Libre Sensors - Try again in 10 minutes?

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Hi simon after using libre 1 for about 4 years i cant remember having the error ,I can recommend you try putting the libre on your chest as where i have been for over a year now and get much better stable readings which i verify now and then with librelink app when i think it may be wrong but is nearly allways correct within .56 mmol. last month i used the back of my arm for a change and could not wait to get back to my chest the tape was making my arm saw and readings wear erratic ,when on my chest i do not use tape as it stays on without even with my Miao Miao transmitter attached linked to xdrip+ I hope this may of been some help for you good luck;
 
I am assuming you are doing all the regular troubleshooting things?

Like not overtaping the sensor... applying to the back of the upper arm... keeping well hydrated... ?
 
helli said:
I apply my sensor on my upper arm, quite high up, definitely not half way between elbow and shoulder. It is on the back of my arm heading underneath.
Being a climber ,when there's no pandemic (and a baker who needs by hand when there is a pandemic), I have no flab and a fair amount of muscle but have no problems finding a site.
The hardest thing for me is finding an area the size of the sensor which is flat.
Rarely use the official app. XDrip has not reported problems reading the sensor.
I have had issues where the reading s go haywire and I check with the LibreLink app to find the sensor is reporting a fault and requesting I change it. Abbott have always replaced for free.

(I am incredibly privileged to get Libre on prescription. I never want to abuse this privilege so always report faulty sensors. NHS has enough financial problems without having to fund faulty sensors.)
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When you say upper arm @helli, is that still posterior, close to the shoulder (anatomically speaking)? I think I could be applying too much pressure onto the sensor whilst sleeping, causing the gradual bending of the probe. It would be good to find a slightly different site which could still provide accurate results.

I read @Paulbreen applies/applied the libre sensor closer to the pectoral/chest area. Apologies if this isn't accurate Paul.
 
danielmg said:
When you say upper arm @helli, is that still posterior, close to the shoulder (anatomically speaking)? I think I could be applying too much pressure onto the sensor whilst sleeping, causing the gradual bending of the probe. It would be good to find a slightly different site which could still provide accurate results.
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I apply my sensor posterior-ish. Definitely, more towards my armpit than shoulder blade but not in my arm pit.
It is very rare for me to lie on it and I have never hit it on a door jamb.
 
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Mine is more 'under' my arm than on the side of it so even when sleeping on that side it will have to get through my left boob before it comes anywhere near my ribcage to squish it. My boobs are in proportion to the rest of me and neither huge nor weighty.
 
I’m still getting ‘scan again in 10 minutes’ frequently. It’s only happened since they updated the app. I usually repeat it immediately and it works, I think I’d forgive Abbott’s for anything as it’s so wonderful having a Libre
 
Oddly enough been getting few of these messages lately, seems to be random as can go few days without seeing one then get few in one day, thinking about it could be phone related as only use app.
 
danielmg said:
When you say upper arm @helli, is that still posterior, close to the shoulder (anatomically speaking)? I think I could be applying too much pressure onto the sensor whilst sleeping, causing the gradual bending of the probe. It would be good to find a slightly different site which could still provide accurate results.

I read @Paulbreen applies/applied the libre sensor closer to the pectoral/chest area. Apologies if this isn't accurate Paul.
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You are correct, I found it was the safest place to avoid it coming off and unless you sleep on your tummy it’s unlikely to have any pressure applied to it. I do the same with my guardian3 sensor now and it’s always pretty close to my finger pricking tests +/- 0.5 which are done 2-3 times a day so I’m pretty happy using that area
 
Many thanks, yes similar experience as you have had. Still playing up today after behaving since about 10pm last night. Will email Abbotts again.
 
Paulbreen said:
You are correct, I found it was the safest place to avoid it coming off and unless you sleep on your tummy it’s unlikely to have any pressure applied to it. I do the same with my guardian3 sensor now and it’s always pretty close to my finger pricking tests +/- 0.5 which are done 2-3 times a day so I’m pretty happy using that area
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Thank you Paul. I think I'll try somewhere to this for my next sensor. I've just tried the sensor on my right arm for the first time to give my left arm a rest.
 
danielmg said:
Thank you Paul. I think I'll try somewhere to this for my next sensor. I've just tried the sensor on my right arm for the first time to give my left arm a rest.
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Other place i liked to use is on the side of my chest about 3 inches down from my armpit and under my arm, that was a great place, no knocking it off, great in the shower and with the chest as well it gives you 4 sites with plenty of area so each one has 6 weeks to recover if you rotate them. accuracy was always spot on as well.
 
Paulbreen said:
Other place i liked to use is on the side of my chest about 3 inches down from my armpit and under my arm, that was a great place, no knocking it off, great in the shower and with the chest as well it gives you 4 sites with plenty of area so each one has 6 weeks to recover if you rotate them. accuracy was always spot on as well.
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I know of someone who put their Libre on their chest - more central than you suggest.
Unfortunately (or not), I have absolutely no flab on my chest or under my arm pits so would avoid placing my Libre there.
 
helli said:
I know of someone who put their Libre on their chest - more central than you suggest.
Unfortunately (or not), I have absolutely no flab on my chest or under my arm pits so would avoid placing my Libre there.
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I think I must be in a similar boat. If people don't mind me saying, I have a low body fat % (and lost a fair amount of weight for me recently), and this may be why the sensors are more prone to damage after application.

The chest area (close to shoulder/top of arm) will likely be tried next. As per @rebrascora brilliant recommendation, I have been applying strips of micropore tape to prevent any damage whilst in the shower or knocking on door frames.
 
helli said:
I know of someone who put their Libre on their chest - more central than you suggest.
Unfortunately (or not), I have absolutely no flab on my chest or under my arm pits so would avoid placing my Libre there.
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Well I dont have too much myself at 182CM and 75KG I wouldn't be the fattest lol but there is just enough to get the needle in for the 5 seconds it needs, once you pull off the applicator the wick is pretty flexible as I remember so it shouldn't annoy you but I do see what you mean if your a skinny mini
 
I've had a lot of this lately. I think they've made the needle longer and sometimes it hits blood. A couple recently have just stopped working after a 1 day and when I take it off I can see lots of red.
 
Matchless said:
Hi simon after using libre 1 for about 4 years i cant remember having the error ,I can recommend you try putting the libre on your chest as where i have been for over a year now and get much better stable readings which i verify now and then with librelink app when i think it may be wrong but is nearly allways correct within .56 mmol. last month i used the back of my arm for a change and could not wait to get back to my chest the tape was making my arm saw and readings wear erratic ,when on my chest i do not use tape as it stays on without even with my Miao Miao transmitter attached linked to xdrip+ I hope this may of been some help for you good luck;
Click to expand...
Hadn’t realised you could place the sensor elsewhere on your body. I find placing the sensor on the fleshy area of my arm, it can catch on door frames or when pulling off tops! Am now being much more careful. Have been using Freestyle Libre since June 2020. Have had to ask Abbott for 6 replacement sensors and had to get a new reader from my local hospital at the start. I find my readings on the sensor are lower than the readings on my glucose meter.
 
Sugarmouse said:
Hadn’t realised you could place the sensor elsewhere on your body. I find placing the sensor on the fleshy area of my arm, it can catch on door frames or when pulling off tops! Am now being much more careful. Have been using Freestyle Libre since June 2020. Have had to ask Abbott for 6 replacement sensors and had to get a new reader from my local hospital at the start. I find my readings on the sensor are lower than the readings on my glucose meter.
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People do but Abbott don't recommend, so it you did place it elsewhere and have problems, they may not replace,
 
Sugarmouse said:
Hadn’t realised you could place the sensor elsewhere on your body. I
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Not meant to. Had current sensor on stomach for last 9 days, readings fine compared to bg levels, could only really use right arm as left was hit & miss so looked for alternative sites.
 
Out of the blue I seemed to have hit a run of Bad-uns.
Over the last couple of years I have had the occasional sensor that has stopped working or fallen off because I didn't put it on a flat part of my arm (the plaster remained attached but the sensor peeled of the plaster).
Last week, I had a sensor fail. Abbott were as forgiving as ever and sent out a new one.
Yesterday, my MiaoMiao stopped working. I thought it was the battery so tried scanning with LibreLink and received the "Wait 10 minutes" message. This went on for 90 minutes and then I got a "Sensor failed" message.
I don't know if the two fault sensors were from the same batch but they were picked up form the pharmacy at the same time.

Abbott continue to be great with regard to replacing them but would be even better if they didn't fail.
I only have experience of Libre and Dexcom G4 (many years ago). Is Libre more troublesome than other CGMs?
 
I have had libre for two years and only encountered this message twice in last month. Both times I had been exercising and had seen a large (for me) drop in BS from around 10 down to 4 ish. My gut feel is that something changed in the sensor/phone app recently as I would have seen the message many times given my exercise regime. Hope this helps.
 
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