Contacting Abbott’s

[Bexlee]

Hi

Has anyone tried contacting Abbott’s recently and got through?

I’ve tried several times on Friday and kept getting the messages ‘all our advisors are busy dealing with others now and we know you are waiting’. I waited for about 10 minutes a time and then hung up and rang again picking another option but no joy and I’ve tried again today same message and same hold time.

I placed order on 8th and am still waiting. I don’t mind waiting (although I do now have withdrawal symptoms! and sore fingers again) but would like an idea when my order may come!

 

[Sprogladite]

My order has been on hold since the 2nd. I emailed them and was told that they are awaiting a delayed delivery and they don't know when this will arrive, but 'are confident it will be soon'.
Have you tried checking your local pharmacy or Asda to see if they have any in stock? I went to my local asda and they had 6 in stock so I'm ok for now thank goodness.

 

[Robin]

I ordered mine on the 8th too, and mines still on hold. Luckily I’m only using them part time, so I’ve got enough strips to tide me over, but I do miss it! I expect loads of people who weren’t told their orders would be put on hold are trying to get through to find out what’s happening.

 

[mikeyB]

Back in the dark ages, then, Benny. I reckon I’ll be doing the same. Might treat myself to a new lancet.

I still think this chaos is due to tooling up for Libre2, there’s been nothing like this before.

 

[Northerner]

Looks like it's a bad time to order some new sensors! Think I'll hold off for now

 

[PhoebeC]

I emailed them weeks ago and only got a response on friday, took over 2 weeks. Seems like a standard response to me. This has reminded me to go back to them.

 

[m1dnc]

I placed an order on the 4th. I phoned on Friday and was told the same thing about the delayed delivery to the warehouse. I was told that it was expected early this week but there will be further delays because of the backlog. Don't wait up.

 

[Robin]

I had an unprompted email from them today, 2 weeks after ordering, basically saying there was a delay, my order was on hold, that they hadn’t a clue when they’d be fulfilling it, and if I were to ring up I’d be told the same.(the implication being...don’t!)

 

[Sprogladite]

I had an unprompted email from them today, 2 weeks after ordering, basically saying there was a delay, my order was on hold, that they hadn’t a clue when they’d be fulfilling it, and if I were to ring up I’d be told the same.(the implication being...don’t!)

I have just had the same. Very helpful of them eh 🙄

And actually this was the second one like that I've had from them, outside of the emails I sent them asking when they were expecting delivery! So I've had 2 in 2 and a half weeks. Wonder if they are just going out once a week now!

 

[mikeyB]

I phoned today, and was told the usual 5-7 days, plus 4-5 days because of delivery delays. Had no problem ordering three sensors. I’ll let you know when they arrive, as I’m sure they will. I’ve never had less than honesty, which is why I never order online.

With all my other infrastructure problems, I ordered late anyway, (male, so can’t multitask) so it’s back to the approximate tales told by the CCG enforced Tee2. New lancet on Friday. That’ll do another year.🙂

 

[Bruce Stephens]

With all my other infrastructure problems, I ordered late anyway, (male, so can’t multitask) so it’s back to the approximate tales told by the CCG enforced Tee2.

My sensor runs out on Saturday, so likely I'll be back to strips for a while, too. On the positive side, if I'm stuck on test strips for long enough maybe I'll have evidence of using enough that I'd have a chance of fitting the silly criteria for Libre sensors on prescription. My surgery doesn't seem to have limited the choice too much: I can still get strips for the Accu-Chek meter I use, and also (having gone on the local not-quite-DAFNE course) Optium strips (that the Freestyle Libre meter uses).

 

[Bexlee]

I had the email too this afternoon - delay sorry etc. After is tried ringing again for close to an hour. They don’t seem to be answering the phones.....

Never mind it’ll be “exciting” when we all receive our packages

 

[gotonto6]

I have been self-funding (temporarily I hope) freestyle libre for nearly 2 years and ordering online. The latest order is now still on hold after more than 2 weeks. Abbott do not give any date for expected delivery .... the "C" in CGM has a meaning that they do not seem to really understand! But there is also an interesting disclosure (eventually) by the call centre which you should be aware of not least if BREXIT is a hard one (this is not a BREXIT discussion thread). If you buy online the order is apparently fulfilled from France (UK prescriptions from the UK). You may have noticed this when receiving sensors over the past 5 months. The latest delays are NOT manufacturing delays but warehouse and despatch delays - apparently. What annoys me is losing the ability to continuously monitor which once you start is very difficult to stop. The other is the patronising response from Abbott to their customers which is in effect shut-up and go away and we will tell you when the issue is resolved but not before. CAVEAT EMPTOR even in the healthcare space it would seem. Anyway maybe DexCom offer a better experience for self-funders.

 

[mikeyB]

I’ve never had a patronising response from Abbott, just a statement of facts, which I am happy to accept. As I said above, when I ordered on the phone they gave me an estimated time of the wait. It’s not the end of the world, after all. Mind, I suppose I’ve got better things to worry about.

And even I would balk at self funding DexCom.

 

[TheClockworkDodo]

I've now got sensors on my prescription, but I've been waiting for the pharmacy to get them in stock since before Christmas - finally got them today!

 

[grovesy]

I've now got sensors on my prescription, but I've been waiting for the pharmacy to get them in stock since before Christmas - finally got them today!

Most people seem to have had no problem getting them on prescription or purchasing over the counter from what I have read.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Most people seem to have had no problem getting them on prescription or purchasing over the counter from what I have read.

Usually, but right now there seem to be difficulties. (The website suggests it's extreme demand.)

 

[Sprogladite]

They have started clearing the backlog. I haven't come across anyone online yet who has had orders prior to the 2nd Jan being on hold, and these started being dispatched yesterday 🙂 several people, including myself, have had sensors sent out via 24 hour delivery through Royal Mail. Others have had their orders sent out via the usual courier.

 

[grovesy]

Usually, but right now there seem to be difficulties. (The website suggests it's extreme demand.)

I have read reports of people waiting for orders from Abbott but the going to retailers and getting within a day.

 

[TheClockworkDodo]

It seems odd that some stockists are getting them and some not; some people are getting orders immediately and some delayed. My pharmacist kept telling us that they couldn't get any from Abbott, though knowing my pharmacist, that could just be because they'd forgotten to place the order or something rather than because Abbott didn't have any!