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Freestyle Libre-The wait is finally over ... but I left the queue some time ago!

paulliljeros

Well-Known Member
Messages
417
Location
London, UK
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Other
I registered sometime in April, and was given no idea how long the wait would be, simply that they were trying to improve production, and had to prioritise existing customers. I quite admire this approach and approve to a point. However, approx. 4 weeks ago I made contact asking if they were able to provide any update and indication of timescales, to which they gave the usual, "We have no idea, you will receive an email when your turn arrives". My issue is that less than 2 weeks after that, I received the email stating the wait is nearly over, and today, I get a very proud email from Abbott stating "The wait is finally over" and that I can "Now place an order".

If I were going to order, I would be nervous at this point because I have read a few accounts where people on here are struggling to get new sensors in time, and I wonder how well the order and distribution process is, especially if there is a limit of 2 sensors per 28 days as I believe there is. Luckily for me, this is a void point, as a month or so ago, I decided to purchase a Dexcom G4, and I have a huge regret: I should NEVER have waited the 8 months. The delivery was immediate, I can order sensors and transmitters at will and the data is an absolute goldmine. For me, purchasing the Dexcom is the best thing I have done in 30+ years of diabetes - I only wish I could turn back the years and do it at the beginning!

I have not owned or used a Freestyle Libre, so my comments on it are simply anecdotal, but I have been unable to find any reason to justify handing a single penny of my hard earned money over to a company that kept me waiting for 8 months with not one update, and then announced with a fanfare and what I felt was an undertone of "You should now celebrate", and afterthought of "Thanks for your patience" at the end of the email.
 
paulliljeros said:
especially if there is a limit of 2 sensors per 28 days as I believe there is.
Click to expand...
Just to clarify the situation, you are able to order two sensors every 14 days.

The main reason people have held out for the Libre is the upfront cost of the Dexcom. There's a significant difference for most between the upfront cost of the Dexcom (£1000) vs the Libre (£150). That's the main driver for most as they simply can't afford the Dexcom.
 

The commercial reality is these days that when a product launches the manufacturer can have done as much market research as they like, but they will never really know whether their product will be long-term commercially viable. It is my belief Abbott were somewhat unprepared for the market reaction to the Libre.

In my experience (as an on/off user), once you have been invited to purchase any further supply delays are modest. Anyone wanting to ensure an absolutely unbroken supply of sensors would be well advised to order well in advance as even in the slickest of supply chains, things can sometimes go just a little awry. We only have to observe threads on here, from time to time, where posters are bemoaning the unavailability of their prescribed insulin, strips, Metformin or other medications.

I hope you have positive learning experience with your Dexcom and achieve your desired outcomes. I have found the Libre to be most informative, if not necessarily a medical necessity in my own case.
 
Point taken @tim2000s and @AndBreathe, Thank you for your comments. The initial outlay for the Dexcom is expensive, and I can appreciate prohibitive for many, and was the reason I also waited at first for the Libre. I also appreciate demand clearly outstretched supply, and whilst they should be applauded for concentrating on their existing customers, I feel their unwillingness to provide any timescales was not acceptable, and the stories I am reading on the forums here with regards to difficulties in acquiring supplies in a timely manner should be highlighted so that
a) Abbott hopefully consider whether they are taking the right approach
b) Everyone can make a slightly more informed choice when joining the waiting list.
When I got to month 7 and had heard nothing, had my expectations been managed just a little bit, I probably would have waited for the Libre, but with an endless wait ahead, Abbott lost me as a customer, and I wonder how often this has happened now.
 

They can't win on this one. If they thought they might have cleared the backlog by x date, communicated it, then failed to do so, they would have been slated more justifiably, in my view.

My feeling is some of the initial issues experienced by users, in the early days, impacted on the increased roll-out, and reading between the lines, they suspended new customers for a period, in order to serve their then current user base as best they could. The strike at the French ports also got in the way, with supplies being delayed. That just couldn't have been foreseen.

Unfortunately, being in at the front edge of a new product launch is often a mixed experience, when we think of other products, whether it be a new Windows launch (I'm think Win 8 or Millenium), or even some of the Apple phone products that bent or got very hot? We forget these things pretty promptly once the dust settles, and I'm sure the same will be the case with the Libre.
 
I registered for a Libre middle May, was invited to buy 2 weeks ago (beginning November). Ordered. Delivery took 11 days (unusually long, due to delays in France, I understand).

I have been using it for just 3 days, and I can't believe how useful it is.

I have no intention of running it full time, because of the ongoing costs, but going without it will be very frustrating, after this marvellous, available, convenient 24/7 info source. And that is after such a short time.
 
@paulliljeros, I got too got a email today to place my order

Understand your frustration at the long wait and just as well you sent the email, first time around I waited 3-4 months before being told I could order the Libre (I declined the offer then) and registered again in September so waited a similar time-scale.
 
I've been looking at my GB order numbers and Abbott have pretty consistently been knocking out about 20,000 orders a month since I started in July. At about 220,000 now for UK which probably means up to 400k sensors shipped for year 1 just for the Uk. Add on the other big european markets and I can easily imagine that their launch factory scaled at maybe a million a year, which would havr been a big investment for what is still a unique product. Will be interesting to see if order rates increase from Jan with the new factory onstream.
 
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