FREESTYLE LIBRE ON SALE!!!!

[Andy_P]

I meant to add to my last post that the box in the picture was delivered by DPD and had to be signed for !

 

[Emmotha]

Yeah they do like to waste a bit of plastic etc.

I've posted a message in the Facebook group

 

[Hill28]

Hm not so encouraging to see that even the most positive users so far are reporting quite serious skin problems.

I put my 3rd sensor on yesterday, after a break of 4 days. Took another unused spot on my arm, which hurted a bit during insertion since there is no fat. So far no skin irritation I guess..lets see how this goes..

Have to say I used way too many teststrips in the days without sensor.

Readings and trends seem to be right on this sensor though! Second one was also ok, mine being send from France..

 

[Andy_P]

Yes I'm getting through foil wrapped Abbott test strips like they are going out of fashion and not enjoying it. :-(

 

[tim2000s]

Had an interesting observation with the Libre tonight. Feeling a little "ropey", I scanned and showed an IFG reading of 5.8 with a mildly upward trend arrow. The blood test showed 4.9. I felt like I was heading towards hypo, but didn't treat immediately as neither of the readings demanded this. Roll forward 35 mins and I am definitely below 4, both feeling it and testing it.

I guess this is just a reminder that the trend indicator and scanned data is not always where you really are now. More importantly it goes to show that the gap between IFG and bg readings probably also needs to be interpreted, and when I have a stable sensor, it means that my bs is moving in one or the other direction fairly quickly.

Just goes to show that, even with all the tech, it's not infallible though. The feelings were right!

 

[jack412]

it sounds like they changed adhesive from the 1st batch, which didn't have this problem

 

[smidge]

it sounds like they changed adhesive from the 1st batch, which didn't have this problem

I would agree with you Jack except that the sensor that caused me the problems had an expiry date of Feb 2015 - which is the same as the very early sensors I had in the starter pack. In the meantime I've been using sensors with later expiry dates on them. Unfortunately, I don't have the batch numbers as they only seem to print those on the boxes which I've thrown away. The sensor I have on now is definitely a different batch (expires October 2015), so we'll see how that goes.

Smidge

 

[smidge]

Had an interesting observation with the Libre tonight. Feeling a little "ropey", I scanned and showed an IFG reading of 5.8 with a mildly upward trend arrow. The blood test showed 4.9. I felt like I was heading towards hypo, but didn't treat immediately as neither of the readings demanded this. Roll forward 35 mins and I am definitely below 4, both feeling it and testing it.

I guess this is just a reminder that the trend indicator and scanned data is not always where you really are now. More importantly it goes to show that the gap between IFG and bg readings probably also needs to be interpreted, and when I have a stable sensor, it means that my bs is moving in one or the other direction fairly quickly.

Just goes to show that, even with all the tech, it's not infallible though. The feelings were right!

I never trust a Libre upward arrow if the Libre reading is higher than the BG reading. If you think about it that combination cannot be possible. It means that your BG is moving upwards quickly enough to register on the Libre (an in my experience, it has to move pretty quick to do that!) yet taking the lag into account, it will have to have fallen to the BG level within 10 minutes - therefore it cannot currently be moving upwards! Whatever the Libre says, BG must be on a downward trend! Well, that's my logic in those circumstances anyway!

Smidge

 

[Omnipod]

Anyone tried blocking the application's outbound connection at their firewall? I'm wondering if the application would still work. I can't see any need for the application to have outbound access. It needs inbound to update, but should not need outbound without permission.

I'm not sure if it actually breaks UK DP laws. Our laws are a little lax around the definition of 'personal' data - unless it's user-identifiable, the Information Officer doesn't even have to be informed of breaches and neither do the individuals whose data it is. If medical data on one system is left inappropriately accessible but someone would need access to another system to actually identify the users and the likelihood is that they wouldn't have access to both systems, it is not deemed a breach and is not reportable to the Information Commissioner.

Unless it's necessary to tell the Information Commissioner of a breach it's up to the company involved whether they inform users. A breach is only defined as a known unauthorised access of the data - if the data has been available to unauthorised access but there is no evidence of access, it is not deemed breached and nobody needs to be informed.

All I'm really saying here is that people in the UK often think they have more rights and that there are more safeguards than there actually are. What Abbott are doing is very bad, very underhand, and certainly very poor practise, but I doubt that it breaks UK law because to identify individuals from the data, I expect you would need access to multiple systems, e.g. sales and R&D, which Abbotts would probably claim their staff do not have.

Smidge

Why is it a concern if Abbott are downloading reports? its not as if they are downloading anything else thats private. Its probably just to better the product.
Sorry...dont mean to sound rude. I just dont understand. its just a bg report

 

[Omnipod]

Hm not so encouraging to see that even the most positive users so far are reporting quite serious skin problems.

I put my 3rd sensor on yesterday, after a break of 4 days. Took another unused spot on my arm, which hurted a bit during insertion since there is no fat. So far no skin irritation I guess..lets see how this goes..

Have to say I used way too many teststrips in the days without sensor.

Readings and trends seem to be right on this sensor though! Second one was also ok, mine being send from France..

Not everyone is having skin problems. I just went onto sensor 8 and not even a red mark! I alternate arms every 2 weeks. im quite muscly too and havent had any issues.
only issues ive had have been with ordering and delivery!

 

[smidge]

Why is it a concern if Abbott are downloading reports? its not as if they are downloading anything else thats private. Its probably just to better the product.
Sorry...dont mean to sound rude. I just dont understand. its just a bg report

It isn't particularly a concern to me, but it is to some people - I was trying to clarify your rights under UK law, because they are not as great as you might think. It is very rude of Abbott not to ask permission for your data and set out the ways in which they will use it though. Even Microsoft has that courtesy!

Smidge

 

[smidge]

Not everyone is having skin problems. I just went onto sensor 8 and not even a red mark! I alternate arms every 2 weeks. im quite muscly too and havent had any issues.
only issues ive had have been with ordering and delivery!

Sensor number 5 is the first time I've had a skin reaction. I also alternate arms every two weeks, but I've undoubtedly got much smaller arms than you so I am now reusing the original sensor sites - sensor 5 was the first sensor back in an original site, so maybe that's why - I hope not as it would mean I'll have to discontinue using the Libre as my arms aren't big enough to have more than 4 fresh sites in the right place (2 on each arm).

Smidge

 

[Omnipod]

i hope its sorted. Perhaps that spray mentioned earlier will help.
I know that many people are allergic or sensitive to pump patches and cannula plasters. Perhaps its not that your arms are small - 2 weeks between sites is loads of time for your arms to heal.
Have you tried wearing the disc on your abdomen? I saw on FB somebody was using a disc on the upper back just above the scapula.

 

[darrenh04]

Why is it a concern if Abbott are downloading reports? its not as if they are downloading anything else thats private. Its probably just to better the product.
Sorry...dont mean to sound rude. I just dont understand. its just a bg report

Technically the information showing your levels and what medication you have taken is your data. Whilst no personal identifiable information is in there it is still your property. (unless I have missed something in the terms). Based on this it is a fine line Abbott downloading it without consent especially sending it outside the EU.
Personally, if it can help improve the product I am happy, but as Smidge says even Microsoft and other software vendors are polite enough to at least ask and give an opt out.

 

[Emmotha]

Hey guys. Can anyone remember that date we put on our first sensor?

 

[darrenh04]

Hey guys. Can anyone remember that date we put on our first sensor?

For me it was the 22nd October. I believe some received theirs the day before.

 

[Omnipod]

go into your reports and download the last 3 months and then when you open the report, it will tell you the date. I reckon you started round about the 28 Oct

 

[Emmotha]

Wow 22nd October! 10 weeks!
Where has the time gone?

 

[phoenix]

Re privacy
Personally,I just would have preferred to been asked and allowed to opt out if I wanted to.
There is a privacy statement
Normally they say that sending /receiving info from your computer is for update purposes but also

In addition, from time to time when you use a System, we may collect anonymous or aggregated
information for the purposes of quality and product improvement and research. We only collect
information which is de-identified; it cannot be used to identify you or your IP address.

This may be stored in the US ( Abbott has a safe-harbour certificate) They also refer to local privacy policies which are peculiar to each country.
http://www.freestylesoftwareproducts.com/privacypolicy/pdf/DOC31339-010_rev-A.pdf
Presumably by agreeing to the licence they could say that you are agreeing to the terms .
I have no idea about how permanent the process of anonymising is I do know that the French law I was reading last night suggested that the process had to be irreversible in order for it to be counted as anonymous data and hence not subject to stringent conditions )

On the website there are the local conditions.Mine does contain a clause about free right of access to data held , and the right to have it corrected or deleted. The whole document is very long and complicated stating that they can collect info from various sources (websites, telephone calls, programmes etc) and can consolidate them, then store the data in the US. It is obviously written to comply with French law, and I suspect that registering you are deemed to have accepted the terms.

The UK one is very different is more to do with the use of the website and much simpler. You can find out what info they hold on you for a fee of £10

 

[Hill28]

A pity the Facebook group is a closed group, since im not posting my medical condition on facebook but would like to read the experiences from these users..