Viewpoint letter reply

[Clmmed]

Hi, I'm new to the forum but have been part of the Diabetes UK family for many years. I'm a type 1 diabetic with several other endocrine diseases which also impact on my control. But enough about me I'm posting about the 'Red letter days' letter in the latest Balance.
Penny from Peckham
I also swim and have a Libre monitor so from experience I have adapted a solution I learned in the ambulance service.

Wrap cling film several times around the arm over the sensor, then use Rock tape to cover the edges and make it a waterproof seal. This will protect the sensor from the water and is easy to remove. This also works to cover plaster casts for showering.

 

[mikeyB]

Hi Clmmed, welcome to the forum.🙂

Haven’t seen the latest Balance yet, but that’s a great tip. Not a great look, mind🙂

Some folk get a bit paranoid about covering the little hole in the top of the sensor, which has been ascribed all sorts of mystical uses apart from allowing the applicator needle to pass through.

 

[Robin]

Some folk get a bit paranoid about covering the little hole in the top of the sensor, which has been ascribed all sorts of mystical uses apart from allowing the applicator needle to pass through

Well, Abbott seem to think they’ve designed it with ventilation in mind, according to @everydayupsanddowns.
https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/libre.81211/#post-900802
(Though that hasn’t stopped me sticking a bit of micropore tape over it!)

 

[SB2015]

I do cut a small hole in my tegaderm before applying as I believe the info from Abbott about its purpose.
However I then ignore the bit about submersing in water, and will happily then swim for 1 hour without any adverse effects on my sensor. I love being able to monitor my levels without doing a blood test and the display on the reader is big enough to be able to see without my having to stop and put my glasses on. I only use the tegaderm because I had one sensor fall out after a swim, which is an expensive loss.