@Michael_McClure, I just wanted to thank you for posting your in-depth, step by step guide! I know it took a lot of work and I know it’s what you have to do because it’s what works for you! Awesome pics and guide and I think any one of us (our our children who are diabetic) may be able to benefit from this at one point or another in our lives.
Again, awesome guide/pics.
No prob! If it helps, that’s great. Otherwise, it just shows the myriad steps one T1D has to go through to help manage this stuff. Thanks for posting up.
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I have used Dexcom sensors nearly 3 years now. First they worked about 3-5 weeks but later less. The last Dexcom G4 Platinum Sensor Kit (REF STS-GL-006 2016-04-13 LOT 5211369) seems to work less than one week. Dexcom gives free replacements but the real problem is in the sensor adhesive. I think they have deliberately made adhesive that destroys itself in about one week. Have they done this for at sell more sensors and get more money?
I have evidence that Dexcom has really changed the adhesive. About 2 years ago I have put a few weeks used sensor to the side of a plastic bag and the adhesive still today works. When I now remove it then it still sticks to bag.
But now new sensors are loosing their adhesive in a week. After that there isn’t any adhesive at all. It is like a gauze without any adhesive.
I have always used Skin Tac first and then also kinetic tape over Dexcom transmitter but today it doesn’t work any more. Has somebody found a good working solution? All advices are welcome.
Hi Everyone! I just wanted to share with you a little about our story and how we FINALLY overcame that dreaded Dexcom rash!!
Our son Leighton was diagnosed as a T1D last January at the ripe old age of 9 months. AWFUL. It was, by far the scariest experience of our lives, and we are thankful that after going into DKA with a BG of 404, the local children’s hospital (A.I. duPont) was able to bring our precious son “back to life.” Anyway, Leighton has since been on the Animas Ping pump (changed every other day) and the Dexcom G4 system which has been bittersweet for our family. While it is nice to have a general idea of his BG at all times with the CGM, it has also caused a lot of heartache for my husband and I, mostly because of the HORRENDOUS RED, BLOODY RASH IT HAS CAUSED ON OUR SON’S PERFECT, NEW SKIN. The adhesive from the Dexcom was causing our son such pain and skin irritation that he would even scratch it in his sleep and it would often times bleed and cause him to cry. It was absolutely heartbreaking for us and we looked to our endocrine team for any sort of answer…with no luck, at first. After coming online and reading what other parents had written about their experiences with Dexcom, my husband and I decided that we should ask the team to back our decision to try a “combo therapy” based on what we had seen work for different families of CGM patients. Well, I am proud to say that FINALLY, we have found the “holy grail” of CGM rash prevention (at least for now and for our son’s young, super-sensitive skin) and we could not be happier!! Please forgive the rhetoric and excessive use of capitalization in this post, but I am assuming that all of you have experienced the frustration and heart-wrenching pain associated with watching someone you love (or yourself) deal with the pain of this incessant rash. Below is the step by step technique my husband and I use to ensure that our son does not get that dreaded rash, and I am hopeful and prayerful that this technique can help at least one of you (if not all) in your quest to conquer this rash!
-Bathe him and DO NOT USE ANY LOTIONS OR OILS ANYWHERE NEAR THE AREA WHERE WE ARE GOING TO INSERT THE CGM.
-Soak a large cotton ball in isopropyl alcohol and thoroughly clean the area (even outside the area where the patch will adhere…I mean we pretty much wipe the alcohol all over the entire side of his body where the patch will go, just to make sure there are no oils/impurities which might hinder the adhesion)
-Let the alcohol air dry (you will see there are no more “shiny spots” on the skin once it dries.)
-After this, we apply several sprays from a corticosteroid inhaler (yes, an inhaler…it helps to create an additional barrier over the skin prior to insertion and has been the most important addition we have found to help prevent the rash)all over the area and make sure it is completely covered where we will be placing the patch. The type inhaler we use is called Qvar 40mcg (beclomethasone dipropionate HFA, 40mcg) and that is just one of the brands available at the pharmacy when your doctor prescribes a corticosteroid inhaler for you to use. The brand hasn’t seemed to matter, however, so don’t worry too much about that. The key for us was that we had to get this prescription from our pediatrician rather than the endocrinologist because they are not authorized (at least not in Delaware) to write Rx’s for medicine that is not historically known as a “diabetes medication”, so we had to get an Rx from our primary care physician…not a problem, just had to ask.
-We wait about 1 minute, then apply a Duo Derm patch that has been pre-cut with a small circle the size of the Dexcom insertion point to make sure the CGM enters the skin properly. The best way we have found to do this and ensure a complete barrier against the Dexcom adhesive touching the skin is to take the Duo Derm out of the packaging, and place the Dexcom sensor over it, making sure to place it diagonally right across the middle of the patch, the only way the whole thing will fit. I then take 2 fine-point black sharpie markers to trace a circle on the patch,(one to hold in place on the patch, the other to trace around the end of the marker to make the correct size circle) right where the Dexcom will enter the skin and then fold the patch in half and cut the circle out carefully.
-We then apply about 2 more “sprays” of the inhaler directly over the hole where the open skin is exposed and allow that to dry for about 30 seconds.
-We remove the white paper from the Dexcom sensor adhesive and place the circle (where the sensor goes into the skin) DIRECTLY over the hole that I cut. We have not attempted insertion through the patch, and have found that as long as we use that extra spray or 2 of inhaler, there seems to be little to no irritation in that small circular spot…without that extra spray from the inhaler, however, we did still see some irritation, so make sure you do not miss this step!
-I insert the sensor, place the transmitter (little gray piece that clips in) on top and remove that small, plastic piece. We then apply IV Prep wipes all around the top, white area where the adhesive from the Dexcom is, so that when we apply the clear Tegaderm patches, they will stick for quite awhile.
-As aforementioned, we use Tegaderm patches on the top to ensure that the Dexcom stays in place for as long as possible (longest we have gotten from one sensor is a week) and I pre-cut those, as well, so that they are surrounding the Dexcom, but not covering any part of the transmitter (grey part). I fold 2 of the Tegaderm patches in half, and cut a half-rectangle shape in each and place one vertically around the Dexcom, the other horizontally. This may seem like overkill to some, but it really does wonders to keep that sensor in place through bathing every night and general toddler activity.
That’s it! Haha…I realize it might seem like a lot of work, and it kind of is at first, but it is MORE THAN WORTH IT when you take that patch off after a week of wear and there is no crazy, itchy, bloody red spot for them to scratch and cry about. This system has been a God send for my husband and I and there is nothing better than the feeling of accomplishment you get when you take it off and their skin is hardly irritated, if at all.
I am on day 19 of my current sensor. I used skin tac, reapplied as needed. The longer time goes by, the more stiff the white dressing becomes and it lifts up a little at the edges. So, I put a large, clear tegaderm dressing over it. I cut a hole in the middle for the sensor before applying it. So far, so good. The more I shower, the edges of the tegaderm peel up a little. I change the tegaderm as needed. I am still getting numbers within less than 1 mmol/L difference from a finger stick, or exactly the same as a finger stick. Going to see if I can get 4 weeks out of it, then change the sensor. It’s sad, but this will make it much more affordable. I use smith and nephew remove to get it off. Works well, so far.
SD
Michael McClure, this was a great DIY procedure description. Thanks very much. And I am very glad it is working for you!
Leighton’s Mommy, thanks a bunch for sharing this. It is great you were able to find a way to make it work!
I really appreciate being able to learn from those who have already experimented in depth.
Thanks to those of you who have shared in detail your strategies with the Dexcom. To be fair, allergies can develop at any time, so it may be true that Dexcom hasn’t changed their adhesive but that a new allergy has developed.
I have eczema and allergies and lately have been finding my Dexcom sensors extremely itchy after just half a week. It’s not so much the tape that itches, though, it’s more the sensor wire. For my current sensor I tried in desperation to put Benadryl cream on it, which sort of helped but also seemed to degrade the adhesive. Not sure what else I can do, though, since I already used steroids on the site and am taking two extra-strength antihistamines a day. I may get some of those Gif Grips and see if it helps at all (I find Skin Tac just causes a horrible rash and makes things far worse).
It does seem that infusion sets and sensors cause a lot of irritation issues for people. It’s too bad they can’t come up with more hypoallergenic products.
Hi Michael, I know you posted this in November, but I just wanted to comment on the allergic reaction to the adhesive. The exact same thing happened to me in October/November of 2016. I started with Dexcom in July of 2011 and never had an issue. I now have 3 boxes of unused sensors that I absolutely cannot wear. Again, conjecture, but I know in my heart that the adhesive was changed…probably to a cheaper adhesive so money could be made. I have asked them to replace the sensors. They will not. I was disappointed to say the least, but I love my Dexcom…so what to do?
I use IV Prep wipe to get all the residue from soap/body washes off my skin. Then Skin Tac with IV3000 tape. I use unisolve to get it off.
Well, I would tell you to do EXACTLY as I did above and get yourself some GrifGrips and go to town! I just put on a new sensor the other day while traveling, and I did so with my GrifGrip process that I put together here for yourself and everyone to follow. I haven’t had ONE SINGLE MARK on my skin since I posted this. Good luck. //\
I’ve already ordered the “Grip”!!
I’ve had to pay out of pocket for my Dexcom for ages - but it is worth it to me and I really, really don’t NEED a new pair of shoes!. So I try to get the maximum wear out of each sensor. I use Skin Tac (available from Amazon). I “paint” the Skin Tac onto the sticky pad (after removing the paper covers) and then insert. I can get 3 weeks from a sensor. It also helps to keep it on during my dance workouts - lots of torso movement that can be a challenge to anything trying to stay on my body. I prefer the bottle over the wipes. I can easily apply the skin tac where I want it and not get it on my fingers. One bottle lasts almost forever.
Interesting. I guess you find that this method works better than applying the Skin Tac to your skin and letting it get tacky before putting the sensor on?
So far my 4 sensors have all died before the adhesive came off but I haven’t gotten more than 13 days yet (paying out of pocket).
Painting the Skin Tac on the sticky pad - and giving it some time to get tacky - allows me to limit where the skin tac isso I don’t have additional stickiness.
I play rugby and workout/shower every day as well. Get a larger grifgrip! I find many adhesives are sized just beyond the tape of the sensor and actually rip it off quicker. I had a hard time finding something to get it all to stick while I play rugby, but grifgrips have been a godsend. I add a layer of self-adhering wrap around my arm with tape just to make sure, but I’ve played plenty of games and practices without it. I’ve also found etsy has sellers with small arm bands that help things in place while you’re jiggling things around working out, etc. You’d be surprised that even though it’s not an extra adhesive how much it’ll do. I’d be really surprised to find the large hex or large sports grifgrips won’t work for you.
an ace bandage also can work easy