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Freestyle liber sensor location

R

rainbowchild

Member
Hi guys, I was wondering if anyone could enlighten me on any experience they've had placing the sensors anywhere other than the arms? I've recently purchased one and am loving it so far but it's not exactly the most inconspicuous thing! Thanks :)


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I believe some people have had success putting it on alternative sites such as the thigh or stomach, but it's only approved for use on the back of the arm and I suspect Abbott wouldn't be so keen to swap it out if you get bad readings or a faulty sensor of it's not been installed in the approved place.

Because the sensors are so expensive I've always put mine on the back of my arm and that way they've swapped them out without issue if I've had a bad one (and I've had a few!)
 
The sensors are only licensed to be used on the arms but there are a few members on here who have placed them elsewhere.
 
I think it must be down to where the manufacturers used while the product went through approval. Both the Libre and Dexcom systems measure interstitial fluid, but Dexcom say belly (or upper buttocks for children) and Abbott say back of the arm.

Plenty of Librearians (the collective term for Libre users that I've just made up) use other sites, and so do Dexcom users (I've gone back to using my arms for my Dexcom).
 
I think over time, more areas will be approved, but around launch, where there were bound too be more issues, it would simply be another variable Abbott didn't need to be supporting.

Of course, the siting is less of an issue in the cooler months when long sleeves are routine. Very few people have ever asked what it is. HCPs I tend to explain exactly what it is. For non-HCPs, I sometimes jokingly say it's my electronic tag, and other times I just say it's a specialist body tracker, and they seem to assume it's some sort of FitBit. :)
 
I use my abdomen and find it handy and out of the way there and less likely to be knocked or caught (I usually have my pump cannulas on abdo too so used to having things there) easy to cover up too. The only issue I have is that they seem to loosen a little, a bit will become unstuck but I cover it with some tegaderm type dressing and all is well, I've never lost one before 14 days. I guess thats the issue with putting it on a more "mobile" part of the body!
 
xAoifex said:
I use my abdomen and find it handy and out of the way there and less likely to be knocked or caught (I usually have my pump cannulas on abdo too so used to having things there) easy to cover up too. The only issue I have is that they seem to loosen a little, a bit will become unstuck but I cover it with some tegaderm type dressing and all is well, I've never lost one before 14 days. I guess thats the issue with putting it on a more "mobile" part of the body!
Click to expand...

Thanks for that. Have you noticed any difference in the readings between your arm and stomach?


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