Is anyone else having trouble opening Libre 3 sensors to apply them?
I just started on the Libre 3 CGM back in July. At first I had trouble getting it to sink with the app on my phone, but someone showed me exactly where to place the phone and it worked beautifully. So, I spent 2 weeks on that sensor and really liked using a CGM instead of pricking my fingers 10 times a day.
Then, I had to replace the sensor. I had been sent 9 sensors (90 day supply, plus 2 extra), and when I went to use the next sensor, I couldn’t get it opened. That happened with all eight sensors! Called Abbott support, and they told me they couldn’t take them all back, but they would replace two at a time. Got the next two, and only one would open. Then, called again, same bs, they sent me 2 more, and neither one opened.
When I say they don’t open…they’re supposed to unscrew. When they work right, they’re pretty easy to open. The ones that don’t open…seems like they are glued closed with the strongest glue known to mankind. I’ve used clamps to hold one side while I try twisting the top…no dice. I have been unable to get Abbot support to move me up to a supervisor, and I’ve gotten so fed up with the stupid questions they’ve asked, sometimes 3-5 times in the same conversation (Did you try unscrewing them or were you trying to simply pull them apart?) that I hung up on the last support person.
Meanwhile, I’ve been back to finger-sticking for over a month, This is sooo frustrating! Has anyone else had this problem, and does anyone know who to call or write to at Abbot to get this taken care of?
I think I’ve only had one sensor that was hard to unscrew. I just took a paring knife and cut the tiny piece of tape that was sealing it. You might also try using those round silicone jar openers that provide a good grip. Or gloves. Twist counterclockwise.
I have been using them for a little over a year I think. Connection to my phone was initially challenging for me too. I have been a T1 for seven years and my fingers were so happy for the upgrade. Due to the pharmacy not being able to get them in right now, I am currently back to finger sticking and realize how much I don’t miss it.
Can’t give any advice as to who to contact. I usually have to spend a good 20-30 minutes trying to open those things. No joke. I haven’t ever thought about reaching out to customer service. I just thought that the impossibility of opening them was normal. Sometimes they open easily. But rarely.
But to me that is my only complaint. I love what they do for me!
As we previously discussed the Abbott applicator is a bad design. Anyone who has used any version of the Libre for a couple of years has run into this problem.
The easiest solution to solve the problem is a pair of slip joint pliers or strap wrenches. Slightly more work would be changing to a Dexcom G7.
I am sympathetic to the frustration, sadness, and angst you feel when a medical product you depend on to stay alive doesn’t work. If communicating with Abbott will help you write to Jared Watkin, Executive Vice President, Diabetes Care. The address for the diabetes care division can be found on https://www.abbott.com/contact.html If you do write consider your audience. Jared is concerned with increasing profits. You are not his customer, the insurance companies, pharmacies and national health systems are.
Speaking of not being Abbotts customer, have you taken the defective products back to the pharmacy you bought them from? If the kid at the counter can’t open them maybe they’ll exchange them.
So, thank you all for your support. So far, I have tried using a paring knife to pry the two pieces apart…worked on one sensor. I’ve used rubber grippers, that didn’t work, even after using a knife to split the pice of tape. Next I’ll try the joint pliers.
spdif: thanks for the specific information about who and where to write to Abbott Labs. I may try that next. I’m thinking that if enough people write about this, and threaten to switch to Dexcom, maybe it’ll have some effect. After all, if the bottom line is almighty, maybe a threat to their bottom line will work.
I’ll let you know if I manage to get one opened.
This happened to me. My husband can do 16 pull ups, is 72, has climbed trees as an arborist his whole life. He put everything he had in to opening the inserter. Nope. Then he put channel locks on both halves and STILL couldn’t open it. We spoke at length = a long long time, with an Abbot rep and they sent a replacement. Too much work!! Much as I like Libre when it works, love the 14 day run time. Ugh!! I’ve also had trouble with the G7 failing. Kinda makes me hope the $ motivated CEOs have T1D in their next life.
I just inserted a new sensor last night. Cut the tiny seal with tiny scissors before unscrewing the top from the bottom. Only had to put a little “muscle” into it. I’m 81.
I do think it might be a bit hard to do without breaking the sterile seal first.
Dogramma,
That’s because the particular sensor you opened wasn defective. That’s how they’ll supposed to open.
When they can’t be opened at all, using clamps, knives, rubber grippers, or all three methods, they’re defective. I’ve only been able to use my cgm for 4 weeks out of the past three months due to defective sensors. This is beyond poor design and way beyond poor customer service!
Well, hallelujah - I finally got a sensor opened! Just waiting for the 60-minute boot up.
Took inserting a paring knife all around the edge, and then using pliers to grab one side, a rubber gripper to hold the other side, snd a strong twist. Life shouldn’t be this hard!
Hi Ruth,
I have been using Libre 3 for more than a year and can’t understand why they make it near impossible unscrewing the sensor applicator. It usually took me from 20 to 40 minutes to undo it.
I would use a butter knife to try and loosen it and suffered cuts and knicks to my fingers, as I cursed the makers of this device. And that lousy seal, what were they thinking
Well, there’s good news! I went searching and found a magical device on Etsy that had me undoing
it in seconds. They sell a plastic two
part wrench, embossed with name
Libre 3, and comes in a variety of colors. It comes from Moreland Makers and cost about $5. It was truly a game changer for me.
That’s awesome. I was hoping Ruth 's husband was going to make a tiktok video using a power tools to open the libre 3 complete with flying hotdogs and ketchup everywhere but this tool is better.
Two Libre 3 wrenches, two sensors, both wrenches broke, both sensors remained unopened. I was going to write to Abbott, but…
Luckily, it turned out my pump warranty had just expired (didn’t even realize it) and Medtronic and CCS medical both contacted me and started the paperwork to replace my 630 with a 780G and a G4.
I’m so done with Abbott, and just hope the G4 is easier to use.
Thanks to all for the advice and support. I may be back with questions when I get the new pump/cgm, but hopefully it’ll be similar enough to previous Medtronic pumps that I’ll be able to set up without having a meltdown.
That’s a level of evidence most people don’t have. Make sure to photograph the wrenches and inserters so they can’t say you were twisting the wrong way.
I don’t think anyone has described the guardian 4 sensor as easy. Please take a look at
OMG…that’s a whole lot of process for one sensor that’s only going to last 7 days.
At this point, I just don’t know what to do. I have a whole bunch of libre 3 sensors that I can’t use; Abbott customer service is worse than useless. When I first called them about the first 8 sensors, they wouldn’t replace more than 2 at a time, and they told me they didn’t want the defctive sensors back. They sent me 2 replacements, and I could only open one. Then I called a couple of weeks later and again they said they didn’t want the defective sensors back. They sent 2 more and again I could only get one opened, and that was by using a sharp knife along the edge to loosen it. Then, yesterday, after a total time of 2 months since I first called them. I got a letter saying, basically, that I was supposed to return the defective sensors and they haven’t got them yet.
When I can get a sensor open, they work beautifully, but that’s a useless factor if I can’t get the damn things opened. And if this is their idea of customer service, pffft!
A quick update: While talking to CCS Medical about my new replacement pump, I mentioned the problem with the sensors. They are taking back the entire last shipment, which means that Medicare will not think I still have a few months of sensors left.
And…I am going with the 780G and the G4 CGM. At this rate, I don’t think it could possibly be any worse than the problems I’ve been having with the Libre 3. Plus I have found both Medtronic and CCS Medical customer service to be quite good, as opposed to Abbott’s “customer service”, which is an oxymoron.
Also, the manufacturer of the wrench device for opening the Libre 3 sensors has contacted me and is sending me a return label. They also said they’d send me replacements, but I’ve told them I won’t need the replacements. If they sent them out before they got my message, I’ll let you all know and if anyone wants them I’ll be happy to mail them to you.
Again, thanks for your help. Hopefully I’ll be able to manage the G4 without having a major breakdown!!!
My past experience with Abbot. There seems to be only one person you can bump up the conversation to and that’s it. In multiple conversations the top president/owner or?? supposedly is the next step up and you can’t get to anyone else.
My solution, because I was mad enough once, was to keep that person on the line for literally an hour or so. He kept saying thank you for calling, is there anything else. Apparently they are not allowed to hang up on you, so do not say okay to anything that gives them the opening to say good bye. I just kept saying my problem is not resolved do not hang up when they would try, and I repeated what I wanted. Eventually he did something to solve the issue and labeled it differently just to be able to get rid of me. Not sure if that would still work but…
And in the past I did used to have good luck with returning the sensors when needed to Walgreen’s where I used to get LIbre’s and they would replace them without a blink. I’m glad you got yours returned!
