Review: Freestyle Libre Abbott Diabetes Care
Reviewing the wireless FreeStyle Libre sensor system from Abbott Diabetes Care after using it for six months as a 25 year old diabetic.
Youre a diabetic and have heard some rumours of the FreeStyle Libre glucosemeter. Supposedly a glucosemeter that can measure your blood-sugar levels without having to pierce your finger every time. According to Abbott, the company behind this product, it is also fast, easy and painless. That sounds good, right? But what is it and how does it work? Are you supposed to wear it on your body like an insulin pump? Do I feel it all the time? Do I have to wear it all the time? Does it cost five million dollars? Maybe you are considering to try the FreeStyle Libre, but before you proceed you want to dig a little deeper. Let me provide you with some insights by sharing my personal experience with the FreeStyle Libre.
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Managing Diabetes Accurately And Comfortably
Greater convenience and comfort allow patients to take charge of their diabetes with confidence. Our easy-to-use test strips require only tiny blood samples to make testing more comfortable while our meters provide accurate results and reports for more meaningful insights, and come with a variety of features to meet the individual needs of people living with diabetes. Our new Flash Glucose Monitoring technology, which eliminates the need for routine finger pricks, is revolutionizing the way people monitor their glucose.
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Meet The Freestyle Family Of Glucose Monitors
From setup and testing to tracking and gaining insights, the FreeStyle family of products provides you with the features and support you need to make glucose monitoring as easy and convenient as possible.
Easy access to accurate, affordable testing:Thats the benefit of being part of the FreeStyle family.
Get a Free Metermore affordableco-pay
*Check for participating locations. Based on retail price. Price does not include tax.
1Dewland P. Edwards C. A single blind, randomized, 8 way crossover study to compare the blood volume and pain perception of capillary blood sampling. March 2007.
2Do not use during xylose absorption testing. Study conducted in 2009. Data on file, Abbott Diabetes Care Inc.
3Clinical Study “Evaluation of the FreeStyle Precision Neo Blood Glucose Monitoring System, 2015“. Data on File. Abbott Diabetes Care.
5Based on historic national average of FreeStyle test strip copays for prescriptions of 200 strips or less.
6Copay refers to the amount a patient pays, regardless of whether the payment is an insurance co-payment or a cash payment with no insurance contribution.
Indications and Important Safety Information
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Remove the sensor before MRI, CT scan, X-ray, or diathermy treatment.
For full indications for use and safety information, see more here.
*For full indications for use and safety information, see more here.
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Remove the Sensor before MRI, CT scan, X-ray, or diathermy treatment.
Easy To Use For Beginner
I am not a typical user I need to check my blood sugar because I am taking a medication that can cause blood sugar instability and my doctor recommended getting a blood sugar meter for short-term/occasional monitoring. Therefore I am a newbie and was a bit intimidated by the process, especially after the first meter I bought had a lot of problems.
This meter has been problem free for me. I cannot speak to accuracy because I don’t get regular back-up blood tests like a person with diabetes would. However, it is easy to use and doesn’t seem to…
Purchasedin June 2020.
I like my Freestyle Lite blood glucose monitor. It works perfectly just as described in the handbooks except for one factor. The instructions talk about mg/dL which I take it is milligrams of glucose per decilitre of blood. Whereas, as far as I am aware, everyone in Australia uses the units mmol/L, which is millimoles of glucose per litre. fortunately the actual metre gave its readings from the start in mmol/L so no worries. But for someone using a glucose moniter for the fist time and trying to get the hang of it by reading the instruction man…
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Freestyle Libre Glucose Data Management Software
| Version |
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| English | 09-Sep-2014 |
Printed copies of the user manuals may be requested from Customer Service. Printed copies are free of charge and will arrive in approximately 3 to 7 days. For best results, use Adobe® Reader® to view Abbott Diabetes Care user manuals.
ADC-09223 Ver. 26.0 2/22
FreeStyle, Libre, and related brand marks are marks of Abbott. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. No use of any Abbott trademark, trade name, or trade dress in this site may be made without the prior written authorization of Abbott Laboratories, except to identify the product or services of the company. The product images are for illustrative purposes only.
ADC-01519 Ver 15.0 11/21
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Attaching And Using The Chip/sensor
Attaching the sensor is a piece of cake and can be done within a minute. The sensor comes in a small yellow carton box and exists out of two components plus instructions and some disinfecting alcohol swabs.
applicatorsensor
Before applying the sensor to your skin, you pick a spot on your body with preferably not too much fat and rub the disinfecting swab over it to make sure the skin is clean. Afterwards, you take the sensor out of its container with the sensor applicator, just follow instructions, it is very simple. You are now ready to inject your sensor. Abbott recommends to put the sensor on your upper arm. I personally wear it on the back of my upper left arm, a little above the reach of my t-shirt sleeves so it is not visible for others. Considering I am right handed, this also makes it easy for me to hold my phone over the sensor. Anyway now that the sensor is attached to the body you will will be able to scan it with the device you want to use. You can only use one, so choose your glucose-meter or smartphone. After the first scan, it will start and needs 60 minutes to start up. After start up, the sensor will be ready to use and can be scanned as much as you want. Injecting the sensor has never even as far as itched for me personally. It is a smooth and short operation that is completely painless. When wearing it I do not notice its physical presence either. Even if it feels uncomfortable for a few days, that may well pass in a certain period of time.
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Links which take you out of Abbott worldwide websites are not under the control of Abbott, and Abbott is not responsible for the contents of any such site or any further links from such site. Abbott is providing these links to you only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement of the linked site by Abbott. The website that you have requested also may not be optimized for your screen size.
The Librelink App From Freestyle Libre
Now lets dive a little deeper into the LibreLink app, since you will be using this the most! The app was recently released for iOS , and although this is obviously fantastic because of its use case, I do feel like the app still holds a lot more potential. The Librelink app currently meets the following features:
- Check your blood-glucose levels
- Access a log of your blood-glucose levels
- Set personal alarms and reminders
It also offers reports and insights about:
- Your daily blood-glucose trends on a 7, 14, 30 and 90 day basis
- Your time within target blood-glucose levels on a 7, 14, 30 and 90 day basis
- Your hypos throughout the day on a 7, 14, 30 and 90 day basis
- Your average blood-glucose levels during the day on a 7, 14, 30 and 90 day basis
- A daily graphic of your exact blood-glucose levels per day
- Your estimated Hba1c
- Some statistics on your scan uses
Then apparently, there is also a sequel to this app, called the LibreLinkUp app. I have not used this myself but apparently it allows other people to keep track of your blood-glucose readings . Could be useful, especially in case of young children and worried parents.
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Taking Charge Of Diabetes
Self-testing is a fundamental part of staying on top of your diabetes. Thats why were dedicated to helping you make it simple and easy.
At Abbott, we believe people with diabetes should have the freedom to enjoy vigorous, active lives. Our systems help people with diabetes manage their health more effectively and comfortably with easy-to-use products that provide accurate data to drive better informed decisions.
Visit www.diabetescare.abbott for more information.
What Is The Freestyle Libre System
So let me begin with a short explanation of what FreeStyle Libre is. Basically, its a different method of measuring blood-glucose levels. Diabetics usually do this by pricking their finger in order to access some blood with a blood-glucose meter. With the FreeStyle Libre system this is no longer necessary. Instead, you attach a small sticky chip to your skin . One side of this sensor contains a tiny needle that goes inside of your skin. This tiny little needle continually registers your blood-glucose levels, which are saved inside the sensor for up to eight hours. This way, diabetics no longer have to go through the process of finger-pricking each time they want to measure their blood-sugar levels. Sidenote: I have never felt the needle in the slightest way, not even upon insertion, so dont let that be your main concern.
The blood-glucose levels that are registered by the sensor can be wirelessly transmitted to compatible devices such as the FreeStyle Libre glucose-meter by holding it above the sensor.
I really hated carrying all that diabetic stuff around, so for me this change has serious impact on my quality of life. It makes me feel free again.
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Freestyle Libre 2 Connected To Your Phone
You can monitor your glucose through Apple iOS and Android apps, your data is just a simple scan away.
In the spirit of keeping you apprised of the latest updates to our diabetes monitoring apparatus you know, FreeStyle Libre 2, an integrated continuous glucose monitoring system the Food and Drug Administration has cleared our FreeStyle Libre 2 apps for iPhone and Android users to connect their compatible1 smartphones to their FreeStyle Libre 2 sensors.
We understand the appeal to connected care and the rapport many have with their smart devices. We appreciate the readily apparent need for these kinds of applications of technology to daily lives. Whatever apprehensiveness there might have been before, one important outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic has been a near insatiable appetite for more reliable digital and connected diabetes care.
And that’s just what these FreeStyle Libre 2 apps bring.
Simply apply the sensor to the back of your upper arm and with your app, scan the sensor to get your latest glucose value, including a trend arrow and 8-hour historical graph showing how your glucose is reacting to food, exercise and more.
For those still checking their glucose with routine fingersticks,2 it’s hard to fathom how FreeStyle Libre technology could disappoint. And with these apps, you’re likely to have an easier time staying in range.
It’s not by happenstance.
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Small And Compact Easy To Use No Coding Required
Having been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in January, I was at first worried about all that might go along with that, including the continual blood testing each day but with the use of the Freestyle Lite this hasn’t been a problem. The monitor was given to me free of charge through the Diabetes Education people who came to see me at the hospital – I was there for something else when it was discovered I had this condition. It has a lifetime guarantee and when the battery requires replacing, Abbott will replace it free of charge and even the z…
Faults Found In Freestyle Mini And Freestyle Meters
19 March, 2014
Faults have been found in some glucose monitors, which could show incorrect low blood sugar results. Abbott Diabetes Care has recalled their FreeStyle Mini Blood Glucose Meter and FreeStyle Blood Glucose Meter because they may give incorrect low blood glucose results when they are used with FreeStyle Lite and FreeStyle blood glucose test strips.
Around 11,000 people in the UK are using these models although they have not been sold in the UK since 2007. Users have been urged to contact the retailer to receive a free updated meter. Or they can telephone Abbott Diabetes Care on 0500 467 466 who will provide a new meter.
While waiting for a replacement meter, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has advised people to continue to monitor their blood glucose levels using their existing models but to take extra care to notice of any signs of high blood glucose levels.
IDDT
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