Libre on high-altitude flight

[AlexMagd]

Hi guys,

I'm taking a long distance flight in a couple of weeks (27 hours - joy!) and am curious about the effect this will have on my Libre. Less worried about airport security as there are a few threads where people have used it fine on those.

I'm more interested if anyone's used their Freestyle Libre while on a high altitude flight? The manual says that it won't operate above 10,000 feet but I'm not sure if that means it'll just give weird readings, or whether the sensor will fail if I try to scan it.

If I'm wearing it but not scanning it, will it be fine?

If not I guess I'll just have some gaps in my readings for that day - though I was hoping I could still test as I'm not sure that airplane food is going to be good for my blood sugar... but I don't want to risk the sensor failing

 

[Juicyj]

Hi @AlexMagd - This has been discussed before so hope this thread helps answer your question, however shouldn't be a problem:

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/flying-with-freestyle-libre.114965/

 

[AlexMagd]

Hi @AlexMagd - This has been discussed before so hope this thread helps answer your question, however shouldn't be a problem:

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/flying-with-freestyle-libre.114965/

Sort of - though the outcome of that thread was OP saying "don't use Libre up in the air and everything will be fine"; I was hoping someone had a more up to date experience of using it in the air and how that worked out?

Unfortunately I'm going to have a 20 hour stretch up at altitude and I don't want to scan if there's a risk of the sensor malfunctioning since I won't be able to get a replacement while I'm out there. Abbott haven't been really very helpful so was hoping someone here had some first hand experience

 

[Juicyj]

Hi Alex, @ScottyD is one of our type 1 pilot members who uses the libre whilst flying, hopefully he can respond with first hand evidence of his experience in using this

 

[Mike d]

For airplane food, make sure the carrier offers all meals appropriate for your needs ... where in the heck are you going on a trip that takes that long?

 

[Fleegle]

I have not been on a long haul but I have been to the states a couple of times with it.
That is between 7 and 10 hours for me. No problems with Libre.
However, whilst normal body scanners at airports do not detect it - the ones in the states where you stand and hold your arms up do. The security were fine when I showed them - but in prep I wear a T-shirt and no outer clothing so I can show them the sensor.

 

[AlexMagd]

For airplane food, make sure the carrier offers all meals appropriate for your needs ... where in the heck are you going on a trip that takes that long?

Australia and New Zealand! The latter is a punishing 31 hour flight and the only stop is Dubai, which is about 7/8 hours from the UK. So yeah, gonna be up high for a loooong time.

With regards meals, I've heard the diabetic meals aren't that good (standard Eatwell approach) so I will probably just avoid the obvious carbs where possible and make sure I get plenty of nuts to snack on. Luckily it's a scheduled flight so everything is included.

 

[Deleted member 308541]

I would have assumed that the aircraft cabin pressure would be the same as ground level, so then it would make no difference to the meter.

It would be a different matter if you were out in the open on the summit of Mt. Everest, then it would most probably not work correctly.

Here's a link for the replacement sensors in Australia from Abbots.

https://www.freestylelibre.com.au/freestyle-libre-sensor

 

[Mike d]

Australia and New Zealand! The latter is a punishing 31 hour flight and the only stop is Dubai, which is about 7/8 hours from the UK. So yeah, gonna be up high for a loooong time.

With regards meals, I've heard the diabetic meals aren't that good (standard Eatwell approach) so I will probably just avoid the obvious carbs where possible and make sure I get plenty of nuts to snack on. Luckily it's a scheduled flight so everything is included.

Thought as much re the destination. Hopefully they offer unbattered fish and plenty of it and never be afraid to ask for seconds as catering always allows for late arrivals and (oddly enough) those that don't check in so if you like a meal. the F/A should be able to at least check

 

[AlexMagd]

Thought as much re the destination. Hopefully they offer unbattered fish and plenty of it and never be afraid to ask for seconds as catering always allows for late arrivals and (oddly enough) those that don't check in so if you like a meal. the F/A should be able to at least check

Good advice! I used to do a lot of long haul flights (lived in China) so I have absolutely no shame in asking for more of everything - I'm paying for it dammit!

 

[GavinTully]

Aircraft cabin altitude will remain below 8000ft so the sensor will still work correctly.

 

[Books1]

Have just come back from Mauritius 12 hr flights - no problems with libre

 

[Deleted member 308541]

Aircraft cabin altitude will remain below 8000ft so the sensor will still work correctly.

Here's article at Wikipedia explaining it, scroll down to Cabin altitude for a full explanation that should help the OP.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabin_pressurization

 

[ScottyD]

I use the Freestyle Libre day in, day out whilst flying. No issues here at all. In flight or going through security.

As stated, the cabin is pressurised to 7-8000ft and modern airliners are pressurised to even lower altitudes. So with the limits being stated as 10,000ft (which I didn't know!) it'll operate just fine.

With regards to accuracy, I've just experienced typical Libre accuracies as you do on the ground. I have to keep within 5-15 mmol/l whilst flying and the Libre sees me to within 1-1.5mmol/l of my actual blood glucose reading. Usually within 1 mmol/l.

It might have just been the sensor, but if I apply a new sensor in the morning, then I'm off to work in the afternoon, I find the readings are a little more inaccurate. If I apply it on my days off and it's had 48-72hrs being on the ground, it's much more accurate. I could just have been that specific sensor however.

 

[AlexMagd]

Brilliant, thanks all! Had no idea about the pressurisation thing, so that makes it a lot simpler