Is a libre right for me

Smiler99 · Mar 27, 2022

I am having a hard time with libre sensors and trying hard to not get upset about all the faulty ones I have had its quite emotional as I try to speak to my dB nurses but I know they have more important things to deal with but I'm finding it hard to deal with thee thought of loosing my driving licence over the alarms not working. I despise finger pricking with avenges and don't want to go back to it, I am trying so hard to keep my mental health together....

Ktmpedro220 · Mar 27, 2022

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that you still have to do finger prick testing for driving. Plus, hopefully you're not totally relying on the Libre alarms to be notified of lows and highs.

EllieM · Mar 27, 2022

Smiler99 said:
but I'm finding it hard to deal with thee thought of loosing my driving licence over the alarms not working.

Do you have hypo awareness? If so, then theoretically you should be able to act on it before getting a hypo severe enough to need assistance (more than one of these a year lose you your license as I understand it, assuming you are in the UK.)

Is the issue with the sensors that they don't read your bgs correctly or that the alarms don't go off when you go low? m guessing the latter because you say faulty?

Smiler99 said:
I despise finger pricking with avenges and don't want to go back to it,

Averages??

In my personal experience, losing hypo awareness is a massive mental strain, and a cgm helped me massively, (though I did manage for quite a while with a glucometer when it first happened.)

Rokaab · Mar 27, 2022

EllieM said:
Averages??

I presume it was meant to be 'a vengeance'

Daibell · Mar 27, 2022

My understanding is you don't have to do finger pricks for driving as long as the Libre reading is not near to hypo level but if in doubt you should finger prick. What problems are you having with the Libre as I've only rarely had a faulty Libre 2?

Deleted member 527103 · Mar 27, 2022

You can use Libre readings when driving but you must also carry a finger pricker and the recommendation is to alway test highs and lows before treating and test every day or so to check the sensor is accurate enough.If you hate finger pricking with a vengeance, I suggest learning how to finger prick with minimum pain because you cannot completely do away with it. There are plenty of YouTube videos showing how to finger prick.

Unfortunately, some people have more problem with Libre sensors than others. It’s as if different sensor types (Dexcom, Libre, etc.) suit different people.

Smiler99 · Mar 28, 2022

Rokaab said:
I presume it was meant to be 'a vengeance'

Auto correct cut in

Smiler99 · Mar 28, 2022

Ktmpedro220 said:
Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that you still have to do finger prick testing for driving. Plus, hopefully you're not totally relying on the Libre alarms to be notified of lows and highs.

I was told that you don't need to finger prick for driving unless you think you are in hypo or under 5

Smiler99 · Mar 28, 2022

Daibell said:
My understanding is you don't have to do finger pricks for driving as long as the Libre reading is not near to hypo level but if in doubt you should finger prick. What problems are you having with the Libre as I've only rarely had a faulty Libre 2?

No I I am still finger pricking when I am using a libre for highs and lows but I very rear to go under 5

Smiler99 · Mar 28, 2022

EllieM said:
Do you have hypo awareness? If so, then theoretically you should be able to act on it before getting a hypo severe enough to need assistance (more than one of these a year lose you your license as I understand it, assuming you are in the UK.)

Is the issue with the sensors that they don't read your bgs correctly or that the alarms don't go off when you go low? m guessing the latter because you say faulty?

Averages??

In my personal experience, losing hypo awareness is a massive mental strain, and a cgm helped me massively, (though I did manage for quite a while with a glucometer when it first happened.)

Auto correct cut in.

I have hypo awareness when I get just under 5 so in 4.8 and so on, but I don't usually dip below the 5s unless I am unwell

EllieM · Mar 28, 2022

Smiler99 said:
I have hypo awareness when I get just under 5 so in 4.8 and so on, but I don't usually dip below the 5s unless I am unwell

Well, that's excellent in terms of not needing to fear hypos. So although the malfunctioning libres are a pain, they shouldn't actually make you lose your license (assuming you aren't a lorry driver, in which case different rules apply).

I guess you have to choose between a blood test every time you drive, or living with the frustration of malfunctioing libres. Only you know which is more stressful...

You could always have a few weeks not wearing the libre and see if it improves your mental health? But you would need to do at least some blood testing....

Smiler99 · Mar 28, 2022

EllieM said:
Well, that's excellent in terms of not needing to fear hypos. So although the malfunctioning libres are a pain, they shouldn't actually make you lose your license (assuming you aren't a lorry driver, in which case different rules apply).

I guess you have to choose between a blood test every time you drive, or living with the frustration of malfunctioing libres. Only you know which is more stressful...

You could always have a few weeks not wearing the libre and see if it improves your mental health? But you would need to do at least some blood testing....

I have been for the last week due to not being able to get my libre prescription as pharmacy haven't had in stock, also waiting for a reader for libre 2 so I am trying to figure it out, I think I just need a break from the frustration of libre

Ipodlistener · Mar 29, 2022

Don't know if this helps. It took me nearly a fortnight to change all the settings on my phone. For the alarms to work correctly. I'm a postman and very active. I change the alarms whilst at work. So a low alarm will sound at 5.6. That way I can catch a low before it happens. As my BG levels can drop from 10 to 5 in 30-60 mins very easily. When at home I'll have it set to 5.0. At bedtime 3.9 as to not wake me unless necessary. Also don't place to close to a joint. Hope this helps

Buzzark · Mar 29, 2022

In what way are yours faulty? I started on the Libre 2 trial 2 weeks ago and my first one was reading all over the place, with the peak being 10 mmol out from a blood test. The second one (a replacement sent out) seems to consistently read a a bit higher 1-2 mmol above a blood test and I've compared to two different meters. I've also tried doing the Libre reading 5 minutes after a blood test.

The convenience is really nice but I don't know if I can trust the readings at the moment because... to complicate matters, I have a Accucheck mobile (calibrated OK a few months ago) and (because they're updating my meter) a new, calibrated Sure Smart and they both give similar but different readings with the Sure Smart being a little higher, so 3 lots of figures, which is correct? ‍

Smiler99 · Apr 10, 2022

Buzzark said:
In what way are yours faulty? I started on the Libre 2 trial 2 weeks ago and my first one was reading all over the place, with the peak being 10 mmol out from a blood test. The second one (a replacement sent out) seems to consistently read a a bit higher 1-2 mmol above a blood test and I've compared to two different meters. I've also tried doing the Libre reading 5 minutes after a blood test.

The convenience is really nice but I don't know if I can trust the readings at the moment because... to complicate matters, I have a Accucheck mobile (calibrated OK a few months ago) and (because they're updating my meter) a new, calibrated Sure Smart and they both give similar but different readings with the Sure Smart being a little higher, so 3 lots of figures, which is correct? ‍

Faulty as the Bluetooth hasn't worked so it hasn't connected and the other Faulty one kept going off even when my blood was in the 8s

Smiler99 · Apr 10, 2022

Ipodlistener said:
Don't know if this helps. It took me nearly a fortnight to change all the settings on my phone. For the alarms to work correctly. I'm a postman and very active. I change the alarms whilst at work. So a low alarm will sound at 5.6. That way I can catch a low before it happens. As my BG levels can drop from 10 to 5 in 30-60 mins very easily. When at home I'll have it set to 5.0. At bedtime 3.9 as to not wake me unless necessary. Also don't place to close to a joint. Hope this helps

I seem to get a good one and then a bad one, I'm having a break from them at the moment but if I decide to use them again I will keep that in mind

Ipodlistener · Apr 11, 2022

Smiler99 said:
I seem to get a good one and then a bad one, I'm having a break from them at the moment but if I decide to use them again I will keep that in mind

I know exactly how you feel. I had a spot on one. Giving me 96% in range and 7.2 avg. Then one giving me high reading for the 1st few days. Messing up all I'd achieved. I always add a new one at least 24 hrs before start up. But I think placement has a lot to do with it. Good luck and we can't be perfect all the time. We just have to manage best we can.

Is a libre right for me

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