I've had about an 80% failure rate lately, pretty much every one fails before reaching 14 days, usually around the 9 to 10 days it just started giving very low reading and eventually dies, im getting really sick of having to ask for replacements, it makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong every time and asking for free replacements (we pay for them in New Zealand)
I used to use them years ago and never ever had any failures ever, then something changed and their failure rate went through the roof (seemed to be around the time they changed the software on the sensors to not work past 14 days when we used to be able to get 20+ days when using a phone app back in the day)
I've pretty much gone back to finger pricks 99% of the time as they are totally unreliable and not worth the cost for the last few years and just get one or two when I'm really needing some sort of reading when im out and about
Hello
@HamishR,
You've posted this in what is already a very long thread, which is good because it provides a fair record of Libre Users having unreliable sensors, but the number of responses (you were #223) makes it a bit awkward to glean the full picture.
I've only used Libre 2 and that started in Feb 2021. My failure rate was over 50%, none from falling off and all either stopping early or giving wholly unreliable readings. I've found Abbott to be wholly reasonable about replacing them, but like yourself I was very frustrated by the hassle of asking along with the inconvenience of the frequency and the stress of never being sure if my sensor was OK.
There does seem to be a lot of people struggling with Libre 2 unreliability, yet a far greater number who don't have that unreliability. Last year, at post #208, I commented:
"I've reluctantly accepted that my (still) 50% failure rate is me! My body and Libre 2 don't seem to like each other. My current Libre started almost 3 points above actual, dropped a bit then yesterday was 2 points low and now seems close. All comparisons in steady state, ie horizontal arrows. I use and broadly trust the trend arrows but finger prick before main meals and any corrections.
I work with unreliable Libres and 'work' is an appropriate bit of vocabulary, constantly having to mentally adjust and check what is going on in relation to what I was anticipating. But I work with them because the faff of constantly replacing and waiting for replacements makes it necessary that I do tolerate and work with them."
This is still the case. When a sensor stops early I have to replace it, and if they become completely erratic I then give in and replace - but otherwise I tolerate them. Just having CGM is still (for me) a lot more helpful from trend arrows and alerts (alarms) than just finger pricking. I deduce that you have been T1 for a long time and feel more comfortable about depending on finger pricking than myself - my D, with no pancreas, is pretty brittle. I can plummet from 8s to low 4s extremely quickly (also spike very quickly but that is less of a concern for me) and after spending a lot of my 1st year (before Libre) in hypo territory or on the rollercoaster of low to high and back again Libre has helped me - despite the frequent failures. I am retired, so can adjust my lifestyle to cope with this, although I am pretty resentful about having to do so.
There are alternatives. In spring 2022 NICE updated the Guidance, NG 19, for T1s using CGM. This included widening the availability of CGM for all T1s; which creates an increased short term cost for the prescribing authorities. NICE also increased the range of CGMs that could be prescribed from Libre 2 to include 3 other CGM providers; this is no-cost or low cost for the NHS.
Unfortunately these no-cost alternatives are, for my regional Integrated Care System (ICS), bogged down in the bureaucracy of the extra cost for more CGM for all T1s; so my ICS has still not approved the alternatives. My Consultant has recommended the change for me from Libre 2 to Dexcom One, but my GP is unable to write that prescription, since Dexcom One is not listed in our Regional medications Formulary, even though it is within the NHS generic listing! I live in Bucks, which is now part of the Regional Bucks, Oxford and Berkshire West (BOB ICS).
In a different thread about mobile phone compatibility in Jan this year, link here hopefully:
@BadaBing drew attention to the MHRA yellow card notification sysyem, whereby we Users can (and should) notify the MHRA about Libre 2 failures - as a normal and reasonable duty of care for a medication that is not working properly. This was in response to my comment that there seems to be no way of informing the NHS Contract Manager who is procuring this medical product; we Users tell the supplier (Abbott) direct that there is a problem and Abbott generally always replace but are not noticeably doing anything about the problem. They just absorb the cost penalty, presumably there is ample profit for them to do that!
In the final analysis:
There are real problems with Libre 2 for some Users.
There are alternative no-cost options, but bureaucracy is currently obstructing this for me.
The MHRA yellow card system for reporting these problems is an option.
It has been a very reliable product for me and I am concerned about the changeover to Libre 2 because it does seem that there have been more issues with it judging by the posts on this forum but I believe most of them have been software issues/phone compatibility after updates etc, so whilst anxious, I am hopeful that using the reader will negate a lot of those potential issues. Keeping fingers crossed I am not adding to the negative comments on this thread next week! 