Freestyle Libre 2 free trial

[Bruce Stephens]

No, it’s cheaper than that if you buy a couple direct from abbot

Probably you can only buy that once, though?

 

[PattiEvans]

Probably you can only buy that once, though?

When I was self-funding you could put in regular orders. I don't see why you can't now. However, I just had a look and I can't see where you can buy Libre 2 from Abbott, just Libre 2+. Frankly I don't see how it's extra capabilities (i.e. it can join up with Omnipod 5 to become a Hybrid Closed Loop) is of any advantage to T2s using it, who would be just as well off with the Libre 2 if they can get it and it's cheaper.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

who would be just as well off with the Libre 2 if they can get it and it's cheaper.

They're the same price per day. I presume Libre 2+ is just replacing Libre 2.

When I was self-funding you could put in regular orders.

When I started there were mentions of subscriptions in a few places but they no longer offered any.

 

[Merluza]

I think that when they have run through their Libre 2 stock they are shifting to the 2+ so I expect it will happen gradually in the background for those of us getting it on prescription. As Bruce says they are the same price per day.

 

[Lucyr]

Probably you can only buy that once, though?

Don’t think so, you can add 3 packs of two sensors to your cart at once

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Don’t think so, you can add 3 packs of two sensors to your cart at once

OK. I wonder if that's deliberate (so a way for first timers to get 2 cheaper and they don't care much about existing users buying them a bit cheaper) or if it's a bug they'll fix. (My guess is they'll leave it. I presume most of the money is from supplying prescriptions and the NHS directly (for Libre 3 for pumps and so on).)

 

[brettr]

@brettr my GP messaged me and said something like he made the application to ICT for the funding, however the request was declined,
I’ve ordered some libra 2 sensors (self funded) plus also have a free trial of dexcom one on its way to me, It looks like if 3 months supply is ordered on a 90 day subscription the Dexcom might be slightly lower price at equivalent to £2.54 a day.
whilst I'm still hoping that I will be successful in getting sensors funded
Im thinking I will most likely have to self fund.

I’m T2 on insulin (taken twice a day) on top of tablets and
I really like the Libra 2 plus it’s an excellent tool to protect me from hypos especially at night or daytime to monitor my levels when I’m driving.

at the moment online Abbot are selling a twin starter pack of. Libra 2Plus sensors for £86.23
so that works out to £43.11 per unit or £2.87 a day so I ordered some of those

That sounds like the ICT were expecting you to meet every single criteria to be able to obtain the funding, when from what I understand you have to meet a certain level, not every single item !!

I would love to self fund more additional sensors, but the cost is just too much for me.

The Dexcom free trial, a 3 month supply is going to work out cheaper than the Abbott ones ? One of my Diabetes Nurses wanted me to go on to Insulin after Empagloflozin and Piaglitozone didn't work for me, (well they worked, but I got some of the bad side effects), I flat out refused Insulin, as I really don't want to go down that route unless I really have to, so I started on Glimepiride and am taking Mounjaro 2.5, will be taking my third shot this Thursday.

My HBA1C is currently down to 52 from 58 at my last reading, so I am happy to read that from my Patient Access, just got to get it down to below 42 and hopefully get myself sorted.

Let me know how you get on with the Dexcom sensors please.

 

[brettr]

When I was self-funding you could put in regular orders. I don't see why you can't now. However, I just had a look and I can't see where you can buy Libre 2 from Abbott, just Libre 2+. Frankly I don't see how it's extra capabilities (i.e. it can join up with Omnipod 5 to become a Hybrid Closed Loop) is of any advantage to T2s using it, who would be just as well off with the Libre 2 if they can get it and it's cheaper.

I have looked on Amazon at the Libre 2 sensors and it looks like you can still get both on there the plus and the more standard libre 2. I did read that the Libre 3 was having problems with readings not coming out correctly, so they pulled that until they sort the problem out !

 

[helli]

I have looked on Amazon at the Libre 2 sensors and it looks like you can still get both on there the plus and the more standard libre 2. I did read that the Libre 3 was having problems with readings not coming out correctly, so they pulled that until they sort the problem out !

Take care buying Libre not from Abbott. I have read about Abbott not replacing faulty sensors unless they have provided them direct.

 

[goodybags]

I’ve now finished the Freestyle Libra sensor trial which overall went ok
about halfway through the first one was experiencing a few connection issues between my phone and the sensor so I ended up phoning Abbott and receiving a second (they asked me to return the faulty one but they sent a prepaid return with its replacement)
so I ended up basically trialing the Libra I think for a total of 29 days,
overall TBH i was quite impressed, apart from that one day / night as it was when I had a connection issue, also maybe I never quite got the hang of all the permissions needed in my phone to override the alerts, but that was probably me being a bit of a technophobe these days 🙄
so the second second libra sensor expired this morning, then quite by chance my “free trial” Dexcom One+ arrived this afternoon
my initial thoughts are the Dexcom One+ app looks simpler to use, but as far as I can see you can’t take screenshots or scan and store readings and maybe more information is in the Libraplus app
To me it’s just the every five minutes the Dexcom automatically updates as CGM ?
or maybe I’m wrong / have misunderstood possibly?

prior to requesting the Dexcom (on the 10 day free trial)
I had decided I wanted to continue having a sensor even though, I will need to self fund, so I ordered some Freestyle directly from abbot (2X twin starter packs) although they haven’t been dispatched yet,
will see how I get on with the Dexcom before I make any final decision
think if order the 90 day subscription of the Dexcom it works out I think about 33p a day cheaper than the libra.

 

[Misunderstood]

I also just started the free trial
received them & installed on me yesterday
hopefully I can get the sensors funded by NHS
Just messaged GP regarding this

I know type one diabetics can get them on thr NHS. Type 2s might. It often depends on which area you live too.

 

[goodybags]

Unfortunately my GP said he would ask but he came back to me with a text saying the ICB declined the funding, although I am going to check as I’m sure in the very brief conversation (we had on the phone) my GP got the idea I was testing 4 times a day ? whereas most days I think more like 10/12 plus more if had night time hypos (although im T2 I’m on Insulin twice a day) so we will see if things change

 

[Proud to be erratic]

Hello @goodybags,

Abbott have a web based site, known as LibreView which collates all the data that the Libre sensor acquires. You need to register, but its free. Those of us who get (got in my case) Libre, were required to register separately for LibreView as part of the prescribing process and give access permissions to Hospitals or GP Surgeries, allowing them to see our data, trends etc. Because, as you have now seen, the LibreLink app provides a large no of reports (which Dexcom's app doesn't provide) many Libre users don't really need the LibreView facility. I suspect you will fall into that category.

However Dexcom do have a web based equivalent to LibreView, called Clarity. Again, you will need to register (but it could be that as a result of your having their free trial you might already be automatically registered for Clarity. From Clarity you can get past history and an array of reports, collating your data in different ways. You will need to go into the Profiles section of the Dexcom app and select Data Consents to tick the relevant boxes. Then your WiFi will transmit your data to Clarity. You can access Clarity from the Dexcom app by going to History and scrolling to the bottom then selecting open Clarity app. Unhelpfully it asks you to login and provide your password, no built in memory of that - frustratingly! I have some sort of glitch (that I never seem to have time to resolve) that my password doesn't work within the app, but if I go to a search engine I can log in using the password I know that works!

Yes, Dexcom prohibit screenshots from within the app. It's part of their security protocols. For me it's all part of all these manufacturers more interested in their profit rather than providing an excellent service fit for a User who is actually diabetic. The worst example of this is not displaying one's BG on the screen of a sleeping phone - something all of us who are insulin dependent need (even more than the widget displaying the time). To get a BG screen display needs someone else's app.

I found that Libre 2 only provided screen updates every 5 minutes, but the Diabox app could take readings every minute, confirming that capability. Likewise Dexcom display updates every 5 mins, I've ni idea if it is actually creating a reading every minute. However, in practice readings every minute are not useful. The Diabox app quickly got overloaded with excessive data and needed it's cache regularly clearing to keep it working smoothly AND because the sensors are measuring interstitial fluid, the lag between that and actual BG is misleading when I've tried to find out if my BG really has changed in the last minute.

We know in general terms that the manufacturers have used algorithms to predict and apply corrections to bring displayed interstitial close to actual; of course the detail of that formula is a trade secret. I personally think trying to get a shorter time gap is unresonable; in the past I've done fps on washed hands in rapid succession on adjacent fingers and got varied readings - we expect too much from tech that has mass produced hardware, made to be affordable and widely available. I also think we are allowing ourselves to be misled by readings displayed to one decimal point and we should round up or down the display to just a whole number. The bit about sensors that we generally can trust are the direction arrows - they give a reliable trend indication that is essential for myself, with no panc'y. Frankly, whether the reading is 5 something or 6 something is pretty irrelevant. And the displayed graph usually shows when a distinct change is happening.

Incidentally with my G7 Dexcom app I can get my graphs displayed in landscape as well as portrait. This is for me a terrific help and spikes / deep troughs are suddenly put in proportion as modest changes not dramatic alterations. Shame LibreLink can't do that; another example of adequate software, but not excellent and potentially so easy to do. Lazy and uncaring are words that come to mind!!

 

[James Foote]

And I based that on what my diabetes nurse told me, she was the one that stated that I would get help with the cos if I was taking Insulin. She never mentioned anything else. I can only go off what information I was told at the time. I am not trying to confuse or annoy anyone with my words.

Hang on a moment ! I, as stated have just checked the nice guidelines. I don't qualify and many others will not either, as you clearly pointed out there are SPECIFIC criteria that needs to be met to obtain the sensors on the NHS. So, therefore, each person will have to have varying additional conditions that meet the criteria. Don't just put me down for my words, as they are correct for me and will be for most type 2 diabetics, unless we meet the relevant criteria to get the NHS to fund the cost of the sensors.

That isn’t true, it isn’t a blanket no if you’re type 2, and incorrectly stating that is is can put type 2s that do qualify off asking, so it’s unhelpful for you to say things like that.

While your wording is technically correct, all you needed to state or say is "Please check the Nice Guidelines to see if you meet the criteria as a type 2 diabetic".

With all due respect, I don't need to be told off like some child that is ignorant of the facts. I go off what I am told by those that know (my diabetes nurse), or to very relevant information that others tell me about (NICE Guidelines).

Now, like it or not, my words were/are correct, there will be a certain number of Type 2 Diabetics that will NOT meet ANY of the relevant criteria for the cost of the sensors. You have just made more out of something than you needed to.

Hello brettr

I am type 2 and I did get the Libre 2 in the end but it was a bit of a fight or polite persistence is the correct wording. Have you had any nighttime hypos that you have been really worried about because if you have or if you’ve had them through the day and you are really worried then you can get the Libra 2.
I rang NICE and they really could not have been more helpful. She sent me a full email explaining very clearly that if the doctor feels it would be beneficial for me to have the Libra unit then it should be prescribed and the nice guidelines were not to be used as a reason not to subscribe technology. With this letter it basically meant if had needed to have taken it to my GP and said do you think I should have it? Yes I do then here’s a letter you should prescribe it. They were really really helpful, and I know what’s written down because I came under the same guidelines the other things as well and I’ve added a post how I actually got my Libra too and I need to emphasise to you here. Have you had some hypos that I’ve left? You really concerned and worried?

James