• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

When the tech goes wrong...grr!

MrsA2

Expert
Messages
6,932
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
So there I was happily replacing 1 libre with the next and waiting my (self imposed) 24 hours before activation, all perfectly timed so I could test a blow out American brunch this morning.
On waking reached for phone to activate Libre and phone hadn't charged and was out of power!!!!!
Now waiting for phone to charge and delaying my much eagerly anticipated breakfast grrŕ!
Only a rant, and a memo to self to check charging
 
Why do you wait 24hrs before reactivating a new Libre Sensor? I always swap a patch over, activate it and wait the prescribed 60 mins before testing again. Being on Libre 2 for 24/7 I don't like to be without it for any length of time. Interestingly though my HBA1c is only marginally better than doing fingerpricks
 
I'm with Capn Sensible on this . But I have a more general Libre question - why activate with your phone? Why not use the Libre reader?
As far as I can see the only benefit is getting alarms to the phone but I find the reader works much better through clothes (jackets, anoraks) so is much better when I'm out for reading and alarms.
I always use the phone app with the pre meal/insulin reading so I can more easily make notes
 
Some have found that inserting them 24 hours before activation makes them a lot more accurate on the first day, I did when I was still using the libre - I didnt miss out on 24 hours - I just put it on my arm 24 hours before the current one was about to run out which gave it time to settle and sort its life out
 
I have never heard of this before. And I was certainly not recommended to do this. Hmmm I might try it.
 
I used the original Libres for a while and found that I actually needed 48 hours for these "alien artifacts" to acclimatize before I got any consistently sensible readings from them for the first 36 hours or so , particularly overnight. Otherwise I think I would have apparently been waking up dead.. . As a T2 I only ever had a very few very mild false hypos when first diagnosed.

Logs are from midnight to midnight:

​


LIke @Rokaab I simply inserted them early and activated later. If I chose to have both on the same arm, my Libre reader knew which one was currently active. presumably from its serial number.

@ssnjimb AFAIK this issue was fairly common Forum knowledge with the original Libres, and generally attributed to pressure of lying on them overnight.
 
Last edited:
Started Libre 2 a couple of weeks ago with no problem setting up as it is more or less the same as the 1. But have found it more challenging in use.
Although I know the tech is much more advanced, the sensitivity of the reader, supplied by my kind hospital team, is "sometimes" frustrating. (Continually showing "Try again in 10 minutes"
Only now my results are levelling out. As far as fasting or munching before bed, I always rely on my test at the time and trend of readings.
Good luck to all.
 
Martyn C said:
Although I know the tech is much more advanced, the sensitivity of the reader, supplied by my kind hospital team, is "sometimes" frustrating. (Continually showing "Try again in 10 minutes"
Click to expand...
This error has nothing to do with the sensitivity of the reader - it is seen as often with the phone app.
Typically, it is shown when levels are changing quickly as Libre 2 attempts to predict the 10 - 15 minute lag.
 
Perhaps because not everyone has an expensive reader, especially intermittent type 2 users that self fund. Or maybe they just want to carry one gadget not two.
 
I only use one rarely (being a self funded t2) and I did get very odd erratic readings when I followed the standard 'wait one hour' advice. So now I just plan the 24 ahead insertion - hence my rant when my careful planning went awry and my long anticipated breakfast had to delayed!
I don't have a reader
As a continual user, maybe your body has got used to the "invasion "?
 
I must say I prefer to use the reader too. It fits into a pocket much more easily than a phone and means I don’t have to constantly get my phone out when out and about.

Given my propensity to drop things too, I know which I’d rather drop on a footpath/in mud!
 
VERY GOOD BIT OF BLOOD SUGARS LEVELS LOW OR HIGH KIT
FEW YEARS BACK COST A LOT but worth every penny
but a bit more brillant kit also is ACCU-CHEK SPIRIT COMBO PUMP as when i get an insulin blocked or as they say OCCUSION
and i the change needle and line as i can go from 9 to 18 in under 20 minis blocked line or air lock etc
it will tell how much insulin is available and how long I CAN THEN TRY TO WORK IF I NEED ANY MORE INSULIN our life OUR MEDS VIC TYPE ONE or i use INSULIN NOVARAPID
 
@vic hill the features you mention are not unique to the spirit combo. They are common to all insulin pumps. I agree they are great bits of kit, especially pump/CGM combinations that provide closed loop. Having a pump that automatically suspends my basal as my levels start heading down has significantly reduced my hypos.
 
You could invest in a power bank as a backup power supply. This also has the advantage that you can keep the phone near you when you sleep if there is not a convenient electricity supply to charge your phone overnight, so the alarms can work whilst you are asleep. Meanwhile you can charge the phone bank anywhere in the house.
 
Phone or Reader?
As far as I am concerned, it is horses for courses.
I am a prolific user of my phone to track exercise, to manage my pump, to read work emails, to navigate, to buy train tickets, to message, to check in for flights,… the other day, I was surprised when it rang!
The idea of carrying another thing with me (which I may lose) is not ideal.
As for scanning through clothes and like like, I found it was not down to sensitivity but knowing where the NFC receiver is in your phone.
Then I discovered xDrip and only needed to scan my sensor when I started it.

If you always scan and you rarely use a mobile phone, I can see the reader is preferable.
Hence, horses for courses
 
I have been a Libre 2 user for nearly a year now. I am a member of a Libre 2 forum, and it seems to be a widespread practice to fit another sensor at least 6 hours before the older one expires. In my experience, I've found that fitting a new sensor a few hours before the older one expires, gives more reliable readings, especially the first few scans.

I never received a reader with my sensors, so I've always used my mobile to scan my sensors. To add another item of technology to my person would be cumbersome and impractical. The reader has only 1 function, whilst my mobile has several technologies/applications built into one unit, applications I use daily, so for me personally, scanning with my phone is the most practical way for me to keep abreast of my diabetes.
 
How did you fair on the American brunch in the end?
 
Jaylee said:
How did you fair on the American brunch in the end?
Click to expand...
Took the sensible, but very very tasty, option of a bacon and avocado omelette, with salsa and sour cream in top. Was scummy, and nice to have it made for me. Worth the wait
 
ssnjimb said:
I have never heard of this before. And I was certainly not recommended to do this. Hmmm I might try it.
Click to expand...
Take two Libres into the shower..? I just plant & go..

I can on occasions have one ready to go for maybe 3 to 6 hours prior to the other ending. But that’s only because changeover day (Sunday.) could have a planned break from the normal routine. I might need to travel or anything as opposed to the usual “doss day” after a couple of nights gigging?

But on the whole. They work from the get go..
 
YES AGREE also what i like if high before bed can see how much insulin is still to be delivered so that i do not overdue and go low
vic
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…