Was the storm, Debby? She was rainy and windy. I had to drive in the middle of the worst. Sensor worked fine. No dog though. Bad experiment without that constant some of us don’t take this so seriously.Haha
I’m sorry I don’t remember if I was using the reader or Iphone/App when I had the L3 sensor failure. It was months ago, I only remember seeing a message to replace the sensor.
I used to frequently have sensor failures when using the Libre 2, which was frustrating. It would usually happen within the first 12 hours of wear. I’m very happy it’s only happened once with the Libre 3.
The L3 failures have been as soon as the day after I started it and as long as the 13th day of use.
I’m sorry to hear that Dave ! One thing I’ve been consistently doing with the L3 is to apply a new sensor 24 hours before the old one stops working- I let the new sensor “settle in” and don’t scan/start it until the old one shuts off.
This may or may not have anything to do with the lack of L3 sensor failures I’ve had, but it definitely increases the accuracy of the new sensors in the first 24 hours- which is when CGMs are typically least accurate.
Might be worth a try- along with switching to the reader.
Good luck !!
Are you able and willing to try Dexcom?
Joanne,
Starting a new sensor 24 hours before the existing one stops?
In order to start a new sensor, in the app, I have to agree with starting it and the existing one is no longer usable.
Dorie,
Right now, I’m not willing to go to Dexcomm. Every issue I’ve had with Libre were the Android app and eventually got resolved. I’m hoping for the same outcome here. BUT I am surprised no one else seems to have the issues I’m experiencing.
I hope you find a resolution - keep us posted.
Dave- You’d be applying the new sensor but NOT scanning/starting it until 24 hours after application- the sensor will be inserted but NOT providing readings during that initial 24 hour period.
You would not scan and start the new sensor until the older one shuts down/turns off.
Doing this has for me drastically increased accuracy in the first day. I suspect (but have no way of knowing for sure) that it is also helping me to avoid failed sensors, by avoiding the very inaccurate readings I used to get in the first day of wear.
I figured it would be worth a try for you. Again, I’d recommend you try doing this AND using the Libre 3 reader.
Ahh Got it.
When I started using the Libre 2, I could install the new sensor, use the phone to start it and read the old sensor with the Libre 2 reader during the new warm-up period. Then suddenly that didn’t work, Abbott customer service told me that shouldn’t work. But based on the logs I was looking at the 2 different sensors.
When I started with 3’s there was no reader in the box, I called and was told it used the app, there was no reader.
With the 3’s I assumed that until the sensor was “started” nothing would happen, but obviously during that hour it can draw the fluid in.
Thanks,
Hi Dave, When the Libre 3 was first introduced, there was no reader. You had to use the App.
However a reader was required under Medicare rules, so a reader became available.
Personally I prefer using the reader and not relying on my phone or having to worry about the impact of updates on the App.
Good luck and let us know how you do !
I was aware of that, in fact I was told because there was no reader, Medicare wouldn’t approve it.
I started a new Libre 3 sensor this morning.
As was suggested, I put it on, without scanning it. My phone continued to read the old sensor.
After 65 minutes, the phone showed the old sensor ended.
I put the phone to the new sensor and it showed “60 Minutes” so putting it on ahead of time didn’t work.
I totally understand about a new app.
Thanks
Dave, Perhaps I wasn’t clear. Putting a new sensor on 24 HOURS before the old one ends should improve accuracy- however this will NOT do away with the one hour start-up wait.
The only way to run two sensors simultaneously and avoid missing readings during the one hour warm up is to scan the two sensors with two different devices (e.g. two different readers).
Hey team, I’m thrilled to have someone to talk to. Our stories are similar, but at the same time we manage our disorder in our own way. We live contrary to the big book. We should’ve been dead long ago. We propagated a generation that was not a planned part. Medical science saved our lives. I feel fortunate and thrilled to be here. I have nothing to complain about. I’m only grateful. If we as a group can help others that are new to the club That is our greatest obligation. Love, John.
Since the first gen CGM sensors were available, the people that tried them all felt that the sensors improved in accuracy with time. All interstitial fluid sensors use a glucose oxidase enzyme and a silver electrode and measure a chemical reaction rate between the interstitial fluid and the electrode, which goes up and down with blood sugar. Putting a sensor in you but not using it right away allows your body, typically histamine reactions to the sensor, bleeding, irritation and general inflammation to go away a bit before turning on the power to start readings.
We nicknamed this “pre soak” or “marinating” because all you’re really doing is letting your CGM site heal a little and the movement of interstitial fluid to normalize a little before starting the X-day (7-10-14) countdown sensor timer.
Did it work? I don’t know, but you could see better accuracy over the life span of this sensor because you marinated it for a couple hours. An erratic set of readings could cause the sensor electronics to fail itself, this might possibly help that. Good luck with this session 
If you’re tying failures with the time the sensor has been in use, I’ve had them fail anywhere between the 1st day to the 13th.
I did read that rapid changes in the glucose level may cause “errors”.
Did you try applying the new sensor (while the old one is still working) and NOT scanning/starting the new sensor for 12-24 hours ?
That’s what might help increase accuracy and avoid sensor failure, based on my experience and the helpful info Joe posted.
I’m not concerned with accuracy, it’s the “sensor error” failures.
If a sensor fails anywhere from a few hours to 13 days after being started, I don’t see how waiting makes a difference.
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Dave @Dave52, have you done a deep-dive into the Abbott Freestyle literature and spoken with an Abbott tech support person? I hasn’t used any Freestyle sensors but, if the operation pattern is anythomg close to the Dexcom this bit may help you understand.
The Decvom G7 is designed to provide a “Brief Sensor Failure” message when the sensor software detects what appears to be “false” or inaccurate results - this is a built-in safety to protect user. For me, these “brief” have lasted through anywhere between 1 scheduled [5 minutes] reading and rarely as long as six blocked readings. Do you have frequent “sensor error” messages? Looking back at the Forum history, this appears to be the first Topic with this concern. It could be, that the Libre doesn’t want to work with your body chemistry.
tbh, it probably doesn’t. no way to verify unless you had the source code regarding what constitutes a sensor error. sometimes we can make a change and judge “better, same, worse” and that’s it.
Haha I’m not criticizing anyone’s comments or suggestions.
But “Libre doesn’t want to work with your body chemistry.” would be my favorite except;
In 16 sensors, I’ve had 7 failures. I would think if it was my body chemistry it would be a problem with every sensor I use.
Also I never had any failures with the 14 day, the Libre 2’s or the 4 Libre 3’s I got before the provider found out they weren’t yet approved by Medicare.
These errors all started in 2024. And I am only talking about the “Sensor Error” message on the app. I have had the “Try again in 10 minutes”, I’m not counting those.
During the first 3 failures, I waited awhile the first time and 10 minutes the others.
TBH I thought there would be others with the “Sensor Error” messages, I did not expect to be the only one. When the earlier Android apps started having problems it was all over the Google App store and eventually their software developers finally got it together.
FWIW, I used to be a communications engineer, for 30 years I worked with the hardware.
When software started getting involved in radio controls, we tested the software with the hardware endlessly, then troubleshooting. And 99% of the time the failure was the software. So I’m not a big fan of trusting software. If anyone reading is a SW geek nothing personal. lol
Yes, I tried working with Abbott Support when the 14 day app kept having problems. I finally asked for a higher level support and that never went anywhere. Then I called Abbott Corporate was very specific explaining the issues and not being able to get reasonable support from their CS number. Haha she said she would transfer me to someone that could help… YEP right back to the broken English first level support. I gave up.
Thanks