Often on the diabetes forums, people post about bleeding when inserting their CGM or similar glucose monitoring device like the Freestyle Libre. The response often is that “bleeders are readers”, meaning that even if it bleeds, it may work just fine.

I occasionally do bleed when inserting the Medtronic Guardian CGM. The insertion process is usually pretty easy. Sometimes it hurts a little, but sometimes I hardly feel it. I would say that on the pain scale, it is on the low end. The pain is brief, feels a bit like a stinging, and sometimes I don’t feel it at all. However, my experience is just mine, and people’s experience of pain varies, so please comment below if you want to share your experience.

On occasion, it bleeds, and most recently, it left a pretty ugly bruise.

I went to my hair dresser and she said “What happened?” when she saw it on my arm… I had forgotten about it, and I mumbled a bit, as I tried to explain what the CGM was.

Perhaps, this is the reason to always cover it up with some non-clear tape, like a Simpatch, which comes in many different colors.