Freestyle Libre

Type 1 for 52 years. I just started using Freestyle Libre. It is consistently reading 15 points lower that every glucose monitor (calibrated) I’ve ever had. Sensor reads 10 points lower than finger stick with Libre.

Consistently lower or higher is good

you will have to go thru a few sensors to see if it works for you

So, does each sensor sort of “do it’s own thing”?

In most cases - some can be very good - some can at times be 70 off

It works for some folks and not for others

I would never not do a fingerstick - IMHO

my wife uses it - it is excellent for her on the low end and has saved many extreme lows

good luck - experiment with different sites in the area they recommend - some parts are more fatty then others - see what area it works best

I am hoping medicare approves eversense which is supposed to be the best

Thank you much, Tony24!

There are many posts about libre here

you many want to browse them

Thank you again, I just found this blog last night!

For me the Freestyle Libre was always low by 20 points and sometimes 50 points or more. I had it for a few months and then decided it was not right for me. I then tried the Dexcom G5 and have had it for six months. It is recognized as the most accurate of the several that are out there. I record every finger stick and it is 6% accurate for each sensor I have used. I am at the point where I might skip fingersticks but I wouldn’t do that if it was wildly inaccurate.

The other advantages I have found is that you place it the Dexcom on your abdomen, not your arm. I hated swiping the Libre, especially in public, to get a reading. The Dexcom gives you one every five minutes without a swipe.

Most importantly you can set a Decom low and high alarm and the Dexcom will go off upon hitting those sensors. This is very important to me especially at night. Even if the Libre could do that imagine setting it for 30 because you thought it was 50 points low all the time. You should not put up with a sensor that is so inaccurate, in my opinion.

Great info!

Mine is right on accurate just about all the time. But small discrepancies from meters are to be expected.

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My Libre sensors vary. About half of them have run at least 20 points low and more frequently 30 points low. The other half have run between right on to about 10 points low. I’m usually able to determine in the first day or two how they are running, then just add that number for the rest of the readings unless I get usually low or high readings. Only then do I usually take additional fingerstick readings. Saving the finger jabs is worth being a little off in my opinion.

Twice I had sensors that included some readings that were 50 to 70 points low. For those I called Abbott and got replacements. Otherwise, I don’t find it is necessary.

The estimated A1c on my Libre before my last blood work was 5.2. My actual A1c came in at 6.0. So that makes sense if the readings were an average of about 22 points lower than actual over the last three months or so. And by chance, the last three sensors I had before my blood test all read 20-30 points low.

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Thank you! Far from perfect; however, I, too, am willing to work with it.

Most for me run 10-25 points off, the “good” ones are only 10 points off. What I look for is not higher than 25 points off after the first day, I just don’t feel comfortable giving myself insulin 30 plus points higher. Plus I want it fairly consistent so I can make adjustments as I need too. I have eliminated 80% of my finger sticking, maybe even more sometimes. I was happy to not have to fingerstick so much. Of course I was the person that sometimes would just test 2 times a day or 8 times if I felt “off” So the sensor really helped having a reading all day long every day. I learned some very surprising information from it immediately like my daily morning escalation of blood sugar even though I didn’t eat a thing.

Each sensor can vary, maybe it’s the spot it’s on? Some people have commented on different spots being better. I was 6.4 A1c last time. But yes, I adjust as it never has been spot on from my meter. I also start a new one with a second meter 18-24 hours in advance so it has time to start working and is more accurate. Plus I can use the other one to help judge how accurate the new one is so I know what adjustments to make with less fingersticking!

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Very helpful! However, I don’t think I understand what you’re saying

***I also start a new one with a second meter 18-24 hours in advance so it has time to start working and is more accurate. Plus I can use the other one to help judge how accurate ***

Are you saying you have a second Libre meter?

My Libre actually runs higher. Sometimes as much as 50-60. I’ve called them 2x and I can tell everyone to save your breath. I think they are trained to find answers to justify it. I wasn’t calling for a replacement unit, just wanted to know if there was anything to help get the numbers closer. This might be weird, but I find when I have the sensor in my left arm, it is much closer. Also, the first day is always crazy, after that…they seem to settle down.

YAAAAASS. Me too.

Interesting!

Yes, what a shame. You would think the manufacturer (Abbott) would be working on these reported problems. Perhaps they are. The customer service reps can only tell us what they know. Shame on Abbott!

Yes I have 2 readers, I start a second one on my other arm 18-24 hours before the first one runs out. It is a lot more accurate after at least 4 hours. So I have 2 going with 2 separate readers for 6-12 hours.

The new ones are supposed to be I think a 1 hour warm up? And I don’t know how accurate it will be and how long it will take to be more accurate. But my method might change some with it.

I got quickly attached to my sensor and decided if it broke, I would like a second one on hand. Then I realized I could skip that pesky waiting time of not having one by starting a 2nd one before the first runs out!

Bajahammer, it really depends who you talk to there. They want it to not be off by 20 or 30% depending who you get. So they “allow” more points if you are talking higher numbers. Plus I got one box of their testing strips, because they want you to check against theirs.

I’ve heard all their stories of why wrong numbers are supposed to be okay.

But you can bypass them via your pharmacy. The one time I called and they gave me a hard time I took it back to the pharmacy (Walgreens) and they didn’t even pause in exchanging it.
I just told the pharmacist it was off 40 points and wasn’t working right. I’ve since returned a couple more with no issues in exchanging them with Walgreens. I do keep everything from the box as I’m wearing each one in case I have to take it back.

I’m a firm believer that when you purchase something , it is supposed to work!