Libre Sensors - Try again in 10 minutes?

[Proud to be erratic]

I have just been told at my diabetic check up that if you get the repeat in 10 minutes message then you mustn't attempt another reading for at least 10 minutes as the sensor will often be terminated.

I frequently try again within 1 minute and sometimes get a reading and sometimes don't. I think that the sensor is experiencing a change in interstitial BG, the algorithm intrinsically built into the process of translating the interstitial into a reading to display has got confused and the 'Sensor error wait 10 minutes, error 373' message is a simple device created by Abbott to create some breathing space for everything to settle down.

The algorithm, as I understand it, has an extra component for Libre 2 than for the original Libre. This is to reduce the known lag between interstitial and actual blood glucose. This lag is c.15 minutes and was openly declated for the original Libre. By 'mathematical predicting' the algorithm provides what is claimed as a reduced lag of as little as 2-3 minutes. It is likely that, as a result of this hidden prediction process, Libre 2 sensors are more likely to generate the Sensor error, wait 10 minutes, error 373 messages. This is my guess.

I certainly get far more 'Scan error, try again, error 335' messages in the last few months. I'm not sure if this is attributable to android upgrades affecting the NFC functionality of the phone or Libre upgrades.

My current sensor has been on for 9 days - the longest so far without falling off or having to replace it due to technical problem. I have also been using the waterproof patches with my current sensor so mabe that is having a positve result with it lasting longer than the others. Regards, Darren

I'm very fortunate in that I've only had a single sensor fall off; so I'm spared that problem.

Well, there are clearly issues with the sensor and my diabetic doctor has dealt with several patients experiencing the same issue. Hopefully just teething problems as it is still quite a new ssystem.

I doubt that it's teething problems from the original Libre or Libre 2 products. The process of bringing these to market and gaining medical approvals should be sufficiently rigorous to remove those teething problems. But each time Abbott produce a software upgrade, could be a source of problems, along with the inevitable changes in phone capabilities along with continuous upgrades to phone operating software.

Anyway, if your Libre sensor failures are causing you a problem you should raise a Yellow Card, in accordance with the Medical Health Regulating Authority (MHRA) remit and thus bring the problem of sensor failures to that independent regulating body.

 

[Rigsby9876]

The systems not new it has been on the market a couple of years .

Yep, so relatively new compared to finger pricking. Bound to be a few problems but overall I'm a fan of these sensors. Much easier to manage my blood sugars.

 

[helli]

Yep, so relatively new compared to finger pricking. Bound to be a few problems but overall I'm a fan of these sensors. Much easier to manage my blood sugars.

The first FDA approval for a CGM was in 1999 and Libre was released in the UK in 2017. Not exactly recently.

 

[Rigsby9876]

The first FDA approval for a CGM was in 1999 and Libre was released in the UK in 2017. Not exactly recently.

I don't really understand where you are going with this tbh. But have a lovely day all the same.

 

[void]

I've had many issues with my sensors. Falling off after having a bath along with technical issues. I have just been told at my diabetic check up that if you get the repeat in 10 minutes message then you mustn't attempt another reading for at least 10 minutes as the sensor will often be terminated. My current sensor has been on for 9 days - the longest so far without falling off or having to replace it due to technical problem. I have also been using the waterproof patches with my current sensor so mabe that is having a positve result with it lasting longer than the others. Regards, Darren

Hi,
Was reading this and wondering if you prep the site? I wash with soap & water, thoroughly dry then wipe the site with an isopropyl alcohol wipe. then i don't move much for 10 or 15 mins to allow the thing to stick.

 

[Rigsby9876]

Hi,
Was reading this and wondering if you prep the site? I wash with soap & water, thoroughly dry then wipe the site with an isopropyl alcohol wipe. then i don't move much for 10 or 15 mins to allow the thing to stick.

Thanks. Yes, I use alcohol wipes. It's a shame that they are not included with the sensors.

 

[grovesy]

Thanks. Yes, I use alcohol wipes. It's a shame that they are not included with the sensors.

They stopped supplying alcohol wipes about 18 months ago.

 

[void]

They stopped supplying alcohol wipes about 18 months ago.

Easier to just buy everyday alc. wipes? Or even surgical spirit & cotton balls?

 

[Lucyr]

Easier to just buy everyday alc. wipes? Or even surgical spirit & cotton balls?

Or a bar of soap and just have a shower or wash to clean yourself before applying?

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Easier to just buy everyday alc. wipes? Or even surgical spirit & cotton balls?

If you find you need them, yes. I find soap and water to work well enough.

 

[rebrascora]

Just soap and water here and an exfoliating glove to remove any dead/dry skin. Then dry very thoroughly with a towel and then I give it a quick blast with the hair drier just to be sure. I also hold the applicator against my arm for a count of 60 after depressing it, before I wriggle it free of the sensor on my arm and then use an elastic arm strap with a 3D printed plastic watch face construction that I got off ebay to keep it extra secure for the first few days and when I get in the shower to give it \ bit more support and protection.

 

[void]

Or a bar of soap and just have a shower or wash to clean yourself before applying?

if your skin is of greasy type, soap & water may be insufficient, and too much soap & water can cause problems. The point of the alcohol wipe is to sterilise the area (as you're making a hole in the skin that's going to be open for 14 days), and to degrease it completely momentarily to allow adhesion to take effect.

 

[Paulbreen]

The systems not new it has been on the market a couple of years .

I have been using them 9 years

 

[Lucyr]

if your skin is of greasy type, soap & water may be insufficient, and too much soap & water can cause problems. The point of the alcohol wipe is to sterilise the area (as you're making a hole in the skin that's going to be open for 14 days), and to degrease it completely momentarily to allow adhesion to take effect.

I shower with a bar of soap in an exfoliating pouch every day and never had any problems.

 

[Daiken3104]

@Simon Workman no I cant say I've had that specific problem but on a few occasions I have attempted to scan and had an error message telling me to try again in 10 minutes and its always started reading again

Yes that's the correct place to be applying the sensor, here are 2 of mine (although they seem to be in a relatively similar position given the pictures are 2 years apart! lol) as you can see I don't have much flabby flesh either! haha xx
View attachment 12946 View attachment 12945

I think its because men are hairy most places apart from there. As i am not hairy I use my pecs because I kept knocing it off my upper arm