Dexcom veterans, I'd love to get your input on the best sensor spots for those who are lean and active. This is for my 6 year old daughter, but even if your all grown up I'm still interested in your input as long as your lean and fairly active.
We had our 1st insertion appointment yesterday & it was a total flop. We inserted on her side (think love handle area) only to have it completely fall off in 2.5 hours. Not good at all and I total let down. I'm going to try flex fix tape to address the adhesive issue, but I'm also thinking that is not a good spot for her. She is adverse to the top of the bum, but I could probably bribe her into it if need be.
So please any input would be greatly appreciated. I'm holding off on inserting another sensor until the tape comes in. Thanks.
With my very active (minimum 14 hours of intensive sport per week) 13yo son, we also use the "love handles". It is about the only place where he has enough fat anyway. We've also had a sensor fall off after a day but we have a better routine now. Clean the area with no residue alcohol (clear isopropylic alcohol). Let it dry for a couple of minutes. Apply Skintack (we use skintack impregnated tissues, I understand it is also available in bottles), let it dry for a couple of minutes, apply and insert Dexcom sensor taking great care not to make any folds in the white adhesive. Cover the area with a Tegaderm HP, again without any folds. His current sensor has been in place for 13 days, survived 13 30 minutes hot baths, 12 hot showers, 20 hours of tennis training and 3 competitive games. Around day 10, the tegaderm and a bit of the white dexcom adhesive started to peel and curl a bit. I cut off the lose parts, cleaned the surrrounding area and reapplied a new tegaderm over the area (I cut a hole for the sensor). Initially, like in your case, adhesion was really an issue, and we even had a week where we had to go through 3 sensors. But we are learning. Also, we make sure the area where we put the adhesive is fully extended by having him lean in the other direction. It's OK to have tiny folds when he straightens up and doesn't impact adhesion. On the other hand, if the dressing is extended when he resumes his normal activity the dexcom white adhesive gets lose very quickly. Those practical issues are very depressing and frustrating, but when everything goes well, this is really paradise compared to intensive blood testing.
My son is 10 and he plays every sport there is and never sits still. He is also very lean and muscular so his bum is the only place he will wear his pump site - which limits us greatly. He does not like his belly for the Dexcom because he has no fat there. Cannot talk him into trying the “love handle” area. We use the back of his arm exclusively. We’ve had some problems with it sticking because he’s so active and sweaty but I started using Skin Tac before we put the sensor on and then putting some around the outside edge of the fabric once it’s on and it seems to be staying on very well. Hope that helps. My son even did wrestling practice with the sensor on his arm and we just wrapped it with athletic tape (pre-wrap underneath) and he had no problems at all. Good luck. There is a learning curve. And if your trainer didn’t tell you - be sure to call Dexcom about every sensor that doesn’t last at least 7 days - even if it comes off on day 6, they will replace them - no questions asked.
My son is 10 and he plays every sport there is and never sits still. He is also very lean and muscular so his bum is the only place he will wear his pump site - which limits us greatly. He does not like his belly for the Dexcom because he has no fat there. Cannot talk him into trying the “love handle” area. We use the back of his arm exclusively. We’ve had some problems with it sticking because he’s so active and sweaty but I started using Skin Tac before we put the sensor on and then putting some around the outside edge of the fabric once it’s on and it seems to be staying on very well. Hope that helps. My son even did wrestling practice with the sensor on his arm and we just wrapped it with athletic tape (pre-wrap underneath) and he had no problems at all. Good luck. There is a learning curve. And if your trainer didn’t tell you - be sure to call Dexcom about every sensor that doesn’t last at least 7 days - even if it comes off on day 6, they will replace them - no questions asked.
I am in a Dexcom users group on Facebook. The most popular spot for lean, active kids appears to be the back of the arm. That is where I wear mine almost exclusively. I always put a square of Opsite Flexifix with a hole cut out for the transmitter. Mine is on day 15 at the moment and has been through a lot of tennis, cycling, and golfing and while the tape is looking a bit ragged now I will just trim and reapply or actually have my husband do it because it's hard to reach behind.
I am lean (but all grown up) and I only use one area that has worked great for me (2-3 weeks every time): Just above my belly button to one side, then I switch to the opposite side.
If you look down at your belly button, and imagine it is the center of a clock, then I insert mine at 5pm and 7pm.
I keep one sensor at the 7pm spot (just above my belly button and to the right) for 2-3 weeks and then switch to the 5pm spot (just above my belly button and to the left). By the time I need to go back to the right side (7pm spot) it's all healed... and I obviously don't insert in the exact same spot!
This is what I use to keep the sensor from falling off:
Clean area with alcohol wipes to get rid of dirt etc. then: Liquid SkinTac + Hypafix Tape that I cut out like this (old image from before I used the 5/7pm location):
All this gets them to hold for at least 2 weeks each time, over 3 weeks most of the time! I normally will change out the Hypafix halfway through the life of 1 sensor.
Then I use UniSolve Wipes to remove it (which I also use to remove my Mio insertions sites) so it doesn't get all red and irritated.
I agree very much with the first commenter PierreV. In order for the glue on the dexcom adhesive to work good, you have to clean the skin area where it is going to stick. It is this very thin layer of dirt and oil on the skin, that is the problem. I also use 91% alcohol(it is in the same aisle as the 70% and cost the same $1.99), but this has more alcohol to get clean the skin area.. then after you do this, then I also apply a thin layer of SkinTac( I Use the bottle and sponge applicator it comes with) I am careful to let the sponge applicator have just a little on it, by squezzing it on the bottle before I remove it. then with just little Skintac, I apply it and let it dry for about 4-5min.. now I place the dexcom sensor and it usually lasts minimum 2 weeks, if the sensor is still working, but it looks like it becoming unglued, I take some skintac and rub a little on the dexcom tape.. good luck and let us know how it works
My daughter is 5, started Dexcom last October. First site was on her tummy, but she has no fat there, so she didn't like it there and it hurt going in. She also uses the Omnipod, which she wears on the back of her arms and on her thighs. She never wanted to put a pod on her tush, but I talked her into letting me put the sensor there (just below the waistline). At least she has a little fat to pinch there and it's out of sight. We rotate sides every 2 weeks or so, until we start getting bad/inaccurate readings.
I also use the Skin tac wipes on top of the adhesive once the sensor is on and put tegaderm over it (cut out for the transmitter).
One last tip: to ease the pain of insertion, I use ice to numb the area. After a few minutes of holding it on, I quickly adhere the sensor and insert it. The ice works like a charm!
Thank you all for your suggestions. I got the 91% alcohol, Skintack, Flexifix and talked my daughter into trying a new site on the side of her bum just behind her hip and below her waist line. We've been all good for the last 3 days and she says she cannot even feel it there. It's been a non-issue with all of her activities so far. I'm going to keep the other site suggestions in my arsenal for the future or for when we go on the Omnipod.
Yes, results are quite OK - easier when the sensor is on the left side (he sleeps on his right side). We do get compression lows when he sleeps over his sensor but just ignore them (no recalibration at this point) and turn the kid over.
How do your kids feel about wearing hardware (esp Dexcom which is quite large)? Is this more for the parents or the kids? Who prefers that kids are wearing sensors–the parents or the kids. Please be honest.
