iPhone/ LibreLink app no longer recognising sensor

[PeacePipe10]

Hi all, wondering if anyone else has had this problem. My iPhone SE is no longer recognising a FreeStyle Libre 2 sensor. Just suddenly stopped working - no physical reason, no bumping the sensor, extreme heat/cold etc. I installed the latest iOS on my phone a few weeks ago, 16.1.1, but everything worked fine for a while so I'm not convinced that's the problem.

Changed the sensor, rebooted my phone SE, deleted and re-installed the LibreLink app (thereby deleting all my past data, of course), and I still can't get past the 'scan sensor' start page. Called the Abbott helpline and all they could do is replace my last two sensors. I have one sensor left, but I'm reluctant to change the sensor again because doing so last time made no difference.

Anyone else had this problem? Thanks for reading!

 

[Eternal422]

Do you know if NFC is still working, if Apple Pay works then it proves the NFC reader is ok on your phone?

 

[PeacePipe10]

Do you know if NFC is still working, if Apple Pay works then it proves the NFC reader is ok on your phone?

Thanks, this was a very helpful suggestion! Just tried and failed to use Apple Pay which suggests there is a problem with NFC.

 

[Eternal422]

Thanks, this was a very helpful suggestion! Just tried and failed to use Apple Pay which suggests there is a problem with NFC.

Oh no! Sorry to hear it’s not working, at least it means that the fault is with the phone rather than the Librelink app. I have read other people having failed NFC chips in their phones, so I guess the next port of call is to go to Apple for a repair

 

[littlevoice359]

Before going the repair route, make sure you didn't accidentally turn on Airplane mode. That will turn off all radio antennae, including NFC.

 

[Eternal422]

Before going the repair route, make sure you didn't accidentally turn on Airplane mode. That will turn off all radio antennae, including NFC.

Just tried my iPhone XS Max in airplane mode and it still scans the sensor, interesting as i would have thought it would disable all comms as you suggested.

 

[PeacePipe10]

Airplane mode definitely not enabled. I spoke to Abbott this morning and they're promising to send me a reader. My phone is long out of warranty and I'm note sure I can face the hassle of dealing with Apple!

 

[Brava210]

I have had a few sensors that just stop scanning with reader and phone or only last a week or so.

 

[PeacePipe10]

Thanks for your suggestions everyone! I ended up getting Abbott to send me a reader, which I am resigned to using. All the convenience of using my phone has been lost, of course: now I have an extra device to carry around, results are no longer automatically uploaded to the cloud, and so on. This might be a wake-up call to get a new phone, which I would do if I was certain that an upgrade would mean I could go back to the old method...

 

[Eternal422]

Thanks for your suggestions everyone! I ended up getting Abbott to send me a reader, which I am resigned to using. All the convenience of using my phone has been lost, of course: now I have an extra device to carry around, results are no longer automatically uploaded to the cloud, and so on. This might be a wake-up call to get a new phone, which I would do if I was certain that an upgrade would mean I could go back to the old method...

Sorry to hear you’ve had to go down the reader route. I worry now that I’m placing so much reliance on my phone and like you, not having to carry around another device is quite liberating. Most of the time when I go out I just have some glucose tablets, I carry my phone anyway so nothing else needed, unless I’m planning to eat whilst out in which case I just add my insulin pen. Much better than test strips, meter, lancing device as well!

I’m sure the latest phones will work if that’s the route you end up going on.