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Sujac57

Newbie
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3
hi I’m new on here
I’m a Lada Type 1 and have just been put on the freestyle Libre,and would be interested in people experience with it
Up to now I love it
I struggle to keep my levels within range and am usually either up or down,so hoping the Libre will help
If people have had it,are they just given one until it goes on their prescription
My doctors are not the quickest so may have to chase them as ai don’t want to go back to constantly jabbing fingers
 

Diakat

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
5,591
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
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The smell of cigars
You still need to jab finders as the Libre can be inaccurate- it is Anaxagoras spotting trends though. Not everyone gets it on prescription - there are criteria to be mat so you may just have a trial one.
Try a search for Libre in the search bar as there are lots of threads on it.
Welcome to the Forum and ask any questions you have.
 

Antje77

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
19,284
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
I've used the Libre for two and a half years now. They've made understanding how my diabetes works a lot easier and improved my numbers by acting on the information it gives me.
For me, the Libre reads lower than finger pricks, usually by 0.8 to 2 mmol/l, but it varies with each sensor. After a hypo it takes a long time before the Libre notices I'm above 4 again, way longer than for my finger sticks, so I still use test strips quite a lot.

Despite it not being perfect it makes life so much better for me that I've self funded all this time on a moderately tight budget, as Dutch regulations say I'm not in the right group for funding because my numbers are too good.
 
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Sujac57

Newbie
Messages
3
Im on a 6 month trial then if there are improvements I will keep it They told me I may still need to do some finger pricks but thankfully not 8 times a day
 
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EllieM

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
9,209
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
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forum bugs
Im on a 6 month trial then if there are improvements I will keep it They told me I may still need to do some finger pricks but thankfully not 8 times a day

It works really really well for some/most people. Just some caveats
1) some sensors never work well, so do some initial blood tests to see how a new sensor checks against a glucometer. Abbott should replace faulty sensors.
2) it can be really off at low and high readings - you may want to double check before using it to treat a hypo or hyper (obviously if you're hypo don't wait but be aware that it may be drastically under reading.)
3) there's a 15 minute lag between it and your blood readings.
4) some people (hopefully not you) can develop an allergic reaction to its glue and have to stop using it.
5) there are add on third party transmitters (miao miao) that you can attach to get it to send warnings when your levels go out of range
 

AngelinaJ

Member
Messages
7
Hello!
I’ve been a Type1 for 35 years and use a Medtronic pump and have been using the Libre sensor for a week now.
It’s a thumbs up from me.

It’s simple and quick to use and although I have still tested my blood a few times to compare its accuracy, it beats pricking my fingers 6 times a day.
The graphs are useful and clear. All the information collected by the sensor is shared with my doctor, no longer need to prepare or print reports for my appointments at the hospital.
It’s not the cure that we are all hoping for but it’s a big step in the right direction.

LibreLink are planning to release software that will allow readings to be sent directly to the pump. I use the Wizard function on my pump and this gives me the ability to try to calculate active insulin and dosages without having to get the calculator out!
What’s good about the sensor is that it has arrows against the readings which indicate when your sugars are falling or rising rapidly or slowly or are stable. Very useful.
I’m currently spending 25% of my time with readings below 70mg - the sensor is another tool I can use to correct this and increase my understanding of what happens when I eat, move, sleep, sneeze and how everything seems to affect my control.

A few years back I used the Medtronic sensor and although it worked with my pump, the alarms drove me mad and as much as I tried to study the graphs, make adjustments, my HbA1c did not improve. Too much information, poorly presented, left me feeling frustrated and no further forward in my control or understanding other than confirming how hard it actually is to manage and how much we need to understand the impact of different foods, activity, insulin behaviour and all the variables in life that affect our control.

All good compared to syringes and little access to any information back in the 80s and forums such as this and the advances made will help us all.
 

sportyboston

Well-Known Member
Messages
54
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi I am self-funded. Here in Australia that's just the deal. I have been using it only recently and love it. I do not miss the eight finger pricks a day and it has allowed me to get a better handle on my BG. My numbers have improved because of it. Not 100% accurate but I recommend it.