I have a dexcom overpatch tape securing my sensor and have had it on for 18 days and it has been in super condition. Hasnt peeled or any sign of coming off. Today when i tried to take it off, it was so hard to remove without damaging the sensor tape underneath. The adhesive looks appears to have melted. I tried to peel it off from the inner circle so not to disrupt the sensor tape underneath and it was impossible.
I ended up just taking the whole thing off because my sensor was dead anyway but it left all the glue on my arm.
If i was to remove it to replace with a new patch, any tips on how to get it off without disrupting the white adhesive tape from the sensor.
Check out Diabetes advocate pump user YouTuber Michelle Lord.
This particular link: keeping G6 on for 10days. At 7:49, she illustrates how to remove the IV3000 over-patch that she uses. Might provide some insight inspite of the difference(s) of the over-patch product: Dexcom vs IV3000. Sounds like the Dexcom adheres REALLY well; Michelle removed her IV3000 REALLY easy!
Thanks, that’s what I was following when I did it. Just the dexcom patch adhesive is sticky and hard to get off. Not sure whether it was because I had used skin tac before application
I use a skin prep Dexcom adhesive and the Dexcom Overpatch love. The way I remove the entire assembly after 10 days is to grab and pull from one edge. Most often, one edge is a little looser than the rest.
For me it is grab, yank, and inspect the sensor wire has completely remained with the sensor houseing.
You don’t actually have to use the overtape. If you had so much trouble removing it, you might not have needed it in the first place. I only use it if my sensor is near to falling off. Usually though, I can just apply a little more skin-tac around the loose edges.
The needing to remove it just to change it seems extraneous to me.
The condition it was in would probably last me another 10 + days. I was just seeing how I can remove one in the event I need to. Because my sensor was dead, I thought it was a good opportunity to try to so that if I ever needed to, I know what to do on a live sensor.
But you are right, I’ll probably just leave out the sensor overtape next time and just use skin tac on the sensor adhesive. I read people comment on keeping the sensor on securely was the best way to extend the life so always thought and overpatch was the way to go.
But I am surprised no one has had the same issues I have with the standard dexcom overpatch tapes.
@Robyn_H, I was responding to @tedos original post. He had had a sensor on for 18 days and read like he wanted to only change the over patch.
My experience is limited to 10 day CGM sessions. Because of my lifestyle, I find it best to prepare from the begining, prep the skin, insert the sensor, tack it down with a Dexcom Overpatch, and not worry about it for the 240 hours Dexcom & I expect it to be glued to my hide.
Hope this helps @tedos. Please share what you discover. Discoveries help all of us.
I think if you’ve used the dex overpatch or similar film on top of the dex sensor patch, you’re stuck with that as a single, combined, glued-together unit.
