Freestyle Libre 2

[mark king]

I spoke with Abbot's about their Libre sensors recently and they said the Libre 3 [L3] was expected to become available soon in the UK which was to fix all the known problems with L1 & L2 and will replace them in time. They did add that we would all still have to request them from our doctors as before.
I'm not sure if those of us already on a sensor who find Abbot's have stopped our version will automatically receive the new L3 one?
So prepare to moany moan at your Dr. for it when it does become available.

Best

 

[EmmaL76]

To be fair I am a quite unusual case for my doctors so they are usually quite responsive even if it is just to get rid of me lol

 

[PattiEvans]

I've only just got L2. Start the first on Monday. Our CCG dragged their feet over putting it on the prescribing list until about 4 weeks ago! Goodness only knows when anyone locally will get L3. Perhaps when L4 is imminent?

 

[Robert459]

The sensor filament (which stays in your arm when the sensor is in use) is flexible, but the inserter which delivers it has a short needle with a groove along it, in which the filament nestles

That isn't correct, the "sensor filament" is attached to the "triangular white bit" that contains the filament, detector and circuit connector and there is no outer "needle" or "inserter" that surrounds it. Perhaps that is why Abbot spends so much on the design of the delivery plastic mechanism, because it needs to insert the "sensor filament" straight in with no other support. Try looking at the "needle" once assembled and before you push/click it into/through your skin.

Still describing Libre 1 sensors as we have one more to go go before we move onto the Libre 2 sensors that we already have. Not sure how we got so far ahead/behind but perhaps the accumulated replacements due to previous sensor failure

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

That isn't correct, the "sensor filament" is attached to the "triangular white bit" that contains the filament, detector and circuit connector and there is no outer "needle" or "inserter" that surrounds it.

The sensor in the arm is put together during insertion by clicking the two halves of the assembly together.

The big ‘click’ you hear during insertion is actually the needle withdrawing. If, after insertion, you subsequently take the spring loaded half of the inserter apart, you will find the inserter needle lodged towards the back of the casing. It gets transferred there during the insertion process.

I know this because I always deconstruct the inserter so that I can put the needle in my sharps bin, but not the sizeable casing that would fill it up within a few months 🙂

On withdrawing the needle with pliers you will note the groove along it’s length where the filament would sit.

Rarely, people find the inserter mis-fires, and they end up with the needle still in their arm poking out of the top of the inserted sensor. There are images if you search for “libre needle stuck in arm” 🙂

 

[rebrascora]

That isn't correct, the "sensor filament" is attached to the "triangular white bit" that contains the filament, detector and circuit connector and there is no outer "needle" or "inserter" that surrounds it. Perhaps that is why Abbot spends so much on the design of the delivery plastic mechanism, because it needs to insert the "sensor filament" straight in with no other support. Try looking at the "needle" once assembled and before you push/click it into/through your skin.

Still describing Libre 1 sensors as we have one more to go go before we move onto the Libre 2 sensors that we already have. Not sure how we got so far ahead/behind but perhaps the accumulated replacements due to previous sensor failure

So why would they incorporate a spring loaded needle into the applicator, if the needle isn't required for application of the filament?

 

[EmmaL76]

I feel entirely responsible for this.. all I wanna know is am I stupid or not stupid for thinking there was no actual needle. Cast your votes guys 😉

 

[helli]

I feel entirely responsible for this.. all I wanna know is am I stupid or not stupid for thinking there was no actual needle. Cast your votes guys 😉

I cast my vote
Not Stupid
🙂

 

[Robert459]

a spring loaded needle into the applicator

Interesting, so far, have only examined the used, disassembled sensor, not the applicator itself. My apologies if I have missed the thing and am wrong, certainly do not want to mislead people here, however I will investigate the possibility of a "needle sheath" temporarily introduced around the "filament" in the outer plastic applicator to pierce the skin. The "applicator" certainly seems over engineered as a simple "push device" so may have missed the actual needle. A new hobby for an old 70 year old retired geek 🙂

 

[EmmaL76]

I cast my vote
Not Stupid
🙂

I’ll take that!! Okay… votes over, any entries received after this point will not count but you may still be charged. 😛

 

[rebrascora]

I'm going to waste my money and vote anyway....

Not stupid.... just maybe a little naive! 😉

Ignorance is bliss and if you don't want to believe there is a needle then don't believe it, but don't disassemble the applicator and make sure to dispose of it in a sharpsafe!

 

[EmmaL76]

I'm going to waste my money and vote anyway....

Not stupid.... just maybe a little naive! 😉

Ignorance is bliss and if you don't want to believe there is a needle then don't believe it, but don't disassemble the applicator and make sure to dispose of it in a sharpsafe!

I was just testing you guys really… well done you all passed the technical part of this challenge.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I cast my vote
Not Stupid
🙂

I’ll take that!! Okay… votes over, any entries received after this point will not count but you may still be charged. 😛

+1 for team “Not”. Where do I send my £2 (plus my Network charge)? 😉😛

 

[EmmaL76]

+1 for team “Not”. Where do I send my £2 (plus my Network charge)? 😉😛

Yep straight to me please. My Mensa membership fee is due tomorrow !

 

[mark king]

@EmmaL76 I'm happy to vote NOT STUPID. 😛

@rebrascora Also the spring is part of the needle return mechanism.
Spoiler warning -- when you assemble your sensor if you look inside you can see the needle itself poking out which when you press it into place releases the spring to pull it back inside leaving the reading probe in place.

Best
I also disassemble them for their springs which I re-use and dispose safely of the needle.

 

[rebrascora]

@mark king Curious to know what you use the springs for?? I like to recycle, but haven't come up with a use or them yet!

 

[mark king]

It's a bit boring, the springs along with the ones out of clickable biros go into my my workshop "bitsa" box for use in my model 0 gauge railway workings and also in my R/C aircraft builds plus you never know when you just might wish you had a spring. 😛

 

[Robert459]

Wow. I was so wrong ! Apologies to all interested. There is indeed a needle/sheath in the "applicator" and I completely missed/ignored it. Having now found it, need to find its mechanism of action. Sorry for sounding so sure of ourselves, was only examining the sensor and filament "injected" into the arm and ignored the injector mechanism. Assumed truly made an ass of us here. Will continue my investigations but without public pronouncements. Thanks for the corrections guys 🙂

 

[trophywench]

Well we all find out useful things over the years. We got delayed coming back from France on holiday some years ago and I had no new reservoirs for my pump left, so what the heck could I do? Plenty of insulin in the fridge, at a pinch (and it was) I could & would re-use the re-fillable reservoir already in my pump by transferring insulin from the vial into the reservoir with an elderly unused disposable syringe, BUT the reservoir plunger was up the sharp end instead of the bottom, so what did we have with a teensy hook on it, to physically pull it back?

OH is a carp fisherman - what had he got in his tackle box ...... a boilie needle!

I don't recommend it as a Plan - but kept me alive, Ta ever so.

You simply do not know when 'Ten a penny' odds and sods are going to be really useful!

 

[mark king]

You simply do not know when 'Ten a penny' odds and sods are going to be really useful!

So true Jenny [@trophywench] and as the saying goes "NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION."