Big discrepancy between sensor and fingerprick

[Rae]

Hi all

I'm on day 10 of my first sensor and it alarmed this morning to say low BG, then came up a bit when I started moving around but has just alarmed again as I've sat down. I don't feel any hypo symptoms so I thought I'd do a confirmatory fingerprick. Fingerprick says 12.1.

My next sensor is ready to collect, should I apply it early and take this one out do you think?

Edit: It was still running 7 or 8 points behind fingerprick by this evening and when I read the instructions on the new one it said if that happens, replace it. Glad I did, sensor was bent nearly 90 degrees so it was flat to skin, the probe was black?? and it had bled behind the unit. Just waiting for new one to warm up now...

 

[Lucyr]

I'd call abbot tomorrow to get it replaced, have a few examples of finger vs sensor readings ready. Also make sure you're well hydrated and washed your hands before finger pricking.

 

[Rae]

I will grab a drink now, good point. I'll administer bolus to the lower figure just in case, would rather run high than low for a day. I haven't been doing comparison tests as dietician said it wasn't necessary. Suspect I will do that for my own piece of mind now.

Thanks

Rae

 

[helli]

I will grab a drink now, good point. I'll administer bolus to the lower figure just in case, would rather run high than low for a day. I haven't been doing comparison tests as dietician said it wasn't necessary. Suspect I will do that for my own piece of mind now.

Thanks

Rae

The advice I was given was to check against finger pricks when the sensor reports high, low or something that you don’t feel is right.
I also finger prick in the morning when I get up and at night when I go to bed as these are times when my levels should be stable and the comparison gives me some confidence.
There should be no reason to test every swipe.

 

[Rae]

The advice I was given was to check against finger pricks when the sensor reports high, low or something that you don’t feel is right.
I also finger prick in the morning when I get up and at night when I go to bed as these are times when my levels should be stable and the comparison gives me some confidence.
There should be no reason to test every swipe.

I only knew to back up test because it said to on the Freestyle site. I suspected I should be fingerprick testing occasionally as well, even if just once a day under normal circumstances but kidded myself that it would be okay and to trust the tech. My sugars have looked like they've been coming under control but now I'm concerned it may have been false readings. My hba1c is in a couple of weeks, so I suppose truth will out.

 

[helli]

@Rae there are a number of threads which describe the limitations of Libre which it is important to be aware of.
- some people find our bodies can take a couple of days to become accustomed to the alien object in our arm. I insert my new sensor a day or two before I start it. Otherwise, I seem to get random readings.
- sensors are calibrated to be most accurate between about 4 and 9. Outside of this range, the readings can be exaggerated. This is why is it recommended to check highs and lows before treating them.
- I have also noticed that the readings can drift during the life of a sensor. This is why I check each day.
- some sensors can be faulty. Abbott are pretty good and replacing them if you call their helpline.
- I find the HbA1C estimate on the Libre app to be generous. My blood test was 10 higher than Libre suggested. I was not surprised because it uses a different method for calculation.

Hope you get the HbA1C result you are hoping for.

 

[trophywench]

Always try and give mine approx 24 hrs to get used to me, before starting it. This is annoying when you have to remove one before it's actually expired but Hey Ho - before I had it, I went years without one, and so, what's a day missing, in the rest of anyone's life?

I'd call it's HbA1c forecasts as being on the optimistic side of optimistic meself - but there again when it tells me I'm under 4 when I'm 5 point something, you would expect the forecast to be less than it really is if you have any sense. As far as this one's concerned - I'll wait for the BLOOD test results, ta. They don't fib.

 

[Rae]

@Rae there are a number of threads which describe the limitations of Libre which it is important to be aware of.
- some people find our bodies can take a couple of days to become accustomed to the alien object in our arm. I insert my new sensor a day or two before I start it. Otherwise, I seem to get random readings.
- sensors are calibrated to be most accurate between about 4 and 9. Outside of this range, the readings can be exaggerated. This is why is it recommended to check highs and lows before treating them.
- I have also noticed that the readings can drift during the life of a sensor. This is why I check each day.
- some sensors can be faulty. Abbott are pretty good and replacing them if you call their helpline.
- I find the HbA1C estimate on the Libre app to be generous. My blood test was 10 higher than Libre suggested. I was not surprised because it uses a different method for calculation.

Hope you get the HbA1C result you are hoping for.

Anything lower than my last (91) would do!

Thank you.

 

[Rae]

Always try and give mine approx 24 hrs to get used to me, before starting it. This is annoying when you have to remove one before it's actually expired but Hey Ho - before I had it, I went years without one, and so, what's a day missing, in the rest of anyone's life?

I'd call it's HbA1c forecasts as being on the optimistic side of optimistic meself - but there again when it tells me I'm under 4 when I'm 5 point something, you would expect the forecast to be less than it really is if you have any sense. As far as this one's concerned - I'll wait for the BLOOD test results, ta. They don't fib.

Yeah, the bloods will give a better picture and I expect the interstitial readings to be lower but 5 versus 12 tells me something is wrong. Sensor has been on 10 days, and I seemed to get results pretty much as I expected right from it going live, but the last 12 hrs it is way off, and I suspect I've either damaged the probe laying on it or my body has had enough of it at that site - wouldn't surprise me as I do burn through meds etc fast and have had trouble with piercings rejecting or growing out rapidly.

Needs to change Tuesday morning anyway, so tempted just to slap new one on and call Abbott in the morning. This was my free sensor anyway, so gives me a bit of a buffer on my prescription.

Thanks

Rae

 

[Rae]

I will grab a drink now, good point. I'll administer bolus to the lower figure just in case, would rather run high than low for a day. I haven't been doing comparison tests as dietician said it wasn't necessary. Suspect I will do that for my own piece of mind now.

Thanks

Rae

It was still running 7 or 8 points behind fingerprick and when I read the instructions on the new one it said if that happens replace it. Glad I did, sensor was bent a full 90 degrees so it was flat to skin and it had bled behind the unit. Just waiting for new one to warm up now.

 

[trophywench]

Oh - good - but obviously not actually good. You would have imagined if it did that, it wouldn't have even worked in the first place. Stwange. Anyway - Abbott will replace it OK - and I sincerely hope this next one is OK.

 

[Rae]

Oh - good - but obviously not actually good. You would have imagined if it did that, it wouldn't have even worked in the first place. Stwange. Anyway - Abbott will replace it OK - and I sincerely hope this next one is OK.

Think it happened last night, must have rolled on it, as until then the reading made sense to how I felt. I've taken a picture because it doesn't seem quite right, especially as the probe itself is not just bent but has turned black. The units are obviously designed to operate to some level of wear and tear, but I definitely destroyed this one!

 

[Lucyr]

Think it happened last night, must have rolled on it, as until then the reading made sense to how I felt. I've taken a picture because it doesn't seem quite right, especially as the probe itself is not just bent but has turned black. The units are obviously designed to operate to some level of wear and tear, but I definitely destroyed this one!

The filament is always black, that's normal colour

 

[Rae]

The filament is always black, that's normal colour

Oh that's good to know. It looked silver when it went in, unless that bit doesn't stay in you? To be honest, I have tried to think as little as possible about it to avoid being spooked by having a thing in my arm.

 

[Lucyr]

Oh that's good to know. It looked silver when it went in, unless that bit doesn't stay in you? To be honest, I have tried to think as little as possible about it to avoid being spooked by having a thing in my arm.

You won't have seen the filament before it went in, only the insertion needle

 

[Rae]

You won't have seen the filament before it went in, only the insertion needle

Ah, so the needle is the silver bit, and that doesn't stay in you? I am embarrassingly clueless about this whole thing, as I wasn't expecting to get one and then they called me and said if I could go down that afternoon they'd fit one. I'm normally more nosey about things but I'm changing jobs and all my brain is there instead. Thanks for letting me know.

 

[Lucyr]

Ah, so the needle is the silver bit, and that doesn't stay in you? I am embarrassingly clueless about this whole thing, as I wasn't expecting to get one and then they called me and said if I could go down that afternoon they'd fit one. I'm normally more nosey about things but I'm changing jobs and all my brain is there instead. Thanks for letting me know.

Yes, the needle goes inside you to insert the filament then it goes back into the applicator, it doesnt stay inside your arm. Just the flexible black little filament stays in your arm