Freestyle Libre: A Helpful Guide for Diabetic Patients

Freestyle Libre is a device manufactured by Abbott Lab that is used to monitor the daily level of glucose in your body without damaging your fingers.

Freestyle Libre is a kind of glucose monitoring system. A blood glucose monitoring system measures blood sugar levels continuously throughout the day.

A freestyle libre system is made up of:

• A reader – a small device you use to scan the sensor to see your sugar levels

• A sensor you stick to your arm

• A new mobile app which work as a reader.

The best thing about Freestyle Libre Sensor is that it keeps track of your blood sugar level so you can identify trends and that can help you make better decisions about your health, such as How to adapt your diet or quantity of insulin to take.

This device is a very practical, easy to use and accurate monitoring system for those who are fed up with the traditional finger system.

Benefits of Freestyle Libre

Following are some of the benefits of this device

• It’s Accurate
• Convenient
• User friendly

Difference Between a Freestyle Libre and a conventional Finger prick Glucose monitoring

• This device measure your glucose in the interstitial fluid of the subcutaneous tissue while in conventional monitoring you measure glucose in the blood.
• This device collect data with the help of a scanner while the blood glucose monitoring a finger prick is needed after each reading.
• This device provide you a continuous measuring of glucose level while in conventional each reading represent one moment in time.
• The conventional glucose monitoring is time consuming while this new system take data from 1 sec scan.

How it Work?

FreeStyle Libre is a small, waterproof and fully disposable sensor that can be carried on your arm for 10 days. When scanning with the sensor, the meter displays a real-time blood glucose reading and a trend arrow, which is approved for dosing insulin without a finger. Unlike other CGM devices, Libre does not require digital perforation calibration.

Free Freestyle measures blood glucose using a small sensor located on the back of the arm. The sensor, which is the size of two superimposed parts, allows the blood glucose measurement in real time for 10 days, day and night. The sensor can also read blood sugar through clothing, making testing discreet and comfortable.

How do I use freestyle?

Step 1

When you open your new FreeStyle Libre Reader Kit, you’ll find the Quick Start Guide, the Reader, the User Guide, a USB cable, and the AC adapter. The Kit consists of two parts:

• The sensor applicator and
• The sensor package.

Step 2

Simply place the sensor on the arm for convenient glucose measurement without lancets or test strips.

Further information can be found in the operating instructions.

Contraindications

This is contraindicated in certain Procedure such as

• X-ray
• MRI
• CT scan
• Diathermy treatment.

It’s better you remove the device before doing the above procedures.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What’s a FreeStyle Libre?

It is a device manufactured by abbott Lab and is used to monitor daily glucose level in your body without finger pricks. It is different from the old monitoring system because it doesn’t require any finger pricks and it also provide continuous monitoring for 10-14 days.

2. How much is the FreeStyle Libre?

The cost is different in different pharmacies.  However the cost for 10 day Freestyle libre sensor start from 35$ to 52$.

While the cost for a Freestyle libre Reader (One time purchase)  start from 70$ to 97$.

3. Can you shower with FreeStyle Libre?

The sensor is water-resistant and can be worn while bathing and showering.

4. Is there a needle in the FreeStyle Libre?

Yes, One side of the sensor contains a tiny needle that goes inside of your skin.

5. How many FreeStyle Libre sensors are in a box?

The starter pack comes with one FreeStyle Libre reader and two FreeStyle Libre sensors, each lasting for up to 14 days in Canada, Australia and 10 days in United States.

6. What is a Freestyle libre sensor?

The sensor is device that is applied on to the back of the upper arm with a simple, disposable device called an applicator.

7. Do you need a prescription for FreeStyle Libre?

Yes,  this product need a doctor prescription in the US.

8. Can you swim with FreeStyle Libre?

This sensor is water-resistant and can be worn swimming as long as you Do not take it deeper than 3 feet (1 meter)

9. Is there any app for Freestyle Libre?

The FDA approved a mobile application for use with Free Freestyle 10 and 14 day blood glucose monitoring systems, which allows diabetic patients to monitor blood glucose levels on compatible iPhone devices.

10. How long will the freestyle sensors last?

In some countries, such as the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada, you can use Free Freestyle for up to 14 days. In the United States, however, it is only allowed for 10 days.

Check out this article about 10 Signs that you are diabetic .