I have had the Freestyle for a while ,on 7th sensor. The last sensor was not giving valid results, reading 4mmols low for several hours. I contacted the helpline and eventually they said it can take up to 24 hours for the sensor to be reading correctly. And next morning it was fine. But if I had believed the early readings it would not be good, and it costs enough for 14 days, I object to losing a day. Maybe Abbott should make this known as a potential issue? I contacted them via the website but as yet no comment.
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Freestyle Libre issue
- Thread starter Dickyboy
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grovesy
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Welcome.
I am not user but the majority of users who post on here don't activate till 24 hours is up for this reason. It seems to be a known drawback.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Officially Abbott strictly advise against inserting a sensor and not activating it immediately. The sensor behaves differently when inserted and remaining inactive vs active (something to do with the sensor battery I think though I'm really not sure and the people who I've spoken to have always been a bit vague!)
The official line is that inserting early may even impair performance (though I still insert 12-24 hours early myself).
I have had sensors that read bang-on from the off, and rare others that have taken a day or two to settle. One up to 5 days before it read more closely in line with fingerstick BG readings (though you cannot really compare and match the two, for a number of reasons). I'm not sure the differences in readings over the initial 24 hours are mentioned in the manual, I cannot find a reference, but I know I have heard about it direct from Abbott, and their research has measured and quantified the difference in performance.
All in all though, I don't really consider it a major issue - for any sensor that really isn't performing within expected parameters I would call Abbott and get them to troubleshoot it for you. They probably replace it free of charge.
Bloden
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
These days, I always attach and wait 24 hours before activating. The result has been that the Libre now consistently reads approx 2 mmols above my glucose meter most of the time - it still sometimes shows silly-high readings but nothing like before; and towards the end of the 2 weeks it sometimes drops below my meter for a day or so.
When I used to activate the sensors immediately, the readings were off the planet.😱 So much so that I thought the Libre was a huge waste of time and money. In fact, I'd pretty much stopped using it cos of the stress it was causing me.
So waiting 24 hours works for me!
When I used to activate the sensors immediately, the readings were off the planet.😱 So much so that I thought the Libre was a huge waste of time and money. In fact, I'd pretty much stopped using it cos of the stress it was causing me.
So waiting 24 hours works for me!
There seems o lot of different opinions and practices, maybe Abbott should clarify, as yet though they have not replied to either of the contacts I have sent. I am impressed, and almost dependent, on the testing system but not so impressed with their support, any thoughts on how to get clarification?
grovesy
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
From the any threads there have been about the Libre, Abbotts response to emails seems to be lacking. Most people phone.
SB2015
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
If you have contacted them by email they do not seem to ever answer these. However on the freephone number they are excellent.
Like others have suggested I always put a sensor in at least 24 hours before I want to activate it, so I have at least one day of two sensors in (on opposite arms) after that they seem to match fairly closely to BG meter, but I do not worry if they are out, I am more interested in the trend of my BG and as the sensor is measuring the glucose in interstitial fluid rather than blood it will be a bit different. I tend to look at the sensor as what my BG was 15 minutes ago, and most importantly I look at the direction of travel.
Using that I manage to head off hypos and know whether to address a higher reading (if it is on its way up). With lower readings a 5 at bed and level arrow is fine for me, a 5 with a down arrow gets a biscuit, and a 5 with a vertical arrow gets ajelly baby.all very useful.
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