Me and my new Libre Freestyle

[Jane Sowerby]

Just opened my next pack to have a look at the guidance: 'Your sensor has been tested to withstand immersion into one meter (3ft) of water for up to 30 minutes.'

They do stick very securely - I have yet to lose one, despite having knocked them (hard!) and, in one case, having gouged a lump out of it with my razor while shaving my underarms! For long or regular swimming sessions, maybe get some tape or a medical dressing to go over the top to give an extra barrier against the water.

Thanks Ginny, very helpful tip.

 

[Jane Sowerby]

Hi @Jane Sowerby . They stick very securely, I had the devil of a job getting my first sensor off. Though I knocked my last one off with a sideswipe on the door jam it was a fierce swipe. I've not tried swimming with mine but I can confirm Ginny is correct.
Good luck with you're Libre I learned so much from mine, the graph is particularly helpful.

Thanks Lin

 

[Ljc]

I know I've only been using the Libre for a short time, I am impressed with it. I've decided it's well worth the expense for me to use it full time.

Setting the Libre up is easy.
The sensor is painless and easy to apply.
I now leave my sensors on for two days before activating it. Yes you can have two sensors beside each other one in use one waiting to be activated.
When you switch it on the reader is automatically ready to read the sensor, by pressing the power button again you can review history, go to setting or set timer or alarm.
The reader is easy to use, no fumbling under a table to prick your finger when your out and about, just a quick swipe of the sensor with the reader and you've got a BG reading.
Their is a small difference between my meter reading and the Libre, I leave testing with the freestyle for 15 minutes after a fingerprick, this is because different fluids are being measured, so far the max difference is no more than 2.0 and my Libre is always lower than my meter 🙂
You can use the reader to check your blood glucose, the test strips are expensive if self funding.
On the reader you can input units bolused and carbs eaten, a the sign of an apple for food and or a syringe for a bolus show up on the graph , you can input units of basal insulin , this does not show up on the graph but is in the logbook as are bolus and carbs.

Found In the review history section
Logbook, which shows all the scans.
Trending arrow at the time of that scan , with a pencil sign if you have entered a basal/bolus dose or carbs .
A daily graph.
Average glucose
Daily patterns.
Time in target.
Low glucose events.
Sensor usage .
You can set alarms and timers , these are not loud enough to wake me up and I probably wouldn't notice them if it was in my bag
I've found the timer very useful though , when I'm low, you open the timer function it starts at 15 mins, just right for me to bodge my finger again. lol it can be altered up or down.

Added
If you need to enter half units of insulin Garry sent me this info,
Hi Ljc

If you need half unit insulin dose to be available, you can enable it as follows,

Click the "cog" icon at the top left.
Scroll down and select Professional Options
On the Health Care Professional screen select yes and click next
Enter the Unlock code "CAA1C" and click done.
Select Dose Increment
Choose either "1 unit" or "0.5 unit" and click done.
Thanks Garry.

It does have a few more features most of them are for professionals to set up.

I originally bought this to find out what was happening while I was asleep, I knew something was not right. Turns out I was dipping into hypoland and it looks like my liver kicked in quite quickly, one time their was a very deep, sharp V on the graph 😡. I take my basal in the morning and my bolus was well out of my system, I usually have a small snack at bedtime now.
The graph has helped me prevent a hypo a few times, and I've been able to reduce my basal and bolus insulins.
I have learnt so much.
Now my fingers can have a bit of a rest.
For me this devise is priceless.

 

[Northerner]

Thanks for the review Lin 🙂

 

[Ljc]

Thanks for the review Lin 🙂

Their is more to come, just taking a breather 🙂

 

[SB2015]

I do like that idea ... but it as it was definitely my fault.

It was one falling out that made me start to put Tegaderm over my sensor. I know that they are a devil to get off at the end but they do have a mind of their own and seem to have a magnetic attraction to door jams (and catching on bra strap once). The Tegaderm costs about 50 p each (thanks Sally for the idea) and well worth it to avoid wasting a sensor. It also helps as I swim once a week and keeps sensor dry during that.

 

[SB2015]

I am about to order one of these. Does anyone have any info on how well the sensors stick to the skin, especially if you go in the sea.

Hi Jane
I would definitely put a waterproof dressing over the sensor, just to avoid wasting any sensors. I got 20 from the pharmacy at a cost of about 50p each. Worth it when you consider the expense of the sensors.

I certainly started thinking I would just use the Libre now and then but like others have started to use it full time. It definitely helps me head off a hypo by seeing the direction of travel for BG and caught hits of which I was unaware. Swiping is so much easier than getting the test kit out. Great when out walking.

 

[Lilian]

I find that sometimes I can and sometimes I can't open the sensor. Usually my husband would do it for me but recently he was in hospital when it needed changing. I tried and tried. I tried with my teeth and any other instrument around, but I could not get it to budge. It went a little way but no further. My next thought was to see if a neighbour was around who could help. I opened my front door and there was a young woman from over the road walking past. I explained my position and asked if she could have a try. Whilst demonstrating what she has to do, would you believe, it opened. I felt a right twit.

 

[Sally71]

It was one falling out that made me start to put Tegaderm over my sensor. I know that they are a devil to get off at the end but they do have a mind of their own and seem to have a magnetic attraction to door jams (and catching on bra strap once). The Tegaderm costs about 50 p each (thanks Sally for the idea) and well worth it to avoid wasting a sensor. It also helps as I swim once a week and keeps sensor dry during that.

The Tegaderm also gives the sensor a little extra waterproofing while swimming, my daughter has been swimming for a whole hour with sensor working perfectly throughout!

I have also just discovered that you can buy Tegaderm on Amazon, we got 50 for about £24 which comes in at just under 50p each, and will last AAAAGES....

 

[SB2015]

I find that sometimes I can and sometimes I can't open the sensor. Usually my husband would do it for me but recently he was in hospital when it needed changing. I tried and tried. I tried with my teeth and any other instrument around, but I could not get it to budge. It went a little way but no further. My next thought was to see if a neighbour was around who could help. I opened my front door and there was a young woman from over the road walking past. I explained my position and asked if she could have a try. Whilst demonstrating what she has to do, would you believe, it opened. I felt a right twit.

It's a bit like computers that don't work until someone is watching over your ur shoulder and the problem immediately vanishes and they wonder what you were on about.

 

[Ljc]

It was one falling out that made me start to put Tegaderm over my sensor. I know that they are a devil to get off at the end but they do have a mind of their own and seem to have a magnetic attraction to door jams (and catching on bra strap once). The Tegaderm costs about 50 p each (thanks Sally for the idea) and well worth it to avoid wasting a sensor. It also helps as I swim once a week and keeps sensor dry during that.

I've already discovered that magnetic attraction to a door jam, it really p me off lol

 

[Ljc]

I find that sometimes I can and sometimes I can't open the sensor. Usually my husband would do it for me but recently he was in hospital when it needed changing. I tried and tried. I tried with my teeth and any other instrument around, but I could not get it to budge. It went a little way but no further. My next thought was to see if a neighbour was around who could help. I opened my front door and there was a young woman from over the road walking past. I explained my position and asked if she could have a try. Whilst demonstrating what she has to do, would you believe, it opened. I felt a right twit.

So glad I'm not alone lol

 

[HOBIE]

I like the Libre, in my 50th yr of T1. I did Scar-Fell pike in poring rain. Could NOT have done with normal finger pricks & test strips. If you let the antiseptic wipe dry they stick well. Don't like the use of the door

 

[Ljc]

I've added a bit more to my review on post 63

 

[curlygirl]

Interesting reading. Thanks for reviewing it.
Just out if interest, is tegaderm similar to opsite flexifix? I have some of the flexifix, would this do a similar job to tegaderm at adding a bit of protection? Thanks

 

[Ljc]

I

Interesting reading. Thanks for reviewing it.
Just out if interest, is tegaderm similar to opsite flexifix? I have some of the flexifix, would this do a similar job to tegaderm at adding a bit of protection? Thanks

I hope others can answer your question, I've not heard of Flexifix

 

[mikeyB]

The problem with Flexifix is that it would stick to the sensor, so when you take it off, it would pull off the sensor. Tegaderm is only sticky round the edge, so you can pull it off and change it without any worries about the sensor.

Hope this helps.

 

[Sally71]

The Tegaderm we have is sticky all over and sticks to the sensor, we don't remove it until we remove the sensor anyway though so not a problem. Although we find the Tegaderm tends to come off on its own anyway and the sensor itself needs a fairly hefty yank to remove, so with care you should be able to remove the Tegaderm early if required.

 

[SB2015]

I use the Tegaderm, and like Sally I never have to replace it until I replace the sensor so it does not matter if it sticks to the sensor. I went into local Boots and they were great at finding what best suited the job in hand.

When I wasn't swimming I tried using micropore tape but that was not sticky enough and curled at the edges so I kept having to trim it back or out another bit over the top. Still not a problem as the reader still got the message through that and the clothes.

 

[curlygirl]

Thanks @Ljc, @mikeyB, @Sally71 and @SB2015 for replying. I have done a bit of research and it seems that the main difference is that the Tegaderm comes in ready cut pieces and th opsite flexifix is on a roll. Other than that they are both transparent adhesive films, although I did find out that the Tegaderm can have a sticky frame around a non adhesive part, be sticky all over, or have a soft foam pad in the centre, just incase anyone else needs to know this.
I think the flexifix will work ok if I do get a libre.
Thanks again.