbers are provided anymore by Abbot, so I can not get in contact with DPD, which is making a mess out of the delivery as well.

Last time my package had clearly been opened and resealed. The delivery guy doesn't bother anymore to provide "not at home" tickets in my letterbox. And it is not allowed anymore to let your neighbours collect the package.

And the only Track and Trace info that Abbot provides is "Delivery problem at transport company" whatever that means...

So in short: DPD might have been here several times with my package (but I don't know for sure), I have no Track and Trace number so I can not make a delivery appointment. This sucks.

That's bad. DPD send me a text and an email with a one hour delivery slot.

 

[TOMJC]

Hi guys,

I appreciate that this may not be the right thread to post this in, but given a lot of people on here are using CGM and have access to the by-the-minute graphs I thought some of you might have more insight that others. Happy to repost elsewhere if you think I should.

I have long been struggling with post meal spikes. Generally about 20 minutes after my meal I can spike by up to 8-10 mmol. This will drop back down to the same level as pre meal within 4 hours. Generally my dosage appears to be correct as my pre and post meal levels are what they should be. However now I know about the spike I want to try eliminate and eliminate it as I generally feel pretty rubbish after meals and do not think it is healthy.

I have tried injecting my Novorapid early (up to 45 mins, depending on BS level) which definitely helps but this is generally fairly unpractical especially at work.

Does anyone else suffer from this? Does anyone know if any of the other short acting insulins work quicker than Novorapid? I was always under the impression that these operated almost immediately but clearly I am mistaken!

Many thanks for any help.

Tom

 

[Hill28]

Yes you're right, Novorapid does not work immediatly and it is ridiculous that claims are being made that injection after meals would be possible.

For me 20 minutes in advance work best. If I eat fast carbs like sugar or cake it could be 30 minutes. If I eat slow carbs like fries or pasta, injection just before meal is ok.

I dont know if ther are any faster insulines, but a 'super insuline' was mentioned earlier in this topic.

 

[Emmotha]

That's bad. DPD send me a text and an email with a one hour delivery slot.

Is it one year today???

 

[Emmotha]

**** it's over a year I missed it!

 

[Omnipod]

Hello everybody!

I've just read about the Libre and I'm seriously considering of getting one, even though it will put a serious financial strain on my family. I've been a diabetic for almost 12 years (I'm 24 now) and my HbA1C has been in the 6% range all this time(mostly low 6s, but I also had a few 5s), but I know I can do better with fewer hypos and the Libre sounds like the perfect help for that.
The thing is I can only get it through a friend that lives in France so sensor replacement is out of the question. After reading this thread, I've started worrying about sensors not sticking and buying more than two a month isn't an option, considering that I'm in my last year of medical school so I have no income and my parents would barely afford those two sensors.

All things considered, should I get one now or wait for the sensor problems to be cleared ?
Thanks a lot.

They dont fall off. 2 a month is fine. If anything does go wrong with a sensor before the due date.... Abbott are good at replacing them. I been on the Libre for a year. Ive had about 5 in total go wrong and they have always been replaced. I shower, swim, steam and excercise and they dont come off

 

[tim2000s]

I got my first one at the beginning of November, so nearly for me!