Freestyle Libra 2 system

[millbrae]

My local Health board here in Scotland is moving me to the new Freestyle Libra 2 system and sent me a letter saying so. However, they never explained how they are going to manage this move and I have been unable to make contact with anyone who knows exactly what is going on.

My current system comprises a plastic sensor which is affixed to the upper arm and a small hand-held reader. Functionally, both work well and I have no urgent need for this change.

Out of the blue yesterday I received a package through the post. This was a box containing a 'smart phone' (NUU/A5X) set up and locked to the Libre system. There was no covering letter who from or how to use it. Apparently the App on it is designed to only work with the new Libre 2 sensors, which I do not have.
It appears that this functionality is a backwards step in that the reader is more bulky and needs the app anytime you want a reading, which can be multiple times in a day. I understand that it has more functions such as an alarm etc, but this is less important to me than the old system.

Anyone in the same position and what are your views?

 

[Bruce Stephens]

It appears that this functionality is a backwards step in that the reader is more bulky and needs the app anytime you want a reading, which can be multiple times in a day. I understand that it has more functions such as an alarm etc, but this is less important to me than the old system.

That's interesting. The change wasn't forced on me: I asked. And I already have a smartphone so I use that.

And, most importantly, I have a FreeStyle reader so I just asked for a Freestyle Libre 2 Reader. So perhaps you can try that?

Home | FreeStyle Libre | Abbott

Discover how to manage your diabetes easily with Flash & Continuous Glucose Monitoring - user-friendly & discreet sensor-based glucose monitoring systems.

www.freestylelibre.co.uk

 

[helli]

Libre 2 is the same as the original - looks the same, scans in the same way, plus it can send your reader alerts when your levels go too high or too low. The alerts are sent via Bluetooth and the Libre 1 reader does not include Bluetooth technology so cannot receive the alerts. There were Libre 2 readers but these seem to be in very short supply which, I suspect, is why you have been sent the "locked" phone.
If you have your own smart phone with NFC, you can use that to read your sensor via the LibreLink app. I think this is the approach most people use as it is one less thing to take with you (and lose).

 

[rebrascora]

Hi. I am currently still on the original Libre sensors and like you they work really well for me and I am loath to upgrade. I recently had a problem with a sensor reading too low and they sent me a replacement which was a Libre 2, so I am just about to start using that.... I am currently in the 60 min warm up period. I am using it just like my previous sensors with my normal Libre reader but obviously I won't get alarms with this as it doesn't have Bluetooth connectivity. I am quite happy with this arrangement providing the Libre 2 sensor functions as well as the original sensors have (bar the last defective one).

So in reality you can just ignore the "smart phone" reader they have sent you and just continue to use your old reader with the new sensors in exactly the same way if you want to and just not utilize the alarms. If however you want to use the alarm function, then you would need to use the new phone/reader or your own smart phone with the LibreLink app. Your choice..... basically from what I can see, you can just continue exactly as before but when you start up the Libre 2 sensor with your old reader it will warn you that the alarm function is unavailable.