# Libre 2 and mammogram



## freesia (Nov 30, 2021)

This is probably a silly question but here goes...
I've had a letter to book a mammogram and it says to let them know if i have a pacemaker (no) or any other medical implant. Even though my libre is on my arm would this count? Or would i have to not have a sensor on when i have the mammogram? Anyone else come across this? Thanks for any answers


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## rebrascora (Nov 30, 2021)

If we are talking routine "breast screening" mammogram I certainly wore a Libre sensor when I went for mine without any problem but I did let them know and they were fine with it.


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## freesia (Nov 30, 2021)

rebrascora said:


> If we are talking routine "breast screening" mammogram I certainly wore a Libre sensor when I went for mine without any problem but I did let them know and they were fine with it.


Yes it is just a routine one. Thanks @rebrascora. I'll let them know when i book it.


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## helli (Nov 30, 2021)

I too wore my Libre when I had my last mammogram and had no problems.


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## trophywench (Nov 30, 2021)

No bit of your arm goes anywhere near the rays - to get each boob into position in turn, firstly you're asked to aim that arm at the ceiling, then they entrap the boob, at which point they lower the arm and wrap it round the side of the machine to take the pic.


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## DDodd (Nov 1, 2022)

rebrascora said:


> If we are talking routine "breast screening" mammogram I certainly wore a Libre sensor when I went for mine without any problem but I did let them know and they were fine with it.


I wear a Freestyle Libre 2 sensor & with a routine mammogram booked for this afternoon I contacted the Freestyle Libre customer services to check this out. I was advised that I should not wear my sensor when having a mammogram or any other form of x-ray or MRI, as it may interfere with the readings. They are sending me a replacement sensor free of charge because I will need to change it before the 14 days is up.


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## Robin (Nov 1, 2022)

DDodd said:


> I wear a Freestyle Libre 2 sensor & with a routine mammogram booked for this afternoon I contacted the Freestyle Libre customer services to check this out. I was advised that I should not wear my sensor when having a mammogram or any other form of x-ray or MRI, as it may interfere with the readings. They are sending me a replacement sensor free of charge because I will need to change it before the 14 days is up.


Oh, it never occurred to me that it would be affected, so I just wore mine, having asked the radiographer to be carefrul not to catch it and pull it off, and it worked fine afterwards.
 I presume Abbot can’t be too careful, in case someone sues them, if they thought their Libre had been affected, and it had caused them not to treat a hypo or something.
So do they do the same for dental x-rays, I wonder? It must work out quite expensive for Abbot, if they have to replace sensors every time someone has an xray, even on a part of their body nowhere near the Libre site.


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## grovesy (Nov 1, 2022)

I wore mine to a re ent one without any problems.


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## rebrascora (Nov 1, 2022)

DDodd said:


> I wear a Freestyle Libre 2 sensor & with a routine mammogram booked for this afternoon I contacted the Freestyle Libre customer services to check this out. I was advised that I should not wear my sensor when having a mammogram or any other form of x-ray or MRI, as it may interfere with the readings. They are sending me a replacement sensor free of charge because I will need to change it before the 14 days is up.


Nice that they sent you a replacement, but I think it is a simple liability issue for them rather than the sensor actually being affected (ie. it hasn't been tested under that circumstance so they can't guarantee it.... rather than that it will actually be affected), especially as many of us have seen no negative impact on our sensor after breast screening. 
If it went astray afterwards, I would certainly report it, but to me it is a waste to rip off a perfectly good sensor "just in case". After all you can always check on it afterwards with a couple of finger prick checks, which is a lot more environmentally friendly than all the plastic waste that goes with the use of another sensor.... Just my thoughts.


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## freesia (Nov 1, 2022)

I spoke to the radiographer before she started the mammogram. She was fine about it and the sensor worked perfectly fine after.


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## DDodd (Nov 1, 2022)

freesia said:


> I spoke to the radiographer before she started the mammogram. She was fine about it and the sensor worked perfectly fine after.


Like you I also spoke to the radiographer performing the mammogram who said it would be ok. However no NHS professional is supposed to go against the manufacturer’s recommendations when using their products or equipment. Having spoken to the Abbot Freestyle Libre customer services earlier this morning they expressly told me that they couldn’t guarantee the accuracy of the sensor when it has been worn during an x ray or MRI & therefore advised it be removed during the procedure. The whole point of my own use of the sensor is to guarantee the pattern’s & levels of my blood sugar, so I personally wouldn’t want to go against the recommendation & have the possibility of inaccurate readings.


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## rebrascora (Nov 1, 2022)

DDodd said:


> Like you I also spoke to the radiographer performing the mammogram who said it would be ok. However no NHS professional is supposed to go against the manufacturer’s recommendations when using their products or equipment. Having spoken to the Abbot Freestyle Libre customer services earlier this morning they expressly told me that they couldn’t guarantee the accuracy of the sensor when it has been worn during an x ray or MRI & therefore advised it be removed during the procedure. The whole point of my own use of the sensor is to guarantee the pattern’s & levels of my blood sugar, so I personally wouldn’t want to go against the recommendation & have the possibility of inaccurate readings.



I think many of us find that "accuracy" is not a main feature of the Libre anyway   although I usually find that it is consistently inaccurate for me by about 1-1.5 mmols below BG, which is workable.... I hope you don't take all the readings it gives you at face value..... or perhaps you are one of the lucky ones for whom it is accurate.
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love it and it has changed the way I manage my diabetes for the better but you really do have to understand it's limitations to get the best from it.


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## DDodd (Nov 1, 2022)

rebrascora said:


> I think many of us find that "accuracy" is not a main feature of the Libre anyway   although I usually find that it is consistently inaccurate for me by about 1-1.5 mmols below BG, which is workable.... I hope you don't take all the readings it gives you at face value..... or perhaps you are one of the lucky ones for whom it is accurate.
> Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love it and it has changed the way I manage my diabetes for the better but you really do have to understand it's limitations to get the best from it.


This is an extract I copied from the user manual so that is why I’m doing as recommended. I do still finger prick when doubt the readings, but on the whole they have been pretty accurate. I’d rather be safe than sorry. 

When to remove the Sensor:
• If you have a medical appointment that includes strong magnetic
or electromagnetic radiation, for example an X-ray, MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) or CT (Computed Tomography) scan, remove the Sensor you are wearing and apply a new one after the appointment . The effect of this type of procedure on the performance of the System has not been evaluated


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## trophywench (Nov 1, 2022)

For interest I can tell you that 'normal' dental X rays these days don't catch sight of anything except those teeth they're actually X raying.   Decades ago you and the dentist's body were both protected by a ?lead apron which I never felt the weight of so wouldn't know if it was heavy or not, since the arms of the dental chair supported it off you, and whipped off smartish afterwards anyway.  The machine from which the X rays emanate has a tapered round end which is placed against the outside of your cheek and the plate goes alongside the inside of your gum and that tooth.

When I had both a CT and an MRI scan of my head, following what they suspected might have been a TIA, I already knew I'd have to remove my pump and earrings/jewellery/anything metal very near my head but had totally forgotten about my denture until they asked me routinely if I had one which contained cobalt chrome, which I said Oh bother, Yes! - never thought about that, and asked em if they had a tissue I could wrap it in to leave in my locker with my handbag & pump.  Then asked em what about bra fastenings, underwires etc.  Nah - no prob as we only go to the knobbly bone at the nape of the neck for these, they're only looking for signs of a previous bleed on the brain down to where the nerves pass into your spinal column.


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## DDodd (Nov 2, 2022)

trophywench said:


> For interest I can tell you that 'normal' dental X rays these days don't catch sight of anything except those teeth they're actually X raying.   Decades ago you and the dentist's body were both protected by a ?lead apron which I never felt the weight of so wouldn't know if it was heavy or not, since the arms of the dental chair supported it off you, and whipped off smartish afterwards anyway.  The machine from which the X rays emanate has a tapered round end which is placed against the outside of your cheek and the plate goes alongside the inside of your gum and that tooth.
> 
> When I had both a CT and an MRI scan of my head, following what they suspected might have been a TIA, I already knew I'd have to remove my pump and earrings/jewellery/anything metal very near my head but had totally forgotten about my denture until they asked me routinely if I had one which contained cobalt chrome, which I said Oh bother, Yes! - never thought about that, and asked em if they had a tissue I could wrap it in to leave in my locker with my handbag & pump.  Then asked em what about bra fastenings, underwires etc.  Nah - no prob as we only go to the knobbly bone at the nape of the neck for these, they're only looking for signs of a previous bleed on the brain down to where the nerves pass into your spinal column.


I personally feel that if you’re not going to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations & guidelines when using their equipment for your own benefit then there is no point in having them at all.


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