Freestyle Libre available to new customers

[everydayupsanddowns]

In case anyone is interested... Abbott have begun to send emails to people who expressed an interest in the Freestyle Libre.

They can then sign up as new customers and order sensors/reader - the emails are being sent out 'first come first served' so those who signed up earliest will here first.

More details here: http://www.everydayupsanddowns.co.uk/2015/03/abbott-freestyle-libre-available-to-new.html

 

[heasandford]

Exciting! I love mine so much, I do not know what I would do without it! Having said that I have had some truly appalling results since I did, but whether that's only showing me something that's always happened I don't know!

Due to the Libre I have discovered what an incredibly narrow band I have of 'getting it right' but it is nevertheless a real motivator as I can see EXACTLY what's happenning, which I never could before (for me, a bit like the invention of test strips??) It's a shame there is no possibility of hypo warning (I understand why, because it doesn't work like that), but I can drop very quickly - or more realistically, I get distracted and miss the down trend!

My constant focus is always to reduce spread of results which I'm not having much luck with - I have the most unacceptable feeling that the only solution is very low carbohydrates (<15 per meal) but I'm not giving in yet!!

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Exciting! I love mine so much, I do not know what I would do without it! Having said that I have had some truly appalling results since I did, but whether that's only showing me something that's always happened I don't know!

Due to the Libre I have discovered what an incredibly narrow band I have of 'getting it right' but it is nevertheless a real motivator as I can see EXACTLY what's happenning, which I never could before (for me, a bit like the invention of test strips??) It's a shame there is no possibility of hypo warning (I understand why, because it doesn't work like that), but I can drop very quickly - or more realistically, I get distracted and miss the down trend!

My constant focus is always to reduce spread of results which I'm not having much luck with - I have the most unacceptable feeling that the only solution is very low carbohydrates (<15 per meal) but I'm not giving in yet!!

I think those arrows are my biggest gripe with the interface of the Libre really. Because they really dont seem to me to indicate what they look like they are indicating.

The manual suggests the level arrow means BG is changing below 0.06 per minute. Which sounds tiny, but actually equates to 3.6mmol/L per hour, or 1.8mmol/L in 30 minutes.

So if the Libre gives you a flat arrow at 5.5 you could be below 4.0 in half an hour - and the arrow would be 'flat' all the way.

I just wish the handset took a wider view than just the last minute to factor in some data from the last 5 or 10 minutes to show the more general trend when things are moving relatively slowly.

 

[heasandford]

Wonderful, you have just pointed out something I had not quite grasped! Perhaps I had been lulled into a sense of false security by the level arrow - although I now look at the graph more than the arrow. I am now starting to watch very clearly after I reach 5.5 on a downward graph - thanks!

 

[Amberzak]

Thanks for letting us know. I'm so getting this.

 

[KookyCat]

Thanks for the tip, I'll be on that website as soon as I get home! Weirdly I signed up for alerts way back in September and had a confirmation email, but have never heard anything since, maybe I should check the junk folder 🙄

 

[pippaandben]

Is it limited to Type 1 or is it also suitable for Type2s on insulin?

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Available to anyone Pippa and Ben. No route for NHS reimbursement, so everyone has to self-fund at the moment.