Using Libre2 Reader?

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TheClockworkDodo

TheClockworkDodo

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
A question for people using Libre2 with a reader (please don't answer if you're using an app on your phone!) ...

Now that Abbott are discontinuing Libre1 sensors, my diabetes nurse is upgrading me to Libre2. She thought I would need a smartphone to use it, but I don't have or want any smart technology so I have got a free Libre2 replacement reader from Abbott.

Diabetes nurse says I will need to watch a video on Abbott site in order to use Libre2. Is this correct or is it as mythical as the need for a smartphone? I don't get on well with videos - if I'm not thinking "ouch, too loud, unwatchable" or "ouch, too flashy, unwatchable", I'm thinking "this is incredibly dumbed down, how long is this, can I skip a bit?" and if there is a relevant bit I am unlikely to take it in as I just don't learn that way. I am, on the other hand, perfectly capable of reading instructions. Can I just forget the video and read the instructions?
 
A lot of people use the app on their phone and won’t be able to respond even if they know the answer. Perhaps consider accepting answers from all?
 
I use a reader. It came with an instruction book with everything you might need to know, but really, it was quite 'plug in and play', and easy to find your way round. I didn’t even know there was a video! You can use it just like a Libre 1, and then gradually look at the alarms and things and start setting them if you want to. (I personally don’t set the alarms as a default, just when I think I'm going to need them).
One thing I do find is that it needs charging more often than my original Libre reader. That would last a week, whereas the Libre 2 needs doing every two or three days, more if you’re using the alarms.
 
Thanks, Robin, that's helpful x

Lucy, I just thought the answer might be different if you're using an app., so didn't want to get bogged down in working out whether or not that was the case - that's why I only wanted answers from people who have actually read the instructions for the reader.
 
TheClockworkDodo said:
Thanks, Robin, that's helpful x

Lucy, I just thought the answer might be different if you're using an app., so didn't want to get bogged down in working out whether or not that was the case - that's why I only wanted answers from people who have actually read the instructions for the reader.
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I use the app so won’t comment further.
 
I use the reader first, but also have a smart phone with the app. The reader gives me quick and simple readings, whereas the app is a bit more sensitive to being in exactly the right place. Because I started the reader first all alarms are only on the reader; but because I have the app on my phone I find it much easier and quicker to put data such as insulin doses and carbs eaten onto the app; that data gets sent by WiFi to the LibreView website - without needing to connect a cable to our elderly and slow PC. So I "ride both horses for my convenience of courses". The app (LibreLink) also provides 2 more reports than the reader and in far superior format than the reader.

I still have the instruction book and this only covers using the reader, not the app. I also watched the video tutorials; I completely recognise your comments such as dumbed down .. can I skip a bit .... etc. But I did make myself watch them all - just not necessarily with maximum attention! I find the reader fairly basic and the app on my phone much more sophisticated. But I agree that most of it is intuitive anyway. I think that originally I was required, as a condition of being given Libre, to watch all the tutorials and it was " logged" somewhere that then generated an email confirming I'd done the homework. Once I'd done the required viewing and that was successfully recorded by "big brother" - only then was the libre, reader et al sent to me.
 
TheClockworkDodo said:
Diabetes nurse says I will need to watch a video on Abbott site in order to use Libre2. Is this correct or is it as mythical as the need for a smartphone?
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It's far from essential. Once you've used Libre 1 you can use Libre 2 just the same. Libre 2 has alarms, but setting those isn't challenging (and is covered in the manual anyway). You'll need to charge the reader more often, at least if you turn any of the alarms on.

I suggest having the "Signal lost" alarm off, the low alarm a bit above hypo (so 4.5 to 5.0) so you get warning, and the high alarm over 10 (I have mine at 12.0) because otherwise it gets a bit too annoying. (Obvious your mileage may vary, so don't think that these are correct in any sense.)
 
I too use the Reader and the app. I too find the reader needs charging more often.
 
Always the reader as primary for me, no particular change from the Libre 1 reader. Menu for alarms are pretty intuitive if you need them. I do use the phone occasionally as a back up, or when I have left the reader at home, but find it fiddlier, especially at night, when the reader can be used whilst virtually still asleep.
 
I’ve used both.

The videos are a helpful overview, especially for people who haven‘t used sensors before, but I don’t think you’d need to watch with rapt attention, making notes, if you are an experienced Libre 1 user 🙂 It was a requirement of me getting Libre on prwscription for me to watch the videos and show the completion certificate from the end.

There might be a few helpful snippets of information covering alarms and other differences between the two systems though?
 
Thanks, everyone x

The first thing I will do on unpacking my reader is to turn off all the alarms and other noises as I have hyperacusis and can't cope with noise - it's the first thing I do with every piece of equipment, from phones to washing machines. Libre2 would be unusable for me if I couldn't turn off the alarms.

Seriously, there's a completion certificate with the videos so we can prove to nanny that we watched them?! How old do they think we are, 6?! 🙄

With my issues with noises and moving images, it's quite likely I won't be able to watch them so will either have to hope diabetes nurse is sensible (not met her yet, so no idea) or get R to watch them for me just to get the certificate, which will not impress him very much ...
 
@TheClockworkDodo we have compulsory training videos at work with certificates at the end.
It is common to put this on in the background, mute it and go off and do something else.
We get the certificate because it ran to the end. No one is checking we watched them.

I would say "don't tell my boss" but he isn't stupid. I am sure he does the same.
 
Thanks, @helli, that sounds like a solution if it becomes necessary for me! I don't have sound on my computer anyway, we found a way of turning it off permanently and now can't work out how we did it, so it's always on mute!

Btw, is the code for accessing the professional sections of the reader the same as it was for the Libre1, for those people who use that? I seem to remember Libre1 would have been pretty useless to me if previous diabetes nurse hadn't just given me the code so I could set everything up myself.
 
TheClockworkDodo said:
Btw, is the code for accessing the professional sections of the reader the same as it was for the Libre1, for those people who use that?
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Yes it is.
I never saw the point of some of the options being locked away, needing a nurse to change the ability to log half insulin units, for example, if you’ve got a half unit pen.
 
TheClockworkDodo said:
The first thing I will do on unpacking my reader is to turn off all the alarms and other noises as I have hyperacusis and can't cope with noise - it's the first thing I do with every piece of equipment, from phones to washing machines.
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I have the reader set to vibrate. Always. No sound, just a vibration.

You could consider trying that to see if the vibration 'sound' is manageable. Then you'd be able to make use of the alarms.

Each alarm (high, low, signal loss, reminder) has a different vibration pattern, but those can't be changed.
 
I'll experiment with vibrate, but don't normally keep my reader in my pocket during the day (as I'm in the house, not out and about) and would probably find it irritating rather than helpful if my pocket kept vibrating, as I spend so much time hypo during the day. It might be helpful at night though, when I hardly ever hypo and sleep heavily so can easily miss the rare occasion when I do.
 
TheClockworkDodo said:
I'll experiment with vibrate, but don't normally keep my reader in my pocket during the day (as I'm in the house, not out and about) and would probably find it irritating rather than helpful if my pocket kept vibrating, as I spend so much time hypo during the day.
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You can set the alarm at whatever levels seem useful. If you're OK with being hypo most of the time (and I'd argue that that's a bad idea) you could just turn it off. Otherwise it lets you set it as low as 3.3.

If this is because you're finding Libre sensors tend to read low for you then it's possible the alarms might not be so useful (and maybe trying to get Dexcom One or on of the other CGMs might be better).
 
I'm not hypo most of the time, Bruce, just hypo frequently! I agree, hypo most of the time would be a bad idea, but I could do something about that, can't find anything I can do about the frequency of my hypos (I have tried all the obvious things, none of them work for me).

3.3 might be feasible, but sensors do tend to read low for me and I really wouldn't want something to alarm every time I went into the 4s. I hated the CGM I had for a week on the NHS, the alarms drove me potty, and I loathed the bulk of it, it felt like an alien parasite - I would never want anything like that again - so that's not an option for me.
 
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