Freestyle Libre 2 Reader - does it work?

[BadaBing]

Hello

Following two updates that Abbott made to its Librelink app in November and December 2022 I don't receive low or high alarms on my Android mobile phone. So I ordered and Abbott delivered a brand new Libre 2 Reader.

I set up the Libre 2 Reader in accordance with the Reader's instruction manual. I have the signal loss alarm on (I know I can turn it off). I also have the low and high glucose alarms on and set to my preferred settings to warn me my glucose is going low or high.

I put on a new Libre 2 sensor a few hours ago and started the sensor with the Libre 2 Reader.

After the one hour warm up I've lost count of the number of notifications I've received over the last few hours from the Libre 2 Reader that there is "signal loss" between the Libre 2 Reader and the new Libre 2 sensor. This is despite the fact that the Libre 2 Reader has never been more than an arms length away at all times from the new Libre 2 sensor I started this afternoon.

I know I can turn the signal loss alarm off on the Libre 2 Reader and will probably do so.

I spoke with Abbott Customer Services this afternoon, just before they closed. I told them I was getting constant signal loss alarms, that there was a symbol in the top right hand corner of the Libre 2 Reader which according to the Libre 2 instruction booklet that comes with the Reader means "sensor not communicating with reader."

After taking the serial number of my Libre 2 Reader, the serial number of my newly applied and started Libre 2 sensor, getting me to press and hold the "on/off" button of the Libre 2 Reader for 30 seconds (doing so changed nothing), and confirming to customer services that I could still scan the Libre 2 sensor on my arm with the Libre 2 Reader, the Abbott customer services person I spoke to told me to contact them again if I didn't receive a high or low glucose alarm.

A scan with the Libre 2 Reader (and Librelink on my mobile) shows that I am currently 13.4. That number is well above the high glucose alarm I have pre-set in settings of the Libre 2 Reader.

Yet, the Libre 2 Reader didn't alarm when it reached my pre-set high glucose limit! I now assume it won't alarm if my glucose reaches my pre-set low limit either.

Why didn't this new Libre 2 Reader alarm?

Is the new sensor (which I can scan and will give a glucose reading if I do so) faulty?

Is my new Libre 2 Reader faulty?

Should I expect the same issues with this new Libre 2 Reader that I'm having with the Librelink app at the moment on my mobile phone?

 

[Bloden]

Should I expect the same issues with this new Libre 2 Reader that I'm having with the Librelink app at the moment on my mobile phone?

No. The reader doesn’t use the dodgy app. Go to Settings then Sound & Vibration - is Sound Systems set to On? That’s all I can think of.

Sorry to hear you’re having so many problems. 🙂

 

[BadaBing]

No. The reader doesn’t use the dodgy app. Go to Settings then Sound & Vibration - is Sound Systems set to On? That’s all I can think of.

Sorry to hear you’re having so many problems. 🙂

Thanks. "Sounds Systems" in settings was switched on.

 

[Lily123]

If the reader was still telling you it had signal loss then the other alarms won’t have worked.

It could be the reader or could be the sensor. You’re not really going to be able to tell until you have a new sensor when this one runs out.

 

[Rob Oldfield]

You activated the sensor with the reader? The alarms only work with the device used to do that so if you used a mobile then the reader won't be alarming.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry to hear you are having such a hassle with this @BadaBing

Hope you manage to get it sorted.

 

[nonethewiser]

You activated the sensor with the reader? The alarms only work with the device used to do that so if you used a mobile then the reader won't be alarming.

Going to say same thing.

From day 1 had signal loss alarm switched off as its annoying, it's never made any difference as still get alarms when levels go high or low, only use phone not reader & use Samsung Android.

 

[BadaBing]

Going to say same thing.

From day 1 had signal loss alarm switched off as its annoying, it's never made any difference as still get alarms when levels go high or low, only use phone not reader & use Samsung Android.

Yes, I activated the Libre 2 sensor with the Libre 2 Reader.

So far four Libre 2 sensors (each started with the Libre 2 Readers) have failed to provide high or low glucose alarms over the course of 96 hours.

 

[BadaBing]

If the reader was still telling you it had signal loss then the other alarms won’t have worked.

It could be the reader or could be the sensor. You’re not really going to be able to tell until you have a new sensor when this one runs out.

Thank you. So far four Libre 2 sensors in a row have failed to give me high or low hlucose alarms in the last 96 hours. Abbott are replacing all four.

 

[grovesy]

My Libre 2 reader must be at least 2 years old, it still has functioning low and high alerts. I would think you have a duff one.

 

[BadaBing]

My Libre 2 reader must be at least 2 years old, it still has functioning low and high alerts. I would think you have a duff one.

Well, Abbott's Customer Service people don't agree with you @grovesy.

The event log of my Libre 2 Reader has a number of interesting errors messages. I know that 57, 0 (probably) means that a sensor has failed. However, there are lots of other error messages in my Reader event log: Er9, 976; Er0 2003, Er3, 373 C; Er3 365 C; Er9, 987. Their Customer Service people won't tell me what any of these other alphanumeric codes mean.

Abbott must be having a hard time making enough Libre 2 Readers to hand out to UK patients right now because so many - like me - have asked for a Libre 2 Reader since the Librelink app was updated in November and December 2022 and Librelink no longer provides low or high glucose alarms, or causes frequent scanning issues for many of us.

 

[nonethewiser]

Yes, I activated the Libre 2 sensor with the Libre 2 Reader.

So far four Libre 2 sensors (each started with the Libre 2 Readers) have failed to provide high or low glucose alarms over the course of 96 hours.

It's one big enigma how device performs well for some but not others.

Own libre is working fine as are alarms, only issue is keep getting notification on phone everyday saying Tap to open device, only come about in last few weeks.

 

[BadaBing]

only issue is keep getting notification on phone everyday saying Tap to open device, only come about in last few weeks.

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the "issue" you mention is something that Abbott intended to add as part of the updates that they made to the Librelink app in November and December 2022.