Cyborg Times (new BG meter)

Finally bit the bullet, cleared some room on my credit card and ordered one! Can't afford to keep it going full time but will be good to get the first month of data and trends and then order new sensors perhaps one a month or so. Really looking forward to the freedom and insight that it'll give me. Being able to test my sugars during work at my desk or out and about when it's not most convenient to use finger pricks and see what direction my sugars are going will be a huge bonus. Knowing what direction they are heading in when I go to bed and being able to see what happens during the night will be the biggest winner for me I think as well as seeing what happens between meals. No doubt it'll also give me the full picture of what happens when I have a few beers/night out.

that's exactly the reason it is brilliant for me....

to use it all the time just for the convenience of not finger pricking isn't really economical.....

i see it has been approved for kids now above 4......that's a great step forward for parents of young kids,,,,fantastic...

Yeah - seeing that email from them today was what made me finally order, just in case loads of folk put orders in and clogged up the distribution.

Should hopefully make for some interesting conversations with the consultant / nurse as well

Speaking to an Abbott representative at the DAFNE Collaborative last week, he said that they are about to announce an App which will replace the current reader needed to see glucose levels. The first version will be Android only, but will replace the need to purchase the reader altogether for those who haven't made that investment yet. IOS version to follow.

Met this guy on a recent DAFNE meet & he has been using the freestyle for a while & he sold it to me. Been thinking of getting it for a while now & finally ordered the package on Thurs night & it arrived Mon afternoon, so no problems with stock it appears. First few readings showed LO ( BG less than 2.2! ) but my BG Aviva meter showed readings of 4,5,6 & 5. But after 12 hours approx. the readings become very close, 1 or less, so I am pleased. No problems when going to bed or showering, the sensor stayed on. Would recommend that you make sure that your skin in bone dry though. Very easy to insert the sensor & the reader gives good patterns of what your BG is doing, so you can act quickly. Like most I pick up hypo's but it is beneficial for night-time patterns & high BG'. Yes it is expensive but I think it is worth a try as already I am getting a better understanding of what my BG' are doing.

Hi I've just graduated and found this fantastic forum have been using freestyle libra for 15 months and it really has changed my life ( ie no Italian hols) ; now I can walk Sam my dog without the fear of a hypo; can do Aquafit classes without potentially drowning again. I am 80 years old and have been type 1 for 56 of those years. The diabetic team at WGH Edinburgh plug in my libra reader, download readings giving the team 24/7 info. They trust it and so do I. Would say that the price MUST come down to give all Type 1 diabetics this aid.

Well done annegray02, most impressed by your exercise regime.
I started using Freestyle Libre just over two years ago before I started using a pump. Exercise BG control has always been difficult for me and in order to try to improve my control when exercising, I took the plunge.
I particularly enjoy cycling and had had a number of hypoglycaemic events on longer rides which had undermined my confidence.
Don't know whether my experience is representative but I can share a few things:
Ordering Freestyle Libre isn't a problem, however supply can be. Particularly when you need supply for a special event.
I ordered three weeks before going round the world, emphasising to the staff taking my telephone order that they were needed before 23/10/17. When they did not arrive in two weeks I followed up by phone the week before departure to discover no stock and they would not prioritise delivery. They arrived 4 days after I had left. Time changes hamper my control and I was keen to have the help of constant BG monitoring. My DSNs advice on pump time management helped overcome some of those difficulties however. I had just enough sensors to last the six week trip but had no spares. Needless to say, I had a failure 3 days after fitting a new sensor mid trip and was left short for the end of the holiday.
The warehouse is frequently empty nowadays and my last order 24/01/18 for yet another replacement sensor following a failure has not arrived yet.
Be warned.
The latest failed sensor was fitted before bed time avoiding the starting 'missing hour' of monitoring. It showed LO overnight so was changed at waking. I was advised on requesting a replacement that sensors may sometimes take 24 hours to read. I told them that I pay £50 a go for a sensor that gives me 24 hour coverage for 14 days not 13 days and that I thought 9 hours 'trial' start up was not reasonable. I wasn't best pleased.
I have been pressing my Local Heath Authority to give me details of when Freestyle Libre will be prescribed here and what the selection criteria will be. So far I have hit a brick wall of meeting arranged in the future followed by a meeting will be arranged in the future...followed by a....well you know the score.
I have to agree annegray02, the price must come down. I would love to know what the NHS pays for them now that they are prescribable in some areas.

Yes Garry I had some problems with Abbott supplies too, but this year has been fine. Freestyle Lybra I believe was manufactured in France but now I think some are being produced in UK so perhaps the stocks will reach you faster.
My first 2 sensors fell off my arm and were replaced. I only check before a meal, going to bed and 3am so can fit the 'missing hour' between. Congratulations on going round the world. BG control must have been really challenging.
What I learned on my weeks Dafne coarse is going to help though.

I checked out the app for phone. Will not use it though for the sensor lets me check ketone levels

Peter said:
Speaking to an Abbott representative at the DAFNE Collaborative last week, he said that they are about to announce an App which will replace the current reader needed to see glucose levels. The first version will be Android only, but will replace the need to purchase the reader altogether for those who haven't made that investment yet. IOS version to follow.

Regarding the freestyle reserve stock, I placed a re-order and did not received until 15 days later. Apparently Abbotts have low reserve stock due to high demand, which makes me wonder if some CCG' have approved for type 1 diabetics. In December my GP told me the CCG for Dartford, Gravesham & Swanley Kent had not approved, but they have another sometime this month to discuss again. Fingers crossed huh.