# Freestyle Libre problem



## AJLang (Jan 3, 2015)

Just to let you know that I had a great time with my last Freestyle Libre sensor.  Put in a new sensor a few hours ago and was rather shocked when it stated that I had a reading of 2.3 - I cross checked with BG meter and it was 6.9. For three hours I checked and the Freestyle said in the 2's whilst hourly BG meter tests said 6.5 and higher. When I removed the sensor it was covered in blood, my skin was red and there was what looks like a blood blister. I'm very disappointed because the Libre has helped me lots. I've emailed Abbot (they're not open at weekends ) and I'm now waiting for another sensor to work.


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## AJLang (Jan 3, 2015)

The new sensor is working 5.1 on the sensor and 6.4 on the meter.  As it usually takes 24 hours for the sensor to settle in I'm happy with that


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## everydayupsanddowns (Jan 3, 2015)

Great news Amanda. Abbott do seem to be very good at replacing faulty sensors at the moment. I just hope people don't try to take advantage as some people seem troubled by relatively small (and inevitable) differences between sensor and BG. As you know, the Libre won't give identical readings.


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## spiritfree (Jan 3, 2015)

I have had a couple of sensors go wrong. One shut down after 3 or 4 readings and the other wouldn't work at all saying it had been installed by another reader. I have sent back and I am waiting to see what they do. The other one that went wrong was replaced straight away by the person on their help line.


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## HOBIE (Jan 3, 2015)

Hope new sensor behaves Amanda


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## AJLang (Jan 4, 2015)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Great news Amanda. Abbott do seem to be very good at replacing faulty sensors at the moment. I just hope people don't try to take advantage as some people seem troubled by relatively small (and inevitable) differences between sensor and BG. As you know, the Libre won't give identical readings.


Thanks Mike. I completely agree about hoping that people don't take advantage. small differences have to be accepted.


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## AJLang (Jan 4, 2015)

spiritfree said:


> I have had a couple of sensors go wrong. One shut down after 3 or 4 readings and the other wouldn't work at all saying it had been installed by another reader. I have sent back and I am waiting to see what they do. The other one that went wrong was replaced straight away by the person on their help line.


Hi Spiritfree sorry to hear that you've had these problems but Abbott do seem good with replacements if the cannulas are faulty ( rather than it being small differences in readings). My first sensor wouldn't insert at all and Abbot sent a replacement so I'm hoping that they will do the same this time.


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## AJLang (Jan 4, 2015)

HOBIE said:


> Hope new sensor behaves Amanda


Thanks Hobie new sensor is working well and has already picked up a problem. 6..45am sensors 8.1 and BG test 7.7 so I'm very pleased that the sensor is working well. At 7.15 it has highlighted that my BG has been rising rapidly since 6am so I know that I will need to correct - I wouldn't have done enough BG tests to know that


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## AJLang (Jan 4, 2015)

Mmmmmmh after sensor saying that I was going up in the 8's I scanned again and it said 5.8 ( and is still saying 5.8 ). I couldn't think of a reason for the sudden drop so tested BG 8.2 that's a difference of 2.4 between the sensor and BG machine which isn't very helpful. What do others think about that difference?


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## everydayupsanddowns (Jan 4, 2015)

I would wait a little longer to see if the differences co tune or most are more like 0.5-1mmol/L out before calling Abbott. The MARD (mean absolute relative difference) is supposed to be around 10% with a Libre sensor (so 5.0 BG can be around 4.5 - 5.5 Libre and 10.0 BG should be approx 9.0 - 11.0 Libre, but a range of differences will make up that average so a few 0s and 0.2s allow for a few 2s if you see what I mean.


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## AJLang (Jan 4, 2015)

THanks Mike


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## trophywench (Jan 4, 2015)

Is it behaving now Amanda?


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## AJLang (Jan 5, 2015)

Hi Jenny it is much better now. I just compared - Libre was 7.2 and BG testing machine was 6.7. Couldn't ask for better


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## trophywench (Jan 5, 2015)

Good to hear!


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## AJLang (Jan 8, 2015)

Please see below the reply that I got from Abbott and my ordinal email below.  I have my opinions abou their reply, considering that sensors cost c.£50 each. I would appreciate you letting me know what you think.  PS I only just received this email from them despite sending my original email on Saturday.  my current sensor will run out next Friday. PPS I haven't phoned them because when I did about the delivery date for these sensors they were VERY patronising, M was listening and said that they need customer care training.


Dear

Thank you for your E-mail. 

At the moment we do not have enough information to address your question properly.

Please initiate Reader self-test (Settings>System Status>Reader Test) and please advise if it passed it. We will be able to investigate this issue better if you would provide us with the daily log report from FreeStyle Libre reader and the meter which you used for comparative test. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the meter which wad not produced by our company - in case you used different meter please contact manufacture helpline to request control solution to check if your meter is working properly.

If you require any further assistance, please feel free to contact our dedicated Careline team on 0500 467 466 (UK) or 1800 776633 (IRE) both numbers are free of charge from a landline. You can also contact us by e-mail: ADChelpUK@abbott.com .

Yours sincerely,
Customer Care Team 
Abbott Diabetes Care UK & Ireland



Re: faulty sensor Serial number 0M00000RG3D I put the above sensor in just over six hours ago. After it started it continually said that my Bg levels were between 2.3 and 2.9. I cross checked this against my blood glucose meter three times during three hours and the readings on my BG meter was between 6.8 and 7.5 during this time. I expect some difference between the Libre and BG meter but the difference from the Libre was not acceptable. I removed the Libre sensor and it was covered in blood there was also a mark on my arm which looks like a blood blister which was not there before I applied the sensor. Is this a common problem? I've put in another sensor but I'm now concerned about these problems happening again. Please can you send me a free replacement sensor and an explanation about why these problems occurred. Best wishes Amanda


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## AJLang (Jan 8, 2015)

*This was my reply*

I am not in a position to download readings.  There is no problem with my meter.  When I tried a different Freestyle Libre sensor it did not have the problems that the original sensor had that I outlined in my email below ie the reader and the meter work but the sensor that I wrote to you about did not perform as outlined below. Please let me know what you will do about this.
Best wishes


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## everydayupsanddowns (Jan 8, 2015)

I think this is just a pretty standard set of checklist questions Amanda - I would not have a problem with it (and when I called about one of my sensors misbehaving the questions were pretty identical).

They need to just check a few things to rule out reader and human error and are (obviously) more comfortable if you are comparing BG readings on the Libre's internal meter as opposed to any-old-other-brand BG meter which, conceivably, could have a calibration difference to Abbotts meters.

Running the Libre self test and checking where and how you inserted the sensor make sense to me. As do asking for a control solution check of the comparison meter (though to be honest I have yet to get any useful information from control solution in 20+ years!)

I understand your caution, but in this case, perhaps phoning would be the quickest way to resolve your concerns? 

The people I spoke to at Abbott were both lovely and not patronising, so perhaps you got unlucky?


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## AJLang (Jan 8, 2015)

Thanks Mike. Perhaps you were right that I was unlucky....especially when the guy told me three times that Saturday and Christmas Day weren't working days - the first time he told me I said thank you and then he kept repeating it as if I didn't understand....and that was after he told me Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday etc. oh I think I'm just frustrated with Abbott. Also their email didn't refer to the blood on the sensor and the mark left on my arm.....I Just expected better customer service.


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## trophywench (Jan 8, 2015)

Well you could tell them WHY you don't use their silly meter - cos it doesn't talk to your insulin pump that's why - and you prefer it that your HbA1c test results reflect what is says on your meter which after all governs what insulin you take.

It's hardly fair to expect the NHS to prescribe strips for TWO bloomin meters, is it!

I'd also like to know if that's going to become an ongoing problem for anyone with a Roche pump where we NEED to use our own/Roches meter! - not theirs since it doesn't know the IOB or anything like that so any insulin calculations could be way out!

I think they are being absolutely bloody minded and haven't a clue how things work in the world of diabetics - I don't think I will invest now if they are going to be like that.


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## AJLang (Jan 9, 2015)

Hi Jenny everything you wrote completely fitted with how I felt yesterday BUT once I calmed down this morning I realised how flipping helpful the Libre is when it works properly.  For example, it has really helped me to improve my overnight levels - they're not perfect, due to the gastroparesis, but the Libre has helped me to improve my basal and picks up problems during the day as well. BUT I couldn't get the control without a lot of finger prick tests as well.  It's the combination of the two that works well for me.   

I phoned them today and the customer service was much better than last time. They will send me a replacement sensor today.  The customer care person also said that they would do this every time there is a faulty sensor so I will give it another go.


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## Northerner (Jan 9, 2015)

AJLang said:


> I phoned them today and the customer service was much better than last time. They will send me a replacement sensor today.  The customer care person also said that they would do this every time there is a faulty sensor so I will give it another go.



That's good to hear Amanda  There can be variability with who you get - I had to call Roche a couple of times in the past, one person was very friendly and helpful, the other was completely unhelpful! Makes you wonder if they all go on the same course, or if they have 'good cop, bad cop' versions! 

Great to hear how much the Libre is helping you


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## AJLang (Jan 9, 2015)

Thanks Northerner.  Actually I realised today that they have a customer care survey at the end of the call - it's just when I had the call before last I was so frustrated I ended the call before the survey  Well after having averages in the higher 8's and low 9's in the lead up to Christmas I've now managed
7 day average - 7.4
14 day average - 7.2
30 day average - 7.8
so I'm very pleased with those - my goal is to get my 90 day average on the pump down to 7.5 by the end of March - I've never achieved that so it's a challenging goal for me


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## HOBIE (Jan 9, 2015)

Good numbers  I do love the info you get from the Libre


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## AJLang (Jan 9, 2015)

Thanks Hobie


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