Where is freestyle libre 2 cheapest?

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Kaz84

Active Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi
I’m looking to self fund the freestyle libre I’m currently on a trial and loving it.
Where is the best/cheapest place to purchase them? I’ve seen some old threads that they are cheap in Superdrug/Asda. Also I’ve read you need a prescription which doesn’t make sense if you can’t get them free on nhs.

I am type 2 on lantus twice a day but have been told I can’t get one on nhs.

Any advice much appreciated. Thank you.
 
I always buy mine direct from Abbott you can get VAT deducted. Never used Superdrug/Asda as don't have Pharmacy here.
 
I’ve only ever bought from abbot, check the price on abbot website then ask in the pharmacy, make sure you get the vat deducted price, and compare the two prices?
 
When I self-funded the Libre (you do not need a prescription), I would buy them from Asda or Superdrug but that was quite a few years ago and do not know if they sell them now.
It seems as if most self-funders buy them direct from Abbott.

My advice would be to start with the free trial (available from the Freestyle Libre website) to check you are happy with them. Some people seem to experience no end of trouble but many of us are fine.
 
helli said:
When I self-funded the Libre (you do not need a prescription), I would buy them from Asda or Superdrug but that was quite a few years ago and do not know if they sell them now.
It seems as if most self-funders buy them direct from Abbott.

My advice would be to start with the free trial (available from the Freestyle Libre website) to check you are happy with them. Some people seem to experience no end of trouble but many of us are fine.
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Yes I’m currently on the free trial on day 3. So far so good.
I do find it alarms hypo 3.9-3.2 when I’m 6.4-4.9 mmol. But to be fair my sugars were rapid drops and changing quickly. I’ve had to turn alarm off at night due to compression lows.
Overall I find it 1-2mmol difference which is acceptable but then it leaves me to wonder at what stage to treat as glucose meter shows good but libre shows it’s still dropping.
I do eat 4 jelly babies when it alarms and wait to stabilise. I have to trust the libre otherwise there’s no point if I’m going to keep finger prickng
 
I see your point, but libre really isn't accurate enough to trust for treatment decisions. ALWAYS trust your meter...libre readings are taken from interstitial fluid and are always some time behind finger prick readings.
Also libre predicts ahead to try to offset this, so often overestimates highs and lows and then corrects itself
As for false night time lows, yes, libre does that. 1 had 10 one night. They weren't compression lows., they were just libre being rubbish. Dexcom does not walk me up without good reason. The alarms also repeat if you stay low, so if you trat a hypo, but not enough, and fall asleep, dexcom will wake you up again until your glucose is fine. Libre doesn't.
I love my dexcom g6
 
Kaz84 said:
I have to trust the libre otherwise there’s no point
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You have to understand the limitations a well a the benefits. Abbot themselves tell you to check lows with a fingerprick not just rely on libre. 4 jelly babies when the alarm goes off without checking it is a lot if you’re not actually going low.
 
Lucyr said:
You have to understand the limitations a well a the benefits. Abbot themselves tell you to check lows with a fingerprick not just rely on libre. 4 jelly babies when the alarm goes off without checking it is a lot if you’re not actually going low.
Click to expand...
I don’t think I’m hypo low on finger pricks at them times libre shows a hypo. But on checking with meter I did drop 6.6 to 4.8 in less than 10 minutes and I was due to go to sleep. I didn’t want to go sleep being under 5.
The main difficulty i find is what to trust. If you can trust the sensor what is the point in using it? I am only on day 3 trial so just trying to get use to it and learn more about it.
I do appreciate your advice.
 
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Tdm said:
I see your point, but libre really isn't accurate enough to trust for treatment decisions. ALWAYS trust your meter...libre readings are taken from interstitial fluid and are always some time behind finger prick readings.
Also libre predicts ahead to try to offset this, so often overestimates highs and lows and then corrects itself
As for false night time lows, yes, libre does that. 1 had 10 one night. They weren't compression lows., they were just libre being rubbish. Dexcom does not walk me up without good reason. The alarms also repeat if you stay low, so if you trat a hypo, but not enough, and fall asleep, dexcom will wake you up again until your glucose is fine. Libre doesn't.
I love my dexcom g6
Click to expand...
Is the Dexcom better? Would you still not use it to make treatment decisions for hypos? I am new and only just learning about them.
 
I use dexcom g6 to make treatment decisions...the literature says you can, and i find it is very close to meter readings, possibly a bit lagging
I think different monitors suit different people. I had libre at first and it was, even with its limitations, so much better than fingerpricking. Don't give up on your libre just get, you will get used to its ways.
 
Kaz84 said:
If you can trust the sensor what is the point in using it?
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The point of a CGM 8s to understand what is happening to your BG between finger pricks .
It will not replace all finger pricks
As others have said, you have to understand the limitations of Libre which means testing for lows before treating, unless you feel hypo
Always trust finger pricks more than Libre.
 
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I find Libre is very reliable for me and I base all my decisions off it including bolus doses and corrections, but I do still double check some low Libre readings if it doesn't tie in with what I expect. Personally 4 JBs would send my levels into orbit unless my BG was in the 2s. If I am in the low 4s or high 3s, 1 jelly baby is usually enough and 2 if my levels are low 3s, as that will take me up to about 6. We are however all different, but it is certainly worth double checking any lows that Libre reports before you treast them unless you feel obviously hypo.

I tend to do a couple of finger pricks during the lifetime of each sensor when my levels are nice and stable for at least half an hour ie. horizontal arrow and very little drift in numbers, to see how it compares and mostly it is within 1mmol of a finger prick and this is quite accurate enough to give me the confidence to bolus from it. Since I correct between 8 and 10 I am also happy to calculate corrections from it. Once levels get significantly higher (into the teens) Libre is less accurate and it is probably best to use a finger prick to calculate how much insulin you need to bring you down then, but since you are on NovoMix then it would seem you don't have the option of doing corrections anyway.

The general rule is that your BG meter via a finger prick has the final say if there is any doubt but Libre is accurate enough for most of us to base most decisions off, particularly when it is within range. With you being on mixed insulin, there will be little need to make decisions anyway as your doses will likely be set.

Skipping a mixed insulin dose is really not a good idea because it will knock your basal insulin cover out of balance and therefore make your levels more erratic. If you feel your levels are too low at bedtime, then have a snack that has a mixture of fat and carbs before bed to provide slow release glucose whilst you sleep. Things like cheese and biscuits or a slice of wholemeal bread with peanut butter, should help to keep levels stable whilst you sleep.
 
rebrascora said:
I find Libre is very reliable for me and I base all my decisions off it including bolus doses and corrections, but I do still double check some low Libre readings if it doesn't tie in with what I expect. Personally 4 JBs would send my levels into orbit unless my BG was in the 2s. If I am in the low 4s or high 3s, 1 jelly baby is usually enough and 2 if my levels are low 3s, as that will take me up to about 6. We are however all different, but it is certainly worth double checking any lows that Libre reports before you treast them unless you feel obviously hypo.

I tend to do a couple of finger pricks during the lifetime of each sensor when my levels are nice and stable for at least half an hour ie. horizontal arrow and very little drift in numbers, to see how it compares and mostly it is within 1mmol of a finger prick and this is quite accurate enough to give me the confidence to bolus from it. Since I correct between 8 and 10 I am also happy to calculate corrections from it. Once levels get significantly higher (into the teens) Libre is less accurate and it is probably best to use a finger prick to calculate how much insulin you need to bring you down then, but since you are on NovoMix then it would seem you don't have the option of doing corrections anyway.

The general rule is that your BG meter via a finger prick has the final say if there is any doubt but Libre is accurate enough for most of us to base most decisions off, particularly when it is within range. With you being on mixed insulin, there will be little need to make decisions anyway as your doses will likely be set.

Skipping a mixed insulin dose is really not a good idea because it will knock your basal insulin cover out of balance and therefore make your levels more erratic. If you feel your levels are too low at bedtime, then have a snack that has a mixture of fat and carbs before bed to provide slow release glucose whilst you sleep. Things like cheese and biscuits or a slice of wholemeal bread with peanut butter, should help to keep levels stable whilst you sleep.
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You always give good explanations about what is going on so can I ask a question.
Is the Libre likely to be more unreliable for people who are Type 2 but taking insulin as their pancreas will presumably still be producing some of their own insulin but maybe erratically so that will confuse the Libre algorithm?
 
@Leadinglights I would be surprised if the erratic insulin creation would make a difference.
Someone newly diagnosed with Type 1 has very erratic insulin production during their honeymoon period but many find Libre really useful.
I could not understand why insulin production would confuse an algorithm that has no knowledge of insulin levels.

Libre is less useful for someone who has higher BG levels because it is very inaccurate above 10mmol/l
 
Leadinglights said:
You always give good explanations about what is going on so can I ask a question.
Is the Libre likely to be more unreliable for people who are Type 2 but taking insulin as their pancreas will presumably still be producing some of their own insulin but maybe erratically so that will confuse the Libre algorithm?
Click to expand...
It is an interesting question and not something I had given any thought to. Obviously the Libre algorithm just responds to changing glucose levels, so it comes down to whether people have more erratic levels but that could be as much due to diet as insulin production. The more stable your BG levels the better Libre works I think. If your levels are rising and falling frequently and fast due to high carb/hi GI meals or snacks or mistimed insulin etc then yes, Libre will find it more challenging. The less spikey you can get your graph, the more likely that Libre will be closer to BG levels on a regular basis I would expect. Doesn't necessarily change things if people are Type 1 or Type 2, on insulin or not, probably just how erratic their levels are.
 
There we go.... complete opposites of opinion within the space of a minute!
Love this forum for generating a spectrum of perspectives.
 
Leadinglights said:
Is the Libre likely to be more unreliable for people who are Type 2 but taking insulin as their pancreas will presumably still be producing some of their own insulin but maybe erratically so that will confuse the Libre algorithm?
Click to expand...
My guess would be no. I'm pretty sure Abbott will have tested it carefully on diabetes of all kinds (there are lots more Type 2, after all) so it'll work fine. (The UK is far from the only market, after all. In many places lots of people with Type 2 use them.)
 
Leadinglights said:
Is the Libre likely to be more unreliable for people who are Type 2 but taking insulin as their pancreas will presumably still be producing some of their own insulin but maybe erratically so that will confuse the Libre algorithm?
Click to expand...
I find it reliable enough and my pancreas has erratic insulin production. I just follow the general guidelines ie fingerprick whenever I feel different to the libre number, fingerprick for hypos unless I feel low, fingerprick after hypos, and fingerprick when very high for corrections.
 
Lucyr said:
I’ve only ever bought from abbot, check the price on abbot website then ask in the pharmacy, make sure you get the vat deducted price, and compare the two prices?
Click to expand...

As far as I am aware they are all the same price everywhere @Kaz84 ? And yes, do fill in the paperwork to exempt the VAT.

There was a short time when some pharmacies sold at a reduced rate (similar to the deal the NHS struck for their bulk purchase), but I’ve not heard of that happening for some years.
 
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