Why FreeStyle Libre Users Fail... But You Won't

4 reasons why Freetyle Libre users on't achieve desired blood sugar control or stop using the CGM sensors completely and how to avoid those mistakes.

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Watch next:

0:00 Why 47% users fail
0:16 Inaccurate reading
2:07 No improvements in blood sugar control
4:23 Sensor adhesive not sticking
5:56 Skin irritetaion and allergy
6:30 Libre error messages
7:47 Things nobody tells you about Libre

I regularly release videos covering diabetes topics. Let me know if you have any questions or topics you would like me to cover. I really appreciate your input!

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional and my videos are not medical advice. What works for me might not work for others. Please consult your medical professional regarding your diabetes treatment. Note that the content of this video was not discussed with or approved by Abbott. I just use and love their products and share my personal experience.

Disclosure: Links in the video description might include affiliate links (I will receive a small provision if you use these links for your purchase). I am not affiliated with Abbott, the manufacturer of the FreeStyle Libre CGM system.

#typeonetalks

[patora]

Type 2 here. I love my Freestyle Libre. It helped me to manage my diabetes only with diet and get a sense of what and how much In can eat.

[jcSealy]

You are an excellent educator. I followed your video instructions to find the courage to apply my first sensor today. Good advice on skin prep, best location, proper insertion. You are correct, it did not hurt, there was temporary sensation more like pressure, but no pain on application. Thank you. Good health to you sir.

[sisterapril]

This is my favorite meter I have no problems with it, I swim with it 3 days a week and shower with it with no issues at all. Thank you for all the videos I appreciate it and love to hear your advise

[jamescarter]

Another great video and thanks for posting your experiences with the Freestyle Libre. As you have mentioned in your video, I watch the arrow beside the value before making any decisions. By watching the trends and time in target has reduced my A1C from 9.0 to 6.8 in a few months.

[sfbeancounter]

I am diabetic for 30 years, you are very good at explaining everything so well. Most people just given the tools without any education.

[Xubono]

Thanks Tom, your experience and sensible advice has helped me greatly. I am trying to view the Libre sensor readings more calmly. Looking for patterns and trends is a useful way to utilise all this data, and hopefully guide me to better dietary choices.

I often get vastly different readings from my cgm and from finger prick tests, and really need to improve my hydration levels.

Thanks again. Stay well and best wishes. 🙂

[annapayne]

Thank you for this information.. New libre 2 user here..Type 2, who transitioned to Type 1.. Your videos have been extremely helpful.

[eclipsey]

The other thing that can affect readings is being dehydrated. If your readings are off, drink extra water.

[clementinewallis]

Your are my Libre Angel. Learning so much.
Thank you Tom .... mucho

[villadsengel]

Thank you for all your videos. In late may our son was diagnosed T1D. Your videos have really fast tracked me on diet and CGMs. Keep it up - this community is great.

[shehnazshiraz]

A very good, useful video! I've learnt over the years to ignore the numbers that show up after scanning..and focus on the trend arrows instead. Never rush into treating highs or lows right away. Patience.. haha. Thanks Tom!

[AlexLunnc_Music]

Hi Tom! I really like your videos. I have Type 1 D. for about 3 months now and so, everything is still new for me. Thank you for all your tips - they really help me a lot! 😊
I wish you all the best & stay healthy!
Alex

[dragonwind]

So I've been using the libre 2, the most recent sensors(like the last 3) seem so inaccurate, so I talked to my doctor and I got a dexcom to compare to it, the g6 is only 2-5 points off my blood tests where the libre was 20-40 points off, has anyone else experienced this?

[traceyallen]

Another great video.

I love my Freestyle 14. It is a Godsend.

Sometimes I get the "Scan sensor in 9 hour" message after I put on a new sensor. I am Type 2 so I just watch what I eat.

I only had one sensor fail completely after putting it on.

I have had a few sensors lacking adhesion and come off in 3 -4 days. I find this unusual as I typically have a hard time getting them off.

I use two Smith&Nephew products, Uni-solve and Skin-prep, to help remove and to apply a sticky, protective layer between my skin and the sensor.

Abbott is wonderful when it comes down to them replacing sensors.

The best thing is to be able to see what foods spike glucose. If I had to prick my finger, I would be dead. This CGM was the tool that helped me get my A1c down to 5.4 from 10.

[lawnmowerman]

As usual thank you again my friend another great video! Hope you are doing well and staying safe! Have a blessed day buddy!

[jane-iu]

Libre Libre so many things to say. Adhesive is just fine for me. Never had a sensor fall off. Just took a brand new sensor off because hurt. Not sure what I hit in there. Hate having to call tech support. They read from script. Can’t really answer any questions. Another complaint is lows. Take forever to start trending up so my TIR means nothing. Have to wait some time for an arrow direction to calm down and read an actual number. All that said better than finger sticks. Easy to apply and fairly discreet. Good and bad.

[russelldemczak]

While the scan again on 10 minutes error is annoying...I'd take it over the "your sensor is no longer working correctly, please remove and apply a new one" any day. Corresponds to event code er4, 365, p. No one has ever been able to tell me what this means or why it happens. But I went through about a years worth of sensors straight that failed somewhere around the 7th or 8th day, when I would receive the aforementioned message. Since the start of this year, I've been much more fortunate...I'd say 2/3 sensors last the full 14 days, before getting that same old message again. I've begun to wonder if the sensor is particularly picky about where I insert on my arm. It seems to either like the site that can create the largest skin fold, or in the "notch" of the triceps muscle. Luckily a tattoo on one arm gives me a target for insertion. The other other is more difficult. I wonder if that's why I get 2/3 now. It literally seems to be THAT lucky about the spot?! For reference I'm on the leaner/muscular side of things - sort of a job requirement in the fitness industry.

[btecpostmaster]

My experience has been with the libra sensors they can be way off. and im not talking about the difference between what the finger prick device shows being 15 min out. I can have stable blood sugars with minimal change over an hour yet my contour will show my blood glucose reading as 8mmol and the Libra show it as 4mmol. This drift i find gets worse over time. so a new sensor is fairly accurate. but once you get about 4 days on that sensor that drift becomes very noticeable to the point of being borderline useless. Abbott need to implement a calibration function and get over their arrogant stance that their sensors are calibration at the factory and never need calibration. I also found Abbott to be a little bit difficult to engage with on sensor replacement due to inaccurate readings.

[josevazquez]

Libre for me was always way off more than 20. It’s was about 50 to 100 off. One day it said my glucose was 345 when I checked my blood glucose levels it was 78 way off. I contacted the manufacturer and they said it’s a common accuracies

[timkelleher]

Thank you for a lot of good information here.
I'm on a huge roller coaster at times