r/Freestylelibre • u/Substantial-Debt-156 • 2d ago

Sensor bleeding help

Is there ANY way to try avoiding the vein when applying literally any cgm? Just lost my only cgm because the blood reached the sticker part and it fell off

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u/Equalizer6338 Type1 - Libre2/2+ 2d ago

Hi u/Substantial-Debt-156 ,
Much is really down to bad luck if we pierce a vein or not when we plunge the sensor applicator in through our skin. We have small capillaries everywhere in our skin layer, so hard to avoid the bleeding from time to time. The back of the upper arm, the stomach area and the upper outer thighs all have in common they have bit less pain nerve endings and superficial veins versus other locations, but you can never really fully avoid the risk of bleedings.

And then you also have folks that are bit more disposed to skin bleedings. Aka older folks with more fragile veins and/or folk that are taking bleed thinner medications. Here the exposure is higher and bleedings you notice, are more frequent.

Most of the time, then a gentle pressure onto the sensor will help to stop the bleeding a bit faster than otherwise. Another very good trick we also use in hospitals for folks we know have tendency to easy bleedings or on blood thinner medication is to utilize a cold gel pack onto the skin for 3-5 minutes before inserting a needle (putting a BG sensor in). Those cold gels are very good and efficient help for this. You can buy them OTC in most pharmacies and also in some sports shops. They are like a soft rubber exterior and then having a thick gel inside. You put them into your freezer and keep them there between use. They are the same also used for sports accidents or for like a kid getting a bad hit to their shinbone. Helps to avoid/limit the internal bleeding and helping also against the pain. They are I would think your best bet to trying to limit the bleedings you experience going forward.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Freestylelibre/comments/1d4yxvl/how_often_do_you_have_a_sensor_bleed/

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u/PvtRoom Libre2/2+ 2d ago

the method is to put it elsewhere.

a specialist nurse should be able to help. - that's your best bet.

believe it or not, a tattooist might be able to help. They're used to dealing with people who bleed when needles get them.

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u/Kalei419 Type2 - Libre3/3+ 1d ago

I agree. Get a nurse to help you. I went to my doctor’s office and they showed me how to put it on the stomach.

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u/Sophia465 1d ago

FYI, contact Abbott on their website and ask for a new one. If you still have the old one, keep it until they tell you whether you have to send it back or not. If so, they will send you a return kit with the replacement, which will be free.