Adhesives, tapes you use

Diabetes Technology
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Hi Everyone,

People are always asking for alternatives or help to keep our gadgets adhered to us. There have been some threads in the past with scattered information so I thought I would try to start one hopefully with up to date information with what you use and like. Any tips you might have to help stuff adhere. Or other products you know about that might help someone else because maybe they are having issues.

I’ll start with Skin Tac in the bottle. I like the bottle better it seems easier to use for me. And if I want to touch up an area that’s coming loose I use a Qtip to get under the edge coming up. At the beginning I put it around the edges and on top of the adhesive band that comes on the Dexcom and it would attract dirt and get grungy looking. Part of the issue was/is I wear them extended time.

The Dexcom overpatch fell off almost as quickly as the Dexcom adhesive tape. I also tried Grif Grips and broke out in a rash. Those are pretty cute and I’m sure a hit with kids. I am allergic to every medical tape I know of but I do okay with the Dexcom adhesive, the Omnipod adhesive and Skin Tac. The Omnipod I have never had to use anything with it.

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I use Opsite Flexifit and make my own patches. A roll is 4 inches by 11 yards and lasts over 1 year. For Dexcom, 1 patch can be applied directly to skin, Dexcom sensor can be applied and will poke right through patch and then a top patch with a cutout for the transmitter can be used as the top patch. That gives extreme adhesion and will last for weeks. A little less aggressive is to just make a top patch about 1/4 inch larger than the Dexcom adhesive tape all the way around with a cutout for the transmitter and apply that after sensor application.

I have found my secret of keeping Dexcom attached, even without patches is to shave area where sensor will be applied, shower to totally clean application area, blow dry area with hair dryer and then apply sensor. By using this procedure, I don’t even need to use any patches for 7-10 day sensor period.

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