Not having a very good experience with the freestyle libre :(

CherryAA said:

I have had four sensors so far, one I broke myself, one gave readings i now think far too low. the third gave readings far too high which is being replaced and the fourth is even worse. Based on the evidence so far I am going to have to get than one replaced after xmas too. I too would dearly love it to work, but at present the figures are not at all helpful.

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I'm updating my thoughts on this . I think I was wrong in the above post. Whilst its true that I have had to replace one - which Abbott did without query, I now think that the other sensors were much better than I had thought.

The very first sensor I put on seemed to be giving me readings that were far too good. The next two were giving me readings that were seemed far too bad. Having now tried a fourth sensor which has given me readings at both ends of this range as we went through xmas, I have realised that I was in deep ketosis during the first sensor and as such the great readings were probably fine and which were then confirmed by a home Hba1C test at 5.9. At the time I thought that was probably too good - which seemed to be confirmed a couple of weeks later by an official reading of 6.2 . I now think the home test was accurate and I really did suffer a deterioration in the intervening two weeks. I think that 5.9 reading gave me a false sense of security an my diet got a little bit more lax as a result.

The next two sensors seemed to be giving me much higher readings without seeming compensating change in diet, however the difference was that I had eaten enough at an early stage in that period to switch me out of ketosis and it was that which seems to have resulted in the increase. My fourth sensor covered a period where I was definitely out of ketosis ( over xmas giving rise to high readings) and then got back into it giving a daily reducing readings which are close to those initial "optimistic" readings.

If anyone was put off by my comments in terms of getting a Libre, then I apologise. It so happened that the first time I stuck it on coincided with a period of deep ketosis which had only just begun and which the blood prick tests cannot really pick up.

I now think its an excellent tool and that one needs to go through a few cycles to understand how it reacts to me , and that whilst it might show different readings from the finger prick tests, on balance the actual trace it gives me is a pretty good reflection.

DeejayR said:

My current Libre sensor is reading 25-30% higher than my Codefree after a week of use

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Update: in the second week it plunged overnight to read constantly well below my Codefree. Abbott asked for the figures for both meters. Then they sent me a replacement sensor with 10 Libre strips and asked me to do another comparison using the Libre for both types of reading. With the new sensor so far the interstitial reading, Libre fingerprick and Codefree fingerprick (allowing for the sensor test time lag) have been nearly the same. And nicely within my target range. So I've got a good 'un and am using it to get a detailed record of stuff I don't normally eat, like a couple of new potatoes. So far so encouraging

I've been using Libre for a few months now. Really like the graph and trend functions, incredibly useful for control. I thought it had helped me achieve better control (lower readings). BUT. I noticed I seem to get readings of 3 or less quite frequently, particularly overnight, but without noticing the typical "Hypo" feelings. Thought I must be becoming less hypo aware as prior to this I got the Hypo feelings at 4.5 or less. To confirm this I decided to finger test when I registered low on the libre. Found Libre seems to be reading from 2 to 4 units low when compared to finger blood! So a Libre reading of 3 might give a blood reading of 5 or more. OMG this means I have been compensating for a low when I'm actually ok. And also after meals being much higher than I thought (and libre displayed). Since first comparison I've done many more with similar discrepancies. This means I cannot rely on Libre at all so am stuck on what to do next. Currently have to use both methods to be sure of reading and of course can't rely on graph or trend data. I will have to see if next sensor improves things but so far not so good. BTW sensor is placed on upper arm as recommended. Think I'll have to contact Accu-chek for their view, but due to limit on number of sensors my GP can prescribe er year (26) there is no room for error. PS just checked again, sensor says 4.4, finger blood says 7.9! So do I eat or do I inject?

Ought really to also point out that I was First diagnosed Type2 in 2007 without any confirmatory tests, either from GP or hospital consultant, you see I was in my 50s and overweight so it MUST be type 2 (greedy fat old fool diabetes) and didn't respond to oral treatment for years. Finally persuaded a new GP to carry out tests in 2018 and found to be actually type 1 LADA (anti GAD over 1700!). She was quite shocked that even though early treatment had been unsuccessful no tests had been carried out. The moral of the story is INSIST on full tests if you are diagnosed t2 even though you are older and overweight. I now have decent control but have already developed some of the problems caused by poor diabetes control. You might think I'm a little bitter, no I'm a lot bitter

Abbott here in France now say do not leave your senser 24 hour before starting it, in fact they say start straight away, this was an abbott nurse, so I have for the last 4 sensers reading okay, I have had no readings wait 10 minutes, normally when it is very hot or very cold

AndBreathe said:

@Rickster55446 - I can't see what error you are getting, so can't comment on that specifically, so forgive me.

I have had a proportion of Libre sensors perform sub-optimally myself, so I do empathise with your frustration. I have found, though, that applying the sensor then delaying starting it for 24-48 makes a difference to me. My conclusion is my body gets a bit huffy when the sensor is applied, and tries to reject the filament; like it would do a splinter or the like. After that 24-48 hours, it seems to accept the "foreign body" better and gets with the programme. My HCP calls my body a "super healer" in that I usually heal quickly and when I have had foreign bodies (the last was a shard of ceramic embedded in my heel - you don't want to try it!), the site gets pretty inflamed, but before long, the item is working it's way to the surface, for liberation.

For some time I wondered if the sensors didn't work so well with low subcutaneous body fat, but it that were the case, they'd perform poorly on children, which I don't believe to be the case.

Have you tried delaying starting the sensor at all?

Apologies if this is way off-beam from your issue, but as I say, I can't see exactly what that is from your posts.

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davestretty said:

I've been using Libre for a few months now. Really like the graph and trend functions, incredibly useful for control. I thought it had helped me achieve better control (lower readings). BUT. I noticed I seem to get readings of 3 or less quite frequently, particularly overnight, but without noticing the typical "Hypo" feelings. Thought I must be becoming less hypo aware as prior to this I got the Hypo feelings at 4.5 or less. To confirm this I decided to finger test when I registered low on the libre. Found Libre seems to be reading from 2 to 4 units low when compared to finger blood! So a Libre reading of 3 might give a blood reading of 5 or more. OMG this means I have been compensating for a low when I'm actually ok. And also after meals being much higher than I thought (and libre displayed). Since first comparison I've done many more with similar discrepancies. This means I cannot rely on Libre at all so am stuck on what to do next. Currently have to use both methods to be sure of reading and of course can't rely on graph or trend data. I will have to see if next sensor improves things but so far not so good. BTW sensor is placed on upper arm as recommended. Think I'll have to contact Accu-chek for their view, but due to limit on number of sensors my GP can prescribe er year (26) there is no room for error. PS just checked again, sensor says 4.4, finger blood says 7.9! So do I eat or do I inject?

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Always go with finger blood. Also, I've heard Libre has issues with pressure on the sensor.

davestretty said:

I seem to get readings of 3 or less quite frequently, particularly overnight, but without noticing the typical "Hypo" feelings.

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My last 2 A1c results were both 38. I very rarely see readings under 5 on my Codefree and TEE2 meters. I am taking Metformin but no insulin or insulin producing meds. So I was very surprised and sceptical when my Libre not only gave me flattering readings during the day (maybe up to 1 point lower than the finger pricks) but frequent hypo alerts while I was in bed at night. I complained to Abbott and they have sent me a replacement, which I have not yet tried.

Ellenor2000 said:

I've heard Libre has issues with pressure on the sensor

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Yes, I am planning to affix my next sensor further forward on my arm, as I was wondering if I was causing the hypo alerts by lying on my last sensor.

Whilst I don't think the Libre gives full" accuracy" for T2 I think its enough - what is now tlls me is pretty mcuh what i know to be happening - ie eat too much, not enough, eat carbs, eat meat, eat fats - all cause reactions as prediced - it the actual Hba1c is a tad out I doubt it matters.