Protecting Libre 2 sensor: is Not Just a Patch any good? Also sensor failure

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Stewart Type 1

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Hi

My first post on the forum. Since using Libre, as a swimmer where I may be underwater for more than 20 minutes (I am the world's slowest breaststroke swimmer!), I have covered my sensor by using an Opsite Flexifix bandage - this also stops me catching the sensor on door frames etc. etc.

I have now heard about Not Just a Patch bandages (available on Amazon). Are they any good? The YouTube poster Type One Talks promotes them (no doubt for cash) but there is one dissenter on his thread.

More generally, is there any consensus on a failure rate for Libre 2 sensors, I've just had one go after 9 days (classic alarm and replace sensor message while I was half asleep in bed)? First time in 3 months. I will be going through the usual phone call to Abbott when they open tomorrow!
 
Welcome to the forum @Stewart Type 1

I can’t let you know yet as I have put my first Not Just A Patch on my sensor this morning.
I went for the bright yellow ones, and bought them from the DUK website, slightly cheaper than in Amazon. There are some sensible precautions after applying the sensor like don’t get it wet for two hours. I will just make sure that I shower before applying.

I am using a different sensor, which ’talks to my pump’ so cannot comment on the longevity of the Libre.
Happy to report back at the end of the week on Not Just A Patch.
 
I have used them for the last couple of years on libre and now Dexcom. When I have been on holiday I have been in the pool for hours with them. I have found they work very well and I have never lost a sensor due to it Coming off. However, I do find when on holiday they only tended to last me 2 to 3 days and I would have to put another one on. at home they last longer but I don’t get a week out of them. I think when abroad the sun cream probably makes it come off quicker, but even at home with just water, they haven’t lasted too long.
its a great idea in my opinion and I continue to use them. Just be careful when putting them on that you don’t get the sticky bit on the sensor as if you do need to take it off then it could pull the sensor out. I haven’t had any issues.
 
There is another type called skin grip which I have used with dexcom g7, but the non adhesive bit I found difficult to get just right. There is a super grip one of these, but my skin reacts with the glue so I stick to not just a patch.
the Colours are in your face a bit, but I quite like that rather than trying to hide it.
 
SB2015 said:
Welcome to the forum @Stewart Type 1

I can’t let you know yet as I have put my first Not Just A Patch on my sensor this morning.
I went for the bright yellow ones, and bought them from the DUK website, slightly cheaper than in Amazon. There are some sensible precautions after applying the sensor like don’t get it wet for two hours. I will just make sure that I shower before applying.

I am using a different sensor, which ’talks to my pump’ so cannot comment on the longevity of the Libre.
Happy to report back at the end of the week on Not Just A Patch.
Click to expand...
Thanks very much. I'd be very grateful if you could "report back". I'm not sure about durability, given the comments from Popglobe2022 and wonder if I should stick to Opsite Flexifix. My only reason for worrying about this was that using an impermeable cover may cause the sensor problems; my understanding is that NJAP meant that the sensor is "open" to the background air conditions - but goodness knows why the darn things fail, it's obviously a mystery to Abbott as well! I note you don't use Libre - I admire anyone with a pump linked to a sensor, I wouldn't have the nerve! Anyway, thanks for replying.
 
Popglobe2022 said:
I have used them for the last couple of years on libre and now Dexcom. When I have been on holiday I have been in the pool for hours with them. I have found they work very well and I have never lost a sensor due to it Coming off. However, I do find when on holiday they only tended to last me 2 to 3 days and I would have to put another one on. at home they last longer but I don’t get a week out of them. I think when abroad the sun cream probably makes it come off quicker, but even at home with just water, they haven’t lasted too long.
its a great idea in my opinion and I continue to use them. Just be careful when putting them on that you don’t get the sticky bit on the sensor as if you do need to take it off then it could pull the sensor out. I haven’t had any issues.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your helpful reply. I've got some NJAP patches coming, so with the benefit of your excellent advice, I'll try them. But Opsite stays on (and/but can't be removed without the sensor).
 
I think you have to try all different things and see which one works for you. I have never had any issues with the patch on either libre or dexcom. both worked absolutely fine and no different with it on than normal. Definitely allows me to not worry about water And actually helps it stay on for the full time (before I used to use them, the sensors wouldn’t always stay on for full period).

Good luck.
 
Stewart Type 1 said:
! I note you don't use Libre - I admire anyone with a pump linked to a sensor, I wouldn't have the nerve! Anyway, thanks for replying
Click to expand...
I have found over the years each change has been a big step for me, and it takes time to adapt. Certainly it took me time to trust the automated system to do all the thinking that I had been doing. I was keen to throw the whole thing away in the first weeks, but a lot of the problems I had were due to me not leaving it to do its job. Looping has been brilliant for me and made life a lot easier: flat lines overnight on sensor, dealing with fatty meals, letting me ignore my diabetes for large portions of the day, …. It suits me.
 
Popglobe2022 said:
There is another type called skin grip which I have used with dexcom g7, but the non adhesive bit I found difficult to get just right. There is a super grip one of these, but my skin reacts with the glue so I stick to not just a patch.
the Colours are in your face a bit, but I quite like that rather than trying to hide it.
Click to expand...
Thanks for pointing me to Skin Grip. There seem to be a plethora of product stateside. But I think I'll try Not Just a Patch and if that doesn't work stick (pun not intended) to what I know

In other news, when I claimed my replacement sensor this morning, I asked what had been the precise problem revealed by the Error Code. I was advised (for the first time ever) that I can be told in, errrr, 3-6 months after they have got back the faulty sensor. Sadly the "smilies" on this board do not include a rolling eyes or a gentleman from Mexico watching sagebrush blowing past.
 
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Now I'm very confused. Just got my patches BUT they don't have a central non-stick area to cover the Libre sensor as per the the YouTube instruction video from the company (click here) but come with sensor shaped cotton wool discs of just about sensor size (for optional use apparently). How on earth are you supposed to put the cotton wool disc on and then put the patch on top as instructed on the pack without putting the sticky surface, which appears to be the whole patch, on the sensor???? The whole point of this was easy application. Have I ordered the wrong patches? According to Amazon they are "pre-cut" to avoid the sensor (as per the video) - this ain't what I've got (although the circular bits of cotton wool are, I suppose, pre-cut but how the hell do you keep them in the right place to apply the patch I do not know).
 
I guess you can stick the cotton pad to the centre of the patch and then apply as per the video.
Personally I prefer an arm strap to keep my Libre secure rather than an overpatch. It is reusable (I have had mine 3 years now) so more environmentally friendly and probably much cheaper in the long run. That said, I don't swim regularly but my sensor is exposed to other hazards.
 
rebrascora said:
I guess you can stick the cotton pad to the centre of the patch and then apply as per the video.
Personally I prefer an arm strap to keep my Libre secure rather than an overpatch. It is reusable (I have had mine 3 years now) so more environmentally friendly and probably much cheaper in the long run. That said, I don't swim regularly but my sensor is exposed to other hazards.
Click to expand...
Thanks very much, Barbara. My other half sensibly pointed out that I could pre-stick the cotton pad on to the patch but then you still have to position the thing exactly before sticking on the patch, which seems to have be avoided by the concept the company are "selling" of a sensor sized non-stick central bit that I was after (but not available on Amazon UK). So while awaiting an update from Popglobe2022 on how it was for them (was this with cotton patch or central non-stick patch?), I've reverted to my Opsite Flexifix solution, which is not, I understand, known to be the wrong thing to do.

I had not realised that there was such a thing as armbands. I assume you fix the sensor normally and then cover with the armband. Looks effective assuming they seal the sensor but I think it may be a step too far aesthetically for me, so I'll take a rain check. I was intrigued that your sensor is exposed to "other hazards"! The mind boggles!:confused: Open doorways are enough for me.

Anyway, thanks to you and everybody for their help!
 
Stewart Type 1 said:
Looks effective assuming they seal the sensor but I think it may be a step too far aesthetically for me, so I'll take a rain check. I was intrigued that your sensor is exposed to "other hazards"! The mind boggles!:confused: Open doorways are enough for me.
Click to expand...
I went for the loud and proud neon green for my arm strap but you can get flesh tones or even get them to match particular outfits.

As regards hazards, my partner and I have horses and we ride and carriage drive. Horses, when hot and sweaty after a long ride or drive, have a very strong inclination to scrub their sweaty bridled faces very vigorously against any suitable object, but humans seem to make particularly suitable scratching posts and arms and shoulders are just at the right height. When you have more than one desperate for a scratch, it's easy for sensors to get caught and pulled. I also lost one reaching into a feed bin when I was making up evening feeds and another got spiked when I was reaching up through branches to prune fruit trees as well as the ones I managed to scrub off in the shower. Since getting the arm band 2.5 years ago, I don't think I have lost a single one. Must invest in a new elastic strap and It has almost no elasticity left now.
 
I quite liked the look of the strap and libre and got a range of colours, with a centre sticker for the libre with matching colours to the strap. I liked the fact it didn't look medical that way.
But now on dexcom, which is v acvurate, but by no means asthetically pleasing, and has a medical dressing look to the sticky bit. The coffin shape does not help. I tend to keep it covered
 
Stewart Type 1 said:
. Just got my patches BUT they don't have a central non-stick area to cover the Libre sensor as per the the YouTube instruction video from the company
Click to expand...
I was confused when I first looked at mine which is supposed to suit Libre and Medtronic Guardian sensors. There was the option of leaving the central covering of the adhesive in place and just removing the outer ones as it is applied. No hole in the centre which I used to cut when I was using a Libre (that may be a thing of the past) . For this first one I decided to remove the central thing and stick it to the whole thing including my sensor and transmitter. my sensors only last one week so I am not asking as much of the patch. I have a bit of curling at one edge so far, 4 days in, but it feels very secure still. Hoping to get this sorted before the summer when my bright yellow patches will be clear to see, looking a lot nicer than the bits of tapes provided with the sensors.
 
Just changed my sensor (7 days). The patch lasted the full week although it finally curled at one edge after a shower last night, so out a tegaderm over to see me through the night. I removed the centre and had the whole sticky bits in use. Removing the patch from my transmitter was a lot easier as the glue stayed on the patch as I peeled it off, whereas before I have had to get Zoff working to remove the glue (not relevant for Libre) . My arm was a lot happier too and no glue residue left on that either, and no soreness in removing it.
So far so good.
 
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