Please advise - libre sensor only lasted 24 hours.

[Angeldust]

Unfortunately this is what happened. I will copy the E-mail that I wrote to Abbott Belgium only to find they barely even exist and have no e-mail. It's nothing to the magnitute of Abbott UK/NL/US.....

I'll preface by saying I'm a long suffering type 1 UK resident, with every single complication short of kidney failure and lost the NHS postcode lottery. I have spent ALL OF MY MONEY! on this stuff and nothing has been of use. First off, I was entirely led to believe the meter could be switched to mmol/l. It can't. So I'm stuck with that. The first sensor I paid a fortune for from an ebay type site - it was broken in the box and i got completely ripped off. lesson learned. So last week I spent my last couple of hundred to abbott directly. It makes me seething mad feeling like the only person on earth who has it this extreme but isn't dished these out on any type of insurance. It's really disgusting. I'm sure so many of you can relate to this feeling though.

Here's exactly what happened. There was nowhere to send it to. I will have to try get someone by phone tomorrow and it's only belgian Abbott that can deal with it all. Do you think, or in your experience, that I will have this taken care of? It's literally all my money! I'm not putting on my only spare sensor now. There is no way I'm risking it at the cost. (they seem significantly cheaper in the UK and that says it all really because they're not cheap at all..for someone too sick to be able to work):


"Beste abbott
Sorry voor engels en zei als het probleem is)

Ik ben huilen! I am so upset that the new sensor I bought from you which is ALL of my money omdat ik ben uit schotland en kan niet verzekering hier krijgen zo heel heel veel betalen....) only worked for 24 hours. I have all of things kept here if you need evidence. I havent even been wearing it for a day and a very quick and not hot shower - no steam, no extra heat NIKS!!! i could not have been more careful if i tried .. made the sensor completely fall off. I tried to put it back but it is bent and the adhesive is completely gone. Do you know why this has happened to me? I was the most careful that anyone could be. No steam, no very hot water and a very short shower - i also tried to keep any water from even going near my arm !!! I am waiting on special adhesives to arrive BUT you adverisise this product as conpletely shower and bath safe and despite this i was still so, so careful. There was no steam or anything careless by me which could have removed the sensor or made it not stick. I even tried putting it back on but of course, that doesn't work and the adhesive just disappwared. I am so upset because this is lifechanging for me but SO, TOO expensive, it didnt even last for a day and i did not even let clothes rub on it, i was that much careful! Nothing makes sense here but i am so so upset, know that i have done absolutely nothing wrong and because it costs so much, cant replace it right now. Im type1 with every single complication (including entire stomach and intestine nerve damage) and really need this but i spend my money on the 2 plus the meter in my order so can not replace it right now. Im so so upset because even on your website it advertises that it is completely shower and bathing safe the way that it is. So why has this happened and what can we do about it. Like i say it has only been one day and i have kept everythibg for you i really need a solution for this as they cost so much money; this should NOT happen, i have been so so careful and it hasnt even lasted a day. Ive included a picture if it helps but can send you it all back easily. I really need a worling sensor;

MVG


Pakbonnummer 401 xxx xxxx
Klantnummer: 17xxxx

Does anyone please, please have any comment? It's stressed me so much and I don't know why but can't calm down properly.

 

[EllieM]

irst off, I was entirely led to believe the meter could be switched to mmol/l. It can't. So I'm stuck with that. T

I'm bewildered. If you are in the UK (Scotland?) you should be able to buy the libre from a UK site and it will automatically be calibrated in mmol/L.

If you've bought direct from abbot they should replace any malfunctioning sensor if you phone them.

UK libre currently have a free intro offer for the libre 2 so I strongly recommend you take that rather than buying dubious ebay offers. (MY apologies if I've misunderstood your situation). Libre normally replace any malfunctioning sensors bought via them.

 

[eventhorizon]

I haven't had a Libre sensor failure for ages. But I used to self fund and when a rare failure did occur a quick phone to Abbot resulted in a new sensor being sent out in a day or two FOC.

 

[UK T1]

Sorry this has happened to you. I have only so far had one sensor fail to work, and libre replaced it free of charge. It is a good idea to keep them as they did ask me to send it back and provided pre paid envelopes to do so.

I have to say I usually struggle to take my sensor off after 2 weeks so it does sound like you had faulty adhesive on your sensor, which Abbott should replace. They will probably check you attached it following their instructions (upper arm, clean and dry area, no moisturisers used, using their two disinfectant wipes before attaching the sensor). I know they're discontinuing the disinfectant wipes so they might not ask about those. When I did my training the Abbott rep advised anyone with hairy arms shaved the area for the sensor, and not to use fake tan in the days before applying the sensor.

Hope you manage to get through to someone on the phone tomorrow. When I contacted Abbott about my faulty sensor it was via phone too.

 

[In Response]

Some of us having sticky skin and some don't.
Some of us have allergic reactions to the glue they use and some don't.
As with everything diabetes related, we are all different.

It is frustrating if your sensor falls off and whilst there may be some dodgy sensors around, there are multiple reasons for this.
I seem to have "limpet skin" . Once a sensor is attached, it stays there. Unless I have placed it incorrectly. Seems obvious when I write it down but sensors do not bend. So, if I place it on a non flat part of my arm, it peels off. Lesson learned and now I avoid muscly/tendony areas.
Others, without limpet skin, find they need a plaster of some sort over their sensor.
But many of us have found a way to manage our sensors.

If we do get a failure, we phone Abbott and they are fantastic with replacements.
No need for any sob stories or anger. The call centre staff respond the unemotional facts.

My only Abbott criticism is that they don't respond the their emails or online chats.
But there are many threads about that and you quickly learn the best approach.

 

[Jaylee]

Hi @Angeldust ,

Sorry to read about your issue.
I self fund. & normally purchase mine fro ASDA pharmacy. (I'm on a VAT exempt list.)
To be fair I also use a 3rd patty app on my phone as a reader, which can be converted from "metric to imperial" which I find more informative & user friendly than the official Abbott app.

I'll tag in @Antje77 . She is Dutch, but may have had dealings with Abbott "next door..."

 

[Antje77]

I'll tag in @Antje77 . She is Dutch, but may have had dealings with Abbott "next door..."

Hi there, I found that Abbott is good with replacements when you give them a call.
I agree it's a shame you can't set mmol/l or mg/dl yourself, you'll have to convert if you have a sensor from an mg/dl country.

I've self funded for a long time so I'm very weary of losing sensors. I never use them without an overpatch to be sure. I use Hypafix, it's the same stuff as Tegaderm I believe.

 

[Angeldust]

I'm bewildered. If you are in the UK (Scotland?) you should be able to buy the libre from a UK site and it will automatically be calibrated in mmol/L.

If you've bought direct from abbot they should replace any malfunctioning sensor if you phone them.

UK libre currently have a free intro offer for the libre 2 so I strongly recommend you take that rather than buying dubious ebay offers. (MY apologies if I've misunderstood your situation). Libre normally replace any malfunctioning sensors bought via them.

no, I am a resident of and from the UK. I am stuck in Belgium at the moment. My partner lives here..... the librelinkapp lets me select mmol/l which is obviously what I use.... i've read differing reports from machines bought in different countries and can assure that the libre meter from Abbott Belgium can not be switched from mg.

 

[Angeldust]

Hey guys, thanks all for your replies they are very much appreciated. Now I know that Abbott are a good company to deal with and will send a replacement out if it's broken from the box. I'm just a little worried because it WAS working but not even for 24 hours. Somewhere between 24 and 28 hours when I know I didn't do a single thing wrong - like I detailed in the message in my initial post. Do you guys still think I'll be fine in them replacing it when i call first thing? That's close to 300euro gone in ONE WEEK and I have nothing to show for it but one non working sensor, one broken sensor and a meter I cannot use

Also feeling very hard done by that everyone seems to have these left right and centre and if that wasn't bad enough everyone's already getting put on the brand new one ........ I'm literally dying of diabetic complications so seriously ... just how much does it take to get people to override the funding. I can confidently say and drs, consultants, specialists in London will all back me.. that I am the "worst" case of diabetic complications in my whole NHS area. And yet all the newly diagnosed and children are just dished them. I just feel so .... yeah.
After this I can not afford any more and these things are absolutely lifechanging....

Sorry this has happened to you. I have only so far had one sensor fail to work, and libre replaced it free of charge. It is a good idea to keep them as they did ask me to send it back and provided pre paid envelopes to do so.

I have to say I usually struggle to take my sensor off after 2 weeks so it does sound like you had faulty adhesive on your sensor, which Abbott should replace. They will probably check you attached it following their instructions (upper arm, clean and dry area, no moisturisers used, using their two disinfectant wipes before attaching the sensor). I know they're discontinuing the disinfectant wipes so they might not ask about those. When I did my training the Abbott rep advised anyone with hairy arms shaved the area for the sensor, and not to use fake tan in the days before applying the sensor.

Hope you manage to get through to someone on the phone tomorrow. When I contacted Abbott about my faulty sensor it was via phone too.

Check on every point here. Clean, completely dry (don't have oily skin), no lotions, nothing. Hair free, Used the wipes placed it exactly in the right place correctly but almost immediately noticed the adhesive at 2 opposite edges was not good and had the feeling then that it would never make the 14 day mark. Never mind only 1 day !

Edit: may I also ask, do you all think it's better if I just say the adhesive wasn't right and that's why it fell off, not mentioning the shower (even thought it wasn't hot at all)? Does that give them reason to refuse a replacement?

@Antje77 dankjewel! The first one I'm speaking of was actually from Marktplaats. Last sunday. Guy wanted cash. Immediately it didn;t work from the box. I got straight to him and he said "what you want me to do?" - I even called abbott NL myself who sound great, but of course I am merely a third party here, not their customer and do not reside in NL but they assurred me that all that had to be done was him (their customer) call them, they are so fast and efficient, so what is the problem to get me the FREE same/next day sensor sent out when he kept my money and refuses to replace it with one of the very many boxes that he is advertising to sell!! Can I use the "k" word? ha ! .... i'm so mad. Stopped replying and cut me off but has all my cash. I don't think I'll ever go near that site again now.

 

[Rokaab]

I know when I've had problems with any sensors, I've spoken to Abbott directly no matter where I got it from (I normally got them from Asda when self-funding) and then have asked me a few questions and then sent out a replacement for me (it normally took a good few days or so mind, was never next day but I made sure I always had at least one spare).

I had to self fund for about 2ish years before my local CCG would even think about prescribing, so yes I know its not cheap.

Whilst I never had any fall off very quickly (they stuck to me like superglue, had a fight getting them off after 2 weeks ...), I did have other issues, one was just because it was painful on my arm and they were happy to replace

 

[EllieM]

Somewhere between 24 and 28 hours when I know I didn't do a single thing wrong - like I detailed in the message in my initial post. Do you guys still think I'll be fine in them replacing it when i call first thing? That's close to 300euro gone in ONE WEEK and I have nothing to show for it but one non working sensor, one broken sensor and a meter I cannot use

Abbott are very very used to replacing faulty sensors. (They fail a lot). Just phone them. (Don't throw the old sensor out though, because they may ask you to send it back in a prepaid envelope.) Yes, you should be able to wear it in the shower.

Good luck.

 

[chrisbug]

Hi, sorry to hear your problems.
I've just had to phone Abbott, my sensor (libre 1) was reading LO all morning, confirmed with finger prick test that blood glucose was well in range 5.6 mmol/L.
I kept the sensor in place and I phoned Abbott, who asked a few questions, etc and they were brilliant and are sending out a replacement.
I took the sensor off, and looks like the entry point of the needle is infected, I guess that is why it was reading LO!

My very first sensor faulted after day 12, it just stopped responding, I phoned Abbott the next day, and they replaced that one, I had to give them the code printed on the side and an error code with the libre app. They sent out a return envelope for the faulty sensor with the replacement, and again they were great.

I hope it goes well for you

 

[Brunneria]

I agree with the others that phoning their customer services is much more productive than sending emails or letters.
Every time I have picked up the phone I have had an excellent CS experience, and they have replaced the sensor in question rapidly, and without protest.