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Freestyle libre blue collar

K

Kay1964_

Member
Messages
16
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi
My first freestyle libre starter pack arrived today and my husband decided to push the blue collar on the applicator to see how hard I'd have to push it on my arm and it sprung in , now the sensor is in the applicator and I can't push the applicator on my arm as it's already pushed in ,
Any way to pop out the blue collar so I can use that sensor. ?
Many thanks
Kay
 

Hi, Kay, welcome to the forum.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but if the spring has sprung on that applicator, that's pretty much the end of that one and you'll have to write it off. I don't think there's any way of resetting it to fire again.

Once you get the remaining one in the starter kit up and running, the chances are you'll love it! It's got a few quirks to get used to, but once you figure those out, being able to see your sugars moving in more or less real time 24 hrs a day instead of a few snapshots from strips is priceless.

There's plenty of people with long experience of libre on this site who'll be happy to answer any questions.

PS: look on the bright side: seeing as your bloke has killed the first one, you can make him do the dishes for the nexttwo months!
 
It's worth ringing/emailing the libre help desk as they are usually quite understanding and very often replace sensors. They will probably be interested in what your bloke did anyway as they are always looking for ways to improve the system.
 
I had a good chat with Abbott customer service in Australia, they made it very clear if I had ANY problems contact them and any issues with the sensor they would replace it. I would contact them in whichever country you are in. Hopefully your husband has not decided to try and fix it and it is now not recognisable... With photo evidence, you maybe able to get a replacement.
 
Did similar. Abbots sent me a replacement, free of charge. Check with your DSN on fitting! Or You Tube it!!!! Good luck. Brilliant device!!!!
 

Hi Scott-C

For the first few censors. I was zapping 20/30 times a day. Even more! However, I'm really not at all sure that that was really so useful, as it is actually just the pre-meal readings that we act upon, and the journey up and down the scale meantime can lead to unnecessary insulin shots or unnecessary carb top-ups between those meals.

Just as an aside, I now have to take corticosteroids. The consultant might have warned me that my blood sugars would go through the roof. Ho hum.
 
The Libre is great but at £100 per month it is far too expensive for a pensioner to afford.
 
I too am a pensioner and think we should be able to get it for a reduced price the GP gets a premium for treating us and surely the cost savings to the NHS according to the latest NICE review should be taken into account
 
I would like to see the NHS contribute an amount equivalent to that which you save in test strips. I did a rough calculation of my Accuchek Mobile costs, and at 6 tests a day, I'd be saving them 50% of the cost of the Libre. At £25 a fortnight I'd go self funding in a blink. Have spoken to my DSN but there doesn't appear to be any mechanism.
 
@Q4444 and @barrym , the makers, Abbott, are actively pressing for it to be on the NHS, but as with all (relatively) new things, it takes time, politics and persuasion.

There's been a few posts recently about how France now has it on their version of the NHS, but a link to the government announcement on it said that the flip side was that if you were to go for the libre, you'd then only get 100 strips per year. Sorry, don't have the links to hand.

I think a few other European countries might already have it.

I think it will happen eventually but wouldn't hazard a guess as to when.
 
Harrysdad said:
It's worth ringing/emailing the libre help desk as they are usually quite understanding and very often replace sensors. They will probably be interested in what your bloke did anyway as they are always looking for ways to improve the system.
Click to expand...
This is true! Hope you ring them. Im certain they will replace it for you. They have excellent service.
 
I did the same with mine i bought in february this year.i knackered both sensors up. I rang them up and told them what happened.they said no problem.They sent me 2 replacement sensors,free of charge the customer service is excellent.
 
 
Pretty pointless only offering 100 strips per year if you have a Libre.......I'm on my fifth sensor( first worked well and accurately, all the rest very inaccurate, and last one fell off......) I hope they don't expect us to be in control of our diabetes with these. At best they're haphazard, and at worst just downright inaccurate. I've had readings well out from blood glucose readings from 0.5mmol(the minority) to 4-6mmol(the vast majority). Abbott customer services are quite useless and can't suggest anything other than supplying a new sensor. I get the feeling we are all being used as guinea pigs, and that Abbott are onto a great thing by conning the NHS into supplying a less than useful, and very expensive device. Yes the convenience is great, but if the accuracy isn't there, there isn't much point in using it.
 
You sound very angry. The libre sensor is a life saver for me. Only knocked one off in 2 years. I cannot fault Abbot service. The beauty of the sensor is the trend of the arrows.
 
Cool story.

On the flip side I've decided to fund the Abbott Libre myself, and it's a game changer.

I've tested it in line with my usual Verio setup and despite the 20 minute delay it's super accurate for me.

The sensor applied without a problem and is perfectly functional.

This person is clearly crying about something, but for anyone out there considering the Abbott Libre - take it from someone who is personally funding it, it's truly a game changer and the way forward.
 
Q4444 said:
I too am a pensioner and think we should be able to get it for a reduced price the GP gets a premium for treating us and surely the cost savings to the NHS according to the latest NICE review should be taken into account
Click to expand...

you have probably now seen - see JDRF site - that Libre is available on the NHS from 1st November, but it will all depend on if your health prof thinks it is suitable/needed, and maybe what area you live in. It is expensive, I was unwell and needed to try it, so invested in 2 sensors some while ago - it is good. However, i get lots of allergies, and i was allergic to everything, the adhesive, and the inserted needle-like part, so could not continue, i just could not tolerate a sensor sticking deep into my arm for 2 weeks. If libre made them to change in 2 days, it might have been better for me. Libre is good, though, they have a good customer care team, and they refunded
 
The sensor IS NOT STUCK DEEP IN YOUR ARM, it is only a very short filament.
 
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