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For someone who has been diabetic for years and the disease has progressed, causing problems such as kidney failure, heart problems, neurological issues, but most importantly, sugar control problems, so continuous measurement is required by finger pricking, the sensor is a lifesaver. You apply it for 15 days, all you have to do is scan it (either with the application you download on your mobile phone or with the meter you buy from the company that makes the sensor) and take your measurements as many times a day as you want. This way, you can adjust your food, medication, and life with diabetes in general.
The needle of the sensor is very thin and relatively soft. It doesn't hurt, it doesn't bother, and in any case, it is the best solution for advanced diabetes (whether it is type 1 or type 2). The problem with type 2 is that it is not prescribed, so you have to pay for it out of pocket (you need 2 sensors per month and the prices range from 59-63 euros per sensor).
The application is very simple to use, and the instructions included in the package are more than enough, but there are also videos on YouTube that you can watch.
I will give you a piece of advice. If you decide to get the sensor, get tegaderm film from the pharmacy, which is primarily made to protect wounds from moisture, but if you stick it over the sensor (after making a small hole to leave the small "eye" of the sensor empty), it protects you from accidentally catching the sensor on sleeves and clothes when you put them on or take them off.
You can wear the sensor normally in your bath/shower, and you can also wear it in a pool or the sea for a maximum of half an hour.
Because I have read that some people have inaccurate measurements or faulty products, I would like to give you 2-3 tips so that your measurements are better and more accurate. First of all, when applying the sensor, make sure not to squeeze the muscle of your hand so that the very thin and relatively soft needle enters the skin without bending.
After application, and because putting on or taking off clothes or sleeping and turning left and right can cause the sensor to move more than it should and the needle to bend, I put a protective adhesive tegaderm sticker on top of it (7cm X 8.5cm) after making a hole in the middle for the eye of the sensor first, and this way, I am sure that the measurements will be perfect for all the days I wear it.
As for faulty products, they always replace them and send you an envelope to mail the faulty ones back to the company (at their expense).
LAST ADDITION TO MY COMMENTS:
Last summer (2023), we found that the accuracy was not as good as in other periods. Something that led us to the conclusion that perhaps the very high temperatures during transportation by couriers play a significant role in the smooth operation of the sensor... Only the company can confirm this, of course.
In my case, the image it presented was completely inconsistent with the dramatically high glucose measurement. I don't know if the sensor was faulty. It does, however, express the trends.
Many times it failed to measure and send the data to the phone. Once it stopped working on the second day. Fortunately, the company replaced it for free
For throwing away. The sensor detaches with the slightest touch and simply does not measure, leaving you without knowing what your blood sugar levels are. Take another device with you because it is not reliable
At first, everything was fine. When summer came, it started to peel off at the sea, but that's the least of my worries compared to the incorrect readings it was giving me, resulting in me making wrong corrective injections and experiencing hypoglycemia. Unfortunately, it is dangerous many times.
I am type 1 diabetic. Unfortunately, it is not reliable. The measurements it gives often have a huge deviation from those you do with finger pricking. I have experienced up to 90 units difference. So be careful users. When it shows you 40 or 50 sugar and you don't have dizziness or other symptoms of hypoglycemia, (diabetics know the symptoms) it is good to also do finger measurements. The difference it shows you will be the same until the sensor expires. Instead of removing it, you can continue to measure and add the difference. That's what I do. If the company gives you a replacement message, they will change it. For type 1 diabetics, it is fortunately free, with a prescription, and it is a relative help even though it is unreliable because it is not pleasant to constantly prick your finger when you inject in the morning, noon, and night. You simply calculate the difference when it starts showing you very low measurements. I do not recommend buying it at all, it is not worth the money. As for putting it in the sea, forget it! Here it often breaks before it expires. Avoid too much water.
Very good if I had real measurements.. I see various.. sticks very well everything perfect.. very expensive for what it offers.. T2 is not prescribed and it is unacceptable while I have complete insulin-dependent diabetes.. to contribute and not the whole amount.. so much money and not getting accurate results.. luckily I learned that there is another product to try..
After the initially good impression, as soon as I took a bath and lay down for a bit, the measurements went crazy. It went from 165 to 55 and then back to 115. The same thing happened in the morning, crazy drops and then back up again. I measured with a conventional machine using blood and the difference was huge. 84 on the conventional machine and 110 on this one. The company told me that maybe the needle is bent... then maybe it's defective... anyway, I have to change it in half a day! I don't even know if I will use another one! It caused me more anxiety because I have no experience and I am pregnant! If I had to pay for it (since I am not charged during pregnancy), there is no way I would ever take it again! Besides, even the doctor would get the wrong image! It's a hassle for nothing. And you can feel the needle. You always feel that something is there, you don't forget it as they say!
Well, for its price it's not worth it. In one week, I had to change 3 devices because it easily comes off, especially now in the summer when you sweat. It's simply tragic for its price. Unacceptable company
I bought a defective product. It was installed and connected to the device properly, but the next day it says it has expired. I will definitely speak with the company. I won't make the requested rephrasing because there has been no product replacement for a month and I haven't received my money back either.
Whatever we say is not enough. Firstly, its measurements are extremely accurate, verified both with a simple finger meter and with laboratory results. I hesitated to buy it because I believed that the needle would bother me by constantly being on my skin, that it would not stick well, etc., until my doctor put it on me (with the lancet). You don't understand ANYTHING, both in the application and afterwards. Absolutely nothing, it's not even a pinch like that of regular meters. It stuck perfectly to my skin, it didn't come off even during sleep, or even when my shirt got stuck or hit somewhere several times, in the end I had difficulty even removing it. For those with oily skin, the solution is pads from the pharmacy, which should be used in the shower anyway. The convenience it offers in measurement is unimaginable and the application on the mobile is very good, with many features and graphs. It is inconceivable for a diabetic not to have it. Let's hope that soon it will be prescribed and covered by insurance funds.
It helps a lot in regulating diet with the aim of better sugar control. Both short-term (for today, for what I eat and what I don't eat now) and long-term (within a three-month period...). With the help of LIBRE, I managed to lower my glycosylated hemoglobin from 6.1 to 5.6 in 90 days...
I have been buying it for my diabetic parents for quite some time. Unfortunately, the product is very expensive for what it offers. It should be at least half the price or the sensor should last more days. At least 20-25.
Also, several pieces are defective. They do not measure correctly or expire before the 2 weeks they are supposed to last. Be careful to count the days.
Fortunately, the company replaces them for free. But it takes a few days, especially if you live in the countryside, so there should be an extra piece at home.
It is a good convenience compared to needles, but essentially we are paying for the patent and it is quite expensive due to the brand. I hope another similar company will be found in the future with cheaper meters in the same style or that the government will cover them for those with type 2 diabetes, which is the majority of the world.
Terribly unreliable in its measurements. You stay calm thinking you are within limits and measure with the altimeter and see the real measurement that does not correspond at all to that of the sensor.
Not just a waste of money, but these machines should not be released on the market and put human lives at risk.
2 sensors in one day. The ones I paid for. And in 10 minutes they came off. The glue on the last batches is tragic. And when you contact technical support, they tell you they can't do anything
Incredible help for continuous sugar monitoring! Very user-friendly. I was afraid it might come off its place, so the device cannot be repositioned. Unfortunately, the cost is very high (especially for a retiree) - even with Scroutz prices! - since it is not prescribed for Type 2 Diabetics. It is an aid that I would like to be able to use permanently.
Theoretically, it is an amazing aid.
But:
The settings are very relative and outside the range stated by the company. Especially lately, it shows extremely low values without being accurate. There are differences even when scanning with a mobile phone or device.
Also, the stickers do not provide as much security despite the meticulous preparation of the skin.
Improved versions have been released abroad, but here we are still stuck with the... old ones.
The needle-pin that is constantly stuck on you, a few hours of the day was annoying, I could feel it. It troubled me when removing it because the sticker was stuck so well that it wouldn't come off at all. But very convenient to measure yourself as many times as you want during the day.
Excellent! You have as many measurements as you want, so the doctor has an excellent image of the condition and better control of blood sugar! It would be good to have a lower price so that more people can buy it! Easy to use without inconvenience to the patient!
The price needs to drop a little or be put in the cash registers sometime, the cost is high, how much do they want to make as if it is made of gold, a little cheaper there are margins of economy now otherwise forget it all of us.!!!!!!
I have been using the trial for 10 days now. The measurements obviously differ from those with blood because it does not measure blood glucose levels but rather in the interstitial fluid (as they mention). Surely, if someone wants greater accuracy, this is not what will provide it. However, the fact that you can have approximate measurements of 5-30 units (in my case) throughout the day at any time is easily a great convenience for me. You can roughly see where you are at any given moment, even when you are sleeping, resulting in a concise picture of the treatment you are following. Personally, it is a good solution for me. Of course, one downside is that it is quite expensive and you only have 2 per month through a prescription, so if for some reason it detaches from your hand, you will have to pay for the one that is not a small cost at all. In any case, personally, I also use a conventional blood glucose meter, but much less than before. As for the flaws, I don't have an opinion because I use it a little, but I imagine it will be a problem if it happens to me. I will come back again after extensive use
It does not require piercing and you can measure anytime you want. The indication of voltage in each measurement is particularly useful. It saved me both generally and specifically during pregnancy periods that require more measurements throughout the day. Additionally, the measurement of glycated hemoglobin has improved significantly. It has almost no deviation from blood measurement. It applies perfectly to me without any additional accessories and there has never been a problem from using water, the amount of clothing you wear (it scans immediately), etc. I highly recommend it. (been using it for two and a half years already)
Having childhood diabetes, I had made my fingers unrecognizable. Crazy hypoglycemia and the subsequent insecurities. I was saved. I put a waterproof filter on top and I am absolutely sure about its function, especially in the sea. I send the measurement results to my doctor, there is a program, and it is updated immediately. And even if you wear armor, the measurement is done. Of course, the user must always keep in mind that it measures sugar from subcutaneous tissue and not from blood. This means that the accurate value comes at least after two hours. If you get used to using it, the quality of your life will be upgraded.
As a plus, the truly impeccable professional support of the Abbott team
MINUS:
# Many meters have come out faulty and this can be serious or not depending on the case (e.g. the night before I gave birth, both meters I had came out faulty and as soon as I put them on and the 60 minutes passed, my husband had to rush to find a pharmacy open at night to find me a sensor at double the price, of course). As already mentioned, at least they take them back and replace them, but it is a hassle and they leave you hanging until all this is resolved.
# The measurement may have a deviation of 0-60 compared to the conventional meter, at least in my case, and this will affect how many correction units you will make or how much you will eat, so it can worsen hypo- or hyperglycemia, respectively. Especially in high and low levels, a confirmation measurement with a conventional meter is useful.
# For uninsured pregnant women with gestational diabetes and type 2 diabetics, the cost is about €120/month, which is not small! Even for insured individuals, for some reason the prescription is handwritten and requires the physical presence of the patient in the doctor's office each time...
PROS:
# Except for the first time I needed it, the Abbott customer representatives were impeccable and helpful.
# It is feasible for others besides the patient to easily check their blood sugar, either with the libre meter or with a mobile phone compatible with the company's application (still difficult, as there were 4 devices at home, all incompatible, but now that I got the Motorola, it is compatible and the application is very convenient).
# With all the flaws the system has (which they don't even upgrade in Greece, where there are already 2-3 new and improved versions available abroad), from my experience, I can say that it brought my long-standing glycosylated hemoglobin from double digits to 6.4!!! Besides the pump, it is the best alternative we currently have in Greece and in combination with occasional blood measurements, it can greatly help in blood sugar management!
Tragic machine. We put it on my child due to a hypoglycemia episode after an infection in order to monitor his sugar levels throughout the day. It has been driving us crazy for 2 nights...55 and below hypoglycemia and with the contour in the blood 95!!! 2 consecutive nights...Don't let anyone else waste their money.
No connection with reality.
I had hypoglycemia for 50% of the day. I could never know if I really had hypoglycemia or not.
Also, it stopped working after 6 days and needed replacement.
I do not recommend it.
I am torn between 2 to 3 stars. Mediocre to good, that is... The downsides are that sometimes it deviates from the blood readings. Other times, what is scary is the arrows pointing up or down, and they are not timely. Most of the time it falls within range, but there have been times when it just makes your life more difficult. I will say that as many measurements as it has saved me from pricking my finger, it also creates anxiety for me. They should be more careful, especially when it comes to health matters, and not be careless. By the way, in the technical department of Abbott (whoever has called will know what I mean), it is handled by a condescending person who is simply incompetent. You tell them you have a 100-unit difference with the blood reading and they ask you for measurements. You tell them 200-300 and they respond that both numbers indicate hyperglycemia, so everything is fine. Then they ask you for some codes from your meter, they talk so much that you get bored, and no replacement is offered. Replacement is only done if you say that it has detached or if there is a difference of 200 units. Unacceptable, this spokesperson is a complete failure. In conclusion, there are several improvements needed, but with enough effort and patience, I would say that it is still a useful product even like this
For 4 months that I have been using it 3 times, they replaced the sensor for me twice. 2 times it gave wrong measurement, showing 40-45 (severe hypoglycemia) while with the SAME machine with the strip it gave 117. I used Glucagen injection - due to fear of hypoglycemic shock - and glucose skyrocketed to 268! Luckily, I did not experience ketoacidosis.
Once again (today 15/1/21) on the new sensor I placed, although at first it was recognized by the machine (60 minutes countdown for activation), after 2 hours of measurement it WRITTEN that the sensor has expired.
In all my communications with the company, they replaced the product for me, asking me to send (at their own expense of postage) the problematic product abroad, stating the case number they gave me on the phone, communication.
I have been concerned since out of the 9 sensors, 3 had a problem.
I will contact Abbott abroad to have them state their position in writing regarding the above-mentioned.
It has solved my hands for 4 years now. Easier adjustment of diabetes and additionally with the upgrades, the deviations are minimized. At first, they were big but now they are very small. The adhesion has also improved, so they do not come off easily.
Very satisfied with the FREESTYLE LIBRE SENSOR, after about a year of use, I have stabilized my blood sugar at an excellent level. Simple, user-friendly, practical. The application https://www.freestyle.abbott/gr-el/freestyle-libre-system/freestyle-librelink.html is also very convenient, as it allows you to take measurements with your smartphone. Overall, for diabetics who want to have well-regulated sugar levels (in the long term), it is the way to go!