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Sensor replacement
- Thread starter Charl
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TheClockworkDodo
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I always email them - adchelpuk@abbott.com - as I can't use phones. I did look at the form once but found email easier.
How do you find that?
I have seen other threads suggesting Abbott is not very responsive to emails but they may have improve.
I emailed abbot about what I thought was a lost freestyle optitim meter(that I use to check to ketones) and they respond to that in the time expected.
TheClockworkDodo
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I've seen people saying that a lot too, but I've always contacted them by email (for nearly 13 years now) and never had any problem with them, they've always got back to me right away. When it's about a faulty sensor they normally ask various questions about the sensor, meter, etc, and I email again with the answers.
The last time I had a faulty sensor I answered the usual questions in my initial email, hoping to avoid having to send two, and I got an email back the next day saying they were sending a replacement sensor, so that worked even better.
Caroline1967
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
That’s interesting about emailing. I will try that next time. I have had 11 failures in the last 2 months…,, do you think that is some sort of record!! Abbott have always replaced them without any bother but a sound the question …. Why is this happening? Maybe I an email they might answer it.
When I was on the libre I would always get failures. It seems that some get in better with them then others
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
What sort of issues/failures are you having as that is a huge number of problems in a short space of time? My guess would be that they are not faulty sensors (even though Abbott replace them) but either an issue with software/phone or perhaps an issue with the application process.... maybe when lifting the applicator off.... or possibly body chemistry.
I have gradually developed a good technique for skin prep and application and using an arm strap to protect the sensor after application which ensures better adhesion and those things, plus using a reader instead of a phone to rule out software issues, means that Libre works brilliantly for me and it is a very very long time since I had a failure now. I am not suggesting that you are not following the Abbott guidance on skin prep and application, but there are a lot of little extra things you can do to improve on it that just improve your chances of success with the sensors.
Diabolized
Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I also had a lot of problems with the Libre sensor. My difficulties concerned the length of time the sensor worked. It varied between a couple of hours to 7 days before the sensor failed. They should last fourteen days.
Abbott always sent a replacement sensor without any questions but repeatedly filling out Abbott's medical questionaire every time a sensor failed was becoming a nuisance. I was also lossing confidence in the sensors. What if one failed while I was away from home? Would I need to always carry a spare with me?
After discussing my problems with my DSN I was switched to Dexcom 6. I have been using it for just over a year with no problems. My confidence restored, I am just about to try Dexcom 7.
Abbott always sent a replacement sensor without any questions but repeatedly filling out Abbott's medical questionaire every time a sensor failed was becoming a nuisance. I was also lossing confidence in the sensors. What if one failed while I was away from home? Would I need to always carry a spare with me?
After discussing my problems with my DSN I was switched to Dexcom 6. I have been using it for just over a year with no problems. My confidence restored, I am just about to try Dexcom 7.
gillrogers
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- Type 1.5 LADA
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- She/Her
I find ringing them quicker and more effective than emailing.
When I first started out with libre I had failure after failure. First 3 I think where genuine fails then they thinned out somewhat then I discovered putting them on for 24 hours before you start them. That solved a lot of problems. Having said that put new one on yesterday started it this morning and it did nothing but give sensor error after sensor error. Gave it 2 hours and put a new one on but cos it’s not had a warm up period on me be giving me very way of readings giving me the impression I’m actually doing ok and my doses and corrections are working fine! Stick tests say otherwise and as expected. So hoping it improves tomorrow. Think I got spoilt with the last one as it was very consistent with stick tests although reading 2 mmol higher than actually was when on a 14/15 mmol.
When I first started out with libre I had failure after failure. First 3 I think where genuine fails then they thinned out somewhat then I discovered putting them on for 24 hours before you start them. That solved a lot of problems. Having said that put new one on yesterday started it this morning and it did nothing but give sensor error after sensor error. Gave it 2 hours and put a new one on but cos it’s not had a warm up period on me be giving me very way of readings giving me the impression I’m actually doing ok and my doses and corrections are working fine! Stick tests say otherwise and as expected. So hoping it improves tomorrow. Think I got spoilt with the last one as it was very consistent with stick tests although reading 2 mmol higher than actually was when on a 14/15 mmol.
Caroline1967
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi
I have asked Abbott what I could be doing wrong, but they kind of avoid the question and just sent me another one! I am type 2 so not a huge problem if they don’t work. I don’t think I would have enough faith in them if I were type 1.
I have had several fall off which I didn’t ring Abbott about but on my last call to them I mentioned it and asked what I could do to stop it happening again and they just said they would give me 3 more for free which they did! The others have all just stopped working and I get the message to replace sensor.
My godson uses them and has never had a problem so I think I may just be unlucky. Who knows!
Proud to be erratic
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- Type 3c
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- He/Him
Hello @Caroline1967,
I'm insulin dependent and after a year I was eventually introduced to Libre 2. My success rate with it was a little below 50%, all either failing early or being hopelessly inaccurate. None falling off. Abbott replaced all.
At first I thought the tech was poor, whether it was particular batches and I'd been unlucky, or whatever. I persevered and worked with quite poor correlations with fp because having some CGM was still hugely better than none. I could never trust the readings for bolus doses so accepted that I needed to fp c.4 x daily; but I could trust the trend arrows and get a real sense of what my BG was doing - I just didn't look at the precise nos. The alarms (I prefer to think of them as alerts) were also a massive help. Gradually I came to the conclusion that I wasn't doing anything wrong particularly - it was simply that my body and Libre 2 didn't get on well together.
After 12 months my Consultant offered me Dexcom One, thanks to a revise in the NICE Guidance Note in mid 2022 adding 3 other CGMs to the permitted list which were effectively the same cost to the NHS. Dexcom One was a bit better but still far from good. I eventually gavevin and started to self-fund Dexcom G7 earlier this year and that has been a complete revelation to me. It's accurate, more reliable and I can frequently go several days without needing to fp. It is more expensive than Libre 2 or Dex One. Thankfully I have recently been approved for Dex G7 to be added to my repeat prescriptions in place of Dex One.
So I think you are essentially unlucky with Libre 2 but you may find Dexcom One better and its about the same annual cost as L2. Its a bit different in that there are 2 parts : a sensor that has to be changed every 10 days and a transmitter that last 90 days; so the transmitter comes off with the dead sensor, is unclipped and clipped onto the replacement sensor. Fiddly, but you get used to it. It seems there are less compatible phones for Dex One but there is a Receiver (equivalent to Libre's Reader) at a similar price of £50. The Libre app, LibreLink, is way superior to Dex One's app which has no capacity to record doses, carbs or any personal notes.
I'm insulin dependent and after a year I was eventually introduced to Libre 2. My success rate with it was a little below 50%, all either failing early or being hopelessly inaccurate. None falling off. Abbott replaced all.
At first I thought the tech was poor, whether it was particular batches and I'd been unlucky, or whatever. I persevered and worked with quite poor correlations with fp because having some CGM was still hugely better than none. I could never trust the readings for bolus doses so accepted that I needed to fp c.4 x daily; but I could trust the trend arrows and get a real sense of what my BG was doing - I just didn't look at the precise nos. The alarms (I prefer to think of them as alerts) were also a massive help. Gradually I came to the conclusion that I wasn't doing anything wrong particularly - it was simply that my body and Libre 2 didn't get on well together.
After 12 months my Consultant offered me Dexcom One, thanks to a revise in the NICE Guidance Note in mid 2022 adding 3 other CGMs to the permitted list which were effectively the same cost to the NHS. Dexcom One was a bit better but still far from good. I eventually gavevin and started to self-fund Dexcom G7 earlier this year and that has been a complete revelation to me. It's accurate, more reliable and I can frequently go several days without needing to fp. It is more expensive than Libre 2 or Dex One. Thankfully I have recently been approved for Dex G7 to be added to my repeat prescriptions in place of Dex One.
So I think you are essentially unlucky with Libre 2 but you may find Dexcom One better and its about the same annual cost as L2. Its a bit different in that there are 2 parts : a sensor that has to be changed every 10 days and a transmitter that last 90 days; so the transmitter comes off with the dead sensor, is unclipped and clipped onto the replacement sensor. Fiddly, but you get used to it. It seems there are less compatible phones for Dex One but there is a Receiver (equivalent to Libre's Reader) at a similar price of £50. The Libre app, LibreLink, is way superior to Dex One's app which has no capacity to record doses, carbs or any personal notes.
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