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Low BG readings from lying on my sensor?

Natalie123

Natalie123

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I think I'm getting false lows over night and it seems to correspond to the times when I roll over in the night so I guess I'm lying on my sensor. Unfortunately I'm an active sleeper and I will move around iny sleep. I will try to put it a bit further around next time but does anyone have any tips to avoid this? Are there any protective arm bands or something like that?
 
Yeah, this sounds like compression lows.
I don't think an arm band would work as you would flatten it when lying on your arm and have the same problem.

You need something to stop you lying on it.
It reminds me of a sprained ankle I had a few years back. After a few sessions of physio, I was finally able to get back to exercising it. But it was weak. So, my ankle was strapped up with the tape running halfway to my knee. When I questioned why I needed so much support, it was explained that the tape was not providing support but a reminder: if my ankle started to turn, the tape would pull on the skin on my leg and I would straighten my ankle without realising it.

I don't know if an equivalent is possible with your arm - a gentle reminder not to put the pressure on your arm. Enough of a reminder not to do it but gentle enough not to wake you.

Alternatively, change where you put it. I am quite flexible so put my sensor towards the back of my arm quite high up. I think I would have to do a weird shoulder-stand in my sleep to get a compression low. However, higher up my arm I have less fat which has caused problems in the past - the filament needs at least 5mm fat. So I need to avvoid being too close to my shoulder bone/blade.

Some people use a completely different part of their body such as their abdomen for their CGM. It is not approved but seems to work. If you try it, I recommend doing a few more finger pricks to confirm that the different location is not reading differently.

I am sure some people would suggest you stop rolling over in your sleep. If you find a way to achieve this, I would be interested. I seem to get a woke out at night without trying.
 
Richard F said:
I'm using Omnipod 5 & Freestyle libre 2+. Both on the back of my arm, awkward sometimes finding the space!
Recently I've started wearing something similar to this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elbow-Support-Men-Women-Weightlifting/dp/B0D49WJ9N7/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3IVPA4FTEOC1O&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jc9MKJ0-JBRS6A2oYgZfLFK0hzsaeQ-MARALHnmlyDvYuXzeZ7NC4xsQFHd2YOSgjdCMUailtwRnmK_IbETWlF69y6l_SYDhToXHhP9SStdubKHPC4lFaDX6cu8XmfQZP5KLbjuoKWWN6YYkg2WqdBA00uBMR0ka6BeBbp03eU2HvyOWClf67JSmEM8aXVuZuXHscR96a3fv1SVcLaMh4IUV-DUf0SRs6uzWy21O9HZn3eIk1aZOGIuVWyGvy78p9at1BeUPe1-3z7WQZUL2LqixEA0hU_ULRqWlNqabltsjzEDr66g4oQ_Uka01MK46MTWrlUsmtf__Do1Y-aofxW8oMww_G5Ei-AlbCPW1RogJZjIs7ighP6-F_vuYCQgzjahv5gFkkmkqiVtkE63ojWIUd1nhYsAK1l7SXLYyI4NDKdh_Pad8NOKO1ioLUTvY.jT-VbRyYf-5F9UB1-tzEkIRTKr8CHRatIniVIZQpY6E&dib_tag=se&keywords=elbow+support+for+men&qid=1740648038&sprefix=elbow+,aps,158&sr=8-6&th=1

It just adds some protection. When slipped on after a pod change, it helps to secure everything while the adhesive does it's thing.
Click to expand...
How do avoid the sleev applying more pressure to the sensor?
Or do you find the OmniPod keeps it clear?
 
Thanks @helli and @Richard F

I'm thinking a different site might work better than my arms but I don't know if the waistband of my jeans or leggings would cause the same problem. I guess I just have to try.

My husband suggested some sort of padded ring to go around the sensor so that the pressure is on the padding rather than the sensor. We'd then need to use an arm band to hold it in place. Won't look beautiful but might work!
 
I’ve trained myself to sleep on my non-sensor arm, but if I do turn over onto the sensor side I automatically put my hand/lower arm under my sensor arm which raises the sensor away from the mattress slightly. I rarely get compression lows now.
 
Similarly I've trained myself to sleep with my hand under my arm, I also have a pillow on the appropriate side so I rest my shoulder on it and leave a gap for the sensor - I do sometimes get compression lows, but I never get alarms for these, though I am using XDrip+ so it may simply be that it's less sensitive to these transient events. I must admit I've never investigated as it's never been a problem (nor have I used the LibreLink software since my first sensor quite a few years back).
 
Dexcom are licensed for abdomen too so I wear mine below tummy button line, and to the left or right, depending on where the last one was! Not sure if Libre are similarly licenced, but I have read anecdotal reports that some have tried it there and it works well (unless you are a front sleeper obviously
 
As another night time fidget, I find these ideas of training oneself to sleep in a specific position rather challenging.
It suggests you do not move in your sleep or hve some control when you do which is something I dream of (as I toss and turn in the night).
Finding a CGM site I am less likely to lie on is certainly easier than keeping still or training myself to do something when I am not awake.
 
I am another who uses the ‘hand under the arm’ technique to lift the sensor away from the mattress.

I think anything over the sensor is likely to just add to the potential compression? Unless perhaps it was just a foamy/padded ring adjacent to the sensor which lifted the arm like the hand-under does? It’s a shame kids swimming armbands are so big 😛

As a pump user I generally clip my pump to the same side of my waistband to the sensor arm, as this helps sensor data reach the pump. It also has @helli ‘s ankle-strapping effect of being a lump to lie on when I turn to my sensor side. Is there anything lumpy you could clip to that side of whatever you are wearing that would encourage you to turn back over in your sleep?
 
I don't think I could train myself not to lie on it, I'm not at all able to control what I do in my sleep and any movement is totally unconscious.

I tried a foam ring around it last night but the strap I used to hold it in place must have caused compression itself and my levels plummeted as soon as I put it on and recovered when I took it off! I'll probably give it another go after a bit more DIY! I might just try strapping something just above or below the sensor so it's not touching but still stops the sensor touching the mattress.
 
I think someone had success with taping one of those foam curlers either around the sensor or around their arm above and/or below the sensor.

I too have developed the technique of placing my other hand under the elbow of the sensor arm when I sleep on that side and I have woken up like that when I have gone to sleep on my back so it is something that I have learned to do in my sleep and I alternate my sensor arm and it seems I can do it on both sides.
You do have some control over movement whilst asleep because otherwise you would fall out of bed.
Generally I sleep best on my back though and if my levels are good (4-5mmols) and I am just the right temperature I will spend the whole night like that and hardly move at all and it is really restful sleep and doesn't impact my sensor at all of course in that position. I have to have the right feather pillows arranged in just the right position and then I sleep like the dead.
My problem is usually waking up when the low alarm genuinely goes off, or I wake up and then go straight back to sleep before I eat a jelly baby. Then I wake up a couple of hours later hypo, eat a jelly baby and go straight back to sleep again. Apart from the first 5 years of menopause I have always been an Olympic standard sleeper. Thank heaven for HRT restoring my ability to sleep!
 
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