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FREESTYLE LIBRE ON SALE!!!!

Love the graph feature of the Libre, yesterday when I woke it said my early morning bg levels had dipped into the 3's, so this morning I woke to check again at 5am and sure enough the Libre sensor was reading 3.9 and my pump said 4.1mmol/l, this is invaluable information for basal rate testing as it save waking up a couple of times a night
 
JPTS said:
Totally agree. Unfortunately had issues with accuracy during the day, but despite this as you say for basal rate testing it's invaluable and has helped me greatly.
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It knocks your confidence @JPTS if you experience difficulties, first sensor started well but went down hill, second sensor has been remarkably accurate compared to my bg readings, adjusted my night basal rates this morning going from the last two mornings.
 
JPTS said:
Totally agree. Unfortunately had issues with accuracy during the day, but despite this as you say for basal rate testing it's invaluable and has helped me greatly.
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Yes the graph feature and daily patterns are great. I have discovered a blind spot, I take lantus at 10pm, and my bg reading are around 5, so I would then take a small amount of milk to make me feel better..prevent a hypo..the amount of milk probably would not stop a hypo but I feel I am doing something

What I have noticed is that my bg creeps up, sometime to 10 towards midnight and then drops quickly around 2 am to 5.
So I believe that the lantus duration is not long enough for me ,so I might have to consider a split dose.

I probably could have done this with proper basal testing but I did not want to disturb my sleep, also I felt by waking up to test during the night may compromise my bg result.
 
JPTS said:
Same experience as me. First sensor was way out, and replacement has turned up today. So fingers crossed this will be more accurate.
I do wonder though what percentage of people are having issues / having to return sensors. Not too high I hope.
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It would be interesting but we will never know those figures.
 
Glimp scans the sensor, but the sensor itself shuts down after 15 days, so while you can still scan it, the readings don't change...
 
I went to order one today but I've been told that they are not allowing new users at this time as demand is too high and they need to prioritize sensors to existing users. Maybe the fact they are at full capacity is a factor in number of faulty sensors. Let's hope it gets better. Looking forward tongwtting mine and hope the wait isn't too long
 
I had the same issue on lantus. Gp never thought to mention about any spikes I might get, but I was involved in a trial with a cgm and found out I was dipping up to 4ml in the space of an hour around 6am. Was taking my lantus at around midnight before bed.

I started taking in the mornings. Still got an insulin spike but easier to plan for when you are awake.

After discovering these forums over Xmas I read about splitting the dose. Started this week and so far it's working much better
 
Well it's a week today since starting on the Libre, my confidence is starting to return after a bad start with the first sensor.

Last night came back in from a walk with my dog and did a bg test and it was 5.4mmol/l, a scan of the sensor 20 mins later read 5.5 so pretty good all things considered
 
Im on my 16th sensor now :¬)

Once I got over the fact you cant calibrate them to blood tests and..
I got over that some sensors read 1-2 mmol to low and...
I got over that some sensors read 1-2 mmol to high
I am happy enough now

I just use it to check reactions to new foods and augment the sloppy readings with blood pricks

I have had 3/16 sensors sent back because they said I was dead or dying soon :¬)

Its probably all my fault I have the wrong sort of subcutaneous fluid or something :¬)
 
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Inserted 17th last night

Noticed I placed it more to the back of the arm and now when I sleep on that side (I cant help it) I get a reading of 2 mmol LO all night due to pressure on the sensor

Also this sensor is a 1 mmol lower than blood prick one
sensor 16 was 1mmol higher than blood prick

I wish they could fix this randomness

Anyways back on track..... seems II must not use the back of this arm in future as pressure definitely makes it fail

Byeeee :¬)
 
Many of us have found that laying on the sensor causes it to go low. No doubt it forces the interstitial fluid away from the sensor. I have found the very back of the arm to be the best place for me, but I guess it depends on how you sleep.
 
Being a bit of a gadget freak (and moire to the point, it looks to be informative and useful) I think I want one when they're available again!

How many non-insulin-using type2s here (I know @Brunneria is) are using one and are they finding it helpful?

Robbity
 

I have probably had around 10 sensors, and don't use them full time. I invested to satisfy my curiosity about overnights and the "gaps" I could never, ever capture from finger prick testing. I'm more of a data monster than a gadget girl, although I do like my gadgets.

One of the biggest wins, for me, aside from the insights I sought, that having used the Libre for a few sensor cycles, was that it it increased my confidence in my self-management and released me from the constant need to gather data.

I do still finger prick test each fasting score (sort of as my benchmark), and will continue to do so, as a bit of a safety net for potential deterioration, and obviously new or strange scenario around diet, exercise, stress or whatever.

I've recently had several months of fairly low-grade stress as I was having tests for something that could have been nasty, but turned out to be less nasty (phew). It dawned on me yesterday that I had never actually used the Libre in a stress-free period, so I'll be breaking out a sensor over the next couple of days, and place anther order.

Thankfully, my life is generally pretty relaxed and stress-free, so welcome back my normality!

If you can afford to invest the £130-odd then it is likely you will learn "stuff", but I would think it useful if you have an idea of what you want to learn, so that anything else you find out is a bonus.

Enjoy! You know you want to.
 
For me, it seems to be having two major consequences.

Firstly it has confirmed the level of control that I thought I had. But it has shown me that the way I get that control is different from what I thought (I don't have as big a dawn phenomenon as I thought ). I have higher physiological insulin resistance than I imagined and my reactive hypoglycaemia is a bigger factor than I imagined . I had actually thought my RH had virtually disappeared with the onset of T2. I was very wrong.

Secondly, it acts as a marvellous conscience.
I have always tested to find out what carbs do to me, but I had no idea how long those spikes lasted. I was also missing my peak. We are told that we spike at less than 2 hours. Well apparently I don't. Probably because of the LCHF. I peak at 2.5-3 hours. So for 3 years I have been missing my peaks. Which explains why my HBA1c has always been a bit higher than expected.
 
Due to replace my second sensor this afternoon, it's lasted 14 days and has stuck firm to the skin without any issues and have hardly noticed it was there, overall it's been pretty accurate when compared to bg levels.
 
I have had the applicator feel jammed on insertion of a new sensor but I try not to panic and wiggle it slow and carefull and so far they get unjammed :¬)
 
Hi @noblehead. Just out of curiosity...which BG monitor do you use?

I only ask because this weekend I unfortunately had to swap to an old BG monitor...a Freestyle mini...and have found that the readings are much closer to the Libre. Normally I use a Bayer Contour next USB...which I have always found has always corresponded quite well with hypo symptoms...where both the Libre and mini are reading much lower. My hypo awareness has always been quite good...or so I've always thought...but my experience using the mini this weekend has made me wonder if I'm actually not experiencing symptoms until I'm quite low. I think my next step is to try and obtain some control solutions for both BG monitors and see what the results are...I know the theory on 20% variations etc...but there is a big difference between a LO on Libre and a 5.1 on my contour. Just wonder if anyone else has experienced anything similar.
 

I couldn't comment on how accurate your meters might be, but these days, if you have an errant sensor, Abbott are a bit sceptical of comparative meter/sensor/reader meetings, unless they are Abbott readers, or indeed the onboard reader in the scanner.

I know many people haven't had any reliability issues with sensors, but my experience has been quite patchy. Some have been very off, with my current sensor swinging between running very low and very high.

I self-fund my strips (and obviously the Libre too, when I use it), so routinely use the Codefree meter, but I have bought some Abbott strips, so that I have a robust comparator, should I need to call them. Would that influence which strips you might choose to have on prescription?
 

Yes...I have noticed this too! The sensor was fine for the first week, but it continuously kept reading LO even when Meter readings were all above 5!!! Abbott are replacing this sensor. This happened to an earlier sensor as well, but since only 2 days were left on that one, I didn't bother.
 
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