# Libre sensor incident



## curlygirl (Jun 28, 2017)

I have been using the Libre this year. I only use them every now and then to give me an idea of patterns etc.
I had a sensor that was going to expire at the end of this month so I decided to put it in today.
I did all the usual things and held it firmly against my arm, but immediately was in a lot of pain. I could not push any more and as the pain was running all the way from my shoulder to my hand and had tingling sensations as well I decided to pull it out instead. It was like it had stuck in my arm and the needle had got caught.
Anyway long story short, when I did manage to extract it, the needle does not look straight at all. I am still in some discomfort and have nerve type pain in left arm and hand.
Anyone had anything like this, or have any idea if bent needles can occur with these sensors?
Quite apart from the cost of a sensor that hasn't worked, I am, at the moment more concerned with the pain it has caused.
Any thoughts on what happened? The sensors I have used before have gone in fine.
Thanks.
Curlygirl


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## Matt Cycle (Jun 28, 2017)

On my very first sensor the needle didn't retract.  I was left with the sensor stuck to my arm and the remaining part of the needle stuck out around 0.5cm from the middle of the sensor.  It was very painful.  As it was my first one I wasn't sure if it was meant to do or not that but quickly realised it shouldn't.  I tried scanning it and it didn't work anyway.  Abbott were pretty good and replaced it quickly.  Although I'm only an occasional user I haven't had any issues like that since.  I do get slight pain (which wears off after a while) when I insert them now but I put that down to having skinny arms.


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## Ljc (Jun 28, 2017)

Hi. I've not had any issues like that with mine.
Don't throw that sensor away.
Unless it's a trick of the camera, it looks like the needle that inserts the filament hasn't retracted properly .
Contact Abbott  to let them know what's happened. They will want that sensor back and will replace it.
If the pain doesn't settle down soon say by tomorrow it would be best to see gp


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## Bloden (Jun 29, 2017)

Ouch...I wish I hadn't seen that. LOL How's your arm now, Curlygirl?


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## everydayupsanddowns (Jun 29, 2017)

Agree completely with Lin. Abbott will want to know and to record this malfunction. They will replace the sensor, if you still want to use them. 

Hope the pain subsides.


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## curlygirl (Jun 29, 2017)

Thanks @Matt Cycle, @Ljc, @Bloden  and @everydayupsanddowns for your replies. I will contact Abbott today and see what they say. To be honest I am not sure at the moment if I would feel I want to insert another sensor after this experience, but hopefully at some point I would feel brave enough to try. If they offer to replace it I will say yes and then see...
It has made a mess of my arm, but the nerve type pain and tingling is less today than it was yesterday, so hoping it continues to ease.
Sorry for the gory picture Bloden, and yes Lin, it has not retracted the needle. It is definately at a wonky angle and it is still stuck in the applicator, so would be interested to know what Abbott make of it if they have a look at it.


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## Ljc (Jun 29, 2017)

I'm glad the pain has begun to ease but if your worried do get your arm checked out. 
TBH if that happened to me, I too would be worried about inserting another sensor for a while, then I would miss all the info and the sheer convenience of the Libre.


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## Ingressus (Jun 29, 2017)

Wow bet that hurt, was looking into them not now


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## grovesy (Jun 29, 2017)

Ljc said:


> I'm glad the pain has begun to ease but if your worried do get your arm checked out.
> TBH if that happened to me, I too would be worried about inserting another sensor for a while, then I would miss all the info and the sheer convenience of the Libre.


I too would suggest maybes get your arm checked out.


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## curlygirl (Jun 29, 2017)

Thanks for your replies. Just to let anyone who is interested know, I rang Abbott earlier and they are sending a replacement (when I will feel brave enough to risk mangling my arm again is a different matter). The man I spoke to was pleasant enough, but really could only input the information and say that a replacement would be sent. I did ask if I would be able to find out what the findings are on the sensor when I have returned it, but was told 'no, the warehouse do not share the results of their findings on returned sensors', he did add that they do 'not get many reports of this sort of thing, so the chances of it happening again are unlikely'.
Not sure I feel much better about it at the moment, but hopefully when my arm recovers I might...the pain in my whole arm is less now so that is good and hopefully the site where the sensor half went in and then clung on for dear life will get less tender in the next few days.

It has made me think about the need to only use arms for these sensors, I mean, it would have been horrible wherever it was on me that this had happened, but it really did put me at a disadvantage that it was in my arm, because with one hand stuck up in the air on the end of the arm that was in a lot of pain, it only left one hand free to try to both keep hold of the applicator and try to free the needle!


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## SB2015 (Jun 29, 2017)

I am glad that the pain is settling and hope that you d not have another problem with a sensor.

The only very painful experience I had was when OH was applying new sensor and did not go low enough into (very useful) wings, and hit muscle.  I am careful to remind him to look for flab each time.


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## Ljc (Jun 29, 2017)

I've been using my Libre continuously since 13th Feb with no probs other than knocking a couple of sensors off and one falling off with no help from me. 
@curlygirl it would be nice if they would let you know what caused the problem, it might have helped reassure you as well.


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## pencils (Oct 25, 2019)

An old thread but more or less exactly the same has happened to my wife.  The sensor stopped working after just one week and she removed it…not without difficulty.  We now believe the needle may be stuck in her arm which is very bruised and the hole where the needle penetrated is very inflamed and the skin swollen.  Spoke with Abbott in Warsaw, Poland.  They took all the details but only recommended we see a health professional.  We are going to A and E in Edinburgh tonight….and will be there for hours.  That's as far as we've got….


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## Bexlee (Oct 25, 2019)

Hope all is resolved quickly. Abbot are very good at replacing and investigating when things don’t work as they should.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Oct 25, 2019)

pencils said:


> We are going to A and E in Edinburgh tonight….and will be there for hours.  That's as far as we've got….



Really sorry to hear you’ve had a difficult situation @pencils. Hope you are seen promptly and there is no lasting discomfort.


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