# Freestyle Libre....Good, Bad Or Indifferent?



## Diabeticliberty (Apr 12, 2016)

I currently use a Roche Accuchek Mobile device. I find them generally ok but I don't completely trust them. I spend a lot of my weekday time around large chunks of dirty metal. I spend most of my weekend and evening time in and around water in the rivers of Northern England. My lifestyle is pretty hectic. I drive about a million miles per year. I test with an extremely high frequency due to lifestyle and driving. Since joining this here forum I notice a fair number of using Freestyle Libre. I have just briefly looked on their Website and it appears to be a fairly good idea in principle. So can you please tell me - Good points, bad points, how do they compare to Accuchek (if you have ever used one of these of course), reliability, how are they around water, accuracy, did you have any issues with your doctor when moving to one, can you move to one yourself or does it take an act of God to get yourself transferred???????????? Are they worth a punt for somebody who has never used one?


Thank you all,
Geoff


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## Robin (Apr 12, 2016)

First up, they are not currently available on the NHS, so I fund mine and use one when I can afford it. My diabetic nurse at the surgery who does my annual checks knows I use one, and mentioned it on my notes, ( she'd never heard of them) but I've never discussed it with my GP.
I find them really useful. They don't replace finger prick tests, you still need to do them for driving as the DVLA doesn't recognise the Libre yet. 
I use mine to spot trends, and overnight lows.
I've found after the first 24 hrs they bed in well and are as accurate as my Accucek Aviva. (You can get accuracy earlier by inserting the sensor and not activating it for 24 hrs)
Touch wood, I haven't had a duff sensor yet, but I l some people have had problems, but Abbot have replaced them.
They are supposed to be OK for swimming, showering etc for up to half an hour.


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## HOBIE (Apr 12, 2016)

Love my Libre. Every time I have tested with blood test strips its very close.


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## Diabeticliberty (Apr 12, 2016)

Robin said:


> First up, they are not currently available on the NHS, so I fund mine and use one when I can afford it. My diabetic nurse at the surgery who does my annual checks knows I use one, and mentioned it on my notes, ( she'd never heard of them) but I've never discussed it with my GP.
> I find them really useful. They don't replace finger prick tests, you still need to do them for driving as the DVLA doesn't recognise the Libre yet.
> I use mine to spot trends, and overnight lows.
> I've found after the first 24 hrs they bed in well and are as accurate as my Accucek Aviva. (You can get accuracy earlier by inserting the sensor and not activating it for 24 hrs)
> ...




If I may ask, you suggest that you use them to spot trends and overnight lows. Do I take it then that they offer a permanent 'real time' reading? Does the sensor have a needle which is inserted into your bloodstream? How long do the sensors last? What do sensors cost?

Sorry to overburden you with stupid questions. The thing is however if they are offering a permanent real time reading then I think I would buy one just on that basis.


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## shirley (Apr 12, 2016)

For us, it has been simply life changing.  My son cannot manage his diabetes at all.  It makes lots of testing, even at night, a doddle.  They don't always produce accurate results but when we have had a faulty one it has always been replaced and we don't fingerprick more than once a day, except when we have an unexpected high or low and when the sensor first goes on.  It has reduced our HbA1C too but that is just an aside for us.


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## Diabeticliberty (Apr 12, 2016)

Just been back on the Freestyle Website and they are asking for £58.00 for a sensor which they suggest lasts for UP TO 14 days. The up to makes me a little bit unsure.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Apr 12, 2016)

Diabeticliberty said:


> If I may ask, you suggest that you use them to spot trends and overnight lows. Do I take it then that they offer a permanent 'real time' reading? Does the sensor have a needle which is inserted into your bloodstream? How long do the sensors last? What do sensors cost?



Yes, that's pretty much right. There is a small flexible filament inserted under the skin that reads interstitial glucose and converts that to reflect plasma (blood) glucose readings. Sensors last 14 days before they need to be replaced (they cannot be extended). The sensor holds up to 8 hours of data, so whenever you scan you see a trace of the last 8 hours, a current reading and also an arrow that shows direction and speed of travel over the last few minutes.

The handset also doubles as a traditional BG and blood ketone meter and can take Optium blood strips or Optuim ketone strips. It also has an in-built bolus calculator if you use the unlock code (caa1c)

I find mine very helpful. If I could afford sensors full time I would wear them much more than I do.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Apr 12, 2016)

Diabeticliberty said:


> Just been back on the Freestyle Website and they are asking for £58.00 for a sensor which they suggest lasts for UP TO 14 days. The up to makes me a little bit unsure.


Well... if you knock it off on a door frame I will stop reading 

If the sensor malfunctions before the 14 days are up, you can generally contact Abbott who will run through some troubleshooting and more than often will replace the sensor for free if it has failed or is not reading within expected tolerances (sensors and fingerstick BG are measuring different things so they can't be directly compared, but there is an expected level of performance)

£58 is the price inc VAT - if you sign the exemption form it will be more or less £50 exactly (plus delivery)


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## Diabeticliberty (Apr 12, 2016)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Yes, that's pretty much right. There is a small flexible filament inserted under the skin that reads interstitial glucose and converts that to reflect plasma (blood) glucose readings. Sensors last 14 days before they need to be replaced (they cannot be extended). The sensor holds up to 8 hours of data, so whenever you scan you see a trace of the last 8 hours, a current reading and also an arrow that shows direction and speed of travel over the last few minutes.
> 
> The handset also doubles as a traditional BG and blood ketone meter and can take Optium blood strips or Optuim ketone strips. It also has an in-built bolus calculator if you use the unlock code (caa1c)
> 
> I find mine very helpful. If I could afford sensors full time I would wear them much more than I do.





I found this interesting. I considered buying one and asking my doctor to supply me with standard test strips for it and buying sensors myself. The only problem with this is a consultation with Dr. Google shows the test strips at £23.00 per 50 units. A dispensing pack of Accuchek Mobile cassettes costs him £38.00 and for that you get 100 tests. This is of course minus the 15 - 20 that you frequently lose because the meters screw up at all too regular intervals.


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## Sally71 (Apr 12, 2016)

I think it's brilliant, as long as you don't expect it to exactly match your blood glucose meter.  After all it is isn't reading blood so you can't expect it to be the same!  (Although we did have one this morning that was bang on with the Combo - first time!).  Mostly we find it accurate to within 1-2 mmol, blood readings can be out by that much anyway so that's pretty close; the few occasions where we have had a bigger difference have been either when the blood sugar is very high or when it is changing quickly.
Everydayupsanddowns has just pipped me to it - when you order make sure you tick the VAT exemption box and the sensor cost is then just under £50, the starter pack (reader + 2 sensors) is £133.
I think it's well worth it if you can afford it.  I love just knowing if BG is rising or falling, so useful, and overnight basal testing is a doddle now, all you have to do is remember to scan it!

Oh and regarding swimming, cover the sensor in Tegaderm and that will hold it in place and keep it waterproof, daughter was in the pool for an hour on Sunday and sensor is still working fine - Abbott only guarantee them for half an hour in water so I was a bit nervous but the Tegaderm worked brilliantly!

We use Accu Chek Aviva strips at the moment as they go with the Combo test kit, we are due for a new pump soon though and depending which one we get I might change our prescription over to Optium strips to go in the Libre so that will only be one gadget for daughter to carry around.


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## Robin (Apr 12, 2016)

Diabeticliberty said:


> Just been back on the Freestyle Website and they are asking for £58.00 for a sensor which they suggest lasts for UP TO 14 days. The up to makes me a little bit unsure.


Ive never had one that's lasted less than 14 days, maybe they are covering themselves for the bedding in time at the start. 
If you click on the 'Yes I am diabetic' box during the ordering process, it takes off the VAT, so they come down to just under £50 per sensor.


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## Diabeticliberty (Apr 12, 2016)

I have just ordered a starter pack. I might have been better to establish whether my doctor will allow me Optium test strips on prescription. Oh well bugger him. If not I can always change doctors again!!!!!


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## Robin (Apr 12, 2016)

Diabeticliberty said:


> I have just ordered a starter pack. I might have been better to establish whether my doctor will allow me Optium test strips on prescription. Oh well bugger him. If not I can always change doctors again!!!!!


When it arrives, before you insert the sensor, lie down and check which bit of your arm you're likely to be lying on in the night, and avoid placing the sensor there. Firstly, it's a bit uncomfortable til you get used to it, and also, I find if I lie on the sensor, the readings drop, so it looks like I've had a couple of hypos in the night. I gather this is a problem with all CGMs, not just the Libre.


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## Northerner (Apr 12, 2016)

Diabeticliberty said:


> I have just ordered a starter pack. I might have been better to establish whether my doctor will allow me Optium test strips on prescription. Oh well bugger him. If not I can always change doctors again!!!!!


My argument for Optium strips was that I use them in my spare meter, which also doubles as a ketone meter (Freestyle Optium). My Countour Next doesn't read ketones. I only order Optium strips about every 6 months though - haven't switched entirely over to them as I prefer the Next as my main meter 

All the main brands of meter cost the NHS around £15 per 50 strips, except the Mobile which is more expensive as it is in cassettes


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## Matt Cycle (Apr 12, 2016)

So far I've only used the two sensors that came with the starter pack.  The first sensor malfunctioned on insertion (the needle didn't retract back into the applicator and was sticking out of the sensor ).  Abbott were pretty good and sent a replacement sensor.  I found some variation between the sensor readings and the meter.  I use a Freestyle Optium Neo meter anyway so the strips can be used in the Libre reader as a direct comparison.  I found the higher the readings the bigger the difference but most of the time they were pretty close.

I would also recommend keeping well hydrated which I did more when using the second Libre sensor and found the sensor and meter readings to be much closer.  The clinic are loaning me a genuine, proper CGM on Thursday  but it's only over the weekend and I then have to give it back.   The letter they sent for the appointment advises drinking plenty of fluids on the day it's fitted and the day before.


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## Diabeticliberty (Apr 12, 2016)

Northerner said:


> My argument for Optium strips was that I use them in my spare meter, which also doubles as a ketone meter (Freestyle Optium). My Countour Next doesn't read ketones. I only order Optium strips about every 6 months though - haven't switched entirely over to them as I prefer the Next as my main meter
> 
> All the main brands of meter cost the NHS around £15 per 50 strips, except the Mobile which is more expensive as it is in cassettes




Pocketscan strips now cost more than the AccuChek stuff. I think a number of manufacturers whacked their prices right up when the AccuChek cassettes started selling. A lot of doctors wouldn't prescribe cassettes when they first introduced but now that prices are more comparable they seem less resistant and I have been using them for quite a few years now. I quite like the idea of having results available without being concerned with how many actual tests I have left.  That is really what appeals to me about the Libre.  Can I ask what you don't like about it as a 'standard blood test meter'? I would have thought that having one unit for both types of testing would be more practical than dragging 2 around with you.


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## Sally71 (Apr 13, 2016)

I have tried the Optium strips (and occasionally use the ketone ones) and do actually prefer Accu Chek; the Accu Chek ones come in a handy tub, need only a small drop of blood and give the result very quickly.  Whereas the Optium ones come in a box and are then individually wrapped so they are fiddly to get out and create lots of rubbish, and they need a much larger drop of blood and take longer to give the result.  I am probably biased though, at the moment we have to use the test meter which comes with the pump so I am used to the Accu Chek! When we change pumps it makes sense to carry just one meter around if possible, so I guess I will get used to the Optium ones in the Libre if that is what we decide to do.


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## Bloden (Apr 13, 2016)

Diabeticliberty said:


> If I may ask, you suggest that you use them to spot trends and overnight lows. Do I take it then that they offer a permanent 'real time' reading? Does the sensor have a needle which is inserted into your bloodstream? How long do the sensors last? What do sensors cost?
> 
> Sorry to overburden you with stupid questions. The thing is however if they are offering a permanent real time reading then I think I would buy one just on that basis.



It's not a 'real time' reading unfortunately, DL. As Robin says, they're excellent for tracking trends and mapping overnight BGs. Abbott recommends finger pricks if you think you're hypo, or for meal-time dosing and correction doses. So you still have to prick if you want a 'real time' reading...so you'd still need to prick before driving. I look fwd to the day that a BG 'watch' is all we need to wear - my fingers are fed up!


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## Northerner (Apr 13, 2016)

As Sally says, the Optium strips are individually wrapped (which I like when using them out on runs, saves carrying a tub and having to manipulate that with cold, wet fingers  - not at other times though) plus they need approx. 1 gallon of blood and take about an hour to give the result (OK, maybe slightly exaggerated )


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## Bloden (Apr 13, 2016)

Sally71 said:


> I have tried the Optium strips (and occasionally use the ketone ones) and do actually prefer Accu Chek; the Accu Chek ones come in a handy tub, need only a small drop of blood and give the result very quickly.  Whereas the Optium ones come in a box and are then individually wrapped so they are fiddly to get out and create lots of rubbish, and they need a much larger drop of blood and take longer to give the result.  I am probably biased though, at the moment we have to use the test meter which comes with the pump so I am used to the Accu Chek! When we change pumps it makes sense to carry just one meter around if possible, so I guess I will get used to the Optium ones in the Libre if that is what we decide to do.


You're right, Sally, the Freestyle strips ARE a faff! And it took me a good few minutes to find the finger prick option on the Libre - it's hidden somewhere in Settings if I remember rightly. If I was trying to use it when hypo it'd be a real challenge! 
From what you and Shirley say, the Libre sounds like a parents' dream, especially for overnight checks.
Good luck with your new toy when it arrives, DL.


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## Diabeticliberty (Apr 13, 2016)

Thank you to all of you for your help. I will try mine when it turns up and if it works to my lifestyle then all well and good. If it doesn't then it will be another 5 minute wonder relegated to the 5 minute wonder cupboard. You may not be aware of this but in that cupboard I have a flux generator operated Delorean car that goes so quick it feels like I am time travelling!!!!!!!


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## DeusXM (Apr 13, 2016)

> Are they worth a punt for somebody who has never used one?



They are...if you are good with the basics of diabetes management and have a good understanding of how insulin affects you.

The Libre provides a lot of detail but that detail is less helpful for anyone still figuring some of the 'simpler' things relating to insulin - for instance, if you're still trying to work out your ratios for the first time, the Libre can help but doesn't necessarily offer you more meaningful info than you could have got with a straightforward pre- and post-prandial check.

Once you're beyond the basics though, it's really good for fine-tweaking your treatment, particularly discovering and eliminating the weird stuff. For instance, thanks to my Libre I've been able to very easily check my basal for accuracy and I've also picked up a major morning blood sugar issue that I sorta knew happened but I really didn't appreciate just how much it was affecting me. It was a massive eye-opener and the steps I've been able to take based on the Libre's information have caused quite a frightening transformation. I've never been regarded as a morning person and disturbingly I've found that actually, it's almost all down to my blood sugar. The change in my morning mood (generally) has been a bit like I've been replaced by a different person.

So yes, if you are confident in adjusting your insulins and understand the mechanisms by which your blood sugar can be affected, you can make the most of what is a very high initial investment.


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## Sally71 (Apr 13, 2016)

Bloden said:


> You're right, Sally, the Freestyle strips ARE a faff! And it took me a good few minutes to find the finger prick option on the Libre - it's hidden somewhere in Settings if I remember rightly. If I was trying to use it when hypo it'd be a real challenge!
> From what you and Shirley say, the Libre sounds like a parents' dream, especially for overnight checks.
> Good luck with your new toy when it arrives, DL.


I think if you just shove a test strip in the hole it will go straight to blood testing mode!
When we trialled one we had to blood test on it too, and have done a couple of ketone tests with the one we've got now, didn't find it difficult at all 
Yes overnight checks are a doddle now, unless it says LO, then I always think it might be a good idea to do a finger prick too just to check how low!!  Or of course if daughter happens to be lying on the sensor it's fun too (she's got what I think is called a pilot bed, i.e. a top bunk bed without a lower bunk, so I have to climb up the furniture to get at her at night  )


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## Bloden (Apr 13, 2016)

Sally71 said:


> Yes overnight checks are a doddle now, unless it says LO, then I always think it might be a good idea to do a finger prick too just to check how low!!  Or of course if daughter happens to be lying on the sensor it's fun too (she's got what I think is called a pilot bed, i.e. a top bunk bed without a lower bunk, so I have to climb up the furniture to get at her at night  )



You need to rig up something like Tom Cruise had in Mission Impossible - some bungies and a couple of safety pins should do it.


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## Sally71 (Apr 13, 2016)

Bloden said:


> You need to rig up something like Tom Cruise had in Mission Impossible - some bungies and a couple of safety pins should do it.


A crane with steel ropes more like....


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## SB2015 (Apr 13, 2016)

Back to looking just at patterns with the differences between Libre and Accu Chek back up to 2 or 3.
Patterns still useful and enjoyed  a snack seeing the plummet line appear, so prevented a reading below target.

Like Sally I am not going to bother sending it back, I shall take Matt's advice and up my water intake (I am just back from Pilates), and focus on the patterns that it shows me.


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## shirley (Apr 13, 2016)

Have to support what Sally has said, if you lay on the sensor you sometimes get a LO reading that may not be accurate.  It is also important to keep well hydrated and to put any new sensor on at least 24 hours in advance so that it settles down and you get the full 14 days of reasonably accurate readings.  We have found the readings very accurate and have only returned 3 sensors in the last year or so.   I am aware, and I am sorry if I have missed it on this thread, that if you phone Abbott about dodgy readings, they will expect you to have tested using their strips and are no longer happy to accept comparables with other meters.        Think that even if you don't use the Libre for fingerpricking at other times, having a few suitable strips when things go wrong is a good backup.


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## Diabeticliberty (Apr 13, 2016)

The more I read about the Libre the less I am starting to like it and it hasn't even landed on my doormat yet. To those of you who have suggested altering insulin doses and food intake according to results this is something I adopted over 20 years ago when I was still testing using BM  strips and making a visual guess against a colour swatch on the side of the bottle (yes we used to have to do that). I think that the meter is worth the trial to me since it cannot hurt to try a new meter. Individually wrapped test strips for conventional blood testing would feel like stepping back into the Dark Ages since the AccuChek cassette system is really user friendly.  I just wish the meters were a little bit more reliable and the results a little more trustworthy. I can only take the new meter as I see it and will offer my own personal critique which will of course be completely biased and one sided because I am an awkward pig - these are the words of my family and the people who work for me.

Please note: no pigs were harmed in the creation of this post


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## HOBIE (Apr 13, 2016)

shirley said:


> For us, it has been simply life changing.  My son cannot manage his diabetes at all.  It makes lots of testing, even at night, a doddle.  They don't always produce accurate results but when we have had a faulty one it has always been replaced and we don't fingerprick more than once a day, except when we have an unexpected high or low and when the sensor first goes on.  It has reduced our HbA1C too but that is just an aside for us.


That says it all. I love the Libre.


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## Robin (Apr 13, 2016)

Diabeticliberty said:


> To those of you who have suggested altering insulin doses and food intake according to results this is something I adopted over 20 years ago when I was still testing using BM strips and making a visual guess against a colour swatch on the side of the bottle


I don't think anyone has said just that. I think what we are trying to say is that once you've done that using test strips, the Libre can give you so much more info.
 I've been able to experiment with how long before a meal I need to inject, and have been surprised to find its ideally 30-40 mins, if I want a smooth line and not Mount Everest in the first hour,not something I'd have found out with test strips unless I'd used an awful lot of them, meaning I'd have had to keep breaking off from what I was doing. 
Also, I've never mastered the art of testing whilst horse riding,( when my levels can be unpredictable), without both hands off the reins, which isn't ideal. ( Cue for horse to start grazing, rather than bolt off, but still annoying when the reins shoot over its head) I can swipe the Libre mid ride, though I do worry I'll drop the reader in the mud one day. 
But the most I've learnt is what happens overnight. Even setting the alarm and testing at 3 am has a bit of a 'Schrodingers cat' effect - if I know I'm going to be woken up artificially in the middle of the night, my readings may well play up when they wouldn't normally. (Or would they?) I discovered I was plummeting between midnight and 1am, (caused by a Lantus spike 5 hours after I'd injected it) which exacerbated my natural dip towards 3am, and meant I was unwittingly going hypo most nights. I ironed it out by altering the time I taken my Lantus.
Having said all that, may be it won't be for you, I've only been diabetic 9 years, and I still feel I'm learning. You may feel you know all there is to know about taming your particular beast. (I'll stop now before I look like I've been brainwashed by Abbot.)


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## Sally71 (Apr 13, 2016)

Well daughter at this precise moment is having another of those annoying hypos that take forever to come back up again regardless of how much sugar you throw at it.  I have to say, repeat scanning is SOOOOOOO much easier than loads of finger pricks, as soon as it shows upward movement I'll know she is OK!  So far we've gone from 2.2 to 2.6 but not very quickly!


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## Diabeticliberty (Apr 13, 2016)

Robin said:


> I don't think anyone has said just that. I think what we are trying to say is that once you've done that using test strips, the Libre can give you so much more info.
> I've been able to experiment with how long before a meal I need to inject, and have been surprised to find its ideally 30-40 mins, if I want a smooth line and not Mount Everest in the first hour,not something I'd have found out with test strips unless I'd used an awful lot of them, meaning I'd have had to keep breaking off from what I was doing.
> Also, I've never mastered the art of testing whilst horse riding,( when my levels can be unpredictable), without both hands off the reins, which isn't ideal. ( Cue for horse to start grazing, rather than bolt off, but still annoying when the reins shoot over its head) I can swipe the Libre mid ride, though I do worry I'll drop the reader in the mud one day.
> But the most I've learnt is what happens overnight. Even setting the alarm and testing at 3 am has a bit of a 'Schrodingers cat' effect - if I know I'm going to be woken up artificially in the middle of the night, my readings may well play up when they wouldn't normally. (Or would they?) I discovered I was plummeting between midnight and 1am, (caused by a Lantus spike 5 hours after I'd injected it) which exacerbated my natural dip towards 3am, and meant I was unwittingly going hypo most nights. I ironed it out by altering the time I taken my Lantus.
> Having said all that, may be it won't be for you, I've only been diabetic 9 years, and I still feel I'm learning. You may feel you know all there is to know about taming your particular beast. (I'll stop now before I look like I've been brainwashed by Abbot.)




I don't think I know anything about taming my own particular hamster never mind beast  and of course I am very much up for trying one of these and hope it contributes toward better long term management. I think DeusXM suggested they are good if you understand your insulin and are into changing dosage as required which I do every day. As regards still learning? I believe we are all still learning about our own condition and picking up useful pieces from the shared resource on this forum. That in essence is what has brought me to try the Libre as I would have probably never even considered it had I not been curious about it when a few of you mentioned it in threads on here. I really hope that it works for me. I am still on regular bottles and regular syringes for my insulin as when I tried Basal Bolus it was a bloody disaster for me. I hope that the Libre can help me sort out some of the wrinkles that still haunt me and most other people with the condition. If not and anybody on here would care for a spare meter any of you will be welcome to it with my compliments it may however be a bit battered after I take a 14lb lump hammer to it


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## Northerner (Apr 14, 2016)

I think it will really open your eyes to a lot of what is going on, @Diabeticliberty  Still deciding whether to go for one myself


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## Well.legless.69 (Apr 14, 2016)

I've got the libre and love it but wasn't sure what the strip hole was for didn't read anything about it


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## Sally71 (Apr 14, 2016)

Northerner said:


> I think it will really open your eyes to a lot of what is going on, @Diabeticliberty  Still deciding whether to go for one myself


Go for it Northie, it might be interesting the next time your pancreas decides to wake up and play games in the middle of the night!


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## Copepod (Apr 14, 2016)

Completely off topic, but "taming the beast" makes me wonder how challenging will be the captive bred harvest mice I am adopting on Sunday. Going to visit my friend on Friday so I can get their accommodation ready for their arrival. 
I'm sure Libre is great, but it's too expensive and not right for me, as I like not being permanently attached to anything diabetes related.


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## DeusXM (Apr 14, 2016)

> I think DeusXM suggested they are good if you understand your insulin and are into changing dosage as required which I do every day



Just to clarify, I wasn't trying to suggest or insinuate you didn't know this stuff. But this is a public forum with members whose experience ranges from 'help I've just been diagnosed' to 'I've been doing this for half a century with no complications', and given the Libre is an expensive investment upfront, my natural inclination is to help protect others with less experience (ie. those who are at the start of their diabetes journey and reading this thread) spending a fortune when they can do quite a lot to help themselves without spending a penny first.

What I would say is the Libre encourages you to make lots of little adjustments throughout the day. The best metaphor I can think of is it's a bit like driving. With a standard meter, you're driving with your eyes closed, opening them once in a while for a few seconds and then changing your speed and direction of travel abruptly at that point if you're off course. With the Libre, it's like driving with your eyes open and constantly making little adjustments to your speed and steering to stay in a straight line. By doing so, I've dropped my A1C from 7.1 to 5.9 in three months.

With regards to accuracy, I have had no problems at all aside from when I accidentally snagged a sensor and it partially came out of my arm. Complaining about accuracy issues there would be the equivalent of complaining my regular meter wasn't accurate because I'd spilled Ribena on all the test strips!


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## Diabeticliberty (Apr 14, 2016)

DeusXM said:


> Just to clarify, I wasn't trying to suggest or insinuate you didn't know this stuff. But this is a public forum with members whose experience ranges from 'help I've just been diagnosed' to 'I've been doing this for half a century with no complications', and given the Libre is an expensive investment upfront, my natural inclination is to help protect others with less experience (ie. those who are at the start of their diabetes journey and reading this thread) spending a fortune when they can do quite a lot to help themselves without spending a penny first.
> 
> What I would say is the Libre encourages you to make lots of little adjustments throughout the day. The best metaphor I can think of is it's a bit like driving. With a standard meter, you're driving with your eyes closed, opening them once in a while for a few seconds and then changing your speed and direction of travel abruptly at that point if you're off course. With the Libre, it's like driving with your eyes open and constantly making little adjustments to your speed and steering to stay in a straight line. By doing so, I've dropped my A1C from 7.1 to 5.9 in three months.
> 
> With regards to accuracy, I have had no problems at all aside from when I accidentally snagged a sensor and it partially came out of my arm. Complaining about accuracy issues there would be the equivalent of complaining my regular meter wasn't accurate because I'd spilled Ribena on all the test strips!




For my own part I apologise if I replied as if I was responding from a position of wounded ego. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have had the condition a long time and intend having the condition for a whole lot longer as I am far from ready to check out just yet . In order to help achieve this I will take advice from any body and from anywhere and if the Libre offers me a bit of an edge in achieving this then I welcome it with open arms. I also value your opinion as you have experience of using one. I on the other hand will no doubt be a complete dunce with it.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Apr 14, 2016)

Which insulin(s) are you using @Diabeticliberty? If you are still on vials/syringes (ah..! that takes me back!) I am wondering whether you are on mixed. Great if that works well for you and it will be really interesting to see how Libre informs your understanding of what your BGs do between fingersticks/overnight etc.

I half wonder (since you didn't get on with MDI) whether you might end up adding a rapid-analogue pen into your mix which will allow you to carry on as you are, but give you the option of correcting high BGs with an insulin that acts faster and fades fairly quickly (eg Apidra).


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## Diabeticliberty (Apr 14, 2016)

Hello Mike, if you want a bit of pure retro I use Humulin - S and Humulin - I. Mix them myself in a big ole 1ml syringe which gives me enough flexibility. I am then at liberty to stick myself with supplementary soluble if I start munching on cream cakes. I have commented before on here that when I tried basal bolus I absolutely hated it. My control went tits up and anything that you put in front of me for more than ten seconds I wanted to eat and go back for seconds. For some obscure reason and the white coats were unable to offer a suggestion it gave me a bonkers appetite.


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## DeusXM (Apr 14, 2016)

> For some obscure reason and the white coats were unable to offer a suggestion it gave me a bonkers appetite.



It's just one of those things. Some people seem to just respond badly to some of the newer synthetic insulins (I myself had major problems with Levemir, for instance). While my view is still that MDI with rapid analogue and flat-profile basal, or a pump, is still the best option for the majority of people with diabetes, it is absolutely essential that there is a wide range of synthetic and animal insulins available for use so that everyone can have what works for them.


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## Bloden (Apr 15, 2016)

My take on the Libre is that a bit of research / reading other diabetics' comments is needed before using your first sensor to help use it effectively. I probably wasted my first few sensors by not really having a fixed idea (a clue, if I'm honest!) as to what I was looking for or expecting exactly. 

As for the problems I've had with sky-high readings, being hydrated and waiting 48 hours before activating the sensor seem to have fixed that problem for me. Enjoy, DL!


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## heasandford (Apr 27, 2016)

Bloden said:


> As for the problems I've had with sky-high readings, being hydrated and waiting 48 hours before activating the sensor seem to have fixed that problem for me. Enjoy, DL!



not sure if this post is still going but can I just ask a question - I am a complete Libre fan and am in the lucky position of being able to fund it. I do find that applying the sensor 24 hours before use gives better initial results, but the last 24 hours are then poor - don't you get that? I also find that the results vary at the extremes ie when I am high, the Libre shows higher, and when I am low, it shows lower.

But it's the direction of movement I find the most use - if it's high but on its way down then I'm not going to do a correction, and vice versa. I wish it had an alert to tell me once I'm moving fast, and before I'm wildly out of range (particularly when high, I don't feel any symptoms at all - 20+ anyone??) And it still takes an hour or 2 to get it down, so the roller coaster doesn't stop completely!

However - since being on this forum my HbA1c has reduced significantly - from around 8.0 before I joined to 7.3; to 6.8 with a pump, then to 6.3 with the Libre. Interesting that the motivation and biggest change came from here!


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