Freestyle Libre - Sensor failure rate of 40%

[jparrie]

@grevesy By nurses I mean trained District Nurses.

So an update... I managed to get one of the DNs to ring Abbott yesterday. They ran through the trouble shooting and managed to get the device to register the new sensor. Then today, "Timed out: Sensor not found". So I rang the help line, which because of Covid is now handled overseas (oh joy), and they now want to run the same tests again. Countless questions that I can't answer, I'm getting a bit sick of this.

 

[grovesy]

@grevesy By nurses I mean trained District Nurses.

So an update... I managed to get one of the DNs to ring Abbott yesterday. They ran through the trouble shooting and managed to get the device to register the new sensor. Then today, "Timed out: Sensor not found". So I rang the help line, which because of Covid is now handled overseas (oh joy), and they now want to run the same tests again. Countless questions that I can't answer, I'm getting a bit sick of this.

Oh, District Nurses are general all rounders, not particularly experts in Diabetes. The forgien call handlers is nothing to do with Covid, Abbott have done that for a long time, I had problems with one who could hardly understand me and and I could hardly understand him, and refused to pass me on to any one else, this was more than18 months ago.
It could possibly be the Libre does not suit your mum for what ever reason. It does not seem to suit everyone.
Have you searched the forum for all libre threads?

 

[daducky88]

I've used about 25 sensors since 2015, and I've only had to send one back ( it was consistently reading 3.0 or nothing at all right from the start, Abbot thought the sensor filament had probably kinked on entry)
I really feel for people who don't find them a success. As you say, Derrick, it's an extremely useful management tool, and frustrating when it doesn't work.

I’ve had two sensors mess up. One was caused by the scan thing you get when you enter libraries and shops. My local library shut the sensor off. My first ever one fell off. And they replaced them both.

I had to have my handset replaced in the summer. They said it broke due to extreme heat. They replaced it without charge.

Useful information, but disturbing.

 

[sololite]

Two+ years of use here. I managed to ping off two catching on a door in early days and one that went haywire on holiday. All replaced by Abbott without having to send back

 

[RascallyBear]

I changed to the Freestyle Libre in September 2018 and I've had several fail. All before the first scan. I've actually had 2 fail this very day. If the sensors were £5 - £10 or my pharmacy wasn't as strict with giving me hem to me (it's 2 a month and if they fail...tough) I wouldn't mind buying a few spares myself bit at approx. £60.00 for 1...I can't afford that. They don't come with sonethsom like the Skin-Tac wipes to help them stay on either. It's just all very frustrating. Especially when I've just started the pump and being able to see the daily line graph and my averages etc. Is a massive help. Very dissapointed in the Freestyle Libre at the moment. When it's good it's great but when it's bad it's spectacularly awful!

Abbot will replace any failed sensor. It's a freephone number. Just give them a call. They want/need to know what's going wrong, so will also send you some returns labels. So, don't talk to your pharmacy, but phone Abbot. I've sent back about 25 failed sensors.

 

[trophywench]

Well you know normal BG monitors that us Type 1s have been relying on for 40 odd years? they don't like being baked in the sun either, and neither does insulin! They all tell users that in the instructions for use, so what's 'disturbing' about it?

 

[RascallyBear]

Hi Folks,
Hope all of you are Ok in these strange times.

Just a quick update from my previous posting re consistent sensor failure after about 10 days. From May up to the beginning of this year, I would say the failure rate of my sensors was about 80%, all after about 10 days usage and recurring message 373 telling me to try again in 10 mins. No problems with falling off or anything else people have mentioned here. Since then (and I'm touching a big block of wood here) they've all been fine.

During the problem times, I must thank Abbott for their speedy replacement of all the bad sensors. I also sent the them back as instructed for them to be checked. It's disappointing to have heard nothing back re possible failure reasons though.

I guess there was a bad batch manufactured as happens. Now I'm very happy with this method of checking my status - although, of course, the sporting side isn't necessary at the moment!!

I've recently been getting the same too, Jim. Lots of sensors failing with the same message after around 10 days. I've also, only recently, been experiencing applicator failures where the applicator doesn't spring forwards smoothly. It pauses and doesn't push the needle home note attach the sensor fully. Sometimes the sensor is left inside the applicator. Manufacuring defects. I think the manufacturing machines need replacing, but they're not doing that because Libre 2 is coming out. A great system when it works. I have very few problems last year, but the past 12 months have been dispiriting.

 

[grovesy]

I've recently been getting the same too, Jim. Lots of sensors failing with the same message after around 10 days. I've also, only recently, been experiencing applicator failures where the applicator doesn't spring forwards smoothly. It pauses and doesn't push the needle home note attach the sensor fully. Sometimes the sensor is left inside the applicator. Manufacuring defects. I think the manufacturing machines need replacing, but they're not doing that because Libre 2 is coming out. A great system when it works. I have very few problems last year, but the past 12 months have been dispiriting.

The Libre 2 is out has been available since January.

 

[mikeyB]

I’ve moved seamlessly on to the Libre 2. I’ve never had a problem with the applicator, which is completely unchanged, and only once have I had to report a sensor failure in the years I’ve been using it. I’d have to be the luckiest person alive if the above reported failure rates were Abbott’s fault.

I self fund because I can easily afford to, but I’d be the first to complain if there were regular problems.

 

[mark king]

I too have only had one sensor fail over the 3 years I have used them and that was on application the catheter broke free, think it was a one off and was replaced no problem. I have had a few give the error try again in 10 mins but so far re-trying to read straight away has seen it work ok so again no major problem.
I am about to swap over to the Libre 2, looking forward to it.

Best

 

[SB2015]

I used a Libre for for many years. I had ‘errors’ when my arm met the door frame, which I could hardly ask them to replace. Any other failures they would ask for comparative BG results and if out by too much they replaced without any hassle.

The applicator was easy to use and I inserted a day before I wanted to activate it. I found that it was invaluable for spotting patterns and great when playing sport for ease of use, especially when swimming.

My readings were good in the mid range, but tended to read higher when I was high and lower when I was low. I then just used used BG to check things out.

 

[RascallyBear]

I’ve moved seamlessly on to the Libre 2. I’ve never had a problem with the applicator, which is completely unchanged, and only once have I had to report a sensor failure in the years I’ve been using it. I’d have to be the luckiest person alive if the above reported failure rates were Abbott’s fault.

I self fund because I can easily afford to, but I’d be the first to complain if there were regular problems.

Nobody said the applicator had changed. There's no reason why it should
I do wish people would read .
I said I suspect that the older model, the Libre Mk1 if you will, may be the last batches from a factory that's near end of life, which would explain the high incidence of failures that I'm hearing about.

 

[dante01]

I've been using the first gen and now the Libre 2 sensors since about Frebruary of last year. The failure rate is abnormally high and can sometimes occur within hours of applying a sensor. I've had to replace the sensor more than 2 times in a row on multiple occassions. I'm lucky if a sensor lasts me the 2 weeks they are supposed to without being told that it has failed and needs replacing.

There's something serriously wrong with these items.

 

[helli]

I am another long term user with very few failures.
Some have fallen off due to bad placement (user error) and one has given up the ghost and failed to scan
I can't comment on the accuracy because I use a different app to read which allows calibration
I do not use the reader as my phone is an extension of me so always around and I hate carrying extra stuff unnecessarily.

 

[nonethewiser]

Been using libre 2 since start of year, not had one fail or contacted Abbott about any issues.,with 1 version had about 6 sensor failures.

Find with 2 it reads more accurate & time lag doesn't seem as long, alarms are bonus & prevented fair few hypos by alerting me beforehand, have low alarm set for 4.5 & take note of arrow when alerted on whether to act or not.

 

[Robin]

I've been using the first gen and now the Libre 2 sensors since about Frebruary of last year. The failure rate is abnormally high and can sometimes occur within hours of applying a sensor. I've had to replace the sensor more than 2 times in a row on multiple occassions. I'm lucky if a sensor lasts me the 2 weeks they are supposed to without being told that it has failed and needs replacing.

There's something serriously wrong with these items.

It seems to me that either people get on fine and have very few failures (I’ve had 2 in 3 years) or they don’t get on with them at all and have multiple failures. I hope Abbott is collecting data on how the failures are distributed, not just on how many fail as a percentage of the whole, though with modern GDPR rules, I wonder if they are allowed to. It would be good if they could work out why they seem to fail on some people all the time, and hardly ever on others.

 

[rebrascora]

Almost all of my failures have been due to them starting to lift and disturbing the filament..... either because I caught them or they worked loose, perhaps due to the placement on my arm where a muscle was flexing a lot. I know @helli has mentioned this before but the size makes it difficult to find a good flat spot on the arm for some of us, meaning that there is an increased risk of the edges lifting on small or well muscled arms. I am finding my arm band is making a huge difference in supporting it to prevent this. It is a shame that Abbott have discouraged the use of such products as over taping or arm bands or the placement on alternative sites on the body where the sensor would perhaps be less exposed to movement or being knocked. I was reluctant to go against their advice, but I really like my arm band and it has made a huge difference to my confidence in wearing the product... particularly when I am working outdoors with bare arms.

 

[JGJ]

Just an update to recent messages about failures.. After the initial run during my first few months in 2019 when many failed at the 10 day mark (Libre 1s, of course), they've been relatively consistent in lasting the full 14 days. Just the odd failure for whatever reason but all replaced by Abbott very quickly. Since I upgraded to Libre 2, the failure rate is very low and the on going convenience of being able to test while golfing or even during keep fit sessions is still a massive bonus these days. The only problem I have with Libre 2 and the alarms is that you can't get them on both items if you use the reader and the mobile app. I use the reader sitting on my bedside cabinet during the night with alarms set but through the day, I use the phone app as it's always with me. The phone is on charge overnight in a different room (my old built in business organisation traits still with me after over 10 years retirement!). This works well but it would be handy if I could get the alarms on the phone as well. Abbott sorted the online results in Libreview where at first, the reader's results and the app's results weren't merged and you had to check 2 sets. They fixed that so they all appear together now so I hope they'll update the s/w on the app and reader to do something similar

 

[trophywench]

It seems to me that either people get on fine and have very few failures (I’ve had 2 in 3 years) or they don’t get on with them at all and have multiple failures. I hope Abbott is collecting data on how the failures are distributed, not just on how many fail as a percentage of the whole, though with modern GDPR rules, I wonder if they are allowed to. It would be good if they could work out why they seem to fail on some people all the time, and hardly ever on others.

GDPR rules advise that you only keep personal info from which a person can be tracked down and identified 'for as long as required by the business in connection with the operation of its business (as stated in its company registration)' - so if you need the info in connection with the business, you are legally able to retain it for as long as you need it. The Law does not mean you have to delete everything pdq, always.

Does mean you have a system to formally review what you have kept, on an ongoing basis, though, do an assessment of it and react to that assessment accordingly.

 

[pm133]

Very fortunate so far and had no sensor failures, issues with applicators or with devices coming loose from my arm since I started using them a few months ago.
Yet to move to Libre 2 though and am holding off on that for now.