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Has anyone quit using Freestyle Libre?

Y

YogiBear76

Member
Messages
12
Type of diabetes
Type 1
I had been using Freestyle Libre for 2 years. I do think it is a gamechanger for diabetics. However over the last number of months I feel I have been chasing trends and getting overwhelmed by the data it provides. I have decided to stop using the Freestyle Libre 2 and revert back to fingerprick testing. Since doing this I'm now feeling a lot more relaxed and I'm not getting myself stressed out with having the constant data to hand.
 
YogiBear76 said:
Since doing this I'm now feeling a lot more relaxed and I'm not getting myself stressed out with having the constant data to hand.
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Personally, I love the data, but this sounds like reverting to fingerpricking is the exact right decision for you.
Possibly you'd like to use a Libre again every now and then to see if there are any relevant patterns you've missed after a while of relying on fingerpricks.

Living with diabetes isn't about getting the best numbers possible, it's about finding the right balance between diabetes and the rest of your life.
So if slightly more erratic numbers from paying a little less attention to diabetes means a great improvement on overall quality of life, it sounds like the way to go for me.
 
Hear what you're saying. I was excited at first - no more fingerpricks, real-time monitoring - but that turned out to be marketing blah.
I now review Libre data on my PC at the end of the week/month to see where the ups and downs are going, but for day to day control I rely on my Glucometer and have removed LibreView from my phone. I'm sure some folk love it - each to their own.
 
Thank you so much for your reply. I think I was starting to micro manage a bit too much and overreacting to every reading rather than letting things play out. x
 
I'm only been using it for 8 weeks but I love it,don't find I chase trends or react to anomalies because I've learned already that what goes up comes down again and it let's me nip a hypo in the bud. It's really helped me in learning how to manage my insulin. Plus my fingers don't get sore!
 
I'm glad your finding it beneficial. I suppose we're all individuals and I wouldn't knock it for someone who finds it working well for them. After 27 years in maybe I'm just bedded into my ways.
 
YogiBear76 said:
I'm glad your finding it beneficial. I suppose we're all individuals and I wouldn't knock it for someone who finds it working well for them. After 27 years in maybe I'm just bedded into my ways.
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Yep, and maybe after I have been it as long as you I will also get tired of it, I just feel like it's a godsend at the moment!
 
I can understand your frustration but I'd be lost without it....I've been a user for 9 years now, and could count the days I've not worn one in that time on one hand! Yes, there have been plenty of times where the trends have not been where I'd want them to be, unexplained highs, persistent hypos etc, but over time the Libre has allowed me to spot the patterns and vastly reduce occurences.

I would admit to "micro-managing" at times, but if you think about it, the body of a non-diabetic micro-manages 100% of the time, so in a way, the Libre allows a more natural approach to managing BG control.
 
We each find out own ways through this T1 'nightmare' - I Love the Libres - they mean I never worry about going high or low as I get alarms to eat etc (24 hours a day) - main frustration is when they don't work as expected, but I can live with that for the benefits
 
I had a trial when it was first offered, and while it was interesting to see what happened I didn't think it was worth bothering with at first (and I could get it on prescription too at that point as I qualified) so I didn't bother.

The main issues I had were that at that point it wasn't a CGM, and the scanning as much of a faff as doing finger prick tests, and the fact that it didn't allow me to plot BG, insulin and carbs in the same place, which made it very hard to come up with any insights.

Someone told me about the miaomiao, and that changed my mind as the CGM functionality and importantly the overnight low alarms were reason enough. The fact I had to use XDrip+ was also a Godsend as the presentation (while not ideal) is very useful as it shows everything on a single graph so you can actually understand what's going on and why (the only missing aspect is easy historic review - i.e. look at a similar previous set of circumstances and see how well an insulin/carbs/exercise decision worked.)

I can also understand the issue of data overload though, but I think perhaps just not looking but still having the data available would be the best course of action in this case, though perhaps easier to say than to do!
 
Thank u so much for all your replies. It's interesting to read everyone's experiences and how the use of the Freestyle Libre 2 benefits them .
 
Just started using libre 2 , great to use out & about but the reading's differ greatly from my finger tip test
 
Libre has been part of a long tech-journey.

First off I wanted readings on a watch, and alarms to wake me so I never went low or lost control over night. xDrip and MiaoMiao gave me that.

Then moved on to linking my pump into the loop, and used Libre to control my system in a Hybrid Closed Loop - worked well but I always wanted more.

I now use Libre to feed a fully closed loop, so no injections, no bolusing, no carb entry - just get my setting right and eat, sleep and exercise as I want without planning.

Not perfect - but getting very close to a complete solution, and the future for anyone who wants to spend the time to get there.

The future - collect a load of data over a period of a few weeks, plug a loop in and 'go' - then just swap the Libre (or other CGM) and fill the cartridge with insulin.

Amazing times - and the tech will help us all get there.
 
Dana-i, as it is open to looping through AndroidAPS - initially used Omnipod-Dash but didn't get along with the cannulas.

Dana is fiddly to fill, and essentially does 'pump stuff' (like they all do, pretty much) - otherwise works well.
 
I have been using Libre for ages , I had to go on a course before I was able to get my Libre on prescription , I remember saying to the person taking the course , that there was a definite prospect of “ information overload “. This had been found to be very true. Personally I’m don’t get affected by it , I take my bloods if they are within range I carry on , if my Hb1ac is acceptable I’m fine , I don’t try to keep my blood sugar range too tight and I definitely don’t stress if my blood goes out of range for a short period . I more than most realise the effects of long term control. I experiment more than most which has led me to understand what works for me ,unfortunately it’s not a quick fix, I feel very lucky that I have had diabetes that long that I can to relate to life before the technology we have today. There is so much information available to us now , we now have to learn what to so with it all ! No different to life itself really ,
 
I can also remember what it was like before technology came along Ushthetaff. Things have came on a long way. I have always been very tightly controlled and my HCP's had concerns that this would happen with me chasing the trends. I'm now back to fingerpricking and feeling more relaxed. It definitely what works for each individual.
 
I’ve stopped using my Libre 2, for the time being as the last new one I applied just kept reading really high for no apparent reason as I was controlling my carb count and insulin intake. At one point I had a really bad hypo because I trusted the Libre reading and took extra insulin to bring the levels down. I started finger pricking aftermthat and it was way out, so just having a break to give my body as rest from it. Anyone else had the same issue?
 
Personally after 5 years I still love it. Of course we should all do what suits us. When doing finger pricks I was testing a lot anyway and I suppose that is because I want to keep tight control.
 
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