Libre Sensors - Try again in 10 minutes?

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It’s always happened with mine, I usually find turning my ‘phone off for at least 5 mins and then it works straight away.
My Libre is a bit like a husband, far from perfect, sometimes very frustrating but I couldn’t possibly be without!
 
Robin said:
Does it happen at times when your Blood Glucose levels are changing rapidly? Either you’ve dropped a bit low and have just eaten something carby, or when you’ve had a carby meal and spiked before the insulin kicks in and starts it dropping?
The Libre 2 is supposed to have an improved algorithm that catches up the Libre reading (which is 15 minutes behind a blood reading) by predicting where you will be in 15 minutes time, but sometimes in periods of rapid change, it can’t work out where you’ll be, so gives up trying. and won’t give you a reading til your levels have stabilised.
I find it a bit frustrating, because periods of rapid change are just when I need extra readings! This is why we are told to carry on using a finger prick when we are low, or need to know instantly what our levels are.
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I'm not really seeing a pattern like that on mine. I have seen it disappear after a 2mmol drop over a period of about 90 minutes. but I have also seen it be at 5.8 and disappear and be 5.8 half an hour later. If anything, it seems to work better when my readings are really high. I agree that it is really frustrating as I don't have faith in it. It's also only anywhere close to my BG meter when in the range of 4-6mmols. Oh if only I could manage to stay in that range all the time!!
 
Annemarie said:
It’s always happened with mine, I usually find turning my ‘phone off for at least 5 mins and then it works straight away.
My Libre is a bit like a husband, far from perfect, sometimes very frustrating but I couldn’t possibly be without!
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🙂🙂lol. I shall have to try turning off my phone and see if that works next time. I tried restarting the phone but that didn't do anything.
 
Stubby said:
Me too. it has been happening at random times during the day and at night.
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I also get this maybe a bad batch I have sent 1 back also. I hope this doesn’t keep happening. I was hoping to try a closed loop but if issues like this continue I am having second thoughts.
 
today my only libere i had 3 stopped working as the other had i had with stopedworking the night before i don't haver any more with me. i'm away am going to concert tomoorew so ideally would like to have one with me
 
It's weird - I have been using Libre since the beginning of the year and only experienced one time when it gave the "wait 10 minutes" message. I have not had any failed Libre 2s apart from one that fell off due to bad placement.

The only thing I am doing that is non-standard is using a different app to read it.
 
I asked Abbott for info on their error "event log messages" but got zero response. You would think that they might release the error codes, but apparently, it's like a secret. We can't know why our sensors are failing because they think it's a secret . That's a shame, we're all in this together, or are we... ?
 
Simon Workman said:
I didn't want to start a new thread as its Libre sensor related so thought I'd ask on here. Do any of you guys get intermittent problems with your libre sensor actually working. Its been happening to me more lately. I'll test and it takes the reading. Then I go to test 10 mins later and it says error and can't take a reading. I leave it a few minutes and hey ho it works again. Its quite frustrating.

Also where do you apply your sensors? I don't have much loose flesh but apply mine about half way up on my upper arm between my elbow and shoulder joint round towards the back side of my arm. Not sure if this is the best place but it is the most fleshy part of my arm.
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Hi Simon, I can see people have been providing their wisdom and advice so won't try to add any myself! What I can say is I've noticed an increase in the frequency of error messages "try again in 10 minutes", as has another Type 1 friend. That's in contrast to say a year ago when it hardly ever happened. Of course there's a raft of explanations offered e.g. sensor not in optimum location, sensor working loose, sensor to hot/too cold etc etc however, I'm inclined to think Abbott might be using a different supplier of components. Reason is none of the explanations apply to my experience or my friends, BG's not being erratic, sensors located as they have been for the past three years, and yet, a recent (past 6 to 8 months) increase in failure rates of sensors ( I use both mobile phone app and the reader as backup). It might be paranoia but I think somethings happened in the quality control department. As good as Abbott are at sending replacements, I don't think that really addresses the issue of why they are having to replace sensors? Having manufactured them for this long they have, should have it down pretty good now for a reliable product......just my frustrated mind venting......!!!!!
 
@AndyV1 I agree, I’ve also had more issues with sensors recently. I had a couple fall off easily, when I looked at them the sticky pads only covered half of the Sensor. I reported it to Abbotts, they replaced them immediately and agreed with me that they were probably from a faulty batch
 
For balance, I will repeat (as more people complain than express satisfaction)
I have NO problems with Libre 2 in more than a year
 
Welcome to the forum @AndyV1

Unfortunately I don’t think Simon will see your message as this thread is a couple of years old and he hasn’t visited the forum recently
 
AndyV1 said:
Thanks Mike. I'll have to pay attention to those kinds of details in future. Many thanks for advising me on it, much appreciated.
Cheers
Andy
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That said, it's still a valid topic even if the question does date back to 2018 and there is a value in reading about what remains a long standing issue.
I had 2 sensors replaced in the last fortnight; the first abruptly failed after 8 days [error 373] and the replacement was 4 pts high, then low, then high again - in what was apparently steady (level) state.
 
AndyV1 said:
Hi Simon, I can see people have been providing their wisdom and advice so won't try to add any myself! What I can say is I've noticed an increase in the frequency of error messages "try again in 10 minutes", as has another Type 1 friend. That's in contrast to say a year ago when it hardly ever happened. Of course there's a raft of explanations offered e.g. sensor not in optimum location, sensor working loose, sensor to hot/too cold etc etc however, I'm inclined to think Abbott might be using a different supplier of components. Reason is none of the explanations apply to my experience or my friends, BG's not being erratic, sensors located as they have been for the past three years, and yet, a recent (past 6 to 8 months) increase in failure rates of sensors ( I use both mobile phone app and the reader as backup). It might be paranoia but I think somethings happened in the quality control department. As good as Abbott are at sending replacements, I don't think that really addresses the issue of why they are having to replace sensors? Having manufactured them for this long they have, should have it down pretty good now for a reliable product......just my frustrated mind venting......!!!!!
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Think it's fair enough to vent. The reliability has definitely dropped from what I've been used to with the Libre 1. I switched onto the 2s a couple of months back and have so far only had one that managed to last the full two weeks and that's including the occasional 10 minute wait - or an hour as I had yesterday evening - where the readings shut down.

I've let my support team know so they're aware, and they also confirmed that as long as the issue is reported back to Abbott then it's them who pay for iffy ones, and not the NHS.

(I'd turn down the offer of switching back to 1s though, the warnings make the 2s so much better. They just need to sort out the reliability.)
 
Rob Oldfield said:
Think it's fair enough to vent. The reliability has definitely dropped from what I've been used to with the Libre 1. I switched onto the 2s a couple of months back and have so far only had one that managed to last the full two weeks and that's including the occasional 10 minute wait - or an hour as I had yesterday evening - where the readings shut down.

I've let my support team know so they're aware, and they also confirmed that as long as the issue is reported back to Abbott then it's them who pay for iffy ones, and not the NHS.

(I'd turn down the offer of switching back to 1s though, the warnings make the 2s so much better. They just need to sort out the reliability.)
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I'm definitely conflicted! My experience and that of a Type1 buddy friend says there's something up wirh reliable quality of sensors changing. But then my comments have been challenged because other members have had "no problems" which implies it must be me doing something wrong.

I think there really is a quality control issue. Even a minority of people reporting inconsistencies or fails means there isn't consistency which really ought not be the case with medical equipment or devices.
 
AndyV1 said:
I'm definitely conflicted! My experience and that of a Type1 buddy friend says there's something up wirh reliable quality of sensors changing. But then my comments have been challenged because other members have had "no problems" which implies it must be me doing something wrong.

I think there really is a quality control issue. Even a minority of people reporting inconsistencies or fails means there isn't consistency which really ought not be the case with medical equipment or devices.
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It’s definitely a weird situation. If there were a reliability problem, I’d expect there to be a fair spread of people getting problems (with a few clusters, because you always get those in statistics) But some people seem to get all the problems, and for others, such as @helli and me, it seems to be more or less trouble free. I can only imagine that it suits some people's bodies better then others.
 
AndyV1 said:
I'm definitely conflicted! My experience and that of a Type1 buddy friend says there's something up wirh reliable quality of sensors changing. But then my comments have been challenged because other members have had "no problems" which implies it must be me doing something wrong.

I think there really is a quality control issue. Even a minority of people reporting inconsistencies or fails means there isn't consistency which really ought not be the case with medical equipment or devices.
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Thing is when it was just libre 1 around there was always threads around suggesting members were having issues, no difference now really.

In way it's like buying electrical goods, some will rate brands highly whereas some will rate same brand badly, agree shouldn't be case with medical equipment but that is life, as frustrating as it is.
 
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nonethewiser said:
Thing is when it was just libre 1 around there was always threads around suggesting members were having issues, no difference now really.

In way it's like buying electrical goods, some will rate brands highly whereas some will rate same brand badly, agree shouldn't be case with medical equipment but that is life, as frustrating as it is.
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I may have overly high expectations! Unfortunately NHS budgets don't include the very good option Helli mentioned of trailing different makes/brands.

I confess to being driven partly by the perspective I bring from my work place I.e. if equipment causes issues it prompts a review, not to lay blame but to see if there are solutions (alternatives).

Hey ho, just keep plodding on. Next month I celebrate (!!!) 52 years Type 1. I'd love to say it's been a blast........but.....blah blah blah all the usual standard gripes 🙂
 
I sit in the middle ground with this. I've had over 25% failure rate, but none that caused a major problem - just frustration at those times.

What does strike me is the apparent lack of overview by the individual in the NHS who manages this contract. We report direct to Abbott our problems; they have a commercial responsibility to resolve this and from my perspective they have always provided a replacement for each failed sensor. What Abbott do with the knowledge from those failures is inevitably 'commercial in confidence' and I (slightly reluctantly) accept that should be so. But there is no sense that the NHS manager for this contract is involved, never mind chasing for improvement - on behalf of users or indeed the taxpayers who ultimately fund this. Is there an audit process that verifies the NHS is getting value for money or the user is getting a product that is fit for purpose? It is very unusual for a contract manager to judge delivery and performance solely on evidence provided by the contractor, rather than the customer.

I particularly struggle with the concept stated by @nonethewiser "agree shouldn't be case with medical equipment but that is life, as frustrating as it is". For household electrical goods - yes; you pay your money and take your choice. But for medical equipment ..... No.

There is no real place for user comment back to the NHS, either from Users, GPs, or Spec Diabetes Teams. None of these groups are taking stock; even this forum (as excellent as it all is) is merely a collection of subjective views on what is an expensive medical product which unquestionably is a game changer for those of us who use it.
 
AndyV1 said:
I

I may have overly high expectations! Unfortunately NHS budgets don't include the very good option Helli mentioned of trailing different makes/brands.

I confess to being driven partly by the perspective I bring from my work place I.e. if equipment causes issues it prompts a review, not to lay blame but to see if there are solutions (alternatives).

Hey ho, just keep plodding on. Next month I celebrate (!!!) 52 years Type 1. I'd love to say it's been a blast........but.....blah blah blah all the usual standard gripes 🙂
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Been with you for 40 of those years.

Get your frustration, maybe libre 3 will be better who knows, one thing is for certain when libre works well it's amazing piece of kit, can't imagine not having one now & going back to just checking bg, if only these devices were around decades before.
 
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