I’m a new Minimed CGMS user and so far I’ve enjoyed using it, but I seem to have the most difficult time getting the adhesive transparent dressing (IV3000) to either be in the right place, or even worse I always pull the wrong piece off while putting it on initially. I have wasted my entire supply of the dressing and I either need to order more of those or I was wondering if anyone has some tips or if you have tried the Transmitter Adhesive Patch that Minimed also sells. It looks like it might be simpler and it costs a lot less than the 100pk of the dressings.
Hey David,
I do not have diabetes, but I wore a CGMS for about a month for various reasons (work, plus I was having some really low blood sugars, so i wanted to learn a bit more about those).
I might have lucked out, but with the cozmo sensor I used some waterproof clear dressings from 3M (all the packaging details below). The cozmo sensor had some pretty good adhesive already, but I used the dressing to help reduce the snags (I pulled out a sensor while running with a dog leash…and out went $60 bucks!). Since it was waterproof it got a little too moist under the bandage, so I just put a small slit on the underside… and then it was perfect. My dad (who has diabetes) uses the same dressings; and overall it has worked quite well for both of us. Plus they are cheap!
details:
Nexcare (3M)
waterproof badges.
2 3/8 in x 4in
badges have a bit of gauze in the middle of the pad
I know what you mean. It’s barely large enough to cover the transmitter. When I first started, I’d use 2 IV3000 patches. That made it easier for me. They’d overlap about 1/2 - 3/4" over the middle of the transmitter. Now I’m more skilled and generally only use 1, but I found using 2 helpful for a while.
doh! I meant the dexcomm, not cozmo
I use the IV3000 and it worked great for me, never came off, even after bathing. The CDE trainer gave me a hint. Put the tape on, does not have to be perfect then cup your hand/palm over it and the heat of your hand kind of seals it around the sensor and transmitter (just one). It kind of vacumn seals it.
I bought a lot of IV3000 on Ebay for about 1/6 of the retail price
I wore the Minimed RT for 6 months and always used a Tegaderm 6 x 7 cm transparent dressing. I think it’s a lot easier to use than the IV3000 - I wasted a bunch of those too. You can usually get tegaderms in quantities of 100 or 500 for about 12 cents apiece on ebay.
I cut them in half and then place half right where the sensor is inserted and the other half anchoring the transmitter (I really found that without anchoring it, the transmitter flopped around too much).
I do the same thing with the Dexcom, to reinforce the adhesive of the sensor. Before I started using tegaderm, I always found that the sensor adhesive started to lose its stick before the sensor was done.
Thanks, those look like a great option and are cheap.
So would you say these ones are easier to put on than the IV3000? It looks they are readily available on ebay for pretty cheap.
I like them better. I use the 6 x 7 cm size, they also make bigger ones. The product is called 3M TEGADERM 1624W TRANSPARENT DRESSING. I found a bunch on ebay right now when I searched just tegaderm transparent dressing. You could try and ask your endo’s office, they may have some in the office you could use before you commit to a larger quantity.
Call me a dork, but I took some pictures for you. This is the front and back
This is the way I cut it for the minimed RT sensor. Like I said above, put 1/2 on the sensor where it goes into your skin and the other half over the gray transmitter, just to hold it from flopping around
No I really appreciate you taking some pictures. I think I’m gonna go ahead and get some of these. Thanks again!
No problem!
You might try the waterproof Pad sold by Johnson & Johnson and sold at Wlmart for $2.96 per 6 pads. They work well, are non leaking in the shower, and do not interfere with the connection. I work on muy race cars, and I kept “scraping” the GCM sensor off. Not only painful, but expensive. These pads keep that from happening and they are cheap.
Bill Christian
I had the same problem and went to a pharmacy store (not like a CVS) and wandered around, I eventually picked up a lifetime supply of this tape called Microfoam by 3M and found it to be better than anything that minimed sellf (or so I have found). It is thick and sticks very well. I have never had a problem with it coming off even while playing sports like I did with the other tape! 
Good luck!