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FREESTYLE LIBRE ON SALE!!!!

Gah...
Libre scan: 3.5
Optium Neo: 3.2
AC Mobile:3.0
Libre blood:2.5

Hypo feels quite mild so I don't believe the Libre blood test
 
I posted a negative comment, referencing some of the issues that we've seen, on one of the posts in the libre group on Facebook and it was moderated out! It seems that some posts have to be kept politically positive!
 
tim2000s said:
I posted a negative comment, referencing some of the issues that we've seen, on one of the posts in the libre group on Facebook and it was moderated out! It seems that some posts have to be kept politically positive!
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No way!? That's not good. What did you say?

That Facebook group is too generalised now anyway. It's an ok group but some people not using it for the Libre.

I am appreciating everyone's feedback good and bad.
 
tim2000s said:
So, two sensors, one 17.5% too high, the other 17.5% too low. The irony is marvellous. Still, at least if I use both I'll have some idea of where my blood glucose level really is...! Another phone call to Abbott in the offing tomorrow I think. They will be getting as bored of me as I am of doing their trials for them.

On a slightly different note, I was reading the detail of the clinical trials they are doing in the US. They are taking a sample of 164 people, and giving them one sensor and a reader, then having them do 8 scheduled blood tests per day over 14 days to prove the accuracy of the reader/sensor for the FDA. I thought it would be relatively easy to replicate this (and I think 164 is more than the European sample ) using forum members.

Is anyone up for it?
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I think you need a third one!
 
I would be happy to give the testing a go as soon as I get another sensor on.

Has anyone who reported reactions to sensors used another yet? How are you going and did you try the barrier cream?

My arms have healed but still the skin is marked. Unsure what will happen with the next but waiting for the cavilon then will select an area with no overlap.

Spoke to doctor last week and he confirmed it looked like an allergic reaction and this can build up over time. He warned that if I use another sensor and the cavilon doesn't work the other sites could flare up again.
 
Hooked said:
I signed up for that ages ago. It still says early 2015. I go through phases of really wanting to order one, to reading the issues people are having with them and being put off.
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I had only intended to get the starter pack to see how it was, but now I'm (um...) hooked ;)

Seriously though, I have had 2 erratic sensors out of 6 and Abbott have replaced both. I've not had any trouble with adhesion, skin reaction or pain.
 
All the fun I had yesterday with the complete misalignment of the new sensor and bg readings seems to have evaporated itself, and we are now back in much better alignment. The old sensor is back to showing low while the new one is pretty much spot on. This is somewhat confusing! I wonder how often it has happened before when I simply wasn't checking for accuracy...?
 
tim2000s said:
All the fun I had yesterday with the complete misalignment of the new sensor and bg readings seems to have evaporated itself, and we are now back in much better alignment. The old sensor is back to showing low while the new one is pretty much spot on. This is somewhat confusing! I wonder how often it has happened before when I simply wasn't checking for accuracy...?
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Maybe go for a massage to get IF distributed more evenly ;)
 
Just attached sensor no. 7 ready to activate tomorrow. This one bled for about a minute from the centre of the sensor but seems to have stopped now. Anyone else had this? If so, was the sensor OK?
 
tim2000s said:
I wonder how often it has happened before when I simply wasn't checking for accuracy...?
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Yah me too!! It does make you wonder how trust worthy even the good sensors are if you don't finger prick
 
I was doing some checking of the data I took to the hospital. There are 94 finger prick on that out of the 7000 or so readings.

I checked about 20 with the historic reading that was closest to the 20 minute mark post finger prick. This was on my second sensor. The furthest it was out from the bg readings was 0.6 mmol/l and this was at 9. That appears to have been a good sensor.
 
So after 82 days in the world of Libre I am finally free! My sensor number 6 ended at 1.25pm today and I removed it a moment ago. I have not put a new one on.

This afternoon has felt a little weird. I am really missing the reassuring scan and I know I'm going to miss the data greatly. I've tested before and after each meal today and I'm doing OK.

Sensor 6 has left a red mark, but nowhere near as bad as sensor 5 left and I had no itching from it. The only difference was that I didn't allow this sensor to get wet - made sure I covered it up every time I had a shower. It stayed firmly stuck with no peeling edges and no water got behind it. I had a theory that keep getting the skin wet behind it might have been causing the irritation. Not sure if that's true, but the skin underneath this one is nowhere near as irritated as the last one.

I'm having a break. Letting my arms heal properly and then deciding whether to start using it again.

Smidge
 
smidge said:
....Sensor 6 has left a red mark, but nowhere near as bad as sensor 5 left and I had no itching from it. The only difference was that I didn't allow this sensor to get wet - made sure I covered it up every time I had a shower. It stayed firmly stuck with no peeling edges and no water got behind it. I had a theory that keep getting the skin wet behind it might have been causing the irritation. Not sure if that's true, but the skin underneath this one is nowhere near as irritated as the last one.....
Smidge
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Interesting comment about getting wet. After my first three during which I tried to keep them dry I became more confident and didn't worry about them in the shower. Could it be it getting damp and the glue together caused it? Obviously some aren't having a reaction but I have a history of sweat related rashes when exercising a lot so this wouldn't be a great leap.
 
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A further update from the land of Abbott, having decided to call them this morning because the sensor is reading >1 mmol/l out again this morning in s a slow moving scenario.

The chap on the end of the phone was very helpful, and gave me some useful information. In terms of what Abbott considers to be poor accuracy, it is a scan variance from the average of a group of blood test readings at a particular level that is greater than 15%. They agreed to replace the sensor due to the high variance at the low blood sugar level I saw this morning and not because of the scan being 1.2 higher than the blood glucose reading when it was 7.2!

I also asked about issues and the guy on the phone mentioned that the group he belongs to didn't have data relating to number of problems. His view was that, given the number of sensors they have dispatched, the difference between good ones and bad ones was that there was an order of magnitude difference, if not two. So the number of bad sensors is somewhere between 1 in 10 and 1 in 100. His view as that there were no widespread issues and as far as Abbott are concerned, they haven't had a faulty batch.
 
I've read ur blog time and also think the inter fluid has a problem with low blood sugar
 
I've followed this thread with great interest. Though I am currently a Dexcom user I really hope the Libre settles down & is successful. It provides an alternative option for me & much needed competition to the "Full" CGMs, perhaps even bringing prices down.

Clearly there is a wide range of experiences. Some sensors are obviously bad & it sounds like Abbott are replacing them without too much hassle.

I just wonder if opinions would be more positive if it had been marketed differently:

The "Why prick when you can scan?" headline increases expectations. Perhaps they could have simply said "Fewer finger stick tests" ?

Secondly they could have made it possible to calibrate the Libre. I get the impression that a lot of users see readings differing from finger sticks by a consistent amount.

What do you think?
 
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