Freestyle Libre

Freethinker

Member
Messages
10
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Be careful how your loved one hugs you too - my hubby knocked one off in the early days!
 

AMC68

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi everyone! I have recently switched to the freestyle libre to test my bloodsugars and am having problems with the actual machine sticking to me. I remember using a spray on my old insulin pump which helped to keep my skin sticky but cannot find it anywhere. Does anyone remember this or use anything similar?

Thanks
I use a sticky wipe called skintac from amazon which kept my sensor in place for 2 week holiday swimming daily in the sea Highly recommend just wipe site before applying freestyle libre
 

mefunk

Member
Messages
20
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I am a Dexcom G6 user - also used G4 for a number of years - and I used Skintac quite frequently. It is very effective as a sticky barrier. Smith and Nephew also make a similar product but the name of it escapes me at the moment. However, since I learned from the G6 labeling that skintac is not supposed to have contact with the area where the needle is inserted (not sure if that is a sensor performance issue or a tissue contact issue) so I started using the overpatch that Dexcom make for their sensors and which they provide free of charge. Unlike other commercially available overpatches I have tried, they do not irritate me and do a great job of keeping the sensor in place.

Have you looked into whether Abbot makes a similar product for the Freestyle Libre? BTW - I did not find them on Dexcom's website - I learned about them from another online forum so I called Dexcom and got some shipped to me. It might be worth a call to Abbot to ask.
 

pouhoboy

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
not much
Make sure you clean the skin with sterets and then let it dry,important, then cover with opsite square , good for in the shower and swimming, it will read through clothes . I have used this for over a year,
 

sflannery

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Yeah that was the wipes. I had a sample sent to me so I used them when I was in Turkey. Never tried Zoff, but thanks for letting me know just in case I need to start using the Skin Tac again. Fingers crossed I will not need it :)

Okay great I’ll get onto that!! Yeah they are little wipes but they take your nail varnish off
 

videoman

Well-Known Member
Messages
191
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Now having used the Libre for 8 months; I find as long as the skin is cleaned using the wipes in the box , nothing falls off it even stiks that my wife has to pull it off. I shower without any problem
T1 since 1960
 
  • Like
Reactions: sflannery

sflannery

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Now having used the Libre for 8 months; I find as long as the skin is cleaned using the wipes in the box , nothing falls off it even stiks that my wife has to pull it off. I shower without any problem
T1 since 1960

Really? I wonder why mine have been so bad
 

Bill_St

Well-Known Member
Messages
203
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Been using Libre for over 3 years. Lost a couple in the first few months then used Tegaderm to round off the edges that tend to catch on things like door posts. If you do use Tegaderm, put a small Libre sized disk of paper in the centre of the patch then apply that over the sensor - helps to allow the patch to be removed without the sensor if you need to change the Tegaderm. Very quickly learned to increase my personal space and now do not need anything to keep them on but do have a rigorous procedure that really makes them stick.

Clean the arm well with non-moisturising soap.
Use both wipes and let them dry completely - can be 5-10 minutes.
Press and hold the two parts together Very firmly - prevents the adhesive pad coming loose from the sensor.
Hold your arm with hand on head - that stretches the skin where the sensor will go.
Press the applicator down very firmly on a fairly flat area between muscles and hold it down firmly until the adhesive bonds (15-20 seconds) Often easier to apply under arm if you are doing it yourself, to get it further to the back of arm.
Now the problem is getting it off at the end of the 14 days - use baby oil or better still a specialist adhesive remover such as Trio Elite then ease it off slowly. Make sure you remove all traces of the adhesive - will help reduce adhesive reactions and allergies.

One extra tip - put a new sensor on the day before it is needed (not activated). It allows insertion trauma to decrease which can cause inaccurate readings in the first 24 hours, then just activate it when the old one runs out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sflannery

sflannery

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Been using Libre for over 3 years. Lost a couple in the first few months then used Tegaderm to round off the edges that tend to catch on things like door posts. If you do use Tegaderm, put a small Libre sized disk of paper in the centre of the patch then apply that over the sensor - helps to allow the patch to be removed without the sensor if you need to change the Tegaderm. Very quickly learned to increase my personal space and now do not need anything to keep them on but do have a rigorous procedure that really makes them stick.

Clean the arm well with non-moisturising soap.
Use both wipes and let them dry completely - can be 5-10 minutes.
Press and hold the two parts together Very firmly - prevents the adhesive pad coming loose from the sensor.
Hold your arm with hand on head - that stretches the skin where the sensor will go.
Press the applicator down very firmly on a fairly flat area between muscles and hold it down firmly until the adhesive bonds (15-20 seconds) Often easier to apply under arm if you are doing it yourself, to get it further to the back of arm.
Now the problem is getting it off at the end of the 14 days - use baby oil or better still a specialist adhesive remover such as Trio Elite then ease it off slowly. Make sure you remove all traces of the adhesive - will help reduce adhesive reactions and allergies.

One extra tip - put a new sensor on the day before it is needed (not activated). It allows insertion trauma to decrease which can cause inaccurate readings in the first 24 hours, then just activate it when the old one runs out.

Wow thank you so much! Super helpful, I’ll try this tomorrow
 

maisie_15

Newbie
Messages
3
Hi everyone! I have recently switched to the freestyle libre to test my bloodsugars and am having problems with the actual machine sticking to me. I remember using a spray on my old insulin pump which helped to keep my skin sticky but cannot find it anywhere. Does anyone remember this or use anything similar?

Thanks
Before I put my freestyle libre on I use the Cavilon spray to help it stick a bit better but if it starts coming of the skin I use tegaderm which is a transparent dressing to put over and helps it stay on for the full 14 days
 
  • Like
Reactions: sflannery

sflannery

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Before I put my freestyle libre on I use the Cavilon spray to help it stick a bit better but if it starts coming of the skin I use tegaderm which is a transparent dressing to put over and helps it stay on for the full 14 days

Great thank you so much! I’ll buy some tegaderms now!
 

jillsymes66

Well-Known Member
Messages
63
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Rude ignorant people
Do you use a self tan? I was told it might not stick with that on.
 

jillsymes66

Well-Known Member
Messages
63
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Rude ignorant people
Scan through a duvet! You’ve proved my doctor wrong there!!! Thank you! I’ve heard about the upper chest being good as arms definitely do get in the way! Will have to try that too!

Thanks
Where about do you wear on your upper chest please? I'm finding I catch the sensor on my arm.
 

sflannery

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Where about do you wear on your upper chest please? I'm finding I catch the sensor on my arm.

I’ve tried it on my upper chest. It’s hard to describe so I’ve just put a photo. If you cover it in a plaster (this is just from Tesco) I’ve found that it’ll stay on!
56873934665__03918A2D-F3F3-448F-BA1A-4011422E60B4.jpg
56849890006__DEF63324-5355-424C-85C1-B534739D7EB7.jpg