Freestyle Libre and Swimming

I recently acquired the «Freestyle libre» reader, right before going on holiday in Bahamas with a newly placed sensor. I went on scuba diving twice in the morning every two days during a week.
The first day (2 dives) I tried to protect the sensor with a thin semi waterproof plaster, but because of the plaster being super sticky on both the sensor and hair, I decided to not protect it anymore (the plaster did not prevent the sensor to get wet anyway). So I spent remaining 6 dives unprotected (except with the neoprene Shorty covering half the sensor, and no shorty at all for the last dive). Sensor has worked pretty fine for 2 weeks and had to be changed according to the scanner message. My blood sugar profile during this "scuba diving week" did match the ones I had the 4 years before under strictly the same conditions. Although I had my AccuCheck mobile device as a backup, I did not even felt like I should have used it to compare results. As a summary, my sensor resisted 8 dives, going between 25m and 42m deep with an average of 50min per dive, temperature was between 26°C & 28°C both on the beach and under water (even at 40m depth).

I stick something called "microporous tape" on top - looks like paper; available in Boots in 3 difference widths. This one is very resistant - to sweat, water etc. Withstood sun, swimming and watersports, including repeated falling into water. The only advice: after sticking the sensor in - wait for few hours before going in water. Same applies to the tape on top - let the adhesives settle.

I wore mine while renewing my lifeguard certification. The adhesive did not hold up, but I was in and out of the water for over two hours and performing rescue manœuvres. I think for shorter exposures it might work better, but I'm also looking into adhesive patches to put over too and textend the life if my sensor. Has anyone had experience with these?

Maximusx3 said:

I wore mine while renewing my lifeguard certification. The adhesive did not hold up, but I was in and out of the water for over two hours and performing rescue manœuvres. I think for shorter exposures it might work better, but I'm also looking into adhesive patches to put over too and textend the life if my sensor. Has anyone had experience with these?

Click to expand...

Look up 'Tegaderm' I swim 3-4 times a week in the local pool and Tegaderm works for me.

Nutty72 said:

My daughter uses the libre and loves swimming it's hard to limit the amount she is in the pool. Recently in Lanzarote we cut the toes off of trainer socks and she wore it as an armband over the sensor, yes not ideal as have a load of odd socks but it really worked for us and the sensor was intact!

Click to expand...

Thanks for this tip.
As a regular (and vigorous) club level swimmer I tried using Opsite FlexFix tape, but the whole lot (tape + sensor) came off in the first 20mins.

However when I was outdoor swimming with wetsuit the night before, I had no problems.

So I took inspiration from your tip and cut up an old neoprene sock and so far it seems to be doing the trick.
(I still use the tape, with a piece of the covering strip acorss the sensor to stop adhesion to that, and keep it all in place with the footless sock).

talopes said:

I swim 5 times a week, for more than 2 hours. Have had 2 sensors so far, and both came off when there were 6 days left. Even though the pool affects the gluey face of the sensor, the worst enemy is by far the sweat.
Regarding solutions for swimming practice, there is a water repellant plast named Leukomed T which is very helpful and efficient.

Click to expand...

I swim at club level and had my first sensor come off in less than 20mins into a 2 hr session.
I had used Opsite Flexfix tape over the top but with the amount of exersion and streching in my arms, it still came off.
(If I ever have a plaster around a finger it comes off in the first few lengths - so 20mins is good by comparison!)

However i saw posted on another thread on here that someone had cut up an old sports sock for over the top.
I went a step further and did same with a Neoprene sock and put that over the tape and sensor (also I use a piece of the pull-off strip for over the top of sensor so it doesnt stick).

Two sessions done and it seems to be working.