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Freestyle Libre

sflannery

sflannery

Member
Messages
17
Location
Liverpool
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
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
 
Cavalon?
 
Don’t know- my liver experience is that it’s hard to get off. Just know some members use it. Oh and rock tape- that might keep it on.
 
i wish it was that way around! £60 each I wish theyd stay on!! my doctor advised me not to use tape as it can decrease sensitivity in scanning
 
sflannery said:
i wish it was that way around! £60 each I wish theyd stay on!! my doctor advised me not to use tape as it can decrease sensitivity in scanning
Click to expand...
Presuming you're in the UK, make sure you fill in the VAT exemption form, makes it cheaper :) (if you order directly from Abbott its on their order page, if you get from somewhere like Asda or Superdrug they should have a form for you to fill in)
 
Hi @sflannery ,

Welcome to the forum.

I'll tag in some experienced pumpers & or CGM users who may help find the right adhesive product for your solution.?

@Mel dCP [USER=181361]@helensaramay @Juicyj @tim2000s @therower @Type1Bri

As an aside. I suspect your doctor is wrong about the effects of tape on the scan signal? The idea is to scan discreetly through clothing..
He is a doctor not an engineer! ;) @Scott-C ?

Hope this helps..[/USER]
 
Last edited:
I was advised against using anything on the skin as this may be pushed in with the sensor upon application which is why you must wipe the area with the alcohol wipes provided. That said, I know some people use SkinTac. Perhaps because, as a wipe you can avoid the point where the sensor goes in.
What makes you think you need anything to hold them in place? Have your sensors come off?
The very first one I used came off so I used micropore tape the second time (with no impact on scanning) but not bothered since. I think it helps to put the sensor as far under your arm as possible. The first couple I put on the back of my arm, they were easily knocked and were on a part of my arm that was "flexed" at the gym.
However, I know some people use tagaderm and have no scanning problems if you want to go down that route.

As for the £60 cost, have you tried Asda Pharmacy?
You have to order them in advance but for £44 each, I think it's worth the saving ... for me it's even worth the 10 mile round trip to pick them up.
 
Morning! It’ll scan through a duvet - or even my heavy bike leathers, so a bit of tape won’t make any difference. I use kinesiology tape (round the corners off, it lasts longer) if it’s looking a bit unstuck. I tried tegaderm but I found it made a weird rustling noise!

I do use Skin Tac wipes (https://amzn.to/2sOdUK3) before applying, as a medical grade adhesive, if a tiny bit gets under my skin I doubt it would cause any issues - I’ve certainly not experienced any problems. I also wear mine on my upper chest, it’s an area that doesn’t flex and change shape as much as my arm does, and I’ve have no problems knocking it off.
 
Hi, @sflannery , another thing to try is shaving the application area. Even people who don't have particularly hairy arms will often still have a fine peach fuzz, and that growing under the sensor won't be doing it any favours in stickiness, so best to wash the area, shave, leave to fully dry, and then use the alcohol wipes to get rid of any remaining grease.

Also, one thing which surprised me in the first week or two of using libre was the number of times I'd inadvertently bump up against doorjambs without realising it. Tore one off that way. As a newbie to libre I wore the first few on the side of the arm but soon realised that putting it further round the back of the arm gave it more protection, and I started paying more attention when going through doors.

Same goes for taking jackets, rucksacks and seatbelts on and off - it can be surprisingly easy just to catch the edge which will loosen it over time.

I've never had to use Skintac, but it regularly gets good recommendations.

I normally put a 7 by 8cm Molnlycke Mepore plaster (about 20p in Boots) on top just to smooth out the edges, less prone to catching.

Good luck!
 
Rokaab said:
Presuming you're in the UK, make sure you fill in the VAT exemption form, makes it cheaper :) (if you order directly from Abbott its on their order page, if you get from somewhere like Asda or Superdrug they should have a form for you to fill in)
Click to expand...

Great! Thank you! I’ll look into that!
 
Jaylee said:
Hi @sflannery ,

Welcome to the forum.

I'll tag in some experienced pumpers & or CGM users who may help find the right adhesive product for your solution.?

@Mel dCP [USER=181361]@helensaramay @Juicyj @tim2000s @therower @Type1Bri

As an aside. I suspect your doctor is wrong about the effects of tape on the scan signal? The idea is to scan discreetly through clothing..
He is a doctor not an engineer! ;) @Scott-C ?

Hope this helps..[/USER]
Click to expand...

Great! Thank you so much! Very true- everyone seems to be disagreeing with him here!
 
helensaramay said:
I was advised against using anything on the skin as this may be pushed in with the sensor upon application which is why you must wipe the area with the alcohol wipes provided. That said, I know some people use SkinTac. Perhaps because, as a wipe you can avoid the point where the sensor goes in.
What makes you think you need anything to hold them in place? Have your sensors come off?
The very first one I used came off so I used micropore tape the second time (with no impact on scanning) but not bothered since. I think it helps to put the sensor as far under your arm as possible. The first couple I put on the back of my arm, they were easily knocked and were on a part of my arm that was "flexed" at the gym.
However, I know some people use tagaderm and have no scanning problems if you want to go down that route.

As for the £60 cost, have you tried Asda Pharmacy?
You have to order them in advance but for £44 each, I think it's worth the saving ... for me it's even worth the 10 mile round trip to pick them up.
Click to expand...

Yeah the first two I’ve had have came off within a couple of days! But I didn’t have any extra tape or spray on them so maybe that’s what I need to use! Thank you for your help!
 
Mel dCP said:
Morning! It’ll scan through a duvet - or even my heavy bike leathers, so a bit of tape won’t make any difference. I use kinesiology tape (round the corners off, it lasts longer) if it’s looking a bit unstuck. I tried tegaderm but I found it made a weird rustling noise!

I do use Skin Tac wipes (https://amzn.to/2sOdUK3) before applying, as a medical grade adhesive, if a tiny bit gets under my skin I doubt it would cause any issues - I’ve certainly not experienced any problems. I also wear mine on my upper chest, it’s an area that doesn’t flex and change shape as much as my arm does, and I’ve have no problems knocking it off.
Click to expand...

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
 
Scott-C said:
Hi, @sflannery , another thing to try is shaving the application area. Even people who don't have particularly hairy arms will often still have a fine peach fuzz, and that growing under the sensor won't be doing it any favours in stickiness, so best to wash the area, shave, leave to fully dry, and then use the alcohol wipes to get rid of any remaining grease.

Also, one thing which surprised me in the first week or two of using libre was the number of times I'd inadvertently bump up against doorjambs without realising it. Tore one off that way. As a newbie to libre I wore the first few on the side of the arm but soon realised that putting it further round the back of the arm gave it more protection, and I started paying more attention when going through doors.

Same goes for taking jackets, rucksacks and seatbelts on and off - it can be surprisingly easy just to catch the edge which will loosen it over time.

I've never had to use Skintac, but it regularly gets good recommendations.

I normally put a 7 by 8cm Molnlycke Mepore plaster (about 20p in Boots) on top just to smooth out the edges, less prone to catching.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Oh good idea! It’s all the little thing you don’t think of really! Yeah the arm definitely gets in the way- that’s why I wear my insulin pump on my back! Thank you! I’ll have to get to boots!
 
I have used the Libre for a year now and always use the under side of my arm. I am lucky as they stick to me like limpets, I literally have to force them to come from my skin, I did use Skintac once when on holiday just because I jnew I would be in the water a lot and also had a Turkish bath. After 2 weeks with the skin tac my fiancee had to peel it off me
 
porl69 said:
I have used the Libre for a year now and always use the under side of my arm. I am lucky as they stick to me like limpets, I literally have to force them to come from my skin, I did use Skintac once when on holiday just because I jnew I would be in the water a lot and also had a Turkish bath. After 2 weeks with the skin tac my fiancee had to peel it off me
Click to expand...

Amazing! Is that the wipes? Or the spray? Have u tried zoff wipes to get them off? Work amazing with my old pump n rid of all the sticky!
 
Rokaab said:
Presuming you're in the UK, make sure you fill in the VAT exemption form, makes it cheaper :) (if you order directly from Abbott its on their order page, if you get from somewhere like Asda or Superdrug they should have a form for you to fill in)
Click to expand...

Thank you so much!
 
sflannery said:
Amazing! Is that the wipes? Or the spray? Have u tried zoff wipes to get them off? Work amazing with my old pump n rid of all the sticky!
Click to expand...
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 :)
 
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