According to my Freestyle Libre my average glucose is 134 for the past three months which corresponds to an A1C of 6.3. I got test results back yesterday which say my A1C is 7.7. I am not happy. I think it may be because I end up sleeping on the sensors. I am wondering if anyone has ever tried the sensor on the back of their shin.
Welcome to FUD @Chessie_mom. Sorry that your glucose monitor and your A1c are so different. That is indeed frustrating. I have seen people successfully use glucose monitors on every part of the body including the ankle (which freaked me out to be honest), so if you have enough tissue there to support the sensor reading it should be good. Have you also tried the back of your arm in a place you don’t roll onto? My son exclusively uses the back of his arm to good effect.
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I sleep with my arm under my pillow or wrapped around a pillow, dog, stuffed pig, etc. Massive rotator cuff tears in both shoulders. Since I sleep on my side I am thinking the inside of my chin might be a really good spot. Unfortunately I just put another sensor on my arm so I was wondering if anyone else does this. It would probably be a bad spot for people that are really active but I don’t have that problem anymore. My PCP wants to send me to a diabetic educator to help me understand my freestyle readings. My career was basically taking production data and interpretting it so I don’t think a diabetic educator will help me to interpret inaccurate data.
I use dexcom, and use inner thighs and back of arm, with good results. Staying hydrated is also important.
Have you checked accuracy of libre by doing bg meter checks to compare ?
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Chessie_mom, I think you’ll hear from several of us that think the back of the arm as the best location, it’s my favorite spot. I, too, am a side sleeper, mostly my right side, and tried that arm first. I ended up with a “compression” low (i.e. laying on the sensor cuts of the fluid supply so the sensor thinks your dying, not an actual low). So, the next sensor went on my left arm. I find putting it slightly to the inside results in very few bumps as it’s slightly protected by whatever muscle is on the backside (tricep?)…or hangs there depending on your muscle tone (Hey! I’m 66 and haven’t been to a gym in a year! I know, get some resistance bands!) I still mix it up and place it my abdomen once in awhile, but find my belt and jeans sometimes push on it when I sit down if not placed just so. I think most women’s pants “ride” lower, so maybe not an issue.
Best wishes for finding your ideal location!
Tom
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I don’t think it is just the location and I am wondering if this reader is bad. I know they are calibrated in factory but I let my sugar drop to 45 yesterday and then stuck my finger and got an 81. That’s about the closest the readings have been and that’s on the back of my shin several inches below my knee. Infortunately I have restless leg syndrome and knocked it off last night during sleep so that isn’t going to work. I have been using Freestyle Libre for a long time and I didn’t have this problem before so I am going to ask for a new sensor and see what happens.
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@Chessie_mom As a child I was always taught to trust but verify. I tried the Libre, and found for me the readings were routinely off, by as much as 50 points vs my Contour Next. At first I assumed it was my meter, and started sampling with 3 meters of various brands. When those meters were all within 10 pts of each other and the Libre was 50+ points higher I migrated to Dexcom. Occasionally I have a Dexcom sensor that is out of whack, but that is the exception not the norm.
Everyone’s body and body chemistry is slightly different. If you have the means to check the Libre readings with fingersticks from 2 or more meters you can begin to see where the problem is originating. WalMart has a very inexpensive meter with cheap strips ($9\100 strips) that is actually quite good and might help you figure out what’s going on.
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Thanks, Hubby is also diabetic so I have access to meters and strips and as you said the readings are about 50 above. I think I will ask for Dexcom at the next appt. Karen
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