ABBOTT, you guys are the WORST
ABBOTT has to be one of the WORST, large Medical Device companies I have ever had to deal with.
It started back with the Freestyle Lite Meter. That meter had this clunky cable you had to buy if you wanted to use their software. It worked years ago, but then it stopped. I contacted customer support and the rep I talked to said they don't have software for that meter. I said they do, I have it installed, but it no longer works. They got extremely rude telling me they NEVER had software for that meter, calling me a liar, and other names. Classy! I ended up getting an Accu-Chek meter after that. SO Much better, with an App on the phone even, and far cheaper test strips. I mean, there is a whole industry of people getting those expensive Freestyle Lite Test Strips through their insurance company and then selling them on eBay. I guess Abbott AND eBay are fine with that side hustle.
NOW, I am back dealing with ABBOTT again. I get prescribed a CGM to monitor my Blood Glucose. It's the Abbott Freestyle Libre 3. The app has flaws, but I have seen from the past ABBOTT Software development is not the best. My main issues is you cannot edit dates. That's fine for alarms and readings, but when you want to enter notes like Food, you should be able to set the time AFTER you've eaten. It should be simple. The other issue is you cannot scroll the timeline and click on the notes. Dexcom does a far better job with their app in that regard. I may try them when my current prescription runs out, but I think it would make my Doctors office really mad, after all I went through... *Read on....
First, there was trouble with the suppliers. My fist supplier did not bill me until 2 months after I got my first order, and when they did, there was some sticker shock. That supplier charged me twice as much as I saw the Libre 3's were going for online. Plus, you HAVE to buy the Freestyle overpriced and useless meter, when the App does more and can run on your phone. It made me wonder if there was a kickback program between my Doctors office and the supplier. Maybe Abbott has no control over some of this, but between Over-priced CGM's and a secondary market for Test strips, it seems like they are in the middle of some shady business practices.
Recently, I had some real issues dealing with Abbott's CGM's. Abbott's Marketing Department, with their infinite wisdom, decided to name their NEW product the Freestyle Libre 3 "Plus". WHAT?
WHY? WHY not call a NEW Product something like Libre 4? It has taken me SEVEN MONTHS to FINALLY get a Doctors office to get me the correct Prescription for the "PLUS" version. When I told the Doctor there was a NEW Meter called the Libre 3 Plus, they STILL put in the order for the Libre 3 (No PLUS). No matter how many times I tried to get them to correct it, the order always came back as Just Libre 3. It is a NEW version, so maybe the person putting in the order only saw "Libre 3" in the current list of items when entering the prescription, so they selected that?
Whatever reason, Abbott really was STUPID to give a NEW but similar product an EXTREMELY similar name. Especially with products for the medical field.
I started the quest to get the Libre 3 "PLUS" over 7 months ago. I had no idea who was screwing up. I Changed Doctors TWICE. I changed Pharmacies TWICE. I changed my Insurance. All because I could not get ANYONE to understand that the Libre 3 PLUS, was something completely Different than the Plain, ole Libre 3. But now we know. The REAL Problem was in Abbott's naming scheme.
Yes, I could have used the Libre 3, but Abbott sent me a letter telling the Libre 3 was being discontinued, so I was afraid stock may get low, and I really can't go without a CGM as they tell me when my BG goes extremely high (584 is my personal best). My BG does swing wildly, and I can't just prick my finger every half hour.
Thank You Abbott! Thank you for all MY wasted man-hours as well as the hours of the Doctors, and the Nurses who sent in the wrong orders as well as the people at the pharmacy I had to talk to to try and solve the issue. SEVEN MONTHS of getting the WRONG DEVICE. All because of your poor marketing decisions.
You guys are the worst!!!
27 June 2025
Unprompted review