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Libre availability - update from local Asda pharmacy

LittleGreyCat

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
4,421
Location
Suffolk, UK
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Diet drinks - the artificial sweeteners taste vile.
Having to forswear foods I have loved all my life.
Trying to find low carb meals when eating out.
I rang the local (well, 15 miles or so away) pharmacy asking if they had any stock.
No, they don't.

I asked for more information and they were very helpful.

There is a 2-3 week delay in supply at the moment.
They received an order they placed before Christmas this Monday last, and the stock has already gone.

They placed orders on the 2nd and 7th January 2020 which have not yet been fulfilled.

So I need to ring on Monday and see if anything has turned up from the 2nd January order, then keep pestering.

I am on the Abbott list but I think that you have to order a starter pack including a reader and I just want the sensors.
Will check further on this.
 
Updated to say that I just rang (Friday 24th January 2020) and Asda have still not had a delivery.
Four weeks since the order, now, and no firm date for the next delivery.

At some point I may have to go direct to Abbott and pay the penalty of having to buy a Reader with my first order.
[Subject to confirmation.]
 

Have you got an old sensor?
 
porl69 said:
Have you got an old sensor?
Click to expand...

Down to the last 3 days on my final sensor of this batch.
I normally wait until the last one is rolling then go and get another batch.

As a self funded T2 it is not the end of the world, just irritating.
I find the 24 hour readout helps keep me motivated and on track.
 
Another update:

I tried to use my notification email from early December to set up an account.
This didn't work.
[Codes embedded in the email may be out of date?]
I had an extended chat with online support via the chat window, and they confirmed my name and email address then gave me a link to register.
[Relating this in case anyone else hits a similar problem.]

So I now have an account and I have ordered a sensor (usefully, you don't have to order the starter pack) and registered as VAT exempt.
Now to see how long delivery takes.

I think ASDA may be a pound or two cheaper but now I can order online I think that is the sensible way to go because it is quite a long drive and unless we want to buy something else or are going past on the way to/from somewhere it is very wasteful just to go for sensors.

Only thing we really shop for in ASDA is wine; they do have a broad selection of quality wines.
However, so do we at the moment.

Edit: order shows 5-7 working days to deliver. Which could be weekend (2), next week (5), weekend (2) following week (2) = 11 elapsed days.
So I'll probably ring Asda next week anyway.
In case I can get one Monday/Tuesday.
 
Last edited:

Phone it in and say it dropped off. Self funded......they have made more than enough out of you.....time for a "freebee"
 
porl69 said:
Phone it in and say it dropped off. Self funded......they have made more than enough out of you.....time for a "freebee"
Click to expand...
Being dishonest won't get me a sensor any faster than the online order I have already placed, as far as I can tell.
I question your moral values.
 
Update: there seems to be a limited flow of Libre sensors again.

Just for the heck of it I walked round all the local pharmacies to see who might hold a supply in the good times.
All were out, but the last one I visited said that they had received a couple this morning which were already gone.

So I phoned up Asda and they had a delivery with one left, which they reserved for me.
The Pharmacist said that they thought that the supply problems might be easing.
Let us hope so.

Anyway, I have one on my arm waiting to condition.
I may not wait the full 24 hours because my BG is doing interesting things at the moment.

Asda price is about £2 less than Abbott price, but Abbott price includes free delivery.
So assuming that my trial purchase turns up in good time I may go that route in future.
 
I was told by a abbott freestyle libre nurse not to wait any time after inserting a new senser, she said there advice has changed, so I have not been waiting long only 2 or 3 hour a for the last 7 or 8 senser,s I have had no bad reading
 
LittleGreyCat said:
Being dishonest won't get me a sensor any faster than the online order I have already placed, as far as I can tell.
I question your moral values.
Click to expand...

They have stock for failed sensors BUT can not supply prescription sensors.
I have just received a replacement sensor for a genuine fall off, it came 2 days after reporting it. Yet Boots cant get any for love nor money.
 
My current sensor seems to be frighteningly accurate at the moment.
I am wondering if it is because it is brand new stock.
I didn't note the shelf life of previous ones, but as I bought four the last time the fourth one must have been at least two months old.

Just got my mail order sensor direct from Abbott.
End date is 30/11/2020 so 10 months to go on this one.

Ordered 24th, shipped 27th, arrived 31st January 2020.

I will order another 2 to confirm prompt delivery then probably order one at a time and keep a buffer stock of one. This should keep the sensors fresh (will remember to check expiry dates to confirm that each shipment is of more recent manufacture than the last).
 
My asda has always had them in stock, but not any more. I have a spare which I will start today. They appear to be available on ebay, not sure about that.
 
xfieldok said:
My asda has always had them in stock, but not any more. I have a spare which I will start today. They appear to be available on ebay, not sure about that.
Click to expand...

Register with Abbott.
May take a while to come through but once you are allowed to order it seems to be a good way to go.
 
LittleGreyCat said:
Register with Abbott.
May take a while to come through but once you are allowed to order it seems to be a good way to go.
Click to expand...
I am part prescription and part self funded. Can't remember whether I registered, I will check, thanks.
 
Finally picked up 2 sensors today from my local Lloyds pharmacy after a 3 week wait, and a week after my last sensor ended. Must be time to request a repeat prescription.
 
My DSN was furious that Abbott hasn't been updating us as they have our email addresses. Apparently the sensors are best used within 2-4 months so we were strictly told only get 2 sensors at a time. Seems pharmacies have been giving out 6-8 in many cases and then lots of customers were suddenly holding out of date sensors at home which had to be thrown away. That and of course the increased demand now many more are lucky enough to get the sensor free on the NHS. FYI I also struggled to get a replacement and worried that this meant my NHS 6 month trial would be affected so rang my DSN who had Abbott send me one for free. Sorry this obviously doesn't help those who are self funded, but hope it helps someone. Advice for pharmacies is also to not dispense more than 2-4 sensors in one go so ease the supply flow, which my DSN has been telling all the local pharmacies. They've also cancelled this month's libre training as Abbott clearly can't keep up with demand so not fair to put 30 more people onto it. Such a shame.
 
In a news feed earlier this week, a minister for the health department in Australia announced that 58,000 T1s were to be prescribed the libre.
 
My latest sensors use by date is September, and I've used an out of date sensor without any less accuracy than usual. I'm fortunate to get them on the NHS, but went from being prescribed 6 at a time from my hospital (I didn't ask for 6 that was just their system), to 2 at a time from my GP.
 
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