Anyone having big reliability issues with Freestyle Libre 2 Plus sensors?

[MuttNJeff]

For me, about 50% of the readings have been way above the fingerprick (if above range), or severely below if below range. I do not use Abbot blood meters/strips (had a bad experience years ago, go new batch of strips, almost noe worked)

I've also given up on the alarms - if it wakes me up, either I was actually ok but then had to spend hours getting back to sleep, or else I was low but it took so long to record the effect of the dextrosol tablets that I could not reinstate the alarm except at a stupidly low level.

For me, a reading of perhaps 6 or 7 could be a good time to look at the graph and maybe take more (slow-acting) carbs, but you cannot set the low level that high.

And I cannot see the point of setting a high-level alarm for a type 1 : if I'm having to go for a #1 and generally feeling hot then I know I'm high without an alarm.

Ken

 

[Haywood11]

So I have been using Libre 2 for a while now and haven't had 1 sensor last 15 days. They have lasted between 8 hours and 11 days at best. I have found them very unreliable. Has anyone else had this issue? Does anyone know why these sensors are so unreliable?

I am absolutely astonished at how far off my finger sticks are from the CGM reading with the FreeStyle Libre2 plus. I have had it for at minimum one year and completely trusted the readings. In 2024 I was pregnant and per my CGM my blood sugars were great. Unfortunately, one week before my daughter's due date she passed away. In the hospital my A1C was 10 and the free style reporting system estimated me to be in the 8 range. My sugars postpartum and grieving were all over the place per my CGM then my MD put me on a long-lasting insulin in addition to being on the tandem pump. In Jan my A1c was down to 8.5 and since then per my CGM my sugars have been the best they've ever been. Yesterday I excitedly had my A1C checked and to our surprise my A1C was 9.1 so the nurse did a finger stick, and I was really 319 while my CGM was reading 170. I went on comparing finger sticks to CGM readings and how far off they are so scary, and I can't help but think if i didn't have this CGM on and just did finger sticks during my pregnancy my daughter would be alive and well. I called Free style was transferred a bunch of times and no one cared all they said was we can replace your sensors. What a downright awful company!

 

[Poppylane]

Hi Pipp,

Yes I have contacted Abbott about this, but I find a 100% failure rate of the Libre 2 plus unexceptable. Libre 1 was a lot more reliable... I know it has been around for a while, but the Libre 2 appears to have been put to market too early and the LibreLink App needs to be tested properly.

I have even offered my services to Abbott although I am sure they won't do anything, but I have 20 years of software testing experience and can see several problems with the App and Libre system. I have identified several cases where the LibreLink App fails, but the sensor doesn't, just the LibreLink App stops reading the sensor.

I can understand this. We have just got a Libre 2 + for my husband and in the last 48hrs all we have done is constantly scan it because it’s not staying connected to the apps, now it’s saying things like “this service is not available” and “no connection”. It’s the first 2+ and it’s just stressful. It also won’t linkup when we do manage to get it to read the sensor (which seems to be working) so I don’t know what his blood sugars upto (he’s only just been diagnosed and we got no information at all so I have been trying to learn about it all on the hoof).
Eurgh, at least I don’t have to stab him all the time
Take care

 

[Bashert]

Yes.
Had the Libra 2 for a while now, Moved to the 2 Plus on the last prescription and so far the first one just stopped working, one fell off (I've never had that before) and this one looses connection quite often.
Abbots have kindly replaced both.

 

[Richard F]

I'm a Libre 2+ user and find it okay.
It's in a hybrid closed loop with omnipod, which I change every 48-60 hrs (rarely last to 60) If any problems occur its more often than not a fresh omnipod cures it.

I do have to wear both devices very close together, on the same arm so that's a nuisance. In warm weather, if working hard outside I have some additional self adhesive patches but haven't used these for ages. The latest adhesive backing seems very sticky indeed, I do wear a protective armband though.

 

[jrose444]

oof i thought i wrote this post
YES
if u can, switch to dexcom

 

[grantg]

oof i thought i wrote this post
YES
if u can, switch to dexcom

do you find the dexcom more accurate?

 

[jrose444]

do you find the dexcom more accurate?

uhhhh..... actually idk that is a good question. imma check my sugar & get back to u.

 

[jrose444]

do you find the dexcom more accurate?

only slightly less accurate, and it also stays put the entire 10 days.

 

[Tim Willis]

I'm insulin dependent with steroid induced DM2 and the accuracy, and reliability of both the app and Libre 2 sensor are quite appalling IMO.

I went through a period of 6 months where the sensors were either failing off or failing with different error codes for 2 out of every 3 applications. I am supposed to be moving to the 2 Plus but have so many libre 2 replacements to get though it will be a while off yet!.

Things have improved, but I recently went away without a spare (don't ever do this!). I had a hypo of 3.4, and in the confusion lightly tapped the sensor against a door frame (I'm visually impaired so this isn't unusual) then the sensor predictably failed with an 365 scan error code leaving me with the nightmare of being mid-hypo without any monitoring for the following 48 hours before I could get hold of a replacement!

The app is also wildly inaccurate, inconsistent and doesn't always support the most up-to-date versions of Android, alarms frequently fail and the software hasn't been updated for 9 months(!), I frequently experience hypos of 3.4-3.8 that don't even show up later on the daily graphs? This along with 34% lower results when compared to a traditional calibrated glucometer (when post-op in hospital) which even after a change of sensor were so concerning that nurses completely ignored my Libre results in favour of traditional finger prick testing.

I worked in medical supplies for nearly 30 years, Abbot were actually a supplier and I have contacted the NHS' MHRA about my experiences, given the huge cost of CGMs to the NHS their response was quite disappointing TBH.

 

[Jaylee]

I'm insulin dependent with steroid induced DM2 and the accuracy, and reliability of both the app and Libre 2 sensor are quite appalling IMO.

I went through a period of 6 months where the sensors were either failing off or failing with different error codes for 2 out of every 3 applications. I am supposed to be moving to the 2 Plus but have so many libre 2 replacements to get though it will be a while off yet!.

Things have improved, but I recently went away without a spare (don't ever do this!). I had a hypo of 3.4, and in the confusion lightly tapped the sensor against a door frame (I'm visually impaired so this isn't unusual) then the sensor predictably failed with an 365 scan error code leaving me with the nightmare of being mid-hypo without any monitoring for the following 48 hours before I could get hold of a replacement!

The app is also wildly inaccurate, inconsistent and doesn't always support the most up-to-date versions of Android, alarms frequently fail and the software hasn't been updated for 9 months(!), I frequently experience hypos of 3.4-3.8 that don't even show up later on the daily graphs? This along with 34% lower results when compared to a traditional calibrated glucometer (when post-op in hospital) which even after a change of sensor were so concerning that nurses completely ignored my Libre results in favour of traditional finger prick testing.

I worked in medical supplies for nearly 30 years, Abbot were actually a supplier and I have contacted the NHS' MHRA about my experiences, given the huge cost of CGMs to the NHS their response was quite disappointing TBH.

Hi Tim.

Welcome to the forum.

Sounds like you’re having a bit of a time with the sensors, sorry to hear that.

I still use an older Android phone (2019? Make.)
Apart from rapid BG fluctuations causing the “wait ten minutes” till it stabilises. I find the sensor in the ball park of 0.6mmol with the meter?
Where are you placing the sensor on your arm? I find I’m less likely to knock it if it’s inside the arm…

Best wishes…

 

[Tim Willis]

Hi Tim.

Welcome to the forum.

Sounds like you’re having a bit of a time with the sensors, sorry to hear that.

I still use an older Android phone (2019? Make.)
Apart from rapid BG fluctuations causing the “wait ten minutes” till it stabilises. I find the sensor in the ball park of 0.6mmol with the meter?
Where are you placing the sensor on your arm? I find I’m less likely to knock it if it’s inside the arm…

Best wishes…

Hi Kaylee

I think I was possibly a member previously but lost the login credentials.

I've been using the sensors for over 2 years, I initially had to fight for my CCG to fund them as (I believe) they were the last CCG in the country to implement Nice's guidance on their use for DM2 insulin dependent people with visual impairments? Given this, I've found the reliability really disappointing

The hospital readings (when the libre was being placed under my arm) were 34% less (10.5 compared to 6.9 on the Libre) as mentioned I changed the Libre but the results were consistently low once more.

I was in hospital for ulnar and carpal tunnel surgery on both elbows and was advised by the district nurse (on leaving hospital) to place the Libre on my deltoid for ease of scanning due to a lack of manual dexterity following the operation. It's interesting that I've not had the same problems with adhesion since doing this. I found the Libre's repeatedly fell off within 7-10 days when placed inside or under the arm (which was my original preference) but it is of course now more prone to be knocked and these things are ridiculously fragile.

I do have quite muscular 18" biceps so maybe that is also an issue for accuracy?

 

[SimonP78]

I try to aim for my non-existent bingo-wing location (between deltoid and triceps towards the side/back of arm), though it's a bit hit and miss and sometimes I get pretty poor calibration, which I think happens if it's too close to muscle. I don't have 18" biceps, but I don't have any fat on my arms either.

Mine also used to fall off, so I now stick a ~25cm strip of micropore tape across the sensor and around the triceps and up around the deltoid. If you do this make sure it's not too tight (takes some practice to work out how to hold your arm as you stick it down, and make sure you don't have any tension across the sensor itself). There are also patches you can get, though I find tape works and is cheap and cheerful - it seems to stop the edges peeling too much, probably as the skin around the sensor isn't able to move so much due to the tape.)