Hello

[Halmoons]

Just would like to say hello I have just joined diabetes. Uk
After being a type one diabetic for 56 years
I will be the first to admit I am not what you would call a good diabetic
And I have seen the medical changes from the old glass syringes to thankfully the more modern types
So like I said I am just saying HELLO

 

[JonathanGi]

Hello and welcome. Type 1 for 57 years. And yes, I remember glass syringes being boiled once a week and kept in either methylated spirit or surgical spirit.

 

[Halmoons]

Ho those were the days
Thank goodness for the modern devices
And do you remember the old wee tests
And if you do if mine whent yellow my mum would tell me off
I was the first to try the guns when you fixed the syringe in the fired in to your leg
Not nice
Then I tryed the spring type no needles
But it left a really bad skin mark
Now just use the good old nova system
Far much better
I am wondering if you ever used the playing cards that had the types of food you could eat

 

[JonathanGi]

Don't remember guns but I used to have the cards. Very strict with diet in those days, but I still do things now that I started then. Even now I prefer to eat at the same time every day. I was mostly blue/greenish with the urine tests. But I remember the agonising wait and how hot the test became. I, luckily, have always been reasonably well controlled. HbA1c last month was 37. Always been low, probably too low. I don't have many hypos and I am hypo aware. I have recently been told to increase my HbA1c as I am so incredibly old and decrepit. I'm not!

 

[Halmoons]

Thank goodness some one remembers those tests
My HbA1c last month was 56 I got a funny look from my diabetic nurse
As it was lower than the last check
Like you don't have many hypos
Are you using the libre system much better than a finger prick
I found the sensors some time play up
And my surgery don't like reissuing a second scrip
In the end desided to buy some off the Internet

 

[JonathanGi]

My only concern with the Libre system is that it doesn't measure blood glucose - it measures interstitial glucose. Not the same. I also find it too dictatorial for my liking! I still get very good hypo warning signs and I also know when I am hyperglycaemic - makes me feel very nauseous.

 

[JonathanGi]

Having said I prefer to eat at the same time every day, I don't on a Friday! Running with club early tonight, but a short, slow one.

 

[Leadinglights]

Thank goodness some one remembers those tests
My HbA1c last month was 56 I got a funny look from my diabetic nurse
As it was lower than the last check
Like you don't have many hypos
Are you using the libre system much better than a finger prick
I found the sensors some time play up
And my surgery don't like reissuing a second scrip
In the end desided to buy some off the Internet

If your sensors are not behaving and are faulty then Abbott should be replacing then FOC neither you or the NHS should be paying for faulty goods. There is a reporting system but they may require comparison finger prick readings.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I was the first to try the guns when you fixed the syringe in the fired in to your leg

I didn’t use one of those, but I have seen one that a friend had and used back in the day. Looked kinda cool, though I’m not sure I’d have wanted to use one. 😱

Having said that, it didn’t look half as scary as those lancet-loaded guillotines from the 1980s!

 

[Lucyr]

I found the sensors some time play up
And my surgery don't like reissuing a second scrip

You should not be asking your GP surgery to issue extra prescriptions to cover failed sensors. Your GP should only be issuing 2 sensors per month regardless of how many failures you have. Any failures or falling off early you need to report to abbot to get them to replace.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome from me too. I am a relative new starter at just 5 years with Type 1 and very much appreciate that it waited until my later years to develop, even if it means I won't have the opportunity to apply for any medals. 🙄
There was a lady on my DAFNE course who had one of those "gun" things for her Lantus. She had used it for probably about 40 years (she had had Type 1 for 50 years) and was loath to change over to pens because it had kept her alive for all those years and she therefore trusted it. Turned out that trust was misplaced and the mechanism was worn and it was dispensing inaccurate doses which was part of the reason she was experiencing frequent and severe nocturnal hypos despite using tiny doses of insulin. She ended up with an insulin pump so she went from one extreme of technology to the other in a rather short space of time. Just a shame she didn't part with it sooner.

Anyway, I hope you find the forum interesting and supportive. I have learned a huge amount from the experienced members here and look forward to perhaps learning from you too. Great to have your extensive experience added to the forum.

 

[Proud to be erratic]

I found the sensors some time play up
And my surgery don't like reissuing a second scrip
In the end desided to buy some off the Internet

Hello @Halmoons.
As just said Abbott will replace faulty sensors. You can phone or email them; they have certain hoops you need to jump through but it's pretty straightforward. I gradually got a buffer (reserve) of 3x Libre 2 sensors. After registering a couple of faulty sensors with Abbott I muddled on with those faulty sensors for several days, while waiting for the replacements to arrive. Netvgain = +1. I also, pleasantly but robustly, pointed out to my GP that I needed an early repeat prescription after 2 failures in quick succession. Initially I was told replacements were Abbott's responsibility and a further exchange between myself and the Surgery with my saying "not so - Abbott took 7 working days to replace, the NHS seems to have abrogated any responsibility for overseeing failures (the Patient has to talk with Abbott) and the Surgery can and should provide a repeat prescription in the meantime" brought about 2 more sensors from my local Pharmacy.

I used Libre 2 for about 15 months and had over 50% failures; every one was replaced. At first I thought it was a manufacturing or quality control problem, but I increasingly came to understand that I was actually in a minority and many other users were very happy with their sensors. I concluded that my body was just incompatible with Libre 2. At that time there was no other "lower cost" CGM alternative. But in mid 2022 NICE produced revised CGM Guidelines for both T1s and T2s which introduced alternatives and I was then prescribed the alternative of Dexcom One. This was better - but still not great; I pleaded for help to my Endo who made a business case and I now use the more expensive Dexcom G7, which is funded by the Hospital. G7 is extremely reliable; I mention this to simply confirm that there should be a system that suits anyone.

The sensor failures were one part of the problem, but phone compatibility and latest operating system updates seem to remain a continuing problem. I received a "reader" with my first prescription; although it's rather more basic than a phone app (and does not provide continuous readings, you have to scan for each reading) I found my Reader very dependable.

Finally there are recognised limitations with CGM and for me much more noticeable in Libe 2 than Dexcom One or G7. The link below was compiled by @helli, derived from forum member's experiences and include those things that neither Abbott nor the NHS will tell you.

CGM limitations and precautions

Moderator Note: This helpful reply was copied from another thread as it details some of the commonly experienced limitations of continuous glucose sensors. My blood sugar has been in perfect range for days now, but although I haven't changed anything, I'm starting to get very short periods of...

forum.diabetes.org.uk

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Proud to be erratic]

You should not be asking your GP surgery to issue extra prescriptions to cover failed sensors. Your GP should only be issuing 2 sensors per month regardless of how many failures you have. Any failures or falling off early you need to report to abbot to get them to replace.

I think, @Lucyr, your stance is a bit too rigid. I convinced my former GP Surgery that after 2 failures in rapid succession it was appropriate and necessary to provide me with an early repeat prescription for 2 more sensors. It was not of my making that 2 had failed; Abbott were being allowed by the NHS to resupply within 7 working days (rather than straightaway) and the NHS were already abrogating their responsibility by not having any involvement in or seemingly any knowledge of CGM replacement activity. In the interim the Surgery should "step-up" and help a Patient rather than say "tough" (or the equivalent).

In the unlikely event of the former CCG auditing and challenging a GP for seemingly excessive prescribing - I would imagine any Practice would use the vocabulary that I provided to my Surgery for their basis of a business case in justifying, vindicating and explaining an informed medical decision by a prescribing GP.

I ended up with 2 reserve sensors which carried me through my many subsequent failures. We all carry our own reserves of insulin, needles etc. Why should that not be so for sensors?

 

[Lucyr]

I think, @Lucyr, your stance is a bit too rigid. I convinced my former GP Surgery that after 2 failures in rapid succession it was appropriate and necessary to provide me with an early repeat prescription for 2 more sensors. It was not of my making that 2 had failed; Abbott were being allowed by the NHS to resupply within 7 working days (rather than straightaway) and the NHS were already abrogating their responsibility by not having any involvement in or seemingly any knowledge of CGM replacement activity. In the interim the Surgery should "step-up" and help a Patient rather than say "tough" (or the equivalent).

In the unlikely event of the former CCG auditing and challenging a GP for seemingly excessive prescribing - I would imagine any Practice would use the vocabulary that I provided to my Surgery for their basis of a business case in justifying, vindicating and explaining an informed medical decision by a prescribing GP.

I ended up with 2 reserve sensors which carried me through my many subsequent failures. We all carry our own reserves of insulin, needles etc. Why should that not be so for sensors?

You should have test strips if needed already though, abbot are quick at sending replacements and as it sounds like there are a lot of failures for this person, if theyd been reporting them all along theyd already have spare sensors. If i run out of sensors due to failures and didnt have a spare, i'd just fingerprick for the 1-2 days until the replacement arrived.

 

[Halmoons]

You should not be asking your GP surgery to issue extra prescriptions to cover failed sensors. Your GP should only be issuing 2 sensors per month regardless of how many failures you have. Any failures or falling off early you need to report to abbot to get them to replace.

 

[Halmoons]

Hello Lucyr
Personality I don't like asking my GP to issue a covering scrip
And yes I have contacted abbot several times and it truth they do respond and send one out

 

[Halmoons]

You should not be asking your GP surgery to issue extra prescriptions to cover failed sensors. Your GP should only be issuing 2 sensors per month regardless of how many failures you have. Any failures or falling off early you need to report to abbot to get them to replace.

You should not be asking your GP surgery to issue extra prescriptions to cover failed sensors. Your GP should only be issuing 2 sensors per month regardless of how many failures you have. Any failures or falling off early you need to report to abbot to get them to replace.

Dear Lucyr
I did not find your comments too bluntly
We are all people with are own thoughts and views
I remember the bad old days when you saw the diabetic consultant as a child with my mum to which they spoke to her about things
But not me
So again would rather you say it how you feel

 

[Halmoons]

I think, @Lucyr, your stance is a bit too rigid. I convinced my former GP Surgery that after 2 failures in rapid succession it was appropriate and necessary to provide me with an early repeat prescription for 2 more sensors. It was not of my making that 2 had failed; Abbott were being allowed by the NHS to resupply within 7 working days (rather than straightaway) and the NHS were already abrogating their responsibility by not having any involvement in or seemingly any knowledge of CGM replacement activity. In the interim the Surgery should "step-up" and help a Patient rather than say "tough" (or the equivalent).

In the unlikely event of the former CCG auditing and challenging a GP for seemingly excessive prescribing - I would imagine any Practice would use the vocabulary that I provided to my Surgery for their basis of a business case in justifying, vindicating and explaining an informed medical decision by a prescribing GP.

I ended up with 2 reserve sensors which carried me through my many subsequent failures. We all carry our own reserves of insulin, needles etc. Why should that not be so for sensors?

Hello @Halmoons.
As just said Abbott will replace faulty sensors. You can phone or email them; they have certain hoops you need to jump through but it's pretty straightforward. I gradually got a buffer (reserve) of 3x Libre 2 sensors. After registering a couple of faulty sensors with Abbott I muddled on with those faulty sensors for several days, while waiting for the replacements to arrive. Netvgain = +1. I also, pleasantly but robustly, pointed out to my GP that I needed an early repeat prescription after 2 failures in quick succession. Initially I was told replacements were Abbott's responsibility and a further exchange between myself and the Surgery with my saying "not so - Abbott took 7 working days to replace, the NHS seems to have abrogated any responsibility for overseeing failures (the Patient has to talk with Abbott) and the Surgery can and should provide a repeat prescription in the meantime" brought about 2 more sensors from my local Pharmacy.

I used Libre 2 for about 15 months and had over 50% failures; every one was replaced. At first I thought it was a manufacturing or quality control problem, but I increasingly came to understand that I was actually in a minority and many other users were very happy with their sensors. I concluded that my body was just incompatible with Libre 2. At that time there was no other "lower cost" CGM alternative. But in mid 2022 NICE produced revised CGM Guidelines for both T1s and T2s which introduced alternatives and I was then prescribed the alternative of Dexcom One. This was better - but still not great; I pleaded for help to my Endo who made a business case and I now use the more expensive Dexcom G7, which is funded by the Hospital. G7 is extremely reliable; I mention this to simply confirm that there should be a system that suits anyone.

The sensor failures were one part of the problem, but phone compatibility and latest operating system updates seem to remain a continuing problem. I received a "reader" with my first prescription; although it's rather more basic than a phone app (and does not provide continuous readings, you have to scan for each reading) I found my Reader very dependable.

Finally there are recognised limitations with CGM and for me much more noticeable in Libe 2 than Dexcom One or G7. The link below was compiled by @helli, derived from forum member's experiences and include those things that neither Abbott nor the NHS will tell you.

CGM limitations and precautions

Moderator Note: This helpful reply was copied from another thread as it details some of the commonly experienced limitations of continuous glucose sensors. My blood sugar has been in perfect range for days now, but although I haven't changed anything, I'm starting to get very short periods of...

forum.diabetes.org.uk

Welcome to the forum.

I just like to say
I too eat what I like
But maybe with out lots of cream
As I have already said I had to use those cards with what you could eat
I remember losing weight and not being all that well
But thank goodness for my mum and nan who just let me eat what I wish but with limits

 

[Halmoons]

You should have test strips if needed already though, abbot are quick at sending replacements and as it sounds like there are a lot of failures for this person, if theyd been reporting them all along theyd already have spare sensors. If i run out of sensors due to failures and didnt have a spare, i'd just fingerprick for the 1-2 days until the replacement arrived.

To be totally honest I really dislike the finger prick test
Pure and simple
Yes I do have one but it's only for a back up
Just thank goodness for the libery system

 

[JonathanGi]

I quite often check Libre with finger prick. Libre measures interstitial glucose level which is not the same as blood glucose. I can usually tell when Libre is misbehaving and, therefore, I finger prick more often.
I also remember, when first diagnosed, how much better I felt after having some insulin!
I began injecting myself very early on and I was 4 weeks away from my 9th birthday when diagnosed. I refused to inject the orange thinking it would be more beneficial to inject myself!