# New libre 2 sensor



## Ianhat (Dec 23, 2021)

Hi all and first I'd like to wish everyone a great Christmas 
I have been put on the libre 2 sensor by my diabetes nurse today I'm loving it already lol
Does anyone have any tips on how to get the best out of it as I'm obviously new to it and only diagnosed with type 1 6 months ago thanks for reading my post


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## helli (Dec 23, 2021)

My advice would be to be fully aware of the limitations of libre
- it may be less accurate for the first couple of days. Many of us insert it 48 hours before activating.
- it is calibrated to be accurate for “normal“ readings ( between about 4 and 8mmol/l). Therefore, always check with a finger prick test before correcting a high or treating a hypo.
- Libre does not read blood sugars. It reads interstitial fluid which is around 15 minutes behind blood sugars. Libre 2 extrapolates the current trend to predict the last 15 minutes. This is fantastic most of the time. However, if the trend changes, it can over shoot. This is especially important when treating a hypo - always check your hypo has finished with a finger prick and do not retreat because Libre says you are still low.
- some Libre sensors are faulty. If you have a sensor which is always off my a couple of mmol/l or reports a fault, report it to Abbott by phone. They will probably replace it and may ask you to return the faulty sensor so don’t through it away.

Once you have got used to Libre, you can look to do things like
- look for trends which suggest you need to pre-bolus earlier or later.
- look for trends which may suggest you basal is not lasting between doses.
- see what happens overnight (do you experience Dawn Phenomenon?)
- see what happens with exercise 

If you are technologically minded, you may want to consider converting the Libre to a CGM so you don’t need to scan it. There are a number of options for this depending upon your phone, whether your diabetes team are checking you readings online and how techy you are. But they are not official and written by techies for techies.


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## Ianhat (Dec 23, 2021)

helli said:


> My advice would be to be fully aware of the limitations of libre
> - it may be less accurate for the first couple of days. Many of us insert it 48 hours before activating.
> - it is calibrated to be accurate for “normal“ readings ( between about 4 and 8mmol/l). Therefore, always check with a finger prick test before correcting a high or treating a hypo.
> - Libre does not read blood sugars. It reads interstitial fluid which is around 15 minutes behind blood sugars. Libre 2 extrapolates the current trend to predict the last 15 minutes. This is fantastic most of the time. However, if the trend changes, it can over shoot. This is especially important when treating a hypo - always check your hypo has finished with a finger prick and do not retreat because Libre says you are still low.
> ...


Thank you for you advise
When you say insert the sensor 48hr before activating do you have a sensor on both arms for that period or remove the old 1 and use finger pricks for the 48 hrs


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## Bruce Stephens (Dec 23, 2021)

Ianhat said:


> Does anyone have any tips on how to get the best out of it as I'm obviously new to it and only diagnosed with type 1 6 months ago thanks for reading my post


Watch the various videos (mostly based on Libre 1, I think) giving advice on how to interpret the arrows and so on. Use LibreView now and again (the graphs are much easier on a larger screen, especially things like the daily patterns).


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## helli (Dec 23, 2021)

I


Ianhat said:


> Thank you for you advise
> When you say insert the sensor 48hr before activating do you have a sensor on both arms for that period or remove the old 1 and use finger pricks for the 48 hrs


i have a sensor going through its last 2 days on one arm and another “bedding in” on the other arm.
There is no need to go through a 2 day Libre break.


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## Ianhat (Dec 23, 2021)

Ianhat said:


> Thank you for you advise
> When you say insert the sensor 48hr before activating do you have a sensor on both arms for that period or remove the old 1 and use finger pricks for the 48 hrs





Bruce Stephens said:


> Watch the various videos (mostly based on Libre 1, I think) giving advice on how to interpret the arrows and so on. Use LibreView now and again (the graphs are much easier on a larger screen, especially things like the daily patterns).


Just Google Libreview will set it up later thanks for your advice


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## Chatty Cathy (Jan 13, 2022)

This advice is generally okay but I was only allowed to have LibreFree on the condition I only used it on my right arm as I have a Pacemaker Last year I lost my hypo awareness and despite running my bloods high for sometime have not fully recovered it Have been having problems with sensors and feel ready to revert to injections as life is becoming more difficult anyone got any tips please


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## Kaylz (Jan 13, 2022)

@Chatty Cathy I'm not quite sure what you mean by revert to injections seen as the Libre is nothing to do with injections?

What sort of problems have you been experiencing with the Libre sensors? xx


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## RTI (Jan 13, 2022)

Hi,
I have the sensor since more 3 years and I am type 1 more ~40 years. I thought I knew already a lot of my type 1, but  starting with the Libre (nowLibre 2) it was a revelation I have learned so much more about my Diabetes and my body due to the libre sensor as I couldn't imagine before. History: My diabetes was very difficult to control, eventhough I made 10-12 pricks per day.

So what I have done with the libre sensor (worked at home, covid) and I have started to test every 15mn (used my mobile for 15mn timer). Just to find out how by body reacts on food, sport, etc.. 

Advise: 1) At first don't start to exactly compare with blood-sugar test (finger pricks). There will be always a difference.  Just in case if you get the impression the differences are to high (>2) check several times and if it a similar diffeence continues over time (several hours),you may have to the sensor. PS: You may get a replacement, if you phone Abott and explain reason (Abott UK, 08001701177) But take care in case is jumping up and down (as your libre sensor is ~10-15mn late, as it measure in the interstitial fluid and not blood).

2) Don't be to stressed in case of up and downs and try learn as much as you can about your body, food, insulin and it interactions and maybe speak with your diabetes team for your reflection.

PS: With the libre 2 sensor you may run sooner or later also into a current libre 2 sensor problem (not often): 
Error (373): (Message: Sensor error: Glucose reading is unavailable. Try scanning again in 10mn). You just check and wait for some time, maybe until >1 - 3h and if still not coming back, you may change your sensor and you may get a replacement too.


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## Proud to be erratic (Feb 4, 2022)

Ianhat said:


> Just Google Libreview will set it up later thanks for your advice


Hi @Ianhat ,
I think @helli has covered most of the limitations and first points that are essential for understanding Libre 2.

However, I have found the lag from actual blood glucose to interstitial is a fair bit less than 15mins. This was the lag claimed by Abbott for the original Libre, but for Libre 2 Abbot officially claim the lag averages at 2.4 mins and I find that is more like 5 mins, but not 15. I have a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) piggy backing on Libre so I can see minute by minute what my interstitial is doing, without having to scan and get a flash reading. When I couple those with a finger prick I see this lag quite clearly, both for falling and rising BG. 

I particularly agree with @helli to resist over-reacting when Libre and finger pricks are at odds. In the final analysis believe finger pricks over Libre, but Libre is brilliant at giving you a quicker feel for where your BG is; and when mid range, say 5-8 I don't do much finger pricking - with the one CAVEAT: if, in periods of level, stable BG, my sensor is significantly high or low in relation to actual then I finger prick before food bolus or corrections and use the actual readings for my doses. This week for example, my Libre 2 is consistently reading 2.5 mmol/L high; I can mentally adjust for that as I go about my day, but I won't trust those out of kilter readings for bolus.

Of course this is just me and others will find differences. But I thought it possibly helpful to mention this now; you'll see reference to interstitial lag as 2.4mins on Abbots you tube videos.

Good luck.


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## Ianhat (Feb 4, 2022)

Proud to be erratic said:


> Hi @Ianhat ,
> I think @helli has covered most of the limitations and first points that are essential for understanding Libre 2.
> 
> However, I have found the lag from actual blood glucose to interstitial is a fair bit less than 15mins. This was the lag claimed by Abbott for the original Libre, but for Libre 2 Abbot officially claim the lag averages at 2.4 mins and I find that is more like 5 mins, but not 15. I have a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) piggy backing on Libre so I can see minute by minute what my interstitial is doing, without having to scan and get a flash reading. When I couple those with a finger prick I see this lag quite clearly, both for falling and rising BG.
> ...


I have been using it awhile now and took in all advice and I must say it's a game changer for me my levels are a lot better than they was like I say the libre is like brining mo salah on in a Sunday league match  totally transformed my understanding of how my body works with diabetes


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## Proud to be erratic (Feb 4, 2022)

Ianhat said:


> I have been using it awhile now and took in all advice and I must say it's a game changer for me my levels are a lot better than they was like I say the libre is like brining mo salah on in a Sunday league match  totally transformed my understanding of how my body works with diabetes


Great and my apologies for not spotting the start date for this thread.


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