My new Freestyle Libre - My findings...

[robert72]

It also depends who you talk to - last time I gave figures showing that mine was up to 40% at times out but the guy said it had to be 2mmol out before they'd replace it. Luckily I also had some readings that were, and he buckled.

 

[Celsus]

Can Abbott read past readings from the sensor chip?
E.g. are they actually stored in the chip for long-term?

 

[robert72]

Can Abbott read past readings from the sensor chip?
E.g. are they actually stored in the chip for long-term?

I believe it only stores the last 8 hours. The readings most likely get uploaded to Abbott's US servers when you plug your meter in and launch the Freestyle Libre app on your PC. Not 100% if they can identify the data.

 

[tim2000s]

@robert72 is correct. The data is all uploaded to a server somewhere in the U.S.

 

[Celsus]

@robert72 is correct. The data is all uploaded to a server somewhere in the U.S.

I would actually very much doubt that, as regulatory compliance rules in the European Union prohibit that European citizens' health related data is stored on servers outside the union. Granted, they (Abbott) may collect data that has been totally anonymised, but do not see how that could help them much with intel on anything. Especially not if its just the last 8h data.

OK, my question was actually more towards this direction: If we hand back a sensor to Abbott and saying it was bad, can Abbott then restore the data measures done, e.g. confirm that the sensor kept saying LO for 3 days in a row?

 

[tim2000s]

No, the memory on the sensor is only eight hours worth. And yes they do upload your data to the U.S., anonymised.

 

[Kerrin_geee]

Hi Kerrin,
I have used it for 6+ months and never had a sensor being really bad off. That is, until last weekend, where for the first time ever I had a reader that started out reading so low that it just kept saying "LO". That despite old meter via fingerprick testing said my bg should be around 5-6 mmol/l. I left the sensor on (pls see my posting just above this). And within the following 36hours it came to life and got closer and closer to provide correct readings. It kept being a bit too low. After 3 days it no longer changed much, but remained like reading the bg 0.5 mmol/l lower than what it really is. I still will wear it, though ofcourse not ideal that you have to make a minor correct "in your head" every time you make the bg read. Still I find it worthwhile though, as it enables frequent reads without much hassle and also gives you insight into the bg trend and the actual bg measures during the time since last reading.

I'm glad it's not just me. It has taken 4 days, but today my sensor has finally decided to kick in lol. It is now giving readings only 0.2 out, so really pleased. Hopefully this continues. Just hoping this isn't going to be a usual thing every time I put a new sensor on!

 

[Celsus]

I'm glad it's not just me. It has taken 4 days, but today my sensor has finally decided to kick in lol. It is now giving readings only 0.2 out, so really pleased. Hopefully this continues. Just hoping this isn't going to be a usual thing every time I put a new sensor on!

Excellent news Kerrin, that your sensor started to behave!
'Just' being 0.2 mmol/l off correct reading is certainly manageable. Though Abbott might refund a nutty sensor, its still a lot of money and hassle to get them swapped out, not to mention the discomfort of having to punch a new sensor into the arm just a few hours/days after it was first put in place. I also like to give the skin some peace between each sensor placement to recover, so being forced to frequently replace is not anything good. Please let us know if it works fine now till end of sensor-life!

 

[madusmacus]

Hi all,

This is my last post here and sadly I had to rip off my latest sensor :¬(

I finally got the dreaded "Allergic Reaction" to the sticky tape (Been perfect for 9 sensors before hand).
And to make matters worse I have a "Bad Infection" at the insertion wire site :¬(

I used soap water then I used alcohol wipes waited for it to dry too.
So don't understand, how germs could have been on the sensor waiting to infect me :¬(

This sensor was in for 3 days and was reading between...
"ERROR retry in a few minutes" then lots of "LO" 1.9mmol when sleeping and 12mmol when waking.
Testing with sticks shows me 6-8mmol constantly
The sensor before "number 9" was randomly high or low as well with occasional errors

These BAD sensors have screwed the reading on my reader to the point where
the result reports (PDF) are pointless and I believe cant be used to show health care people.

This is sad but maybe in another few years this tech will advance

They "At Least" should allow us to tag bad data preferably delete it
Not use it in the reports as it Screws every thing with rubbish reading
And while they are at it allow us to edit the carbs/insulin values we all forget to add when taking a reading

But for now I AM OUT!!!!

Wish you all the best peeps :¬)

 

[AndBreathe]

Hi all,

This is my last post here and sadly I had to rip off my latest sensor :¬(

I finally got the dreaded "Allergic Reaction" to the sticky tape (Been perfect for 9 sensors before hand).
And to make matters worse I have a "Bad Infection" at the insertion wire site :¬(

I used soap water then I used alcohol wipes waited for it to dry too.
So don't understand, how germs could have been on the sensor waiting to infect me :¬(

This sensor was in for 3 days and was reading between...
"ERROR retry in a few minutes" then lots of "LO" 1.9mmol when sleeping and 12mmol when waking.
Testing with sticks shows me 6-8mmol constantly
The sensor before "number 9" was randomly high or low as well with occasional errors

These BAD sensors have screwed the reading on my reader to the point where
the result reports (PDF) are pointless and I believe cant be used to show health care people.

This is sad but maybe in another few years this tech will advance

They "At Least" should allow us to tag bad data preferably delete it
Not use it in the reports as it Screws every thing with rubbish reading
And while they are at it allow us to edit the carbs/insulin values we all forget to add when taking a reading

But for now I AM OUT!!!!

Wish you all the best peeps :¬)

I'm just going into my third day of my first sensor, so can't run Libre reports yet, but to manipulate your data, couldn't you use the export facility, delete the rogue data from the .csv file, then create your own charts in Office, or whatever data management tools you would use?

I'm in a "so far, so good" place at the moment.

 

[madusmacus]

I'm just going into my third day of my first sensor, so can't run Libre reports yet, but to manipulate your data, couldn't you use the export facility, delete the rogue data from the .csv file, then create your own charts in Office, or whatever data management tools you would use?

I'm in a "so far, so good" place at the moment.

Yep im not bad at excel spreadsheets but its hard to find the bad data and it would a lot of work to write all the averaging and cluster graphs when you shouldn't have to
Maybe some bright spark will do this (maybe even me) and post it on the main thread

I am not sure I want to stick my own non allergic tape on my arm like so many do and then there is the question of my bad infection
So im goanna give it a rest

Cya m8 :¬)

 

[Celsus]

Yep im not bad at excel spreadsheets but its hard to find the bad data and it would a lot of work to write all the averaging and cluster graphs when you shouldn't have to
Maybe some bright spark will do this (maybe even me) and post it on the main thread

I am not sure I want to stick my own non allergic tape on my arm like so many do and then there is the question of my bad infection
So im goanna give it a rest

Cya m8 :¬)

**** Madusmacus,
That is really a sad development, but clearly understand your decision. No real long period of good trusty bg reads, now allergic reaction to the sensor glue and on top, an infection at the needle insertion point... Hope you get/take the chance to report all this back to your Abbott rep. Because that is an alarming list of red flags and should get Abbott out of the rat hole. Personally I am still intrigued that its not clearly listed what the glue-component really is made of. And with a raising number of guinea pigs (that is us) reporting back on allergic reactions, then we hopefully soon will see a change in compound.

And still wondering why we observe such discrepancy in the bg readings among the users.
And from one sensor to the next...

 

[tim2000s]

And still wondering why we observe such discrepancy in the bg readings among the users.
And from one sensor to the next...

I suspect the real reason for this is that the sensors are all factory calibrated, unlike the enlites and the G4s. As a result, a variation in your condition, either through site, dehydration, or something else means that the sensor calibration is "off" and this can vary daily or even hourly.

 

[KevinH1964]

Just got my FreeStyle Libre, put on the sensor waited the hour and started my first scan. Sensor 3.1 mmol/L, but I didn't feel low so tested on meter, 6 mmol/L. Been continuously scanning and finger prick testing, Lastest result, Sensor 3.2 mmol/L meter 6.4. It's been like this for about 5 hours the smallest difference (from a sample of 10 tests) has been 2.5 mmol/L (the sensor was low) and the biggest 4 mmol/L (the sensor was low).

I've read on some of the forums that sometimes the sensors sort themselves out after a few hours, so I was wondering if anyone has any experience of this happening, and if so how long it took, or should I just try the second sensor?

Thanks in advance

Type 1 since 2000. Humalog: typical dose 3 to 5 units. Lantus: 13 units twice a day. HbA1c: 5.3%. Meters: USB Contour Next and Freestyle Libre.

 

[AndBreathe]

Just got my FreeStyle Libre, put on the sensor waited the hour and started my first scan. Sensor 3.1 mmol/L, but I didn't feel low so tested on meter, 6 mmol/L. Been continuously scanning and finger prick testing, Lastest result, Sensor 3.2 mmol/L meter 6.4. It's been like this for about 5 hours the smallest difference (from a sample of 10 tests) has been 2.5 mmol/L (the sensor was low) and the biggest 4 mmol/L (the sensor was low).

I've read on some of the forums that sometimes the sensors sort themselves out after a few hours, so I was wondering if anyone has any experience of this happening, and if so how long it took, or should I just try the second sensor?

Thanks in advance

Type 1 since 2000. Humalog: typical dose 3 to 5 units. Lantus: 13 units twice a day. HbA1c: 5.3%. Meters: USB Contour Next and Freestyle Libre.

I usually keep an eye on it for the first 24 hours of any sensor as they sometimes take a short while to settle down.

If it continues to scan quite so differently, then gather your data and give them a call, but whilst you are still wearing it, as they often ask for scans and tests to be done during the call. Aside from a short while when there seemed to be adhesion issues, I don't recall reading of anyone having their sensor replaced after they had removed it.

Have you applied it to your arm or somewhere else?

Hopefully it'll settle over night.

 

[KevinH1964]

I usually keep an eye on it for the first 24 hours of any sensor as they sometimes take a short while to settle down.

If it continues to scan quite so differently, then gather your data and give them a call, but whilst you are still wearing it, as they often ask for scans and tests to be done during the call. Aside from a short while when there seemed to be adhesion issues, I don't recall reading of anyone having their sensor replaced after they had removed it.

Have you applied it to your arm or somewhere else?

Hopefully it'll settle over night.

On the back of my arm, in the area with most subcutaneous fat, about 150 degrees around from the axis that my lower arm would point on if my elbow was at 90 degrees. As far as I could the same place as in the instructions.

I'll keep scanning, and check it again in the morning, and call them if it is still now working properly.

Thanks for replying, I really like the idea of this so would be very disappointed if I cannot get it to work. I tried the GlucoWatch some time after being diagnosed and that didn't work and was quite frustrated by the experience.

Kevin

 

[robert72]

Just got my FreeStyle Libre, put on the sensor waited the hour and started my first scan. Sensor 3.1 mmol/L, but I didn't feel low so tested on meter, 6 mmol/L. Been continuously scanning and finger prick testing, Lastest result, Sensor 3.2 mmol/L meter 6.4. It's been like this for about 5 hours the smallest difference (from a sample of 10 tests) has been 2.5 mmol/L (the sensor was low) and the biggest 4 mmol/L (the sensor was low).

I've read on some of the forums that sometimes the sensors sort themselves out after a few hours, so I was wondering if anyone has any experience of this happening, and if so how long it took, or should I just try the second sensor?

Thanks in advance

Type 1 since 2000. Humalog: typical dose 3 to 5 units. Lantus: 13 units twice a day. HbA1c: 5.3%. Meters: USB Contour Next and Freestyle Libre.

I put my sensors on 24 hours before activating them to give them time to settle down - although possibly it's the insertion site that settles down after the trauma of subcutaneous invasion by the sensor Been using since Oct 2014 and most of my sensors have been accurate enough.

 

[noblehead]

I put my sensors on 24 hours before activating them to give them time to settle down - although possibly it's the insertion site that settles down after the trauma of subcutaneous invasion by the sensor Been using since Oct 2014 and most of my sensors have been accurate enough.

@robert72, so do you just run your old sensor out of time? When I changed mine the other-day a message came up asking if I wanted to activate the new sensor and cancel the old one, if you say No what do you do when you want to activate the new sensor, do you just scan it and the 60min countdown begins.

 

[robert72]

@robert72, so do you just run your old sensor out of time? When I changed mine the other-day a message came up asking if I wanted to activate the new sensor and cancel the old one, if you say No what do you do when you want to activate the new sensor, do you just scan it and the 60min countdown begins.

I don't scan the new one until the old one runs out. If you scan the new one it will ask if you want to activate it, so best not to do that until you're ready - you can answer No if you do that by mistake. The countdown doesn't start until you activate it by clicking Yes.

 

[noblehead]

Thanks @robert72