I have the minimed CGM, and I used it for the 2nd time a few days ago. I put the IV3000 on (with hole for sensor), inserted the sensor and attached the transmitter. I covered the whole thing with HypaFix, since the last time I tried IV3000 on top and that peeled off in like 1/2 a day, so then tried Tegaderm and it wasn’t much better. So this time I used Hypafix and it worked great! Except for the bottom right corner, which pulled up the first few minutes after I put it on, because I guess I stretched it too tight and when I was bending/picking up toys it was pulling on the skin, so I had to kind of pull it up and re-stick it. Only that corner came loose, because I had to pull it up, and it was even great after showering.
My problem is this: it got really itchy on the same corner that I pulled up, and I think I kind of folded/bent the tape when I restuck it back on. So it kind of creased into my skin and was really itchy so I kept scratching at it and by tonight I realized I had a really red line of a kind of blister/scratch/welt. So I wanted to remove the Hypafix and re-charge the transmitter and reattach it to the same sensor and put a bandaid on the scratch. But when I went to remove the Hypafix I COULD NOT get it off without pulling up the IV3000, which is under the transmitter, so I had to remove the whole thing.
Do any of you experts out there know how to remove the top layer of tape/whatever without disturbing the transmitter/sensor? I’ve heard of people using the same sensor after recharging but I don’t see how you can do this if you use something on top of the set up, because it just attaches like cement to the IV3000 or Tegaderm underneath the setup? I tried without anything on top, and I felt like it was flopping around and that it might damage the connection between the sensor and the transmitter.
Any experiences that may help?
Tamara
I just use the built in adhesive on the sensor, connect the transmitter, and cover the entire thing up with ONE piece of IV3000 6cm x 7cm film.
If I center the film well and press down the part of the film touching my skin it normally lasts 3-5 days including showers, etc. If I am going longer than 6 days on one sensor I just remove the film, charge the transmitter (with the sensor held on by its own adhesive), reattach the transmitter, and cver with a new IV3000.
If I am going swimming I will add 2 extra pieces of IV300 over the first one covering all of the edges where it sticks to my skin to insure it does not come off. That normally works just fine even for several hours in the water.
Also, I use the IV Prep wipes which, for me, really helps everything stick.
when I was using MM (switched to Dex) I cut the IV300 in half. I (never coudl get the hole thing doen too good…but I coudl only wear it for three dyas at a time anyway…so didin’t matter–but If you did the halvsies thing youd just have to replace the under/over the sensor part (1 peice of IV3000) for the recharge change
Why do you have the IV3000 under the transmitter? I just cover the whole thing iwth a piece of hypafix that is just barely big enough to cover the transmitter.
Sorry, guess I should have included that info! I’m fine with the adhesive on the infusion set and sensor, but where the holes are on the adhesive part, where the hard plastic touches my skin, it gets really red and itchy. I guess I have sort of an allergy to the plastic, not the adhesive or cloth, but the cloth had like little holes in it, sometimes larger than others, and anywhere the hard plastic can touch my skin through the holes causes a problem. So I have to put IV3000 under the anchor for my Sure-T’s, because otherwise I get a red/raw circle from the plastic. The sensor has the same “holey” cloth adhesive with the hard plastic exposed. So I have to put IV3000 under it, so when I used the IV3000 or Hypafix on top to secure it, it seals up like crazy and I haven’t found a way to separate the top layer from the bottom, so that I don’t have to remove the whole sensor.
I’m thinking that it’s a lost cause and I’ll just to accept that I’ll have to remove the sensor when the transmitter needs recharging…unless anyone has any other ideas?
Tamara
Sorry for being dense, but I cannot picture this in my head…Do you mean cutting in half and using 1/2 under the sensor, with the needle inserting just past the edge, and the other 1/2 on top of the sensor/transmitter? If so, isn’t that too small to seal the edges up? I tried 1 whole piece of IV3000 on top and because of the height of the transmitter, the edges didn’t seal very well and after the 1st shower the IV3000 was practically falling off…the hypafix holds much better, but I COULD NOT get it off the top, it just yanked up the IV3000 from underneath and I couldn’t get it apart in order to leave in the sensor…Even when cut in half, wouldn’t the 2 pieces still stick together?
Thanks for the feedback. I really hope I can find something that will let me leave in the sensor in order to use the recharged transmitter. They are SO expensive!
Tamara
I think I get what your saying. I didn’t have a reaction to the sensor tape, but the plastic against my skin was irritating me. So I have tried a couple of things. One is where I cut a piece of gauze big enough to prevent the transmitter from touching my skin and I would slide it up under the transmitter all the way to the sensor. Then I would take I.V. Prep and wipe it around the sensor and transmitter. I then applied one piece of I.V. 3000 over the top half and then another that overlapped the top half and covered the bottom half. If I used the I.V. Prep, the thing would stay on until I took it off. Sometimes I would just cut a small square of hypafix and put it under the transmitter instead of the gauze and then tape down the whole thing like usual.
However, I have noticed that the I.V. 3000 and hypafix irritates my skin in certain places. If you got blisters I am wondering if you might be experiencing the same thing.
As Deb said and TS asked , quoted : “I just use the built in adhesive on the sensor, connect the transmitter, and cover the entire thing up with ONE piece of IV3000 6cm x 7cm film.
If I center the film well and press down the part of the film touching my skin it normally lasts 3-5 days including showers, etc. If I am going longer than 6 days on one sensor I just remove the film, charge the transmitter (with the sensor held on by its own adhesive), reattach the transmitter, and cover with a new IV3000.” end quote
My skin is not itchy and I do not prep my skin prior with IV Prep … I get to keep the procedure simple 
I probably have not responded to your concerns
I have been putting a small piece of paper (size of Transmitter) over the Transmitter under the IV3000.
I cut the IV3000 in Half and have 1/2 on the Sensor and 1/2 on the Transmitter.
The paper allows an easier removal of the Transmitter (no sticking) if needing charging and not disturb the Sensor.