Libre2 scanner v my smart phone

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DancingStar

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 3c
When I first had my Libre2 sensor a couple of months ago, I chose to scan it with the Libre scanner. I download the info from the scanner on to my laptop every couple of weeks.

About 3 weeks ago I decided I'd start using my smartphone. My experience compared to the Libre scanner was poor. Many times it wouldn't scan & it was a pita. But, I don't know if that was because of a faulty sensor - after 2 days it stopped working and had to be replaced by Abbot. With the replacement sensor I went back to using the Libre2 scanner & everything has been fine.

It's now time to replace my sensor and I'm humming & harring about trying my Smartphone again. I'd appreciate some advice/opinions about the merits/disadvantages of phone v Libre2 sensor. FYI my phone is a Samsung Galaxy A12.
 
Not sure how useful this is as I only ran a two week trial of Libre 2. I found the CGM & scanning faultless on a Samsung S21+. The phone was running Android 14 & although CGM failed if I wandered away from the phone (as expected), a quick scan filled in the gaps.
 
I have always used the Libre reader, but I managed to lose it (in the wilderness that is my garden 🙄 ) during the summer and booted up an old iphone that I had bought second hand as a back up because my phone isn't compatible. It was right at the time of the changeover to full CGM and thanks to everyone here on the forum, my changeover went very smoothly, but I really hated the phone and the app and after a month I went back to using a reader and I haven't been tempted since. Part of this is no doubt down to not finding the iphone intuitive after using Android for a lot of years, but I love the small, neat, simplicity of the reader and I don't find full CGM any great benefit, plus it occasionally cut out overnight despite the phone being right next to me on the bedside table and it took the phone battery down (maybe partly because it is an old phone) whereas the reader lasts the best part of a week on a single charge. I don't necessarily think that something is better because it has the latest tech. Simplicity and reliability and ease of use are more important to me, so I am sticking with the reader. I don't need full CGM or find it of benefit to me.
 
Thank you for your replies.

One thing I'm a bit curious/confused about is what you do with the data from the reader or phone. I download mine onto my laptop. Is that what others using the Libre2 scanner are doing, or don't you bother?

If I go to an appointment regarding diabetes will they want to see the downloaded data in some kind of print form, or will they just look at what's recorded on the scanner or phone? I was under the misapprehension that info collected if I use my phone would be transmitted directly to some kind of hospital database where they had access to it. But, thinking about it I think that's probably not true and I'm always going to have to take the data with me, either hard copy or on scanner/phone. I suppose with using a smartphone I could keep better notes if I have spikes or sudden dips, but as long as I'm staying in my limits does that matter anyway?

Do you give them print outs or just hand over the scanner for them to look at?
 
I assume you download your reader to Libreview on your laptop. I use a PC. I was given a code by my diabetic clinic to input into LibreView which then allows them to access my LibreView results, so they can see everything that I download if they want to and this was actually a condition of me getting Libre on prescription before Libre was routinely prescribed as it is now. If you contact your clinic they will be able to give you their code and then you can share your data with them electronically. It is helpful if you have a particular problem as you can ring up and explain it and they can access your results and discuss them over the phone.
The LibreLink app on the phone is linked to the LibreView website and automatically transfers the data rather than you having to download it via a USB cable. Again, when you set up the LibreView account and link it to the LibreLink app, you input your clinic's code so that they can access the data.
 
Thanks  rebrascora, that's very interesting and useful to know.
 
Hi Dancing Star,
Like Barbara I prefer using my reader but have the App downloaded onto my I phone so that my data can be shared directly with DSN/GP and I always have an alternative to the reader.
Also the App has a bit more info than the reader which I find useful
 
DancingStar said:
Thanks  rebrascora, that's very interesting and useful to know.
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Just to clarify, I went into my LibreView to check and the option is still there to link to your clinic or to change it, if for instance you moved to a different clinic, so if you get their code, you can just input it and they will have access to your data.
When you log in to LibreView there is a 3 line menu icon at the top RHS just next to where it says LibreView. If you click that you will get the menu and choose Account settings which takes you to another page with a menu and you select "My Practices" which takes you to the page where you input their code.
 
You can use your phone and reader at the same time, alarms will only sound on the device you used to start the sensor though. Dont forget you dont need to scan anymore libre sends the data to the phone every minute automatically, as long as its in range.
 
If you are not used to scanning with your phone you may find it a pita until you find the point on your phone where the NFC receiver is located. This is not a sensor fault or phone issue, just a lack of knowledge.
Whilst you should not need to scan the sensor to get the latest readings, you need to do so to start a new sensor and, sometimes, to regain the connection when signal is lost.
 
pistolpete said:
You can use your phone and reader at the same time, alarms will only sound on the device you used to start the sensor though. Dont forget you dont need to scan anymore libre sends the data to the phone every minute automatically, as long as its in range.
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This is not totally true. If you start the sensor with the phone, the reader will not work at all so you can't use it. If you start the sensor with the reader you can use the phone but you don't get full CGM, just flash, so if you want to use both devices, you can't have full CGM and you have to start it with the reader.
 
rebrascora said:
This is not totally true. If you start the sensor with the phone, the reader will not work at all so you can't use it. If you start the sensor with the reader you can use the phone but you don't get full CGM, just flash, so if you want to use both devices, you can't have full CGM and you have to start it with the reader.
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Sorry but thats not what Abbott says, page 8 of the PDF. I also remember a DSN saying the same as Abbott. Also I setup the app on a friend of mines phone as his wife was using the reader, both work perfectly. Like I said the device you start the libre with is the one that gets the alarms.

https://www.freestyle.abbott/content/dam/adc/freestyle/uk/documents/accessibility/Your Guide to the FreeStyle Libre 2 system.pdf
 
I use both the reader and have LibreLink on my phone. I agree with you that you only get the alarms on the device you start the sensor with but if you start it with the phone the reader will not work, so the only way to use both is to start it with the reader as no doubt your friend's wife was already doing when you installed the app for her.
There is nothing on Page 8 which refutes what I said above, although you can read into it what you have concluded (typically ambiguous from Abbot there 🙄 ) but I can assure you the reader will not work if you start the sensor with the phone and if you start the sensor with the reader, you don't get the CGM facility on either device but you can scan both and the alarms are only on the starting device.
 
She was paralysed from botched surgery so he has to apply the sensor and starts it with his phone, the nurses always use the reader. There is an available update for the reader. The reader they use is quite new and so is his phone, perhaps thats why you arent getting the same results.
 
My reader was new last December/January when I transitioned to Libre 2. I can get CGM on my phone if I start my sensor with the phone, so it is up to date enough to function as a full CGM, but then I can't use the reader and I personally really dislike the app. I don't believe there is any way to upgrade the reader.

I would appreciate some input from others who use the reader as to whether their experience is the same as mine. I assume you don't have a reader @pistolpete?

Could it be that your friend's wife has Libre 3 as that may well make a difference, although there are very few people on Libre 3 in the UK and the initial plan with Libre 3 was to roll it out without a reader, but the last I read (some in Germany reported it I believe) was that they were changing approach on that due to user pressure and a reader was going to be available for Libre 3.
 
When I was using Libre I would have both in use at the same time.

Sometimes I’d go for the reader as the main device, because the NFC antenna seemed to have a bigger ‘catch’ than my phone, and scans were faster and more reliable through coats etc.

But I did prefer the data handling on the App (and the automatic upload), so I used my phone as the main device more often I think.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
When I was using Libre I would have both in use at the same time.

Sometimes I’d go for the reader as the main device, because the NFC antenna seemed to have a bigger ‘catch’ than my phone, and scans were faster and more reliable through coats etc.

But I did prefer the data handling on the App (and the automatic upload), so I used my phone as the main device more often I think.
Click to expand...
Since the Libre2 has become a continuous, the system changed.
 
grovesy said:
Since the Libre2 has become a continuous, the system changed.
Click to expand...
Can you explain how it changed. Just wondering if I am missing something?
 
grovesy said:
That you can't use the phone and the reader together.
Click to expand...

That’s not the impression I get here?

www.freestyle.abbott

Can I use my FreeStyle Libre 2 reader and FreeStyle LibreLink app with the same FreeStyle Libre 2 Sensor for glucose readings?

If you want to use the Reader and the app on the same Sensor, follow these steps: 1. You MUST use your Reader to start a new Sensor. A Sensor started with the app cannot be used with the FreeStyle Libre 2 reader 2. Once the Sensor is started with the Reader, open your app and scan your Sensor...
www.freestyle.abbott www.freestyle.abbott

Is the website out of date?
 
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