Activating a Freestyle Libre Sensor

[DaveEK]

I start with a confession. I am not Type 1 but LADA, and my numbers are rising, so I may be Type 1 before too long.. I read on the Forum that this group were the best to answer my Freestyle Libre 2 query.

I have taken up an offer from Freestyle for a free sensor for two reasons. First to analyse my BS far more accurately and more frequently than I do at the moment with finger pricks. Second, to see how I get on with it prior to becoming Type 1.

I have installed the app on my phone & watched the videos showing how to fix the sensor to my arm. My app tells me how to apply the sensor and then how to scan the sensor.

But what I cannot see or understand is how to activate the sensor.

Can anyone help me to understand what I am missing?

Many thanks

 

[Lakeslover]

Once you apply the sensor wait at least 24 hours, preferably 48 hours. Then scan it. This activates it, and you then have to wait 1 hour until you get the first result.

 

[Antje77]

But what I cannot see or understand is how to activate the sensor.

Hold your phone to your sensor (move it around a bit to find the right spot, it's usually on the top of your phone) until you hear a beep and see what your screen says!

 

[finzi1966]

Once you apply the sensor wait at least 24 hours, preferably 48 hours. Then scan it. This activates it, and you then have to wait 1 hour until you get the first result.

Does your 14 day countdown only start from when it’s activated, rather than from when it’s applied? That would be good if so; I could apply my next one a day early and let it settle first.

 

[Hopeful34]

Yes it's from when it's activated. A lot of people apply it 24-48 hours prior to activating it.

 

[DaveEK]

Please excuse me - I am not normally this thick. There appears to be nothing in the app that allows me to scan. Or is this OK & it scans automatically when I present the back of the phone to the sensor. If I have a problem it seems that I may not have set up the app correctly. But I have done it twice & got the same result.

I suppose I could just try it and seen what happens.

 

[Lakeslover]

The home page in the libre link app should look similar to this, but without any figures or graph. At the bottom where mine says check glucose it should say something like scan new sensor (this screenshot is an iPhone). If you screenshot what you are seeing maybe someone can help.

 

[Jaylee]

Please excuse me - I am not normally this thick. There appears to be nothing in the app that allows me to scan. Or is this OK & it scans automatically when I present the back of the phone to the sensor. If I have a problem it seems that I may not have set up the app correctly. But I have done it twice & got the same result.

I suppose I could just try it and seen what happens.

Hi,

Do you have NFC ("near field communication.") switched on with your device?

 

[Doug88]

Please excuse me - I am not normally this thick. There appears to be nothing in the app that allows me to scan. Or is this OK & it scans automatically when I present the back of the phone to the sensor. If I have a problem it seems that I may not have set up the app correctly. But I have done it twice & got the same result.

I suppose I could just try it and seen what happens.

Hey, yeah I'd say the first thing to check is whether you have 'NFC' switched on on your phone. There's normally a toggle button for it in the quick pull-down settings you see when you drag down to see your notifications - but if you can't find it there, just open Settings and then search for the word NFC and switch it to on.

Once thats on, then to activate the sensor: open the app and then hold the back of your phone up to your sensor. If it successfully scans it then you should hear a notification beep or your phone should vibrate or something like that. It sometimes takes some wiggling around to find the 'sweet spot' (pun always intended).

If your phone doesn't have NFC, then you won't be able to use your phone unfortunately. You'd have to either use a different phone or use a Freestyle Receiver which is a separate little device that you can use to scan the sensor with.

With regards to when to put the sensor on and when to scan it - you are actually able to scan the sensor as soon as you put it on your body. People often leave it some time before activating it because its sometimes a bit inaccurate on day 1. But that's not strictly necessary - your call. As folks said, the 14 day countdown doesn't start until you activate it so you still get the full life of the sensor whatever you choose.

 

[Antje77]

Or is this OK & it scans automatically when I present the back of the phone to the sensor.

Why havent you tried that yet?
This is the way to start a sensor.

 

[Shimmmer]

Enable NFC on your phone, the phone will need this to communicate with your sensor, it only takes 60 minutes for the phone or libre2 reader to activate. I have to jiggle my phone about on my arm which sometimes gets me some wierd looks from the general public

If your phone does not have an NFC chip, speak to a diabetes specialist nurse who should be able to get you a Libre2 reader.