Help getting a Libre 2 please.

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Our modern insulins are equally as flexible. Mixed insulin is very "old hat" now and we inject our fast acting insulin as and when we need some.... usually before meals.... whenever we decide to eat or not eat..... and also to do corrections if our levels go too high between meals sometimes or though the night. I probably average about 7 injections a day (2x long acting and then 2 or 3 for meals plus corrections. Some meals need a split dose like the Chinese buffet I will be having tonight, so I will inject some before the meal, some mid way through and some after I get home to level things up before bed. The pens are so very quick and easy to use that it is discrete and takes seconds and in conjunction with the Libre I can see when I need some and how much.... and no messing about pricking fingers most of the time.
 
rebrascora said:
Our modern insulins are equally as flexible. Mixed insulin is very "old hat" now and we inject our fast acting insulin as and when we need some.... usually before meals.... whenever we decide to eat or not eat..... and also to do corrections if our levels go too high between meals sometimes or though the night. I probably average about 7 injections a day (2x long acting and then 2 or 3 for meals plus corrections. Some meals need a split dose like the Chinese buffet I will be having tonight, so I will inject some before the meal, some mid way through and some after I get home to level things up before bed. The pens are so very quick and easy to use that it is discrete and takes seconds and in conjunction with the Libre I can see when I need some and how much.... and no messing about pricking fingers most of the time.
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Think I do need to go to see someone. Sounds like they have improved since I last looked into this. Not been on the website for a while either and this forum is so helpful. Everyone has been so helpful. Thank you.
 
Ashcroft said:
I use Actrapid but last time I asked about they said it wasn’t compatible with a pen.
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Both your insulins are available as penfill cartridges so you could use reusable pens instead of syringes. You would get two seperate pens and take each as and when you normally do. You need to get an appointment with a diabetes specialist to consider bringing your diabetes treatment up to date.
 
Just a question @Ashcroft - which you don't have to answer if you don't want to - but just wondering whereabouts in the UK you're situated - cos many of us routinely use VERY helpful local to us hospital diabetes clinics - or maybe useless ones so thus might be able to say well try asking your GP to refer you to Y hospital instead of X.

I've only had Actrapid twice in my life, both times via sliding scales when in hospital having operations requiring general anaesthetics - but in that case it isn't delivered subcutaneously but directly into the bloodstream and hence does work a lot more efficiently than normal sub-cut delivery of any other insulin currently known to man.
 
trophywench said:
Just a question @Ashcroft - which you don't have to answer if you don't want to - but just wondering whereabouts in the UK you're situated - cos many of us routinely use VERY helpful local to us hospital diabetes clinics - or maybe useless ones so thus might be able to say well try asking your GP to refer you to Y hospital instead of X.

I've only had Actrapid twice in my life, both times via sliding scales when in hospital having operations requiring general anaesthetics - but in that case it isn't delivered subcutaneously but directly into the bloodstream and hence does work a lot more efficiently than normal sub-cut delivery of any other insulin currently known to man.
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I’m in Greater Manchester area but never been referred to Diabetes Service as well controlled. Now referred due to my insistence about Libre 2 but only with being adamant. Moved here 3.5 years ago from Lancs and no problems there. Covid hasn’t helped…
 
You (and your GP) may consider yourself to be "well managed" (I avoid using the term "controlled") but at what cost? I assume your GP can only judge your HBA1C so has no idea about time in range. If you are using syringes and vials, could this be made easier (less impact on your life) with insulin pens? Could any of the newer insulins (e.g. Fiasp and Tresiba) improve your time in range?...
You may not be interested in newer technology but it is possible that a pump could improve your quality of life further and your GP could never prescribe that.

I definitely encourage you to spend time with Diabetes Specialists. They can also add pressure to a backward GP surgery when they refuse something like Libre.
 
Ashcroft said:
Tried my GP. I am Type 1 and have been for nearly 40 years. He has said not possible without going via Diabetes Service, which I believe is incorrect now. How can I overcome this barrier please? I have good control so don’t meet the criteria they are saying. Do I need to insist on seeing Diabetes Service or can I insist that I am prescribed the sensors ( I need to purchase the device myself anyway I’m told).
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I had to jump through a few hoops and all communication was done either online or over phone with diabetic specialist nurse team . Had to complete Libre Academy ( online modules ) then given 6 months supply of sensors ( 50% of which failed for one reason or other, all replaced by Abbott but difficult language issues with their opps )
Finally accepted after showing big improvement with hbA1c which wasn't high previously. still not able to scan sensor with i phone , Had difficulty getting a reader from Abbott due to chip shortages worldwide , DSN team found one for me in the end..
 
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Ashcroft said:
I’m in Greater Manchester area but never been referred to Diabetes Service as well controlled. Now referred due to my insistence about Libre 2 but only with being adamant. Moved here 3.5 years ago from Lancs and no problems there. Covid hasn’t helped…
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That's great! Manchester is big enough that they will probably have a good Diabetes Service; and you will probably find it a real eye-opener to have a proper, thorough discussion with specialists.

I was only diagnosed less than 9 months ago, but one of the many interesting (!) things has been finding out how much has changed in the treatment of T1 in recent decades-- which I've found out not only by reading medical articles but also from people on this forum-- and from people at the DAFNE-type course I went on. There were several people there who had been diagnosed with T1 decades ago but still felt they learned a lot. Best wishes, and please do keep us posted on how it goes!
 
Yes first asked about sensors 2021, covid didn't help, reading a lot of the posts on here some seem to have access to DSN teams/ Clinics that they speak highly of , personally I was under care of local hospital for 2 years ( diagnosed 1994) then told I would be put back under the care of GP practice as I had good control ( i imagine good control back then was a bit different than good control now ) , over the years many different nurses have come and gone to the practice not all diabetic savvy. I have asked if I could be seen by specialist team recently when seen in practice for first six month check up since having access to Libre 2 sensors, asked nurse if she had access to Libre view data I had uploaded, she didn't have, could I be seen by 1 of the GP's then, REPLY only got 2 at the moment used to have 8 retirement /left !!!! appointments are thin on the ground, I will refer you to DSN team.!!!!! still waiting for a response, based in the North West not sure if there is an issue with staff/ number of appointments available. I don't want to rock the boat at the practice, lots of notices informing patients that they will not tolerate abuse to staff of any kind, verbal or otherwise , and I am aware some patients have been removed.
,
 
Wotisname said:
then told I would be put back under the care of GP practice as I had good control
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That's just how things work in some places. I'm also usually seen by my GP, but the possibility of referral is always there, and I think one day a month one of the DSNs visits the GP surgery to help with reviews.
 
Hi. An update. Thank you all for the information and advice. I have now been prescribed the Sensors! Bought my own reader and obtained a free trial sensor last week and today collected my prescription!! . It took a few emails to the practice plus an email that I forwarded from Professor Kar confirming that no ‘trials’ were necessary for me to obtain the script. Really happy. I have an appt for the Diabetes Service also that I will be attending at the end on this month & hopefully getting a pen sorted. Thank you all again.
 
Great news! Well done for persevering although it should not have been necessary! 🙄
Best of luck with your appointment next month and let us know how you get on with the Libre? Hope it is as much of a game changer for you as it has been for many of us.
 
rebrascora said:
Great news! Well done for persevering although it should not have been necessary! 🙄
Best of luck with your appointment next month and let us know how you get on with the Libre? Hope it is as much of a game changer for you as it has been for many of us.
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Wil do. First night with a ‘working’ sensor. (The first one I attached didn’t work. Dropped off a few times ( long story) and never got a reading despite trying for 2 days)
Just been woken up with alarm as below 3.8.
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Libre sensors are prone to what is called compression lows. If you lie on the sensor, it compresses the tissue that the filament is in under the sensor and that causes it to give a false low reading, so it is important to double check any low alarms with a finger prick before treating them. You can usually tell if it is a compression low because there will be a sudden dip on the graph and usually you will wake up when the alarm goes off, lying o that side. Gradually you learn not to lie on the sensor or place it where you won't lie on it.

I hope you reported the failed sensor to Abbott and are being sent a replacement.
 
Ashcroft said:
Just been woken up with alarm as below 3.8.
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Do you mean you’ve set your low alarm to 3.8? The purpose of the libre is to help prevent hypos so most would set it higher eg 4.5 so you can treat it before you’re hypo
 
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