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Next sensor will be Libre 2 - any tips?

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Flutterby

Flutterby

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi all I will start using libre 2 in just under 2 weeks. Any advice would be great. Also are the professional settings accessed by the same code as libre 1 as I need to change to half unit dose settings. Thanks in advance.
 
Not many tips as there is not a huge difference compared with Libre 1.
The only difference is the use of alarms when too high or too low.
So, my two tips would be
- set the alarm thresholds slightly different to the "in range" values" so you can be alerted in time to react before heading low or high. For example, my low range value is 4.0 but my alarm is set at 4.5 so I can treat it before going hypo. I tend to check the gradient of the graph and only treat if it is falling.
- if you plan to use the reader and phone, start the sensor with your reader. You will only get alarms on the reader - not the phone. I assume as you are asking about the professional settings, you will use the reader - I only use my phone.

Sorry, I cannot answer your questions about the professional settings.
 
As far as I am aware the code is the same.

I found Libre2 a really good upgrade from Libre1. Ever since the algorithm change I found Libre1 a little wobblier against BG levels, but (aside from one dodgy sensor) the Libre 2s Ive tried were excellent and gave a flow of very usable data.

The alarms were also a bit of a game changer for me as far as Libre is concerned, and really helped me use the data proactively.
 
Hi Karen @Flutterby sorry for what might be an obvious question but have you got the new Libre 2 reader because you won’t get alarms on the original Libre reader.
 
Flutterby said:
Hi all I will start using libre 2 in just under 2 weeks. Any advice would be great. Also are the professional settings accessed by the same code as libre 1 as I need to change to half unit dose settings. Thanks in advance.
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Hi Flutterby,

I've set my lower alarm limit to 5.5mmol as this gives me a much better chance to act and avoid a hypo when both a and b are happening.

a) The trend arrow is pointing down and
b) The trace graph is dropping.

If the trace graph was level and the trend arrow was pointing up or level, I wouldn't act on the alarm as it is unlikely that I would be heading into a hypo. But, if the alarm goes off at 5.5 and arrow and graph are heading down, I will have sufficient time to avoid a hypo and this is what I like most about the Abbott Freestyle Libre 1 and 2.

I also find the vibration alarm better (with system sounds turned off) for alerting me without alerting anyone else. Same at night, if you want to avoid alerting others in the house and waking them, the vibration alarm is less likely to wake others. If one has a child who is wearing the libre 2 then the sounding alarm and vibration alarm would be a better choice to alert parents and the child.
 
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I think one has to also make the decision about upper limits at night. At what "high" blood glucose level do you want to be woken? How tired are you? So this upper limit may change from night to another depending on how desperate you are to stay asleep on that particular night. There's obviously an upper limit you'd want to be woken no matter how much in need you are of a good nights sleep, particularly if you start feeling ill or getting ketones, so a bit of common sense needs to added into the mix.

In the day time it's not an issue being alerted and this upper limit could be lowered to suit your ideal targets.
 
Libre 2 is brilliant, the alarms are great. We've found the battery life isn't as good as the libre 1. Also ours is often losing signal, even in the middle of the night, so its waking us when its not glucose related which can be quite irritating! But overall it's great
 
Thanks everyone, the alarms waking me at night without good reason would really impact me at present as I am under a ton of stress and if I am woken it takes 2 or 3 hours to get back to sleep so I will definitely be looking to avoid this. I am also hard of hearing so the vibration alarm may be better for me.
 
Titchvic said:
Also ours is often losing signal, even in the middle of the night, so its waking us when its not glucose related which can be quite irritating!
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Can you disable that alarm?
You can on the phone app ... and I have.
 
HI - I'm still using up my old 1s but the DS I saw last week advised me not to focus too much on the high bg alarms and most people tend to set it to about 15 or so. I suppose because as DAFNE reccomends it's not so good to correct too often incase of staggered insulin causing hypos and because most of the time is probably going to come back down anyway (unless you are ill or have no QA left in your system)

Do let us know how you get on though!
 
Yes to can disable the alarms on the reader as well. You can have just low on or just high and you can also turn off signal loss.

reader needs charging about every 3rd day. The battery symbol on mine only ever shows full or 1/2 full. 1/2 full tends to mean not enough charge to give reading so I charge ever 3rd night as I go in shower (I do shower daily! Not every 3 days!)

I like the alarms
 
Bexlee said:
Yes to can disable the alarms on the reader as well. You can have just low on or just high and you can also turn off signal loss.

reader needs charging about every 3rd day. The battery symbol on mine only ever shows full or 1/2 full. 1/2 full tends to mean not enough charge to give reading so I charge ever 3rd night as I go in shower (I do shower daily! Not every 3 days!)

I like the alarms
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Every 3rd day??? We are having to charge ours every day!
Have now disabled the signal loss alarm
 
I have to charge mine every 3 days too, it sounds like yours maybe faulty if you are having to do it daily. I would contact Abbot if I was you.
 
grovesy said:
I have to charge mine every 3 days too, it sounds like yours maybe faulty if you are having to do it daily. I would contact Abbot if I was you.
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Love forums for info like this. We had assumed they would all need charging every day. Think I'll contact them! Thanks
 
The Libre 1 only needed charging once a week. It does say I the booklet that comes with the Libre2 reader that it needs charging every 3 days.
 
grovesy said:
The Libre 1 only needed charging once a week. It does say I the booklet that comes with the Libre2 reader that it needs charging every 3 days.
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God, I think I charge my sensor 1 once a month the at the most
 
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