Freestyle Libre First time User

[rockape37]

I ordered 2 sensors on Tuesday which arrived in the early afternoon yesterday via DPD within a time slot texted to me.

I got to work on it straight away by activating the NFC on.my android phone as I'm using the Librelink App instead of a reader.

Opening the sensor packaging I immediately see what I thought was a rather large needle, yikes I think!
After preparing the site with the cleaning wipes supplied I placed the sensor/applicator on my arm and applied enough pressure to release the spring loaded mechanism.
No pain at all and i mean none at all. With the sensor securely on my arm i activated it and waited the 60 minutes for it to warm up.

I must admit i did think that this sensor recorded BG results every few minutes automatically but I have gotten this mixed up with the CGM's available.

The BG readings I'm getting are naturally different from my finger pricking by as much as 1 mmol/L or as little as 0.1 mmol/L.
Compatible accuracy isn't an issue as it's the overall picture that these sensors give thus giving me much valued, useful and interesting information.
What I'm doing is recording the sensor reading that i take along side my normal finger pricking reading on paper ( I keep paper records)
Its not been 12 hrs since i applied the sensor so still early days and can clearly see its usefulness albeit for me just as a periodic tool.

Its interesting to watch the BG rise and fall after meals so hopefully i might be able to use this information to combat tge long high bg I get when I eat noodles.

I now wear quite a thick jacket at work as it rather cold at night now and tge Librelink app scans ok throuh this provided of course that you line up the NFC with the sensor sufficiently.

So far so good and very pleased with it.

Regards

Martin

 

[Snapsy]

 

[extraspike]

Hi Martin, I found your post very useful. I have been type 1 diabetic for 42yrs and see my HbA1c results drifting north of 70 and would love to see them back at under 60 again. I think that the libre sensor might galvanise me to get me going in the right direction. David

 

[azure]

Thanks for that @rockape37 It's very useful to read new users' experiences.

Enjoy your Libre!

 

[rockape37]

Hi Martin, I found your post very useful. I have been type 1 diabetic for 42yrs and see my HbA1c results drifting north of 70 and would love to see them back at under 60 again. I think that the libre sensor might galvanise me to get me going in the right direction. David

Even if you use it short term its a useful tool. And if cost is an issue using the Librelink App on an adroid phone will help and also reduce the amount of gear you have to carry around.

Regards

Martin

 

[novorapidboi26]

Hi Martin, I found your post very useful. I have been type 1 diabetic for 42yrs and see my HbA1c results drifting north of 70 and would love to see them back at under 60 again. I think that the libre sensor might galvanise me to get me going in the right direction. David

What is your theory on the recent increase in long term sugar?

 

[Diakat]

Thanks @rockape37 . I have just ordered my first sensor as I think sensor and phone a more affordable solution than sensors and reader. hoping to use occasionally to get a better picture of how different foods and basal doses pan out as I had been having several hypos.

 

[rockape37]

Thanks @rockape37 . I have just ordered my first sensor as I think sensor and phone a more affordable solution than sensors and reader. hoping to use occasionally to get a better picture of how different foods and basal doses pan out as I had been having several hypos.

I'm definitely no expert in these matters but i wouldn't use the results to formulate your insulin requirements.

Regards

Martin

 

[Diakat]

I'm definitely no expert in these matters but i wouldn't use the results to formulate your insulin requirements.

Regards

Martin

Don't worry, it's more to see the trend. as my new lower basal seems to leave my evening bolus less effective. Do I am hoping to see if I can spot a drop off in basal by an increase in levels without good or if my evening bolus need increasing by a trend after eating.

 

[rockape37]

Don't worry, it's more to see the trend. as my new lower basal seems to leave my evening bolus less effective. Do I am hoping to see if I can spot a drop off in basal by an increase in levels without good or if my evening bolus need increasing by a trend after eating.

Likewise. I have had a couple of readings 2 mmol/L higher than finger pricking results but this system is still excellent and trends identifiable. All in a very handy tool to use on the go at a second or two's notice to give you an idea of where your bg is going. Love it, maybe in the not too distant future the readings will be more accurate and on par with finger pricking so that we can reliably use them for bolusing.
But as a tool for monitoring trends its good enough.

Regards

Martin

 

[jemmaedias]

Hi Martin! I've been using the Freestyle Libre since I was given a free starter pack by an Abbott rep at an education course at my hospital in the summer and I have since bought 12 sensors. It's been a godsend really and I've discovered nocturnal hypos that I never would have imagined I'd be having! I definitely recommend testing out some different foods with different glycemic indexes and watching how your sugars react as I have managed to find the best foods to avoid hypos during my day and keep me going through long shifts. It's saved me huge amounts of time during very busy days (although I'm very lazy in terms of pricking before a bolus) and I don't know what I'll do when I run out of the money to pay for the sensors, especially as NHS funding for them has been rejected Good luck with them and I hope you find them as wonderful as I do!!!