I tried out a Libre Continuous Glucose Monitor for a month. I followed all the instructions - used the alcohol wipe before applying it, put it on my upper arm, and even put one of the transparent over-patches on it to seal it better.
First 2 week sensor was fine - didn’t feel a thing and made some very interesting findings about my diet that I’ve now actioned. So thought I’d try another sensor for another 2 week period.
But after about 5 days I started to get an ache and so I took off the sensor. Over the next 24 hrs I ended up with a raging infection deep in my arm. Whole back of arm swelled up and started feeling quite unwell.
I had some Azithromycin set aside (from Dr Green’s recommendation) and started taking some, which helped a bit, then went to 24hr Doctor and they then gave me 3-4 days of Flucloxacillin. This helped and it started going away, but then on 4th day it started getting worse again and I had to go back and get another 6 day course of Flucloxacillin .
Finally this got on top of it and infection was resolved. Thank god for antibiotics eh!
I did some research and seems to be quite unusual to get a bad infection from a CGM like this from what I could read. I was quite unlucky.
However, maybe not a coincidence that I’d just started taking Rapamycin again after a few months off (had been waiting for new supply to arrive). Was back taking 10mg (Siriboon) weekly.
Only n=1, but perhaps a warning to anyone trying out CGM while on Rapamycin to be super careful not to get an infection. I’ve been on Rapamycin for a bit over year now and overall my immunity seemed better if anything. I used to get regular sinus infections and a cold once a year, but last 12 months nothing at all - no illness since on Rapamycin (despite many around me catching lots of cold & flu and covid), so was thinking possibly the Rapamycin had improved my viral immunity if anything.
Rapamycin is known to suppress the innate immune system though - so could be why my body didn’t successfully deal with whatever tiny amount of staph bacteria must have made it into my arm with the CGM sensor.
Needless to say has put me off using a CGM again now…