Libre 2

[vikki]

Just ordered libre 2 to upgrade from libre 1 and is it more accurate as abbott claims in fact is it reliable enough to base insulin requirements on or much the same as 1 just giving an overall view but fingerprick needed for dose info

 

[Kaylz]

You will get many different responses to this, many find it great however I am very disappointed in Libre 2, I'm currently wearing my 6th sensor and 4 of the previous have needed replaced xx

 

[JJay]

I think "underwhelmed" best describes my opinion! I find the sensors are marginally more accurate than Libre 1, but still not enough to base bolus decisions on (though I do when eating out as getting all the meter paraphernalia out at table is a a faff) The alarms are potentially useful, but because the sensor consistently reads lower than actual BG I am constantly getting alerted to hypos that, when checked by fingerprick, turn out not to be.

Still wouldn't be without Libre though - I look on it more as insight into "the way things are going" which I never had before, than a means of dealing with meal insulin.

 

[helli]

In have been using Libre for a few months.
I have seen no failures in that time.

My motivation for updating from Libre 1 was different to others: it is to do away with the Miaomiao and exploit the direct Bluetooth connection and use it as a CGM with xDrip.
xDrips provides the ability to calibrate with finger pricks which I do at least once a day so don’t notice the official accuracy.
With these calibrations, I am very confident to use the readings for bolusing.

 

[Steve_H]

I have since starting Libre based my insulin dosages on the Libre, if not I don't see the point in having it. I only finger prick when having a hypo due the the delay. When we did our training/DAFNE refresher it was taken that's why we have it. I have only had 1 failure, since starting March 20. Swapped from Libre 1 to 2 about 3mths ago. Libre must work as HbA1c dropped by over 20 and consultant last week was overjoyed and didn't have any issues with my diabetes, first time in 30yrs.

 

[JJay]

My motivation for updating from Libre 1 was different to others: it is to do away with the Miaomiao and exploit the direct Bluetooth connection and use it as a CGM with xDrip.
xDrips provides the ability to calibrate with finger pricks which I do at least once a day so don’t notice the official accuracy.
With these calibrations, I am very confident to use the readings for bolusing.

Yes I forgot to mention that - getting rid of MiaoMiao alone probably makes L2 worth it! However even calibrating xDrip every morning I find the readings drift a long way from reality by evening. Still, it means i'm getting the "direction of travel" on my phone and watch which is more important to me than the actual numbers

 

[JJay]

I have since starting Libre based my insulin dosages on the Libre, if not I don't see the point in having it. I only finger prick when having a hypo due the the delay. When we did our training/DAFNE refresher it was taken that's why we have it. I have only had 1 failure, since starting March 20. Swapped from Libre 1 to 2 about 3mths ago. Libre must work as HbA1c dropped by over 20 and consultant last week was overjoyed and didn't have any issues with my diabetes, first time in 30yrs.

Glad it has worked for you. That's how I started out, and after 6 months of relying mainly on Libre for bolusing, my HbA1c had gone from 59 to 65! So, back to 4 fingerpricks a day + hypo confirmations and it's now 53.

To the OP: every experience is personal and I hope yours is a great one!

 

[mikeyB]

I have noticed that with low readings, the Libre 2 is very accurate compared with a fingerprick test. I’ve always used the Libre, 1 and 2 as a guide for insulin dosages, and as my HbA1c has got lower consistently since using the Libre, I have no great reason for changing my habit.

And just as with Libre 1, with Libre 2 I have had no failure of any sensor that wasn’t my fault - and even that was just the once.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I found Libre2 much more closely aligned to fingerstick results than libre1 (aside from one dodgy sensor). Libre2 seemed to give results pretty much on a par with Dexcom G6 for me - which is rated for being reliable enough for bolus doses.

But as @Kaylz says, different people will have different experiences - and it will depend a lot on whether Libre2 gets on with your skin type and body chemistry.

 

[Kaylz]

it will depend a lot on whether Libre2 gets on with your skin type and body chemistry.

1 of my replacements was due to a falling off, 1 failed to even start, 1 worked for 8 days then started reading 7mmol lower than bloods and curiosity meant I left it on and it completely gave up a couple of hours later and the next worked for just under 24 hours and gave up, seriously hope my next lot are better as can't be doing with constantly calling Abbott xx

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

1 of my replacements was due to a falling off, 1 failed to even start, 1 worked for 8 days then started reading 7mmol lower than bloods and curiosity meant I left it on and it completely gave up a couple of hours later and the next worked for just under 24 hours and gave up, seriously hope my next lot are better as can't be doing with constantly calling Abbott xx

How frustrating for you @Kaylz

Let’s hope it was just a dodgy batch or something, and you don’t have any failures for the rest of the year. I’d imagine it will take a while for you to trust them now?

 

[Kaylz]

How frustrating for you @Kaylz

Let’s hope it was just a dodgy batch or something, and you don’t have any failures for the rest of the year. I’d imagine it will take a while for you to trust them now?

I was anxious about the switch over as it was after seeing other users having a lot of issues, the one that worked for the full fortnight was great but yes it will take a while for me to gain trust in them, in the 2 years I used Libre 1 I only had about 5 replacements and I'm almost there after a month and a half with Libre 2! xx

 

[vikki]

Really hoping this does not happen with it for me as have had many 1 failures mainly suddenly reading low or worse not starting up as filaments bent on insertion and dont you just hate those phone calls to Abbott which take ages and always make me feel like I am lying ! and so really hoping the 2 version is better especially as I am self funding

 

[PattiEvans]

Our CCG have been mega slow to approve the L2 so I shall be getting my first (fingers crossed) in 2 weeks’ time. I have had very few failures with the L1 in all the years I have been using them, so hoping the L2 will be the same.

 

[rebrascora]

I have always bolused using my Libre reading. I do 2-3 double checks with finger prick BG readings in the first day or so of starting a new sensor to check that it is reading "close enough" and maybe a couple more throughout it's life. I often don't test when it shows a minor hypo as it always reads lower than a finger prick at low levels so I usually just have 1 JB and carry on. Obviously I do a BG test if Libre shows I have a significantly sub 4 reading but otherwise I go days without finger pricking.
Have to say, I am dreading the changeover to Libre 2 due to the number of failures some people here are experiencing with it and I am not sure the alarms will be more useful than irritating for me as well as the reduced battery life. People here on the forum have been chomping at the bit to get access to Libre 2 for months/years even but now they have it many seem to find the reality less shiny than they had hoped. I had reservations about getting it so I am hoping my lesser expectation will mean I may be pleasantly surprised or at least less disappointed.

It is concerning that so many people who were experienced at applying and using Libre 1 are having application issues with Libre 2 and suggests there is a manufacturing fault rather than errors of application or skin/body incompatibility.

I wonder if I can go back to Libre 1 if I too have problems. Still haven't got my Libre 2 reader yet and I ordered that online at least a couple of weeks ago.

I would say that I absolutely love Libre 1 and rely on it heavily and I have a lot of confidence in the results it gives me. Ok it might read consistently 1-2 mmols lower than BG unless my levels are very high, but that is easy enough to work with and I just take it into consideration when calculating my bolus.

 

[trophywench]

My L2 Reader took a couple of weeks to arrive, but as I ordered it as soon as my hospital DSN rang me to tell me the CCG had authorised the L2 and they sent a letter to my GP the same day asking them to change my scrip to the L2 and it then took my GP longer than that to alter my prescription, that wasn't an issue. (except they're equally slow with virtually every change and always have been) The first few L2s I had, failed, and I was getting concerned - but that hasn't occurred since and since then anyway, they've been better sticking to me. They are generally more akin to my fingerpricks than the L1 ever was (which is why I didn't bother having it after the initial fortnights trial one, years since) but pre food I'd still rather do a fingerprick really. It is excellent for trends as said, so with a pump easier to see when basal doses need tweaking - but there again if the L1 worked OK for you, that's no different!
Still not 100% reliable at either end of the scale - ie too low or too high - so if it says my BG is 15.5, I would still fingerprick in case it is really 17 or 13 - and same when it says anything below 4.5 as blood test frequently disagrees and says eg 5.2. This is annoying if I'm just thinking eg 'shall I have a bit of that cake with this cuppa I've just made?' or literally about to bolus for the plate of food in front of me.

 

[Robin]

I wonder if they did have some issues with a batch of Libre 2s. My first two read a lot higher than the original Libre, one fell off two days early, and one took 36 hours to kick start itself into anything above 2.9, but then recovered and was fine. The one I started two days ago has been spot on from the first. (I did apply it 24hrs in advance)

 

[JJay]

One thing I would add is that, unlike others, I have had no problems with adhesion, with the exception of one sensor which was knocked off in an interaction with a door frame the night before it was due to be changed. I couldn't be bothered with starting a new one that late in the evening so spent the night sensor-less. It was strangely liberating, actually!
But all other L2 sensor have remained like limpets for the full 14 days.

 

[mikeyB]

There isn't the slightest difference between applying the Libre2 sensor and the original, @rebrascora, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference just looking at the applicator, you'd have to look at the words on the packaging. There is no difference in adhesion, and the only difference I see in the accuracy is an improvement at lower levels and across the range. The only problem is the one with all these intradermal probes, and that's the lag when changes are fast like correcting a hypo. Fingerpricks suffer from the same problem, but it's shorter.

 

[nonethewiser]

Been going off libre readings to bolus for meals for long time, same for adjusting basal rates, even using alternative sites which been doing for past year.

Find 2 is far more accurate than 1, so far not had any issues with device, only use phone app not reader.