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Bad Libre sensors

Zinadane

Well-Known Member
Messages
330
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
High and low sugar levels!
On my 3rd libre sensor now as part of my start up trial and was all going well.
Anyway, I have just had a few days of weird results before I realized that the sensor is given falsely inflated figures. Caused me quite a problem for a couple of days as the sensor was reading +50% through-out the range! I know now I should be backing it up with more blood tests for verification.
So how reliable are the libre patches, is the fault caused by a bad sensor or a reaction in my body to the probe?
How often will a sensor go bad?
I have seen that abbot exchange sensor that develop faults, I need to contact them I presume.
What are other people’s experiences?
 
In the 3-4 years I used them, I probably had about 5 maybe 6 problem sensors (one was cos I obviously hit a blood vessel or something went wrong on the insertion cos there was blood everywhere so I had to immediately remove it and another was just plain uncomfortable and a bit sore).

Always promptly replaced by Abbott once I called them, but yes you will have to contact them otherwise they wont know
 

Hi,
Are you using the Libre 1 or 2?
Staying hydrated helps.

My consistent experience after just over 2 years use? is good. (Using the Libre 1.)
However I use an app which can be calibrated to the meter. But even then the interpretation on the official app isn't bad.

I wear mine inside the arm. So it's limited "compression lows" for me. There have been times when the readings have gone scatty. But that is pending on which arm placed (right hand side.) & tends to correspond with when I'm cutting (manually sawing) wood? (Like the visual interpretation of a "WAV file." But then it settles down.)

Thie one I'm currently using with XDrip has been consistent. This one runs out in a couple of days.
I have an L2 waiting. So, can't report just yet on my experince just yet!
 
I'm on 1, shortly due to switch over to 2.
I was not aware of any required calibration, my errors were plus 50% on values, so probably not a calibration issue.
The errors were consistent over 2 days. So not down to variations in conditions i think.
Also on inside of arm which I like.
 

I don't use the Libre app once I've set up my sensor. I find the XDrip app an easier at a glance reference to trends?
For me, it just has a better user interface?
I have been using a Bluetooth bridge on the L1, esentially a "CGM" set up..

I've yet to find out what the improved Libre 2 is like. (Said to be more accurate?)
I guess I'll find out in a few days when I change over...

Are you scanning the sensor, then checking your meter 20 minutes later? How close are the results?
 
Early days for me. No Bluetooth bridge. I will certainly look into xdrip as libreview does seems to have its quirks.
I have done random checks and all is pretty good within acceptable limit.
Like a say the issue here is a bad sensor i believe. Either electronic fault or the probe has degraded not sure if that can happen.
I was more interested in what the frequency of such failures may be?
 

I often find i have issues with my Libre 1 too, sometimes the sensor dies 6 or 7 days early and the reading just flatlines at around 3.5 all day (when its not), this has probably happened to me 4 or 5 times within the last 2 years. Overall, the Libre sensors sometimes need a bit of time to "settle" and can take 24-48 hours for the level to become more accurate.
 
You have L2 ? Lucky you. I was told during phone consultation with the DSN that we will have to wait until the current pandemic is over before anyone is given L2 - so that could be another year!
 
Glucobabu said:
You have L2 ? Lucky you. I was told during phone consultation with the DSN that we will have to wait until the current pandemic is over before anyone is given L2 - so that could be another year!
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Hi,

I'm a self funder.. Choice of both now down my supplier.
My wife went in last month for me & came back with the MK1. She said she was offered the L2 but knew these where the ones i preferred to use..?
To be fair, she was listening to me waffling on about the doubts of L2 algorithm compatibility with my watch.
 
I had a sensor fail to stick to my arm and was stuck to applicator.
 
@Zinadane I've been using Libre for over two years. I always put a sensor on at least 24 hours before I start it to allow it to settle, which helps it to read more accurately from Day 1. That's obviously not your current problem. In terms of how often I've had dodgy sensors, I'd say only two in that time which read seriously out of whack. Never had one 50% off for sure. The others I've had to have replaced have been due to them not staying on, which has improved I think. Abbott are, as others have said, very good at replacing fast; do have example comparison readings (Libre v meter) when you phone as they asked me for those. It's certainly been worth sticking with for me.
 
Jaylee said:
I've yet to find out what the improved Libre 2 is like.
Click to expand...

I am self funding, so I did go ahead and order L2 three weeks back once they were available on their site for ordering and am on my second L2 now. I think in terms of accuracy they are similar to L1 if my experience is anything to go by. The problem is that the transmitter (miaomiao) which worked perfectly fine with L1 now does not work with xdrip but the inbuilt bluetooth on L2 can communicate directly with xdrip if you install OOP2 on your phone. It's flaky though.... so I started using miaomiao with their own app tomato and bluetooth with xdrip and between the two of these I get fairly accurate reading sometime even matching exactly to the finger prick tests.
 

Yep I self fund, (even as a T1.)

I've since got an L2. But having issue due to the outdated phone getting it to work with XDrip. Basically Librelink app don't update. Due to incompatability. I have a stand alone watch too with Miaomiao. Yep, it can't scan the L2 algorithm..

Though I can scan with the phones NFC on the Librelink app. I find it reasonably accurate.(more than happy with the tolerances.)
Next time I shall go back to L1s, until they are no longer available. Then later I may have to invest in either another phone or another bridge like Bubble?
 
Zinadane said:
the sensor was reading +50%
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Just double checking.
Do you mean that if a finger prick showed 5 mmol/L the Libre was showing 10, and if a finger prick was 10 mmol/L the Libre was showing 20?
Or conversely 5 showed as 2.5 and 10 showed as 5?

I haven't had that kind of issue.
Mainly my Libre 1 reads around 1 mmol/L below my finger prick reading.
Scarily the current one seems to be spot on so far (I can remember one other like this).

Edit: this is from reading the Libre immediately after a finger prick then 15 minutes later.
 
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6 months on libre. It is brilliant tbh.
Although, I do probably have 25% failure rate, mainly due to falling off or occasionally going faulty. Or the last one actually failed at insertion, where the nib bent over rather than inserting itself. I alway call abbott and they always replace, but it does become a nuisance, especially having to send the old one back. I'm now on prescription, so I guess I dont have to get abbott to replace, but I think they should know so they can track the failure rates.
For me the ones that fall off are generally when I catch it on something. I think the physical shape of the unit is pretty poor. The edge is quite pronounced. Why do they not chamfer it off so it is thinner at the perimeter, it would be much less likely to catch on something. You would like to think that at some point they may develope a smaller improved version.
 
Zinadane said:
so I guess I dont have to get abbott to replace, but I think they should know so they can track the failure rates.
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You will more than likely still need to get them replaced by Abbott, because most doctors/CCGs limit the number you can order/have prescribed (ie one every 2 weeks) and you may find you run out if you don't get Abbott to replace problem sensors, as most docs/CCG's will expect Abbott to cover any failures

Zinadane said:
Why do they not chamfer it off so it is thinner at the perimeter, it would be much less likely to catch on something. You would like to think that at some point they may develope a smaller improved version.
Click to expand...
You should see the size of the Medtronic ones, much bigger!
 
Agreed, I've only had two needing to be replaced but Abbott have always done so, and I've been getting them prescribed the whole time.

I've also not actually sent back the two sensors (first failed while shielding last year and I couldn't get to a post box) but Abbott never complained. I know they say they want the sensors to identify and prevent future faults but I do query whether they have the capacity to investigate every faulty sensor they get back...
 
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