Freestyle libre - alternative spots - pictures

[bhk]

Hello all!

Since a few months, my freestyle libre sensors are always very inaccurate. I don't know what happened, but it's like if the quality of their products have been lowered?? Anyways, I would like to try alternative sites; I know that some of you put it on the thigh, but where exactly? I tried 4 times; 2 of these times, the sensor stopped working after a few days only... Could any of you provide pictures of where they put the sensors?

Thanks a lot !!

 

[GrantGam]

Hello all!

Since a few months, my freestyle libre sensors are always very inaccurate. I don't know what happened, but it's like if the quality of their products have been lowered?? Anyways, I would like to try alternative sites; I know that some of you put it on the thigh, but where exactly? I tried 4 times; 2 of these times, the sensor stopped working after a few days only... Could any of you provide pictures of where they put the sensors?

Thanks a lot !!

Do you really want to try on your thigh again, considering the fact that the prior 4 efforts resulted in wasted sensors?

You should be eligible for replacement sensors direct from Abbott for the ones that have been inaccurate or failed. But please note that the manufacturer will only replace the sensors it you have followed their application instructions to the letter. That means using ONLY the rear of your arms as sites.

 

[Jake2701]

Hello all!

Since a few months, my freestyle libre sensors are always very inaccurate. I don't know what happened, but it's like if the quality of their products have been lowered?? Anyways, I would like to try alternative sites; I know that some of you put it on the thigh, but where exactly? I tried 4 times; 2 of these times, the sensor stopped working after a few days only... Could any of you provide pictures of where they put the sensors?

Thanks a lot !!

My wife, ever since we started using Libre, puts it on the arm, place you see on photo, one on left, next one on right, avoiding place where the last one was. Only once if fell off in the shower, Abbots recon it was fault with adhesive and replaced it (she had already over 15 of them, and there weren't any problems except that one, and one which declared after 9 days its time is up. They replaced that one as well).

 

[bhk]

What's the point on continuing with these sensors if none of them is working properly? Even if they replace it, it's always the same inaccuracy story...

 

[Jake2701]

What's the point on continuing with these sensors if none of them is working properly? Even if they replace it, it's always the same inaccuracy story...

It's not true. As I said before, my wife had over 15 of them. I checked accuracy several time against standard strip test, and they are very close. Libre apparently takes sample not from blood, but bodily fluids, and has, along Abbots, slight delay. But we proved that it is insignificant. I'm not promoting Libre, but you should see terror in my wife's eyes when delivery of next sensor was delayed, and she had to go back to pricking her fingers for one day. It's not cheap, in Australia Abbot sells sensor for A$92.50 and it has to be changed every fortnight, but I would not put my wife back on finger pricking.

 

[GrantGam]

What's the point on continuing with these sensors if none of them is working properly? Even if they replace it, it's always the same inaccuracy story...

You must have had a bad experience @bhk. Thousands of diabetics will agree with me that the Libre system is typically very good with regards to both accuracy and sensor reliability. I have trouble removing mine after 14 days!

Here's a couple of things which may be causing your issues (first two for sensors falling off, second two for "inaccuracy"):

-Not letting the site dry thoroughly after using the alcohol swab
-Excess hair on the application site
-Comparison against a poor meter
-Not accounting for the small delay between measured interstitial fluid vs your actual BG.

By the way, exactly how inaccurate is "very inaccurate" in your view?

Comparisons between the Libre reading and actual BG can be substantially out during times of rapidly changing BG; such as after a meal. This is not inaccuracy, but more of a discrepancy between readings - due to your interstitial fluid (where the Libre sensor gets its readings from) being anywhere up to 15 minutes behind your true BG.