CGM not sticking!

ohmylex

Member
Messages
18
hi guys! i was hoping someone could help me out here- i have about 4 days left of my first freestyle libre, and since the first day i put it on, the edges of the sticky part (particularly the back edge) have been slowly coming away from my skin!

now, with only 4 days left, all the edges have come up and aren’t sticky anymore. i haven’t gone swimming (only short showers ever other day), and i haven’t done any contact sports!

so far i’ve had 2 tegaderm stickers put over it (not at the same time) but the edges of them just came up too so i ended up having to take them off, which probably didn’t help the edges of the libre as i was having to pull on that to get the tegaderm off!

is this normal? or have i just put it too far back on my arm? someone please explain so i can have some peace of mind ahah

i was also wondering if the sticky goes all the way under the libre as well? hence why it hasn’t fallen off yet?
 

LooperCat

Expert
Messages
5,223
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Other
Don’t panic! The sticky goes all the way under it as well, so it should be ok as long as you don’t catch it on anything. I usually wipe the skin with a Skin Tac wipe before applying (https://amzn.to/2sOdUK3), and they stick like a limpet without needing anything on top. However, if it does feel a bit vulnerable, I’ll shove some rock tape over it, with a little section reversed over the top of the sensor itself, so it’s not glued to the actual Libre. If you round the corners, it’s less likely to peel off and lasts four days or so. And when you change it, it doesn’t pull on the sensor.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ohmylex

Antje77

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
19,284
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
I always wear a (pretty big) Tegaderm patch over it. By the end of the 2 weeks the edges have curled and gooten loose but I just trim them. If it gets so bad it needs a new patch I pry the remeining tegaderm loose until close to the sensor (preferably with a friend: I press my finger on the sensor, they cut around it) and then put a new patch over the remaind of the furst one.
You could also use a round piece of tissue on your sensor under the patch so the tegaderm won't stick to the patch itself..
 
  • Like
Reactions: ohmylex