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Painful Libre site

Goonergal

Goonergal

Master
Retired Moderator
Messages
13,461
Location
London
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
As I’m regularly experiencing Libre sensors falling off before the 14 days are up (have not found a cover to which I’m not allergic), yesterday I experimented with siting it under my arm, rather than on the back of it.

Placing it was not painful, but it did produce a LOT of blood (ran down arm and dripped all over the floor). That’s happened before, with no ill effect, but the site felt uncomfortable all day. This morning as I got dressed I noticed a lot of bruising around the site, which is a first. Would explain the discomfort.

The readings don’t seem to be too out of whack with my meter, so assume this is just a result of drawing blood. Not overly concerned, just interested whether others have experienced similar?

Graphic pics attached.
 

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Hi,

Could you have caught a vessel? I have had the odd bleeder from the centre hole with no detriment to the accuracy.
More noticed when I used the Mmiaomiao with the L1. Little blood stain on the "spoon" when taking off to charge..

Once with a particular twangy sensor when it had reached it's time to change, it came away a little easier than usual
(Still stuck tight round the edges.) revealing a simalar blemish underneath with a little pinprick pimple scab in the centre.
But It did soon clear up..

On the whole they don't cause me much bother like this..

Edit to add, I use under arm too.
 
Jaylee said:
When was the sensor fitted?
Click to expand...

Yesterday morning. I put it on to ‘bed in’ as the one in use only had about 24 hours to go. That one fell off (!] so this one got triggered early. I didn’t see any bruising yesterday, but then I don’t look underneath my arms too often - just caught a glimpse of the bruise this morning. It does explain why the site felt uncomfortable all day yesterday.
 
Goonergal said:
Yesterday morning. I put it on to ‘bed in’ as the one in use only had about 24 hours to go. That one fell off (!] so this one got triggered early. I didn’t see any bruising yesterday, but then I don’t look underneath my arms too often - just caught a glimpse of the bruise this morning. It does explain why the site felt uncomfortable all day yesterday.
Click to expand...

My thoughts are, the bruising is from a dodgy puncture which bled more than usual. There maybe residual amounts of blood soiling the sticky pad under the sensor? (Dried now.) Some came out the centre hole.
Due to the possibility of (& not knowing) how much blood soiling of the adhesive under the Libre. You may need to treat the site with care? It could only be stuck round the edges..
 
Jaylee said:
My thoughts are, the bruising is from a dodgy puncture which bled more than usual. There maybe residual amounts of blood soiling the sticky pad under the sensor? (Dried now.) Some came out the centre hole.
Due to the possibility of (& not knowing) how much blood soiling of the adhesive under the Libre. You may need to treat the site with care? It could only be stuck round the edges..
Click to expand...

Thanks. I’ll keep an eye on it.
 
Goonergal said:
Thanks. I’ll keep an eye on it.
Click to expand...

It's difficult to see against the bruise. But studying the photos, blood could have drawn up just inside the edge of the pad?
If I'm looking at the pic the right way, towards your elbow side?

Edited to add, it could also be staining on the outside edge of the pad if the blood ran out the hole & down the arm too?
 
Ouch, just looking at the bruise feels painful. I am on my 67th sensor now, and have never experienced any bleeding, but then whenever I go for bloodwork, I get the pin cushion treatment as they look for a vein
 
Jaylee said:
studying the photos, blood could have drawn up just inside the edge of the pad?
If I'm looking at the pic the right way, towards your elbow side?
Click to expand...

Yes. Does seem to be some collected blood - you got the angles right!
 
I wonder if they are designed for people with more "padding" than you have?

My last I put more under the arm and it was a pain to get off as I've only got skin there and it stretched and stretched as I tried to get it off.
Maybe aim for more muscle or flab next time?

Ps. I had a blood draw go like that once, but only the once and the guy was no more different in what he did to any other
 
MrsA2 said:
I wonder if they are designed for people with more "padding" than you have?

My last I put more under the arm and it was a pain to get off as I've only got skin there and it stretched and stretched as I tried to get it off.
Maybe aim for more muscle or flab next time?

Ps. I had a blood draw go like that once, but only the once and the guy was no more different in what he did to any other
Click to expand...

There’s more flab than it looks in the pics!
 
Well - going for the sympathy vote here - it fell off. Noticed it hurting a bit this morning. Took my jumper off when I got in from work and it was hanging by a thread. Looks quite dramatic! About to call Abbott - they’ll be banning me soon, I get that many replacement sensors :D
 

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Goonergal said:
Well - going for the sympathy vote here - it fell off. Noticed it hurting a bit this morning. Took my jumper off when I got in from work and it was hanging by a thread. Looks quite dramatic! About to call Abbott - they’ll be banning me soon, I get that many replacement sensors :D
Click to expand...
Ooh really nasty looking. Clearly a lot of bleeding under the skin. Might take a while to go I would keep an eye on it if I were you.
 
Goonergal said:
Well - going for the sympathy vote here - it fell off. Noticed it hurting a bit this morning. Took my jumper off when I got in from work and it was hanging by a thread. Looks quite dramatic! About to call Abbott - they’ll be banning me soon, I get that many replacement sensors :D
Click to expand...
That looks really sore
 
Goonergal said:
Well - going for the sympathy vote here - it fell off. Noticed it hurting a bit this morning. Took my jumper off when I got in from work and it was hanging by a thread. Looks quite dramatic! About to call Abbott - they’ll be banning me soon, I get that many replacement sensors :D
Click to expand...

I've had a little less dried blood under the sensor at the end of it's life.
But it never came off like that.

Keep an eye on it, i guess with the sensor gone it should calm any discomfort you had?
 
Jaylee said:
I've had a little less dried blood under the sensor at the end of it's life.
But it never came off like that.

Keep an eye on it, i guess with the sensor gone it should calm any discomfort you had?
Click to expand...

Yes, it’s fine now, thanks. Photos sent to Abbott!
 
I woke up thinking of you and was going to say "Contact Abbott" but have only just got chance to log on.
So pleased you did. Will be very interesting to hear what they say.

Meanwhile, how is your arm now?
 
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