Newbie (but not to diabetes)

Hi @Morto15 ,

Welcome to the forum.

It was a summer of 76 for me. Oddly, first time using a Libre was last Thursday. Picked a sensor up from ASDA pharmacy & as luck would happen, had a compatible phone to scan the NFC signal with. By downloading the app.

I've always used my van for testing & injecting either shielded by the door? Or in the back of my own wagon. (Limo tint.)

Great to have you on board.

I'll tag in @Scott-C he,s found some interesting add ons for the libre.

I've had no issues with the basic set up, so far.. Followed the paper instructions fitting to the underside of the upper arm.
I work in engineering & am in a band.. It has survived the weekend & wot not so far.. I'll tag in @Mel dCP she's had good experience in the mosh pit & came out still attached to hers..

It's more an "experiment" for me..Find out what the fuss is about?
But I love it. Though, I'm more confortable testing & injecting with my collegues. I still use my Accu-chek when calculating bolus.
I'm finding it pretty Acurate, deviating below, but within 0.2 to 0.6 of my meter which on average is 15% higher than the NHS calibrated standard?

A little heads up regarding the law & driving. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/diabetes-mellitus-assessing-fitness-to-drive
"Continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGMS)
People who use continuous and intermittent glucose monitoring systems must also monitor blood glucose using finger prick testing at times relevant to driving, as directed above."

We've both probably been driving long enough, so I won't harp on.....

I gave up on the Abbott website.. Felt it would be quicker to go out & score depleted uranium?
I asked at my local ASDA pharmacy, they had them in stock out back, filled out a VAT exempt form. & downloaded the Glimp app on my Galaxy A3. (Which just happened to be on the compatable list with NFC.)
I have the Abbott app too. But find the visual layout nicer on the Glimp. (Reminds me of music recording software.)

Hope this helps? Loads of threads on the subject.

Hello @Morto15 Welcome to the forum.

I've been using a Libre for a few months now and it can add lots of info to how you control your diabetes and I think for you in the environment you work and the bike it will be great.

Overall they are great for trends but accuracy can be a little hit or miss with them also it seems that a few of us place them around the body and can get more or less accuracy again experiment is the key.

You will still need to use your finger prick test kits because if you move out of the 4 to 10mmol mark, I find that it can be unpredictable so always worth finger pricking if you think it is not right

Some of us either blucon or MioMiao which is a Bluetooth transmitted which will connect to either iPhone or Andriod from which you can use Spike, for IOS or Glimp, xDrip for Andriod, they are all slightly different flavours of the same thing but give you the ability to "calibrate" which can be great.

HMMM!!!!! Think I might have "info over loaded" you

Come join on the fun in the Type 1 Stars R Us thread .

Hi @Morto15 and welcome to the forum
I have been using the Libre for a year now and, luckily I find it pretty accurate. As @Knikki has already said below 4 or above 10 they can be a way out! I use the Miaomiao with mine which turns it into a CGM. Sends signals to phone or watch every 5 mins AND allows you to calibrate it so it gets even more closer to BGs. Don't forget, for the moment, you will still have to finger prick before driving as the DVLA have not approved CGMs or FGMs for driving (YET!)

I’ve been using Libre for a year now on prescription, and added a MiaoMiao transmitter to it in the summer. That longs the sensor every five minutes and Bluetooths the data to my iPhone, which turns it into a full CGM with alarms. I’ve also connected a cheap smartwatch, which buzzes discreetly on my wrist if I’m going out of range - ideal for when I’m concentrating on work etc and haven’t looked to see what my levels are for a while! I just have the audible alarms on at night.

I knocked a few off on my arm, as most of us do, and was constantly worried about it being pulled off by some well meaning person when wearing short sleeves. I tried a strap but it dragged the sensor off. So now I wear it on my upper chest, and I use Skin Tac wipes (https://amzn.to/2sOdUK3) on the skin before applying the sensor and MiaoMiao. Combined with the little stickers that come with the MM, that’s enough to keep the whole assembly nailed on for the full fortnight. Accuracy is just as good there - and of course the beauty of the MiaoMiao is that you can blood calibrate it, so you know it’s spot on.

Hello and welcome @Morto15 my best advice is simply regarding where you site the libre, best place for me is the underside of the arm, so flex your arm and ping it to the back of the upper arm, if it's on the side it can be easily knocked off. I also used a Tegaderm plaster to cover it if I am concerned it would fall off as you can buy them off ebay and they cover the entire sensor, just take care removing as they will take the sensor off with it. Also take care with overnight readings as applying pressure to the sensor sometimes gives a false low, lots of us caught out with that one, otherwise brilliant for your work circumstances and well worth the investment.

Hi @Morto15, I've been using Libre since July 2017. Self-funded until I got bg down low enough to get it on prescription in my CCG. It's worth checking whether a) your CCG allows Libre on prescription and if so b)what criteria your CCG uses to decide who can have one. Bizarrely, some CCGs only prescribe if your bg is above recommended, others only if lower - go figure If your CCG does prescribe and you meet the criteria, I'd ask your GP about it.

Early on I found them not too reliable, don't know whether that was me or some dodgy sensors. If they read too far out, phone Abbott and they'll replace inaccurate ones. Asda were historically cheaper than direct from Abbott; don't know if that's still the case, and I'm guessing you're asking about where to get them because Abbott are still not taking on new online customers?

Some people, me included, put on a sensor for a day before starting it to allow any physical reaction (which can interfer with its accuracy) to die down before I activate it. I then check it against my meter for a while and if it's reading okay, I bolus to it as well (I don't think most people do) and just check it once a day. I don't use it to help treat a hypo and agree with @Knikki and @porl69, the accuracy can drift outside the normal range. Like @Juicyj I use Tegaderm on top of mine as for some reason they don't stick to me that securely. I'm lucky as my DSN gets Tegaderm on scrip for me.

Views about Libre are variable; I'm a fan and it's been a game changer for me, so it was worth self-funding.