Freestyle Libre 2

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JellyBaby21

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Type 1
Hi everyone,
Just put on my free sample of the Freestyle Libre 2 today. Can anyone tell me, how often do I need to finger prick now when I'm wearing one?

Before, I was finger prick testing x4 per day - before meals and at bed time. But I often had to finger prick 2 hours after eating or during the night too to check for rises and falls.
 
I normally do two or three tests the first day, to check the Libre is in line with what I'm expecting, and if it is, I’ll only do ones if my blood glucose is changing rapidly and I want a more up to date picture than the Libre algorithm is giving me. Or if the Libre seems at odds with what I’m feeling,
 
Thanks.

Another issue has just arisen. Did my first scan and it gave me a reading fine. Then 15 mins later I scanned again and it said it could not give me a glucose reading and to wait 10mins. What's happened? Has it failed?
 
Like @Robin, I do 2-3 double checks with a finger prick in the first day or two. Libre fairly consistently reads about 1mmol lower than BG for me so if it shows me hypo at 3.5 I can be reasonably confident that I am actually about 4.5... but that is just how it works with me. The only time to double check after that is if it doesn't correspond to how I feel and particularly through the night if it indicates you are low, as the sensors can be prone to compression lows where if you lie on the arm with the sensor it will show you are low when you may not be. Also ideally you should double check high levels before calculating an insulin correction because above and below range Libre is less accurate and particularly if your levels are rising fast, it can over estimate how high you actually are.

Hope you find it as game changing as the rest of us. 2.5 years down the line I still scan an average of 30x a day. It makes a massive difference to my understanding of how my body and insulin and food and exercise work.
 
JellyBaby21 said:
Thanks.

Another issue has just arisen. Did my first scan and it gave me a reading fine. Then 15 mins later I scanned again and it said it could not give me a glucose reading and to wait 10mins. What's happened? Has it failed?
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Have you eaten recently or injected insulin? The scan again in 10 mins is usually because your levels are changing rapidly and it isn't sure about it's prediction of the result.... Libre has an algorithm which tries to close the time lag between blood which your meter reads and interstitial fluid which Libre reads, the latter being about 15 mins behind blood. So the algorithm looks at the previous readings and extrapolates them to estimate what your levels are likely to be in 15 mins time. If you eat something so the levels suddenly change direction Libre can be significantly out for 15-30 mins which is one of the main reasons why you should always check 15 mins after a hypo treatment with a finger prick and not Libre, because Libre will almost always show your levels as being lower still whereas a finger prick will usually show that you have responded to the hypo treatment and no further action is needed. so if you just rely on Libre, you are likely to always end up over treating your hypos.
 
JellyBaby21 said:
Then 15 mins later I scanned again and it said it could not give me a glucose reading and to wait 10mins. What's happened?
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Sometimes the reason is obvious: BG changing quickly, for example. Sometimes it's less obvious from the outside what might be causing the problem. But it does happen even with sensors that generally work OK so don't panic and remove it yet.
 
Bruce Stephens said:
But it does happen even with sensors that generally work OK so don't panic and remove it yet.
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I find it very surprising how quick people are to remove a sensor if it is not working as they expect and it seems that it is often the phone or the app which is the problem, not the sensor in the end. Even if it isn't working as you might hope, I would always leave it in place until I had discussed it with Abbott customer services who could potentially trouble shoot it. It is not like it is going to do people any damage leaving it on their arm for a day or two until they are able to speak to customer services..... unless there is an obvious serious bleed or something.
 
I don't get a reasonable correlation between sensors and actual in steady state. So I check 5 or 6 times during the first 24 hours after starting a new sensor. I also fit a new sensor at least 48 hrs before starting it, to allow time for my body to get over the apparent trauma of the device being inserted. If I can't wait, perhaps because itsxreplacing a failed sensor I find the first 24 hrs are pretty ridiculous for numerical accuracy, but seem OK for trend arrows.
I have accepted this poor correlation and try to work with differentials up to 3 mmol/L, rather than constantly seeking replacement sensors. This is easier when the sensor is high, less so when low - when the low alerts (alarms) become unworkable.

So I suggest you check with finger pricks quite often (5-7 times) for the first 48 hrs and just reassure yourself that you are getting a reasonable match. You wouldn't want to be taking a bolus correction based on a Libre result when there is a significant difference, or deciding to eat while your actual BG is high and your insulin resistance is correspondingly increased - and your bolus won't do what you anticipate, just adding to the confusion of diabetes behaviour.

That said, Libre is still an essential part of my D management. Just wish it was more accurate and I didn't have to constantly mentally juggle with the numbers.
 
JellyBaby21 said:
Hi everyone,
Just put on my free sample of the Freestyle Libre 2 today. Can anyone tell me, how often do I need to finger prick now when I'm wearing one?

Before, I was finger prick testing x4 per day - before meals and at bed time. But I often had to finger prick 2 hours after eating or during the night too to check for rises and falls.
Click to expand...
I tend to finger prick in a number of circumstances:
  1. At random intervals just to ensure my Libre readings reading somewhat similar, taking into account the "lag" with the Libre.
  2. When the Libre readings are very high or very low.
  3. When the Libre readings don't match how I am actually feeling. For example, there have been occasions I have felt a little hypo, but my Libre says I'm 5+. In this instance I will back up with a finger prick to be safe.
  4. After I have applied a new sensor, while it is "bedding in".
Additionally, as part of my diabetes kit, I still carry a finger pricker when out and about just as a backup. It's rare that I need to use it, but I like it being there just in case.
 
I also carry a finger pricker and meter at all times, partly because it's in my bag and if 'out and about' means driving, then I'm meeting the DVLA remit to be able to test at any time. So whether I'm walking to the village shop or driving further my bag covers all eventualities.
 
I'm the same, my bag with ALL my kit including both insulin pens goes everywhere with me including by the bed at night and next to the shower. It is a little backpack and I have got to the stage that if I leave the house without it. I almost feel naked. It has just become an integral part of me and having it as a backpack leaves my hands free to work.
 
The adverts for these devises imply that having them is the end to finger pricks which I think is very misleading to people, and that causes disappointment that it is not so straightforward.
As with anything new sometimes you just have to stick with it as it is a learning process.
 
CivicFreak said:
At random intervals just to ensure my Libre readings reading somewhat similar, taking into account the "lag" with the Libre.
Click to expand...
If you are testing at random times, I find it important not to be quite so random.
I try to test when my levels are stable and between 4 and 9.
For me, first thing in the morning or last thing at night are best for this. This has become a habit for me and and it sets me up for the day knowing where I am with the CGM and gives me confidence for sleeping.
 
Leadinglights said:
The adverts for these devises imply that having them is the end to finger pricks which I think is very misleading to people, and that causes disappointment that it is not so straightforward.
Click to expand...
Especially since the small print says the opposite - ie that finger pricking is still needed in certain situations.
 
JellyBaby21 said:
Hi everyone,
Just put on my free sample of the Freestyle Libre 2 today. Can anyone tell me, how often do I need to finger prick now when I'm wearing one?

Before, I was finger prick testing x4 per day - before meals and at bed time. But I often had to finger prick 2 hours after eating or during the night too to check for rises and falls.
Click to expand...

Really depends how confident you are in device, find my libre 2 is consistently accurate so rarely test now unless unusual reading shows up, only other time is first day of applying sensor.
 
Hope you get on well with Libre @JellyBaby21

Enjoy all those extra data!
 
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