Libre sensor....

Claralilly said:

Hi all I'm new to this site. Am T1, and have recently started using the libre sensor, I absolutely love it, but you can't immerse it in water for longer than 30 mins according to instructions.. However I'm a keen swimmer, so wondering if anyone else out there has the libre and swims? I've tried a couple of waterproof plasters which didn't work :-(( any ideas?!.... Thanks in advance

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I haven't tried any sustained swimming with a Libre attached, yet, but could I ask; When you say the watereproof plasters "didn't work", do you mean the sensor died, the plasters fell off or something else? Was your sensor on your arm, and subject to water drag over it on ever stroke, or did you wear the sensor to be positioned under your swim kit?

If the sensor died; had it expired when you got out of the water? If that's the case, did you try waiting a while to see if it revived itself when you had dried off properly? Were you in pool water or the sea?

I'm about to be spending some time overseas and have a couple of sensors to use whilst away, as I know my body works slightly differently, although that will undoubtedly be linked to the differing diet and significantly more exercise (well, it's warmer for starters!!), so I have a bit of an interest.

I swim every day overseas, but it does tend to be a pretty efficient dip, where I'm in and out within the 30 minutes, but could do that more than once a day, depending on other factors. The water has also a very high saline content where I will be. I'm also considering mounting a sensor on my outer chest (towards an armpit) where it will be under a swimsuit or bikini top and neither impact on tan lines (Oh, the vanity!), nor be a topic of unwanted conversation. There have to be better things to discuss in bars, non?

I'll be watching this thread with interest.

Am on my first sensor and swim daily, so I had been wondering this too!

After 2 (brief and vigorous) 20 min morning swims I noticed that the sensor seemed to have slid a little on its sticky base, although the sticky was still well stuck to my skin itself. The curve of my arm muscle and the corresponding flatness of the sensor means that the sticky is under pressure, I feel!

At the moment I'm sticking it firmly to my arm with micropore all around my arm - looks a bit silly but I don't really mind! I make sure the tape doesn't stick to the sensor itself by putting a little piece of kitchen roll between the tape and the sensor - it still holds firm.

As for how the sensor works having been immersed in pool water for 20 minutes - it's not been reading any less accurately than it - ahem - did before! Still works, still happy with it.

As I say, it seems to be water resistant as claimed, even if the sticky base has been slightly compromised.

Happy swimming!

Ironman? Respect!

Had a go with some waterproof wound plasters (Superdrug) and just got cross with them - found it really hard to put on accurately so gave up! Thought I'd just stick to micropore for sticking sensor down for swimming and never mind the waterproofing... Good plan to test the 30 minutes on the last day of the sensor's life - hadn't thought of that.

Would be interested to hear if there is a perfect answer to the waterproof plaster debate, as I hope to increase my time in the pool (albeit not to ironman standards!).

Oooooh, cling film! Will try it!

I swim for about 45 min. so far no problems with libre

Claralilly said:

Hiya, no the sensor is due to die on Tuesday, the waterproof plasters fell off, even the one the hospital gave me to try which is designed to prevent wounds getting wet! I'm training for an ironman so need to be in the pool for much longer than 30 mins, I'm in a pool at the moment but will go to sea soon. The libre is great, is so much easier to test while training, it's just the swim side of things (
Tan lines... Haha I'd do exactly the same!!! The sensor is on the very back of my arm, I'm going to try swimming longer than 30 mins on tues morning before it dies and see what happens. I don't know what else I could use to cover it!?!
Not many people seem to be using a sensor so thought I'd put on here. I guess theoretically the sensor won't be completely immersed whilst swimming so maybe I'll get an hour out of it, I'll let u know!!

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Claralily, I don't know whether you mean, not many people are using the Libre, or not many are using it, and swimming more than 30 minutes.

There are loads and loads of Libre users on this site, and if you do a search on it (Libre), you will find lots of threads, started by several users, looking at different queries.

I think we each have to take a bit of responsibility if we push the usage boundaries with our sensors as weeping to Abbott would be likely to fall on understandably deaf ears. If I recall, there was a diver (scuba, no high board) who used his/her sensor during dives. Of course, that involved cover with a wetsuit, but it's still wet inside there. I also dive, but haven't used a sensor whilst doing any of that, and as very much a part-time user, I doubt I would, unless it just happened by circumstances.

Good luck with it all. I hope you're getting interesting feedback from your sensors.