Anyone out there using the Freestyle Libre? What’s your experience with it. I’m thinking about trying it, but want to hear from others who have used it first. Thanks.
It’s a decent product. The technology is several years old so it’s not as reliably accurate as the newer CGM’s but it’s substantially cheaper at about $70 a month without insurance. Abbott is really weird about replacing sensors that are not accurate but if your sensor falls off or just stops working before it’s supposed to then they send you another one right away.
If accuracy is a deal breaker for you then you can use third party apps and devices to calibrate and turn it into a full CGM with alarms. I have no regrets with buying this system and I cannot afford a Dexcom so I don’t personally know how it compares to one. For some people it seems to work perfectly with great accuracy and others it is a random number generator. It is usually pretty good for me but I have had a few wonky sensors that just made no sense.
Overall I think it is worth trying to see if it will be good for you and it does save me a lot of finger sticks.
My HMO decided to cover the three sensors a month for $32. That right there makes it good for me, Dex is way more money. I am using the Roche Guide meter right now, and the numbers match exactly or fairly closely, much of the time. I only finger stick when I don’t feel like I’m as high as it says. Even then, I have been getting a near perfect match. I love how easy it is to apply, no pain and so quick.
Looking forward to the newly designed product with one hour warm up and longer wear (14 days I think?).
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If you are current Dexcom user, you may qualify for a free trial Libre, if the offer is still available. But not valid if on Medicare.
I tried it and compared with dexcom, and thought they were both about the same accuracy overall.
But am staying with dexcom, since it alerts automatically without needing additional stuff.
The newer Libre will last longer, and I may revisit my decision, for cost reasons.
Sorry for jumping on late, but I have been traveling, doing the college visit thing with my youngest.
I have used the freestyle libre since June. I really like it, however, some things to know. This is based on my experiences:
- if you swim alot, the sensor will come off unless you use something to help it stay on. I use a skin-tac that I got on amazon. That works really well.
- Don’t ever put on 2 applications of skin tac because you think the first one didn’t work. That creates a VERY painful applicator and sensor removal.
- Each sensor’s accuracy can vary for me.
-My first 3 sensors were great - perfectly aligned when you take into account the 10 min delay from blood test to sensor reading.
-One sensor fell off in an extreme heatwave/swimming - so I started using a simplepatch cover. That works well for me.
-The next sensor was less accurate - underreporting my numbers.
-Sensor 5 was off by 40 points at times. I called the company, got help right away. They sent a replacement. They will ask you exactly how you applied the sensor. I was able to tell them that I never go below 80, so readings of 62 were way off.
-Sensor 6 was off by 10- 20 points in the low end, and more accurate over 119. I just mentally aded 10 points to every reading.
-Sensor 7 is accurate at any range, like, perfect again. - I believe placement makes a difference. fleshier places seem better. Higher up on the arm, right where the arm shape goes in after the shoulders works best for me. If a short sleeve shirt can cover the sensor, my sensors are more accurate.
- It’s addictive to read your numbers. I love having the data! I have learned so much - like oatmeal, with or without protein is a NO GO for me. Yogurt gives me a bs spike, but not so bad. My body does better when I have 20 or less carbs at a time. Oh, oatmeal spikes me worse than cake - go figure?!
instead of 
for breakfast? - This system doesn’t hurt - you might feel a pinch when you insert the sensor, especially if you use skintac, but it is no where near as bad as finger pricks.
I am so much happier using this over finger sticks. I am pianist and type 2 (dx in April) and trying to reverse the dx with food journalling, low carb eating (average 80 net carbs a day), some exercise, and tracking data patterns. with good tracking and eating,
I dropped from an a1c of a 6.7 to a 6.0 in 2 months. My doctor is thrilled with the libre - but I am his only patient on it. I had to request the system because he didn’t know about it.
I find it very empowering. It’s great to know what’s going on with my body and how it responds to different things. For example, I ended up at a church supper that only had carbs to eat - no protein. I spiked to 179, which for me was very scary. I knew I had to walk off the BS. My whole family walked with me. As I walked, I saw the numbers drop. I kept walking until I got below 100.
I’ve learned that I eat to stay awake. I get too tired, my bs drops, I eat to stay awake. I still need to come up with a solution to that problem - it’s not as easy as just take a nap (2 jobs, 2 kids), but I have data and a correlation. I can trial things, adjust my patterns, record the data, and move on.
My nutrition diabetes group says I’m really type A about this, so don’t feel you have to be this crazy. I just feel more in control having the information in the palm of my hand, so to speak.
I hope this helps. You can connect the reader online to see various charts of how you are doing. You can input insulin and carbs and exercise directly on the reader. It’s easy to use.
IT WILL NOT warn you proactively of dangerous lows or highs. INHO, his is a good system for a type 2 who isn’t at risk of going into diabetic comas.
I hope this helps. I am a huge fan, even with the ups and downs.
Laurel
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I’ve only been using the Libre for about a week now. In that week, it has already made a significant difference in how I am managing my diabetes (diagnosed in May). It has become a personal challenge to myself to keep my numbers as flat as possible, with minimal spikes.
Before I had the Libre, I was finger sticking as many as 8 times a day trying to map out a pattern that I can see immediately on the Libre.
I also use the Glimp app, so that I can somewhat calibrate to my BG meter - but then I struggle personally with - which is more correct? My BG meter, or the Libre, knowing the FDA allowable tolerances for BG meters. My BG meter has never read as low as the Libre does, so even if I finger stick and then check with the Libre in 5/10/15, even 20 minute intervals, they never match. Which is why I use Glimp to try to calibrate my readings. And I only calibrate when I have a flat line trend (not going up or going down on the readings).
I’m still all new to this, but the Libre encourages me to make better choices. That, and I love to cook, so I’ve been having a great time on Pinterest looking for delicious low carb meals and thrilled when these meals are not spiking my BS.
My neighbors, who do Keto are even enjoying it - we have a Game Night every Friday night, and they always ask me to cook (they pitch in on the groceries), because they love how I cook. The biggest hit was a keto lasagna with “faux” noodles made from cream cheese, eggs, parmesan and mozarella cheese - seeing that they’re also Italian, that was a great compliment.
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I’ve been using it continuously since June 2016. For me it is exceptionally accurate, right from insertion, and I’ve not ever lost one, despite some fairly direct arm grabs at martial arts practice. I cover it with kinesiotape to make sure it stays put, and I have added a Miao Miao to turn it into CGM. Which in turn has helped me start closed looping (4 days ago😊).
After the first few weeks I pretty much stopped testing and just trusted it. My HbA1c is unchanged, it hovers around 5.5%.
When/if the Dexcom 6 comes to Australia, I will give it a go, but I’m very satisfied with Libre. I’ve not used Dexcom 4 or 5, but did use Medtronic original and Enlite. They were fairly useless accuracy wise for me.
i have been using it for the past year it works great how ever some times the # will be off a little and some times a lot so you just have to e on the look out
and the fact that u have to change it only every 2 weeks is amazing
if u end up geting it enjoy it
The last 3 sensors have been great for my wife in that area - had a lot that were way off and honestly almost gave up. We well see what number four does in that area. This last one is within 15 every time. Usually 15 low consistently and that is all you need.
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