Sports with Libre freestyle

[yosiba]

Hi. I am looking for advice...
I play swim, play basketball, play tennis... trying to do so with the Libre.
I was adviced to put a KT TAPE on it. and I did put a tape on it.
1.First of all - when doing sports with physical touch - such as basketball - it is varying annoting.. I am afraid to get close to other players..
2.After a few days the KT TAPE starts to get off - and it moved the LIBRE and it stopped working.
3, Yesterday ... while playing tennis ... it just fell off.
4. Did anyone try to put it on a diffrenet place (not on the back of the arm)?
I see that when I sweat - the glue doenst hold.

be glad ti see any suggestion.. special on the basketball issue..

Yos.

 

[Mbaker]

I use Opsite Flexifix Transparent Film Roll 10cmx1m from Amazon. This is the best I have found so far.

 

[GrantGam]

Hi. I am looking for advice...
I play swim, play basketball, play tennis... trying to do so with the Libre.
I was adviced to put a KT TAPE on it. and I did put a tape on it.
1.First of all - when doing sports with physical touch - such as basketball - it is varying annoting.. I am afraid to get close to other players..
2.After a few days the KT TAPE starts to get off - and it moved the LIBRE and it stopped working.
3, Yesterday ... while playing tennis ... it just fell off.
4. Did anyone try to put it on a diffrenet place (not on the back of the arm)?
I see that when I sweat - the glue doenst hold.

be glad ti see any suggestion.. special on the basketball issue..

Yos.

I regularly swam with a Libre on and never had any issues; I also never required any extra dressings such as Tegaderm or Opsite.

What I have found though, is that if I didn't leave a long enough gap between cleaning the application site with the alcohol swab and fixing the Libre, adhesion wasn't as good. From that point on I'd let my arm dry for a good 5-10 minutes before applying the sensor, to ensure the area was thoroughly dry and that the adhesive wouldn't lose any of it's stickiness. That may be part of the reason for your troubles.

If the above doesn't help, then I'd recommend using one of these to secure the Libre in place:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tegaderm-...hash=item238542ef40:m:mfUYVtt-PBCMce1HOyXMifw

Cut a hole in the middle of the dressing (slightly larger than the plastic part of the sensor) so it fits around the sensor body and sticks only to you arm and the adhesive fabric. I'd be impressed if you managed to dislodge one with that technique

 

[Snapsy]

@yosiba on the two occasions where I've felt I needed an extra level of 'stick' I made sure the extra tape itself didn't touch the sensor. I cut a circle of paper a little larger than the sensor and THEN put the tape over both paper circle and sensor.

That way, when the tape pulled, it only pulled my skin but didn't disrupt the sensor at all.

I've never tried applying sensors anywhere other than the back of my upper arm, and I haven't found that position a problem.

I don't play team sports, mind! So mine's less vulnerable than yours in that respect. I swim, run and go to the gym several times a week, and perspire heavily in the process. I've been lucky in that my sensors stay put.

 

[yosiba]

Hi.
Thnak you all...
I guess that it's hard to find basketball players in the UK so... a diabetes ... and LIBRE users.. is almost impossible to find.

 

[Snapsy]

I wonder if @brighty14 is a Libre user? He's a national futsal player and has type 1.

And @tim2000s I know you use CGM rather than a Libre, but with your martial arts background have you been okay with sticky-onny diabetes gadgetry when active in this way?

But I don't know any basketball players, I'm afraid, @yosiba ! My only experience of the sport was an attempt by my university club to recruit me to play for their mixed team, being - and I quote - 'the tallest woman on campus'.....

Didn't happen!

 

[brighty14]

I wonder if @brighty14 is a Libre user? He's a national futsal player and has type 1.

And @tim2000s I know you use CGM rather than a Libre, but with your martial arts background have you been okay with sticky-onny diabetes gadgetry when active in this way?

But I don't know any basketball players, I'm afraid, @yosiba ! My only experience of the sport was an attempt by my university club to recruit me to play for their mixed team, being - and I quote - 'the tallest woman on campus'.....

Didn't happen!

Yes I'm a libre user but I haven't yet used it in a competitive situation but I will be hopefully soon, so I will let you know my thoughts.

 

[Scott-C]

@yosiba , it's maybe worth shaving the back of your arm, as well as showering and using the alcohol wipes.

Even if you've not got hairy arms, a lot of people have still got a fine fluff of apricot fuzz type hairs or a few short hairs which they don't really notice until they look.

That sort of stuff growing under a sensor can really compromise the stickiness, so I usually run a razor over it first.

 

[yosiba]

Thank you.
brighty14 , I will wait for your basketball expirience.. and maye try to stick the senson on a different place.
and Snapsy.. I heard that diabetes can help you get taller and I hoped that at least that will happen to me.. still hoping..
though my basketball career is in senior league

 

[Al_H]

@yosiba I spent a lot of time when I first used the Freestyle Libre trying to ensure I always had tape etc over the sensor to hold it on, I found this was more likely to move the sensor and make it come off quicker. I always use a "Skin Tac" wipe before fitting the sensor - it's a bit like super glue (but intended for this use) I've found this better than any additional tape and generally very successful i.e. it stays on for 14 days! I understand the challenge of physical contact as I mountain bike regularly and have on rare occassions knocked the sensor off, however, for the 2 times it's happened in 10 months the benefits far outweigh the problem!

 

[charliebarker]

CAN'T GET THE **** THINGS TO STAY ON FOR MORE THAN FIVE DAYS - ! May have to give up and continue with decimating my finger ends ! tried the skin tac this time, a whole three hours longer than without ! ha ! FED UP !!!
(don't sweat, don't play sport, don't have hairy arms, have tried the horse bandage stuff !!)

 

[Ashley13]

I use opsite flexifix on my Dexcom and that keeps it in place for the 2-3 weeks I wear it. I do kickboxing and have never had any issues, even whilst sparring. I do however wear it on my lower back so it is out of the way.

 

[charliebarker]

I have allergy problems with any sort of plaster or tape left on for more than a few days ! You'd think if they have the technology to make a sensor in the first place they'd be able to get a better way of fixing it !

 

[Reedy600]

Hi. I am looking for advice...
I play swim, play basketball, play tennis... trying to do so with the Libre.
I was adviced to put a KT TAPE on it. and I did put a tape on it.
1.First of all - when doing sports with physical touch - such as basketball - it is varying annoting.. I am afraid to get close to other players..
2.After a few days the KT TAPE starts to get off - and it moved the LIBRE and it stopped working.
3, Yesterday ... while playing tennis ... it just fell off.
4. Did anyone try to put it on a diffrenet place (not on the back of the arm)?
I see that when I sweat - the glue doenst hold.

be glad ti see any suggestion.. special on the basketball issue..

Yos.

Vet wrap is good for holding in place.

 

[JohnDBooth]

I have been using the freestyle libre system on and off since it became available early last year. I am now taking a break from it due to some frustration. I am an active sports player and I also enjoy swimming, the sauna and steam room at my local gym.
The sensors last about 20 minutes in the sauna before sweat causes the adhesive to fail completely, which makes it an expensive afternoon out!

Back to finger pricking for now, I'm afraid!