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FREESTYLE LIBRE ON SALE!!!!

No news on that yet Sam. I tried to get my consultant interested a few weeks ago, but he couldn't have shown less interest if he'd tried! I'm seeing him again in early December, so I'll try again then. I think it's only by engaging the consultants in our use of them that the case for NHS funding will be made. I would think it's some way off unfortunately.

Smidge
 
Has anyone else noticed a falling off in sensor performance?

I'm at day 11/12 and yesterday ad today have had a rash of 'sensor error' messages and the graph on the report has gone from being an unbroken line to bigger and bigger gaps over the last two days.
 
Wonder whether that's the sensor or the battery?
 

I'm Apprehensive about removing the sensor I currently have in place!! If the glue is still well stuck then ouch!
I didn't feel a thing when I inserted my sensor so fingers crossed for you that it was just a bad spot that you hit with your first oneand that this one will be pain free
Good luck!
 
@smidge I am as well! I thought about it yesterday and was thinking am I going to get this fear every 2 weeks? Lol. I got my husband to put mine in for me as I was too scared. I don't think mine hurt actually but it's the thought of it for me.

I think once we've done it a couple of times we'll get the technique right, as most ppl said they didn't even feel it?
 
Interesting reading the statistical data on the website when I ordered mine last night.

The sample size that they used to state that 93.4% of users had no skin irritation using the sensor was 30. The one who did removed the sensor after three days. This is not a statistically significant sample...

It made me wonder about sample sizes for other statements.
 

Yeah I didn't feel a thing! Found it less painful than my pump sites. I think that as with anything there's bound to be an anomaly though and one or twice it may hurt, as yours did Smidge! Fingers crossed it's rare though
 
They have ways and means to exclude and spin data too if they wish. 30 ppl is not a lot tbf. The biggest test is all of us. I haven't been tempted to take mine out at all.
 
I thought it would be helpful to coordinate experience with the Libre in conjuction with diet, etc, so I wrote the question on their website:

"I was at the Hounslow meeting when Ms Lucy Windmill introduced the Libre & answered questions. I was impressed, Thank you.
T2 diabetic since 2000. I followed the Diabetes UK diet recommendations (high complex carb) for 8 years, until I was suffering from crippling peripheral neuropathy; extreme tiredness, & beginning of retinopathy.
In May 2008 I found advice on the diabetes.co.uk/forum & adopted a low carb diet. Within 3 months I was well again, out of pain, & playing tennis.
Diabetes UK were & are not interested in personal success stories, particulalrly if they cast doubt on their diet recommendations.
At 75 years old, after over 6 years of low carb, increased fat diet, I am fit & well & playing tennis & table tennis at club standard.
When I was in trouble, HbA1c was 6.7. Since then it's been 5.9 to 6.6. My understanding (from BG tests & food trials) is that the DUK high carb diet causes BG highs & lows (in my case still giving an acceptable HbA1c) but causing complications by running high & low, rather than the even BGs from a low carb diet. After meal readings (1 hour) were in the teens, whereas they are now 8-10.
The Libre would have been a useful diagnostic tool when I was in trouble.
I am prepared to buy one to verify my observations, but want to take it further, particularly in the struggle with DUK over low carb diets. I've read their reports on low carb, & the documentation, & many of their citations.
Diabetics should be advised on carb reduction from diagnosis & NOT be given the standard high carb advice that damaged my health & results in complications for many.
To be useful, such tests would need to be in conjunction with local health professionals. "​

I received the following non-reply:

"On 1 November 2014 10:08, FreeStyle Libre Service Team <free_style_libre_service_gb@abbott.com> wrote:
Good Morning,

Thank you for getting in touch with us.
We are grateful for your interest in the FreeStyle Libre.

For more information and purchase, please go to to www.freestylelibre.co.uk..

We wish you continued success.

Best Regards,

Joana Carvalho
Abbott Diabetes Care Customer Service"

Is she based in an Indian call centre?????
 
I think, if you look at the pattern of roll out on this (and probably many other medical technologies, (and I'd include CGMs in that), it tends to be one of
a. Get it right in the lab
b. Get a small test population to prove it in the field
c. Get the wider audience guinea pigs involved, make them pay for it themselves and use the data collected to improve the product to get it onto th various health policies around the world.

If you were cynical, you might say that that we are the self funding guinea pigs helping the large corporate healthcare company make more money...
 
Oh wow @IanD ! Where ever she works I don't think she can read! They obviously just have a few blanket email replies to choose from.

Great email btw, well done on ur success
 
tim2000s said:
The sample size that they used to state that 93.4% of users had no skin irritation using the sensor was 30. The one who did removed the sensor after three days. This is not a statistically significant sample...
Click to expand...
No indeed it isn't. I'm ignorant in statistics, but a quick google of 'What is a statistically significant sample size' reveals that what a sample size of 30 can tell you about the total population of relevant individuals (ie UK diabetics) comes with a decreased confidence level and an increased margin of error (those are technical statistical terms apparently). So the chance for error in the sample is increased.
 
Quite. When the population of likely users is in the millions, a sample size of 30 has a reasonably significant margin for error when extrapolated up. A typical confidence level that is used would be 95% (that you are 95% confident in the results of your testing), although I don't know what NICE requires.

Or to put that another way, in the testing they did before releasing it to people, to be 95% confident that the 93.4% of the sample population was good, they have a 7% margin for error based on sample size. Now what does this mean?

It means that the 29/30 users (or 93.4%) of users who didn't report issues could be as low as 86% in the sample size, or to put it another way, in such a small sample, the number of people who had issues and maybe didn't feedback correctly could be as high as four people, rather than the one stated.

You can bet your bottom dollar that they are keeping a count of all the Libres sold and the number of issues that arise and that this sample size and statistical data will encompass the much larger sample size from sales when put in front of NICE, etc.

When looked at like that it tells a different story. But of course that's the beauty of statistics.
 

Can I point out that, although I agree the sample size is small, I speak to the 1 who reacted to the sensor on Twitter regularly. It was no surprise to him that he had an adverse reaction as he has the same reaction to his dexcom CGM and has to take measures to create a barrier.
 

Context, as they say, is everything! When presented like that, it tells you a very different story.

"One in 30 of the sample set of users had an adverse reaction to the glue used" sounds very different to:
"One in 30 of the sample set of users expected and had an adverse reaction to the glue used due to previous experience".
 

Exactly. For me, it tells me that it's a similar adhesive to dexcom uses. Or has some similar elements which are causing the adverse reaction.

Regardless.... 30 people is a very small sample.
 
Why woudl you expect a medical devices company to endorse your diet?

Surely that is the remit of doctors and researchers, not sellers.

If you were asking them questions about the performance of their product then I would expect more of an answer.
 
They are quite man'ish. But If anyone is looking for a belt pouch to keep the reader in the 5.11 C5 PDA military case fits like a glove. I brought a black one to wear at my corporate job and a desert tan one for anything else.

Can I link to this?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/5-11-Large-Smartphone-Case-Black/dp/B00965R8U0

I REALLY wish they'd come up with a silicone skin at launch or included a lanyard point on the thing. It's an expensive piece of equiment and I wanted to look after it as much as I would my phone.
 
Just a tip in case Abbott havent included a screen protector for the handset........ZAGG Invisable Shield for a mobile phone will give good protection as the screen protector sticks to whatever xurface its applied to.
 
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