Libre 2 sensors not great

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

JasonM

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
So I’ve been using these sensors for less than 2 weeks now and frustratingly on sensor number 3 now.
The first one had 11 days to go the second one just now 8 days.

What I’ve noted after a few days I get more signal loss messages and then they stop working for ages, rescanning. I’ve been on the phone to abbots support gone through all the steps with them. They’ve replaced the first one and are going to with the second one.
A few years back I used the original ones and gave up due to reliability.

They just don’t seem to be reliable I’m getting no where with these sensors

I have the option to go to dexecom
 
JasonM said:
So I’ve been using these sensors for less than 2 weeks now and frustratingly on sensor number 3 now.
The first one had 11 days to go the second one just now 8 days.

What I’ve noted after a few days I get more signal loss messages and then they stop working for ages, rescanning. I’ve been on the phone to abbots support gone through all the steps with them. They’ve replaced the first one and are going to with the second one.
A few years back I used the original ones and gave up due to reliability.

They just don’t seem to be reliable I’m getting no where with these sensors

I have the option to go to dexecom
Click to expand...
Some people just don’t find Libre sensors work for them, and nobody really knows why. Some people also find they have problems with the Dexcom, but the Libre works fine. It happens to work fine for me, but in your case, if you’ve got the option to try the Dexcom, it’s definitely worth considering,
 
One thing is abbots support is not very good they seem to just read from a script all too keen just to send out a replacement but no one is really helping to understand what the problem could be.

Is this the same for Dexcom, if it is I may as well go back to finger pricking
 
I've been using the original Libre and Libre 2 for 3 years and it's been incredibly reliable for me once I figured out how to optimize my application process, stop catching them on things (I use an arm strap) and lying on them. I trust them to calculate corrections and treat hypos although I am aware that they take the best part of half an hour to show recovery from a hypo and I bolus from them. I will say that I use the reader and therefore have to scan to get my readings. I tried the app but didn't like it, even with full CGM as far too many software issues following upgrades and loss of signal occasionally when it was on the bedside table and I was asleep in bed next to it, so went back to my trusty reader, although I do use my phone very occasionally if my reader is on charge or something, just for the odd scan. I am one of those people who don't need all the new bells and whistles technology and happy with basic function, if it works well and for me the Libre reader does. In fact it has totally revolutionised my diabetes management both physically and mentally.

Unfortunately it sounds like it doesn't suit your body chemistry or whatever, so best of luck trying the Dexcom.
 
They are sending me a reader as I wonder if the phone / app is the problem then if no good time to move on, clearly they have spent peanuts on their technical support, reminds me of BT broadband tech support !
 
It is really just a guess and a phrase coined to explain why some people find Libre so unreliable and others find it very reliable. Obviously the filament is sampling our interstitial fluid regularly and taking readings but I am not certain as to how that works and whether it reads glucose directly or something else which correlates to glucose. You then have the algorithm which interprets those readings as an equivalent BG result. This is in effect a prediction obtained by extrapolating the previous readings to try to make up the lag between interstitial fluid and BG. Hydration and salt levels will no doubt impact these results, so for example if you are regularly dehydrated you might expect to see higher BG levels than they should be, because there will be the same amount of glucose but in less fluid so that can skew things and it is likely that dehydration will impact interstitial fluid more than blood. Blood pressure might also play a part in the equation. We are all very individual in how our bodies work. It may be that the algorithm on the Dexcom system suits your "body chemistry" (the way your body responds to changing BG levels) better than Libre.
 
@JasonM, I am one of those people whose body simply can't be friends with Libre 2. I endured over 50% failure rates for the first 12 months. At that time there were no "lower cost" alternative CGMs. I persisted simply because the trend arrows were invariably correct even in the displayed nos were fiction and sensor life poor. At first I blamed Abbotts poor production control, but gradually it realised it really was me - my body was incompatible with L2 and the vast majority of L2 users weren't experiencing my difficulties.

Once Dexcom One became available I changed and found it to be more reliable and generally more accurate. This still wasn't brilliant though.

In exasperation I then self-funded Dexcom G7, initially for a month. The improvement was simply remarkable and I was sufficiently impressed that, despite the financial pain I extended my self-funding contract to quarterly. Just after making that decision I had a Consult and my Endo took note - principally when I explained that having a thoroughly reliable CGM was a huge stress reliever. I rarely finger prick now, able to bolus from a trust of my G7 readings. My Endo put my name on the Hospital list and I'm now receiving G7 from the Hospital's call-off contract. I know I've been extremely lucky!

My message is that while L2 isn't working for you there may well be a different CGM that will work for you, so don't give up too readily. Having a 24/7 true continuous sensor putting accurate nos onto a screen, with a decent degree of reliability has been a really big deal for me and absolutely makes my life a lot, lot easier.
 
Weirdly, my Libre CGMs used to be awful for this, but over the past few months they've become much better, I don't think I've had a failure for a month or two. If the Dexcom really isn't for you, maybe stick with the Libre 2, in case that happens - either way, it is a relief Libre are so lax with their checks on sensor failures.
 
I’ve had a mixed experience with Libra 2. I put a new one on last Sunday and after the 1 hour calibration time, it said it was defective and needed replacing. I called Abbott and they’re sending me a replacement. Then I put a new one on yesterday and it worked all day then overnight something happened and this morning it said it needs replacing. These things cost the NHS the same, if not more, than if I bought them on Amazon - so the NHS is losing money because of how temperamental and unreliable these things are. I’m T2 and on Libre as I’ve had difficulty switching away from insulin, but tempted to tell them I’ll go back to finger pricking instead!
 
edboal said:
I’ve had a mixed experience with Libra 2. I put a new one on last Sunday and after the 1 hour calibration time, it said it was defective and needed replacing. I called Abbott and they’re sending me a replacement. Then I put a new one on yesterday and it worked all day then overnight something happened and this morning it said it needs replacing. These things cost the NHS the same, if not more, than if I bought them on Amazon - so the NHS is losing money because of how temperamental and unreliable these things are. I’m T2 and on Libre as I’ve had difficulty switching away from insulin, but tempted to tell them I’ll go back to finger pricking instead!
Click to expand...
Hello @edboal, in the past I had a lot of L2 failures. Abbott replaced every single one so there was no extra cost to the NHS on that consideration.

If you can buy L2 cheaper thro' Amazon than the NHS pays, I'd be very surprised.

Finger pricking has its place and can be made to work very effectively for monitoring, but still a faff. With care CGM makes it all sooo much easier, since the detail is always available to look at and spotting trends from graphs way simpler. Stress and hassle from L2 failures is minor in relation to the commitment to fp and record readings in a logical way to find exactly what works for YOU.
 
edboal said:
These things cost the NHS the same, if not more, than if I bought them on Amazon - so the NHS is losing money because of how temperamental and unreliable these things are.
Click to expand...
They cost the NHS £35 each. When you have one that's not working you should report it to Abbott who'll generally replace it (so not a cost to the NHS).

If it's really not working for you it's worth trying a different system. Dexcom One should be available everywhere, and some people seem to get on better with that.
 
edboal said:
These things cost the NHS the same, if not more, than if I bought them on Amazon - so the NHS is losing money because of how temperamental and unreliable these things are.
Click to expand...
They cost the NHS less than you pay if buying them from abbot and the defective ones don’t cost the NHS extra because abbot replace them. So I’m not sure why you think the NHS is losing money
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top