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Fit for purpose????

Jaycegeek

Jaycegeek

Newbie
Messages
3
Location
Plymouth
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Self righteousness. Mushrooms. Garlic. Shellfish. Dubstep.
Hi.
Haven't posted in a long time, so, here goes.

Is the Freestyle Libre 2+ actually fit for purpose? I have had my last 3 sensors for on me (including the one I'm wearing).
Now I have to wait for Freestyle to send replacements or my GP to pull their finger out and actually prescribe some for me. Which, given that I'm 2 weeks early for my prescription, isn't likely without getting a 'show me your papers' style phone call.

Almost every month, I have a sensor stop working, and it's beyond a joke. Unfortunately, the only other option on the NHS, isn't pump compatible and there's no way I can afford to self fund another kind of sensor.

Has anyone else had a lot of issues with the Libre 2+?
 
Whilst it probably doesn't help, I tend to have one failure a month with my Medtronic G4 sensors as well - sometimes I have had multiple failures all in the same change (and the Medtronic ones take 2.5 hours to charge and warm up and then 3 hours to fail - so its a long process) and yes it was very very very annoying especially since one time I was recovering from surgery at the time and really needed it to work and 3 failed in a row on the sensor change that week

And yes unfortunately if they fail its upto the manufacturer to replace them not your GP (though sometimes they may prescribe early in an emergency)

When I was still on the libre on prescription, I always made sure I had two or three in reserve (yes I bought them - but it meant I would be pretty unlikely to run out)

But yes unfortunately these things (all the CGMs) can just fail and yes its really really frustrating, but that's the nature of tech (and its still far better than the old days with no sensors :))
 
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I’m using the libre 2+. I’ve had one failure in the last 18 months which was a sensor which didn’t start at all. Abbott replaced it with no issues.
 
I only had 2 fails from any libre. The last was the L2+ the first stopped 8 days in & I got a replacement from Abbott. The L2+ cancelled about 6 hours prior to end.
Since I had the next sensor fitted. I just started the new one early?
 
I use Dexcom 1+ and it has occasional failures for 2-3 readings and not for every sensor. Even so it's totally unacceptable considering how high the cost is not to mention that Dexcom may be making so much money out of this.
 
CarbMaster said:
I use Dexcom 1+ and it has occasional failures for 2-3 readings and not for every sensor. Even so it's totally unacceptable considering how high the cost is not to mention that Dexcom may be making so much money out of this.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure about Dexcom. But libres will hold back readings temporarily whilst trying to chop sense into erratic levels?
This is not a fault..
 
Jaylee said:
I'm not sure about Dexcom. But libres will hold back readings temporarily whilst trying to chop sense into erratic levels?
This is not a fault..
Click to expand...
Yes, Dexcom can also "store" readings due to signal failure and then show them after signal is restored but not when a sensor has temporarily failed.
 
CarbMaster said:
Yes, Dexcom can also "store" readings due to signal failure and then show them after signal is restored but not when a sensor has temporarily failed.
Click to expand...
Sounds like the same “thing” where the Libre can give a message to wait for 10 or 20 minutes when it’s not getting linear interstitial reading.. it’s a safety feature to avoid false representation on BGs.
 
Jaylee said:
I'm not sure about Dexcom. But libres will hold back readings temporarily whilst trying to chop sense into erratic levels?
This is not a fault..
Click to expand...
I would definitely say it's a fault when it reads, stops, reads stops and then tells me to change the sensor.
 
I have a similar issue with the dexcom G7, in that sometimes I get multiple sensor failures and I run out early. Dexcom always replace them but it can take up to a week so I have finally cracked and bought 3 sensors so that I can keep 3 sensors in hand at the end of a script (I get them every 3 months). There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to when they fail but my pharmacy did once give me a sensor early when they knew a script was on its way. Might be worth asking your pharmacy if caught short? (Disclaimer, I'm in New Zealand). In the days I self funded none of the pharmacies had them in stock so I had to make sure I never ran out, because they are shipped from the other island and I am in a "rural delivery" zone....
 
Without meaning to sound smug. No! My failures in the many years since I have been wearing Libre could be counted on one hand. They are always replaced and I am in the lucky position of having four spares in my drawer. As I have said before I fear some peoples bodies are just not compatible with them.
It wasn’t until battery watches came out when I was in my late teens that I could eventually wear a watch. Like my grandfather before me traditional watches didn’t work properly on us. Is the CGM technology a non starter for some! Maybe.
 
Is the Freestyle Libre 2+ actually fit for purpose? It depends what the purpose is. If the purpose is to be a patient without a physically active and good social life, then yes I would say its fit. If you always have spares to hand when a sensor fails and time to contact Abbot to report the failure and order a new one, yes it’s fit. If you are so organised that you always carry spares and a finger prick kit with you in case of failure, yes its fit. Abbot are always happy to send out new ones and happy to hear your feedback, as is my DNS but nothing seems to be changing.
Ive had type 1 for 62 years. For the first 20 years there was no way to check BG’s, not even a finger prick test. For the next 35 years I pricked my fingers occasionally and felt that the readings were largely irrelevant. Im now thinking ithe damage done by less than good control has already happened, so Im going to carry on having a physically active and happy social life and the sensors will just have to fit round it.
 
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