Freestyle Libre

FreeStyle Libre Cheat Sheet

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When I first began using the FreeStyle Libre back in May, it was a big change from finger sticks. The continuous nature of the data was strange and at times overwhelming. The device felt like a life saver at times, and extremely frustrating at others. By the time each sensor I used reached the end of its life, I felt well and truly ready for a break. Finger sticks were often a refreshing reprieve from the pesky trend arrows, vibrations and temptation to scan so frequently using my Libre.

It’s fair to say that the Libre has been an adjustment for me. Despite my obvious enthusiasm for the product, it’s something that I’ve slowly eased into using. I’m currently onto my third sensor that I have purchased since trialling the system in May. With time, I am starting to feel more comfortable using it and understanding how it works for me and my diabetes.


For instance, I definitely find that the Libre pronounces movements in my glucose levels after eating. After some experimenting, I’ve concluded that the Libre typically clocks in 2-3mmol higher than my meter 1-2 hours after a meal. It does eventually catch back up again by the time my mealtime insulin has worn off. It’s not a big deal, I just need to remind myself not to panic if I see a reading of 10 after a perfectly carb counted and pre bolused meal.


A change in environment can also cause the Libre results to momentarily jump. For example, getting up off the couch or stepping outside can produce a completely different result within moments of the last one. The jump is only momentary, and within a minute or so it’s usually back to where it was before. Showers tend to produce the wildest changes, so I tend to wait at least five minutes for the results to be reliable once again.

The trend arrows are the biggest advantage in being able to catch oncoming hypos with the Libre. This is a lifesaver at work when I’m physically active and more prone to going low. Looking at the trend arrow on a reading of 6 will tell me whether my levels are 6mmol and steady, or 6mmol and dropping rapidly. With a meter, this really was my best guess.

The biggest hurdle I have had to overcome is not to be too reactive to results after eating. Understanding how the Libre works on me has definitely improved my experience with it, and I feel far more comfortable using it today. When my sensor died last week, I decided to go straight into another for the first time since I started using it.

At the moment, I feel more comfortable with the added level of convenience and insight into glucose levels. I’m fortunate that I am in a position to be able to purchase the sensors.


Will I continue to use it? Time will tell…

I’m In Print!

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I’m thrilled to be featured in the Diabetes WA magazine Diabetes Matters, discussing my experience as the first person in Western Australia to trial the FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System earlier this year (which I wrote about here).

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Seeing myself in print is so surreal! Usually I’m the one reading articles about old classmates who are athletes and sportspeople and superheroes. When I started writing a diabetes blog two years ago, I never imagined that I would be able to call myself an advocate for a cause I am really passionate about.

Special thanks to the team at Diabetes WA for featuring my story. Check out my article below, and be sure to grab yourself a copy, Perth folks!

FreeStyle Libre Not Working?

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I’m appealing to the search engines with the title of my post today, because this is what I was hoping to find when I turned to Google for help with my FreeStyle Libre a few weeks back.

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I was about halfway into a sensor that I had purchased, when suddenly my reader stopped working. The screen wouldn’t start up when I hit the home button. There had been a few instances in the days leading up to this where my screen had blacked out for five or ten minutes at a time, but it always came back to life. I might also mention that this culminated on a Saturday morning, and I soon learned that I wouldn’t have access to customer service until 8am on the Monday.

When my reader still wasn’t responding well after an hour, I was frustrated. I reached out to @FreeStyleDiabet on Twitter with no reply (I’m not too sure where in the world this account is based).

I tried charging the battery with no success. I got an idea from the instruction manual that the device might be temperature sensitive, and kept it in my pocket while I was sleeping one night with no luck either.

I had no idea where I would stand in getting replacements for my reader and the $95 sensor I couldn’t make use of. Abbott were a little coy at the blogger event in Sydney regarding faulty sensors, and we were told that it would depend on individual circumstances.

When I got in touch with Customer Service on the Monday, they shipped me a new reader and replacement sensor on the condition that I send the faulty one back via supplied packaging. The replacements arrived via express delivery two days later, and I started the sensor up once again.

The replacement sensor, however, was wildly out of range. Most of the time, the readings on the Libre were far higher than what I actually was. I was constantly seeing numbers in the mid to high teens (and even 20s) after meals, and this really took a bit of a mental toll on me. I was pricking my fingers almost as much as I would without it, because I couldn’t trust the numbers. I was driving myself crazy, thinking about the prior two sensors I had used and whether the readings were this far out (and it didn’t only happen when glucose was high!)

I gave customer service a call once again, explaining my problem. I was reminded to factor in the 5-10 minute lag time, which I was confident I had. I was then asked to provide three Libre readings and their respective finger stick readings, and I was put on hold to do a control test. The customer service rep then came back and told me that he would send me a replacement sensor free of charge because I was reporting readings higher than the acceptable difference of 1-2mmol.

I was really impressed at how quickly I was issued with a replacement sensor over the phone. I had meter reports prepared prior to calling, almost expecting that I would have to send through evidence of inaccurate readings. Both times, my replacement products were shipped by overnight express to my doorstep instead of the usual 6-9 day delivery window.

However, I would have expected customer service available to me on weekends, even if just for a couple of hours. I also think that Abbott need to be more realistic about their products developing faults. The returns policy, which you can read here, is rather brief and doesn’t give the customer a feeling of confidence or support when the tech fails.

That being said, I am super grateful that Abbott resolved both of my problems with very minimal hassles.

FreeStyle Libre: Second Time Round!

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At lunch time on Saturday, my meter came back with a 3.8. Not satisfied with the result, I walked over to the other meter sitting on my desk, which came back with a 4.7. I decided to do a best of 3 with the second meter, which produced an identical 4.7.

As I picked up the collection of discarded test strips strewn on my desk, it occurred to me that I am using test strips like water at the moment. I mean, I do use test strips like water. But I have never relied on them as much as I have now. And it kind of scares me.

I’m still fine tuning my insulin pump. I’ve made a lot of progress in the past week or two, but I’m not quite there just yet. I’m a perfectionist, I suppose. My diabetes educator has even gone on to suggest as much, having taken a step forward with the insulin pump. I can see it myself, in the great attention to detail I apply towards my basal rates and blood glucose monitoring at the moment.

Yet it scares the hell out of me, that somehow, this might become the new normal. I am scared of relying on glucose monitoring so much, instead of having confidence in my own actions. I am scared that I am becoming too compulsive and obsessive with my diabetes. Most of all, I am scared that I might never get this right.

I’ve recently used my second FreeStyle Libre sensor that I received from Abbott at DX2 Sydney, and naturally, I’ve discovered a few things that I didn’t the first time round. You can find out more about what the FreeStyle Libre is in my first review here.

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The Libre has been a life saver for me at work. I don’t need to walk over to my desk to check my blood glucose levels. I don’t need to worry about how dusty my hands are. It takes a lot of the pressure away from basal testing, where I would ideally stop what I’m doing to check my glucose levels every half hour. It offers a level of convenience that glucose monitoring doesn’t. Not to mention some the weird looks I get!

Most of the time, the results have been extremely accurate – to the nearest 1mmol. However, there have also been times where the accuracy has been difficult to trust.

It’s been hard to rely on the Libre’s readings when my glucose levels are moving significantly, particularly in the first 2 hours after meals. At work, I’ve often felt the need to go and double check with a finger prick before making a decision on a reading of 14 after breakfast.

I’ve also found that the Libre pronounces very small movements in glucose levels. For instance, I remember having an espresso with a tiny amount of milk one morning. I watched my Libre trend upwards to 9 or 10mmol, when in reality the movement wasn’t so big. It did eventually “catch up” with my meter, but I had to remember that the drop did not actually represent my blood glucose dropping.

That being said, I really need this extra flexibility with my blood glucose monitoring at the moment. I recently purchased another two sensors, which will hopefully make things a little easier for me over the next couple of weeks.

I’m just hoping that this reliance on heavy glucose monitoring doesn’t become the new normal. I really want to go back to having more confidence in my own diabetes decisions.

Wordless Wednesday: Testing, Testing

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Basal testing is a necessary evil of using an insulin pump.

After a week of rough blood sugar levels, I decided to start my second FreeStyle Libre sensor that I received at DX2 Sydney to help fine tune my insulin requirements while I’m at work.

Not only did I manage to get through a Monday morning without breakfast, without coffee, and without a banana, but I managed a fairly steady line all the way through.

Small victories.

Happy hump day!

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