Freestyle Libre - Allergic Reaction

Thanks for this suggestion. After a few doctors recommended Skin Tac and Flonase I have been experimenting with those but I still get the same reaction, so will try to add the Tegaderm to the mix and see how it goes.

So I finished using the 14-day sensor with the Tegaderm with no issues. The Tegaderm stayed on very well and had no signs of wanting to come off, even though it’s just rated for 7-day use. I’m sure the Skin Tac helped with adhesion. The actual sensor did peel a bit on the edges when it was just in contact with the Tegaderm tape, but it might have been due to the placement since I lift weights and it was in a place where my arm was “rounded”. It did not loosen anymore than that and had plenty of adhesion when it was time to take it off. A BIG plus was that it is waaaaaayyy easier to take off! The Tegaderm is so thin that it comes off so much easier than the thick adhesive that the libre has, and since it’s underneath the libre, it just lifts off so clean!! I always hated taking the libre off since the adhesion was so strong it would hurt sometimes to yank it off.

So did it help with the rash? Yes and no. I had a bit of itchiness towards the end, but not much. When I took it off, the entire section that the Tegaderm attached to my skin was perfect, but somehow I still had a small red circle where the Libre was, even though it was on top of the Tegaderm. (Did the adhesive seep through somehow?) It was however a very small amount compared to if I applied it directly. It’s like night and day, so I will continue to use the Tegaderm between my skin and the libre from now on. (Don’t forget to punch a small hole in the center as I referenced in my previous post)

I hope this helps.

It happened to me too, left a big scare for months on my arm I stopped using it. The doctors want me to use it but I told them no, why would I continue to put something on my skin that makes me have an allergic reaction.

Hey everyone! Here have been my findings. I started using the Libre in Dec 2018 and I had the typical rash. By July 2019 it would fall off after 4 day from the weeping of the open wound. I tried the Tegaderm trick with the hole and it slowed the process but I had to remove it after 10 days. Many calls to Abbott support and always the same thing “they have not changed the formula”. Our problem is they need to change it. I have done some research and found isobornyl acrylate might be the problem. It is a known irritant. I am not a healthcare professional so they wont respond to me. I even asked about the new Libre2 and it is the same formula. We need to reach out to our health care professionals and tell them to contact Abbott Scientific Affairs. Or spend 3x the amount and switch to Dexcom g6. I have been using it since and never had a reaction, but the cost is just too much for me.

Hey, I’m also having the same experience. Mine started around October, but got worse in December. I thought i was doing something wrong, so I changed my site. I tried everything I could think of, keeping the site clean etc. Last month I had an appointment with my diabetic nurse and mentioned the skin reactions to her so she recommended I get a spray from the pharmacy. I did that and it helped the last reaction heal a bit faster. I took out my sensor today after the normal recommended period and my skin is so irritated, the site of insertion is oozing and I have rashes all around where the sensor was. Its painful and discouraging. I’ve used these sensors for nearly 2 years with no trouble until recently.

For anyone researching this, please try to get a sample of whatever sensor you’re considering. I’m having these same discussions with my providers about dexcom. Dexcom admittedly changed their adhesive and it does stay attached more so than it did. My skin doesn’t like it though.

Interesting that the Libre samples from my doc don’t cause me any issues so maybe they’re different.

I have the same issue with the Libre sensor after using it for a year. I used Tegaderm below sensor for a year but now even with Tegaderm, I am having the same problem so I may have to find another solution.