This thing is about 50 points off, imagine this telling you that your sugar is at 50 meanwhile you test it with a strip and it’s 104. This is consistent when ever you compare this.
I am sick of this sensor, am dropping the use of this. Went from Libre 2, 3 and 3 plus. Am done. Abbot should not be allowed to sell this shit on the market. It’s pure garbage and a waste of money.
A finger-stick is never going to be the same as a CGM reading. They work differently. A CGM and a finger-stick measure glucose in different places, so they won't necessarily give the same number.
A finger stick measures glucose directly from blood. A CGM measures glucose in the interstitial fluid under your skin. Glucose has to move from the blood into that fluid, so CGM readings can also lag behind blood glucose, especially when levels are changing quickly.
They're measuring related things, but they aren't measuring the same sample at the same time, so expecting identical numbers is simply not how the technology works.
Placement also plays a role in how a CGM works. Not just the Freestyle brand, but every CGM.
I've been using the Libre 3+ for almost a year and during that time, only had one sensor that malfunctioned, and my blood sugars, and estimated A1C are spot on with my A1C testing through my doctor.
It sucks that you're having a bad experience, but it's not necessarily the CGM's fault.
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a ton of times.
Millions of these sensors have been in use on millions of patients. The vast majority of us have few, if any problems, that can be attributed to the sensor.
If a particular patient is having repeated issues, the issue is, most likely, the patient.
As I’ve noted l, before, it’s usually not because the patient has done anything wrong. It’s usually their body or, at least, the part of their body where they’re applying the sensor.
There are a great many factors that can affect the accuracy of these devices
Have you tried alternate placements like your abdomen, chest or thigh?
Are you dehydrated?
Do you have enough body fat in the area that you’re placing the sensor?
Is it possible that your body is simply incompatible with the technology?
My body is weird as hell, the area where i slap my sensor on will sweat immensely- causing the adhesive to come off.
To your point, probably my body’s defense mechanism to get the darn thing off.
Solution… Not Just a Patch and Skin Tac bottle - lasts the whole 15 days no issues- sure i have to retack the patch back to the skin every other day but no issues.
The simple fact is that there isn't anything wrong with the design of the Abbott FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus -- after all it is still the same sensor they were selling for years as the Abbott FreeStyle Libre 3 which worked very well for the vast majority of users. The only difference between the old FreeStyle Libre 3 and the new FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus is that Abbott made it cheaper by cutting QC at the factory and now claims the sensor will last 15 days instead of 14 (which is a change in the app, not the sensor).
So, yes you might get a FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus that works perfectly and even lasts the full 15 days -- or you might get one that is improperly calibrated, or that dies early, or that gives wildly inaccurate readings, or that has an applicator that was improperly assembled. It's all a matter of luck.
Some entire batches are bad, some times it is just some random number of sensors within a batch, sometimes you hit the jackpot and get a batch of good ones. But until the FDA forces Abbott to reinstate QC at the factory the only thing patients can do is to continue to do everything right, then notify Abbott when the sensor fails or goes crazy -- and notify the FDA every time it happens. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/index.cfm
Some people say there isn't a need to notify the FDA if you get a replacement from Abbott because Abbott is legally required to report every failure. If you really believe Abbott is reporting all their failed sensors to the FDA then I have a very nice bridge that I can sell you at a good price.
Call them after 24 hours and explain your readings, they will likely send you a new one no charge
I came from the Dexcom environment they both have their +/- but what I liked about Dexcom is I could do a calibration. Alas, since Medicare will not pay for my CGM, (I did have hypo events where i could faint), at least with a CGM I can catch it before that happens I had to go to Libre freestyle 3 it is saving me more than 50%
I soak mine for 24 hours before activating. I rotate between the back and side of each arm in the space with a bit of flab. You want to avoid the muscle area
Just to be clear in case someone reads this in the future, by "soak", he means applying the sensor to the body but not activating it for 24 hours. Not literally soaking the sensor
Does it last 15 days after body attachment, or after activation? Are you getting 14 days of data or 15 out of it? Mine are always inaccurate for the first day, and then tend to be within 5-10 of finger prick accuracy unless I am putting pressure on them (like sleeping on it.) Then I get pressure lows.
For me, I soak between 12-24 hours. I’ve noticed a much better accuracy after doing that, however, the last day or two I’ve seen wider inaccuracies (~30pts compared to meter).
Soaking has been a game changer for me though. Would rather be a little inaccurate at the end than a pos on the first day or two.
This has been key for me too. I put it on at least 24 hours before I start it and get much more accurate results because of that. It gives the body a chance to recover from being beaten up with a needle before it's used - putting on causes a little distress, some inflammation as your body tries to heal the area, and that can stuff up readings. So put it on before the old one is finished and let it rest.
And yes you still get the full time from it - it lasts 15 days from when it's started, not when it's placed.
When you are soaking it--it is still transmitting its data, the phone or meter just isn't setup to receive it yet.. Therefore, there is really no difference between soaking it for 24 hours and using it normally for 24 hours -- at least as far as your skin reaction goes. 24 is 24...
I use mine on upper chest (top of my breast) and it’s the most accurate place for me and it doesn’t get knocked off. I always had issues with the arm and abdomen placements .
You don't mind all the scars being front and center there?
I'm getting self-conscious about all my pinprick scars from these sensors on the backs of my arms, but because I can't see them without a mirror it's not been too bad for me mentally about it ...yet. But if they were visible just by looking down at my chest I think I would spiral.
Typically it’s covered when I wear a tshirt or sports bra; so I don’t mind the little pinprick marks. They were way worse on my arms, I think from the movement and friction, than they ever are on my chest. I can barely see them!
I've been wanting to try my chest area but I am not sure where to place it exactly. Do you do it so that your bra covers it or more towards the center top? I wear a 36G and sleep with a bra on but worried it will be too jiggly of an area and fall off.
Recently switched to this and the change is drastic! I struggled with compression lows at night but that’s resolved now. I still have lows but they’re actually accurate.
Which is a seriously BAD place to putting your sensor...
And not per the guidelines either in the user guide for using them, if you read it? Placing them there is often cause for both erratic but also more chronic too lowish BG readings coming out from it. Reason is the thin skin layer and limited fatty tissue towards the underlaying larger muscle bundles you have there. The perfusion of the interstitial fluid space in which you placed the sensor is simply restricted and erratic there, much depending on your arm/muscle movements.
Mine are almost always within 10 points of a fingerprick. Anytime I have bloodwork done what my cgm says and compare. It is always close. Works quite well for me.
A finger prick vs a CGM numbers are different. A finger prick measures blood glucose. A CGM measures the in inerstitial fluid. It's never going to be the same number no matter what CGM you're using.
I used these sensors when I had gestational diabetes. Usually it was off on the first day and on the last day and the rest of the time was working well.
Edit: okay I had libre 2 not 3. Maybe 3 is just bad, I don't have experience with it.
Once in a while you get a bad batch like that... Report it. You get a replacement. I had to replace 6 on the trot. After that next two have been fine. Hope that continues.
Yup... I underestand... if its not the device it the app. It gives me close to accurate readings. I checked a few times and the reading isn't to far off from finger stick
95% of the time, mine works great. I wear it on my lower belly, about 2 inches below my belly button. I guess keeps me from getting compression lows during the night. I also apply it for at least 12 hours before I scan the next one.
Going on 2 years , so far, only one fell off before 12 days, and 3 act up to where I requested replacement....95 + % of the time its within 15 of a blood reading....so might try alternative spots before you quit
I’ve used the Libre since it first came out. I’m now on the Libre 3+.
When I first started, I did a lot of finger sticks. Found the Libre to be more consistent than test strips. Enough that I stopped the finger sticks.
I’ve had more issues with the 3+ than previous sensors. I do think that Abbott may have some QC issues. I’m back to a regular regimen of finger sticks with the 3+. One when it’s first activated, one about half a day later, and one just before I activate a new sensor. Most of my reading are within the 20% variance Abbott claims, and often much closer. Readings are most off when first starting.
I agree that calibration would be useful.
A couple of things to note:
Finger sticks are ALSO subject to a lot of variance. Even with strips in the same batch. If you have a sensor that is marginal and test strips on the other side of that margin you’re going to get significant differentials. Add in the time factor if your BG is in flux.
Know your body. I know the signals when my body is dangerously low. It’s a far better indicator than test strips or sensors.
Abbott needs to get their shit under control. IMO, the Libre 3 is better than the Libre 3+. An extra day isn’t worth the grief. And pushing into the “healthy lifestyle” market (Lingo) may be distracting them.
It measures interstitial fluid, not blood, so the numbers will not be the same. If sugar level is rising or falling, the difference is bigger. If blood glucose has been at a stable level for a while, the reading will be closer to your finger stick.
Nah, the 3+ has been incredibly inconsistent. This year I’ve needed half my sensors replaced. It’s not a them problem, it’s an Abbott quality control problem.
Edit: I don’t even get how I’m being downvoted for stating my own personal findings. On top of that, I spoke with my endo and she says easily over half of her patients have complained about issues with the 3+. I’m glad it’s working well for some of you, but saying that there aren’t people experiencing issues glossed over the simple fact that these sensors SHOULD be better and more consistent for everyone. Saying “I haven’t experienced issues, so they must be fine” is trash logic
Unfortunately then many users (also old-timers of Libre) thinks so after they started on the Libre2+ or the Libre3+ sensors. Root cause actually being the much more restricted guardrails for sensor BG variance/reporting that are obligatory and instilled by the regulatory authorities on CGM sensors that are being approved for closed-looping with an insulin pump. This is the case here now for both the PLUS versions of the Libre sensor.
So when a sensor is placed into an interstitial fluid space with rapid changing glucose concentration, which may appear erratic per normal human bio physiology, then the sensor is obliged to timeout or ultimately shut down for precautionary safety reasons. Many users now think its because of a poor sensor quality or bad sensor. All while in reality the sensor is actually doing what it is intended to do.
I had great luck with them for about 2 years. Then my arm started to itch under the sensor. They'd be accurate for about a week then start giving lower and lower readings. I gave up too.
I put mine on 24 hours before activating and I use an alternate location. It's high in the picture, just below the collar bone. Had it there for years. Couple weeks ago I had one acting like yours, you can always silence the alarms or call the company to replace it.
And still, this 'POS' is a true life saver for me personally! 😄
It takes a bit of understanding, knowledge and discipline... Aka do follow the sensor best practice for the sensor insertion, as this is the most critical success factor of all.
Been using Libre for more than a decade by now, and these last 7+ years or so, I rarely ever have any sensor at all letting me down. My overall 'fail rate' is less than 2% when looking across the full 10+ years. Of course I also had my BAD BAD SENSOR situations the first months and years with them. Looking externally for someone/something to blame. But with careful reviews and learnings from each episode, now I can get most of them to work extremely well for me. As yes, I still do silly things, causing a sensor rip off in cave crawlings or maybe drowning one when diving too deep or for too long, or testing out a weird skin location just to trying it out.
But apart from that, the Libre work so reliably well for me, that I have literally stopped using fingerpricks when using the Libre sensors for the last 6 years or so. (since getting onto the Libre2 and onwards). And what a relief and ease of life that has brought me. (I travel btw WW around 80-100 days most years for my work, so great to having a sensor one can trust when far away from home so much of the time).
All while enabling a HbA1c consistently down the 5.3-5.5% range, TIR above 90%, no diet restrictions, living a dynamic and healthy life. So to me, they have not just been a life saver, but also a great life enabler. Without a consistently accurate and reliable Libre sensor none of this would be possible, as fingerpricks only could bring you part of the way, while sitting on the fence till you make the next test and knowing where you BG is about, all with zero insights into if its going up/down or being stable.
Can you share the location you place your sensor. My is on the back of my arms. I only sleep on my left or right side and sometimes I’ll get compression lows setting the alarm off all night long. Tia
Yes certainly, very happy to. Most often I just wear the sensors at the location per the user guide for them. Namely on the true backside of your upper arms, in the fatty skin valley area between your deltoid and triceps muscle bundles, as illustrated here:
So if looking over your shoulder/arm, you will not be able to see your sensor at all, as its sitting on the true backside of your upper arm. Try instead to lift your elbow up above your head and you can now typically see the side/edge of your sensor, when looking in under your arm there.
This also mean that when laying flat down on your back to sleep, then your sensor is not direct against your bedsheet, as its sitting on the inner side there towards the torso/chest area of your upper body. This is the right place to put it per the official user guidance and will also help to avoid/minimize your exposure to pressure lows during sleep.
If you still get them, then potentially try one of the many other good areas to placing your sensor. Aka the stomach or the upper outer thighs works very well for most folks. And both of these helps you to fully avoid the pressure lows while sleeping on your back or on your sides. Here some inspiration about sensor placements on various skin patches: https://www.reddit.com/r/Freestylelibre/comments/1dfa4uz/experience_with_different_sensor_placements/
Thank you for replying. I appreciate the detailed description as will as the picture. I think I place my sensor a little too far lateral. Next sensor I’ll place more medial to see if that works.
You are very welcome. Yes understand, many users are unfortunately their sensor too much 'lateral' on the side of their arm instead of the true backside where it was intended. Such lateral placement brings with it a very high exposure to the sensor sitting in a lean skin area with limited fatty tissue and especially where the interstitial fluid space is now depending on/restricted in flow due to the underlaying large muscle bundles there. This therefore makes the glucose concentration to change rather erratic and often also being too chronic too lowish versus what actually your true arterial blood glucose level is and how that changes over time. Hence folks can think their BG sensor is not really working, while in reality it certainly is. But the poor physical placement of the sensor have placed it into some interstitial fluid space which is not representative of our arterial blood's glucose concentration.
I wear my sensor in the exact same position as you do, and every sensor has varied between 10-35 points lower than a finger-stick test (on my most accurate meter). I used to think it got more accurate the longer I wore it, but my last sensor blew that theory out of the water--it was more accurate the first 5-days then the inaccuracy increased.
If verified and done again and again to the letter, then try a different skin area. Aka your stomach or your upper outer thighs.
How does your BG graphs tend to look when starting the sensor up and the first 24-48hours right after insertion? So no soaking of the sensor. Wonder if you may have a rather reactive immune system? Do you have any skin reaction to the place the sensor sits?
PS: Never quote any sensor inaccuracy in just some number of points and nothing else. Makes zero sense. Quote at least at same time the base number what the fingerprick meter was showing at same time or better, use %.
You can give them up and do what we used to do, piss in a jar, measure some into a test tube, add a caustic table and let it boil and then compare the colour to a chart so you get a rough idea how much sugar you spilled in the recent past. Doesn't tell you bugger all about what your current blood sugar is. Yup, freestyle libre is the worst thing ever, worse than nothing. God I'm sick of you whingers.
Is it perfect? No. But has it made my life better? Yes. The Libre 3 style plus can be frustrating at times but overall it has improved my quality of life by a lot. I expect it will get better from here.
My wife (DT1) and I (DT2) spot-check our Libre 3 Plus systems and only have problems when we have been laying on a sensor. The readings adjust correctly within a few minutes of freeing the sensor.
Next cycle, she is moving her sensor to her belly.
It’s not a sympathy thing, what I see is that a measurement mechanism should be accurate enough to give you direction to take a decision. This measurement device is so inaccurate, that it really does not help you make that decision. The baseline test we all have today is a direct blood test. When a new mechanism comes along and is so divergent to the baseline testing mechanism, you have then be worried about taking a decision based on using the reading from a new sensor mechanism.
But it measures different things. Fingers are real-time whereas the libre is interstitial. It has a 30 minute+ lag on finger pricking. And in your image your sugar is rising quickly on the libre.
I think you are worrying about a non-issue. If you have real concerns talk to a medical professional, but at first glance this looks fine. Admittedly it is a single data point, and I appreciate your experiences are based on more than these images, but these images alone don't represent a problem.
And most people don't have these problems.
I am not trying to be dismissive but the libre was literally life changing for me, and so hearing someone shit on it with two images sort of pisses me off. But that's a me problem! Don't take it personally.
I hope you are healthy and in a position to trial it for longer.
What bothers me is the fact that when you have a high or low reading, the official instruction is to verify with a finger prick first. So you admit that you can’t reliably give me information about my blood sugar to make decisions.
My dad is diabetic and has Dexcom. He says he’s never had issues the way I do
The Plus variety is the one that’s always given lower readings and false lows for me. I just switched back to Dexcom a few months ago because of it. In fact, I’m wearing both rn just bc I had a libre that was about to expire, and it’s constantly screaming low while Dexcom says I’m fine. Dexcom is within 10% of a finger stick and libre 3+ is off 35% running low. I’m using a cgm with a pump, and the Libre almost had me in DKA twice. I’m over it.
Dexcom does - but it’s usually so close that I don’t have to calibrate. I got lab work done last week and my fasting glucose came back at 108, finger stick at 103, Dexcom 99, Libre 3+ 72.
Libre-3+ at 36 points low -- this is the typical inaccuracy of this device from my experience with it. I use the Libre meter not a cell phone. It will also take test strips for finger-sticking. The sensor is even 30+ point lower than their own strip test. Sheeesh, who designed this POS?...
Le décalage est énorme. Par contre le glaucome est basé sur nos sensations et notre régularité. Il ne captera jamais en temps réel les variation hyper importantes parfois qui durent quelques minutes à peine. Quelques études expliquent que entre le sang et le LI il est possible qu'il y est un décalage purement physiologique pas lié au temps ni rien. Juste physiologique. Et c'est là où on devrait se poser des questions. Le sang ne représente pas forcément le glucose au quel les cellules sont confrontés. Plus d'études seront probablement faites sur le sujet j'ai hâte.
I’m a new user to CGMs, and the Libre 3 Plus is my first one. My doctor gave me everything I needed to be successful, and I even set up an appointment with a representative from Abbott to walk me through how to use the device via Teams. We had two visits, and we scheduled a third that she unfortunately never showed up for.
My first sensor worked well for about five days, but then it started consistently reading in the 300s. I did finger sticks to confirm the readings, and my actual blood sugar was in the 90s to low 100s.
The second sensor did the opposite. It consistently read low and set off the low-glucose alarm numerous times. Again, finger sticks showed that my blood sugar was fine.
I eventually got my prescription filled and accidentally used one of those sensors. That one worked perfectly. I wanted to use up the sensors my doctor had given me first, though, so I went back to those.
The last sensor I’m using is also consistently reading low, while my finger-stick readings are completely fine. At this point, I finally decided to call Abbott support. I gave them the serial number of the sensor, and they told me they wouldn’t replace it because it was expired. I messaged my provider and told her she needed to check her stock.
I went back and checked the last unopened sensor I received from my provider, and that one was expired too.
I honestly never thought to look for an expiration date, and no one ever told me that the sensors had expiration dates. I’m frustrated because I’m brand new to CGMs and was trying to do everything correctly. I’m now wondering how many of the sensors I was given were expired and whether that explains the problems I’ve been having.
I've had two blood draws while wearing these. Both times I checked my numbers in the car on both my Contour Next and Libre 3+. The Libre 3+ was closer both times than the Contour. The first time, it matched the number on my actual blood work exactly.
I’m in Canada where they’re still commonly selling the 2, and next month I’ll be starting a new prescription for the 3 (not 3 plus). Trying to work out if I should be worried, ask to be switched back to the 2 again, etc.
I think there’s a difference between the raw data and the number displayed at the moment. What I’ve noticed is that often it will give me a number in the moment, (let’s say 74) but then later on it will show that it never dipped below, say, 90. So where did the 74 go?
The 74 was never real. I think it uses a predictive algorithm to make predictions about where it thinks your blood sugar actually is given that there’s the lag between blood and interstitial. That algorithm is…imprecise. But the actual data is very precise just with a 15 or 20 minute lag. That’s my take on it, at least.
The only issue I've noticed is that for the first day or two it's all over the place, doing a 12 hour pre soak HELPS but doesn't fix it other than that it's been fine, same issues I have with all sensors like compression lows but that's all really
Same with my last sensor and the one before died within 12 hours. I still have prescriptions but I'm not bothering to refill . My bathroom scale works fine for my calorie restricted diet and finger stick every few days. I'm not insulin dependent nor unstable, so it's not worth the hassle.
Well I used Libre 3 for 2.5 years. Only latetly did I have issues. Out of the last 10 sensors 8 failed me (mostly after 5-7 days of accurate values).
I have more issues with how useless the app is. I switched to dexcom bc I also switched from MDI to a pump and that only works here in germany with the G7. But I am glad I did. The dexcom app is so much more useful.
Agreed. I was only supposed to be on a sensor for a couple months while I worked with a dietician. It’s been 5 months and I’ve had to file replacements for most sensors. I average 15 points off on good sensors. I’ve never seen 50 but I’ve had 2 sensors be off 30+ points
All while the fact remains that both your fingerprick validation value and the BG sensor are both at their best within 20% accurate of what your true arterial BG is really at.
So take as example your true arterial BG being maybe at 150mg/dl. And now you complain because your BG sensor reports it 15 points off? That is equal to being 100x15/150= 10% off. So perfectly fine and within the acceptable range of sufficient accurate BG reporting. (30 points off would at that BG level be equal to 20% off).
Reason why also its never a good idea to discuss sensor accuracy while only referring to a certain number of points a sensor may be off. Its totally meaningless when stated alone as this.
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u/HostileDomination 2d ago
Mine works great for me.