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Anyone having big reliability issues with Freestyle Libre 2 Plus sensors?
- Thread starter MonsterLC
- Start Date
Dexcom are offering a free 10 day trial on their website. Mine should be delivered today. The last two Freestyle Libre 2+ have died on me. I’ll now give the competitors a try, nothing to lose.
Jasmin2000
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 183
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Insulin
Even before the recent Libre2+ meltdowns I found Dexcom G7 best for accuracy (closest to real BG and less prone to going off on a tangent).
I’ve received my Dexcom One + free trial sensor. I haven’t started using it yet, but have read through some of the information provided. There is a facility to calibrate the sensor against a blood glucose meter reading. The instructions state that this should only be done when your blood glucose is stable and the trend arrow is level. This may be useful where people have constant differences between sensor and glucose meter readings.
Okay, I win the "Big Reliability Issue with Freestyle Libre" contest. My extremely low readings were crashing the sensors and doctor advised me to go to A&E, as surgery was closed, I didn't have a fingerprick meter, and had tried a tbsp of maple syrup (yum), buttered white sourdough toast, and didn't take meds in effort to raise it. At the hospital, when my cgm reading was 2.9, my fingerprick was 9.9!!! The cgm shortly after went down to 2.2 before again crashing to 'below reading' level.
golden oldie
Member
- Messages
- 9
I've had two recently which have turned out to have no needle. Yes, they replace them but I'm also having a lot of ''temporary sensor problems'' where there is no reading. I've been using Libre2 plus since October last year, and I think they are getting less and less reliable. Thinking of trying Dexcom instead.
No needles, crikey, that’s terrible quality control! I just hope they’re not being manufactured in a shed somewhere in China. Dodgy phone chargers with no fuse are bad enough! I suppose no needles is better than a needle disappearing in your arm never to be seen again.
- Messages
- 4,386
- Location
- Suffolk, UK
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
- Dislikes
- Diet drinks - the artificial sweeteners taste vile.
Having to forswear foods I have loved all my life.
Trying to find low carb meals when eating out.
I have been using Libre2+ for a while now and haven't had any total failures.
I do have periods where there is signal loss (can be up to a couple of days worst case) but the sensor always scans and the signal comes back eventually.
Noting that I am a self funding T2.
I do have periods where there is signal loss (can be up to a couple of days worst case) but the sensor always scans and the signal comes back eventually.
Noting that I am a self funding T2.
Do you check your glucose readings with a fingerprick meter? I also thought I had no total failures until I did. I had only been checked against a meter for 3 days in hospital, as I don't have one myself. The readings then were either accurate or 1-2.5mmol/L lower, which I thought was okay, and subsequently took it into account. However, my recent experience was very different.
ernieglenman1
Newbie
- Messages
- 1
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
Hi, I have been using these for many years and find them very reliable always getting two weeks out of them. I have had a few issues but Abbott have always been brilliant at replacing them.
EBe66
Well-Known Member
Nothing but trouble for me too. Started using the Libre 2 in early 21. At that time they were great, no problems at all.
My problems started late 21/early 22 and have been getting worse and worse. Hardly any of them, if I even wear one any more because they are worthless and the moment and I have to self fond them, reach the normal end date.
Abbott have been reasonably decent about replacing them, but not always doing so.
What irks me the most is the way in which they die. The first days are normal and than the readings go down. Making me think I am doing good! After that it's like what has been described before the readings sag into hypo range and eventually I get a replace sensor message at a 2. something reading.
This behavior also influences the readings/graphs on the website of course and the predicted Hba1c making the DN wanting to lower my meds.
Spoke to somebody on the street this week using a Dexcom and I think my next purchase will be a Dexcom. If only to see if they do any better (could hardly be worse at this time)
Good to read I'm not the only one with this issues btw. I asked before on this forum and it seemed like I was almost the only one back then. Making my wonder what I was doing wrong.
My problems started late 21/early 22 and have been getting worse and worse. Hardly any of them, if I even wear one any more because they are worthless and the moment and I have to self fond them, reach the normal end date.
Abbott have been reasonably decent about replacing them, but not always doing so.
What irks me the most is the way in which they die. The first days are normal and than the readings go down. Making me think I am doing good! After that it's like what has been described before the readings sag into hypo range and eventually I get a replace sensor message at a 2. something reading.
This behavior also influences the readings/graphs on the website of course and the predicted Hba1c making the DN wanting to lower my meds.
Spoke to somebody on the street this week using a Dexcom and I think my next purchase will be a Dexcom. If only to see if they do any better (could hardly be worse at this time)
Good to read I'm not the only one with this issues btw. I asked before on this forum and it seemed like I was almost the only one back then. Making my wonder what I was doing wrong.
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I used to get two weeks out of Libre 2 sensors, but the Libre 2 plus sensors constantly fails. I go to do a scan and it comes up with replace sensor. I’m convinced it’s triggered by a communication error between sensor and reader. Other problems previously mentioned is the time it takes to catch up with actual blood sugar following a low.
I thought I was the only one who experienced Libre 2 plus plummeting down to 2.0 mmol/L, then crashing. It happened to me at the start of 3 back-to-back sensors and I did begin to wonder if I had done something wrong. But I also worried that something was very wrong with me, so I skipped my meds and reached for maple syrup to raise my glucose in case it was a real hypo. But my reading stayed around 2.2. On a 111 doctor's advice, I went to A&E to get my blood glucose checked. It was 9.9. I felt a mixture of stupid and angry. I'm going to have to get the knack of finger prick testing, and I won't use (or at least trust) a cgm until I can check the readings.
I get that some people are happy with Libre and I was too, essentially, until this happened. Now I wonder if the progress I t thought I was making wasn't real. My next HbA1c will reveal, I guess.
Btw, I have very little fat or muscle on my arms and wonder if that is an issue. Except I went for several months without this problem.
The placement of the sensor is very important. Early on I had big differences between the Libre readings and actual blood glucose. I discovered that my sensor placement wasn’t quite right. The sensor has to be carefully placed on the back of the arm. My sensor position was slightly to the side. Frustrating because you believe you’re applying it correctly, but then discover it’s on the side of the arm rather than the back! If you stand with your back to the wall and Your arms at your side the sensor should be placed on the back of the arm so it’s facing the wall. I found that the accuracy improved, but this unfortunately had no effect on slow response times to increasing blood sugar following a low. I’ve noticed a lot of people wearing sensors in the wrong position, usually on the side of the arm. Abbott are very clear in their instructions that it must be positioned on the back of the arm, and it is very easy to get it wrong, not intentionally, but by error. Worth being extra careful with positioning. I’ve become very critical and fussy when I’m applying a new sensor.
becca59
Well-Known Member
Well, it made a difference to me and from what you’ve said I’m surprised Abbott hasn’t said put it where you like. The Dexcom for adults has to be applied to the back of the arms or the abdomen. Perhaps it’s a case of us all being different and for the majority of users the highest level of accuracy is on the back of the arms. To quote Abbott “The sensor can only be worn on the back of the arm”.
Jasmin2000
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 183
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Insulin
OK you win on the numbers but I did have a LO reading for an hour that was 6.5 in real BG. Interesting what you said about "crashing" though - was that the end for the sensor or did it pick up later? I've had sensors that "crash" but if you wait long enough they revive and work again (at least well as any Libre can work). - it's the new Libre Zombie sensor!
