Wow! Just Wow! No more effing around with finicky Opsite Flexifix!
Be sure to watch the video. I’ve ordered a set of 5 small and 5 large. Will start off with the small, then re-cover with a large once the small begins to peel around the edges. I figure these things will pay for themselves with the extra time we’ll get with each sensor.
Interesting - and worth a try. GrifGrips are also an option, but I prefer clear tape (like Opsite Flexifix). Will also be interesting how my skin reacts to the adhesive – i am sensitive to some of the adhesives used in some tapes/bandages I’ve tried in the past.
What appeals to me most is the ease in applying the DexTape. This has always been an issue with both Opsite and Grifgrips.
This Todd guy is a genius and I hope he makes a mint! I love the fact that a PWD (and his investors; wish I were one!) will make the profit!
Is this just the same tape but with a hole pre-cut? If so, seems it would be a lot cheaper to buy the roll and get 100 pieces for $20…
I saw on Facebook that you can even get a tag punch that matches the size of the sensor if you are too lazy to make your own:
and this one apparently fits the OmniPod:
Note that I haven’t tried either. I would order one, but the classic one costs $148 (!!) in Canada. Ordering from the US costs about $55, but that still seems awfully expensive for a punch.
The issue with Opsite is that you need to peel the stiff paper (at least half of it) off first before sticking it down, which leaves the tape unsupported and prone to distortion/sticking onto your fingers and/or itself. It takes me a lot of effort and a few tries to get it right (and I’m applying it to another person!) With Todd’s product, these problems are no longer an issue. My daughter could apply her own without needing an extra set of hands.
That is a good point! I use Hypafix, which is a white tape and doesn’t seem to have that issue of clinging to itself.
Also, the tag punch I currently use is just a tad too large, and the next smaller tag punch is just a tad too small.
My only problem now is what to do with that ginormous roll of Opsite I have leftover… (where the heck is my copy of 50 Shades of Grey?)
we had a little discussion about these hole punches here
That’s the punch I use. It’s still not quite the right size. Even if I could find the right size, the issue with the Opsite stretching and not behaving while trying to apply it still exists. Todd’s product eliminates these issues. It appears that you could apply his DexTape one-handed by yourself if you place your Dexcom sensor on your arm, as many do. I have a heck of a time with two hands applying the Opsite! I had been worrying how my daughter would apply her Opsite by herself one-handed while away at college. (My daughter has two hands the last time I looked, but only one is available to apply Opsite because she wears her Dexcom sensors exclusively on her arms.)
Which is why you can just cut the opsite into 4 individual strips… it’s tape after all… having it precut with a window inside it doesn’t add much benefit to just using 4 strips IMO
Using four overlapping strips of tape, however, is a “Fashion Don’t”! Not to mention the immense amount of time it takes to cut, peel, and affix those four strips of tape…
Sam, I’m clearly very excited about this product, so please don’t pee on my bliss!
I’ve used four overlapping strips of Hypafix tape, and I don’t think it works as well as a single sheet of tape with a hole cut in the middle. I think it’s because water gets in between them and also the friction of the tape rubbing on fabric of clothing causes the strips to gradually peel up much more quickly.
Hypafix and opsite are very different products though
Same problem with four strips of Opsite.
Wouldn’t you have the same issue of Opsite getting clung to itself and such with four strips? I really should order some Opsite to try. I’ve never done it because when I used Tegaderm my skin hated it and I also found it didn’t stick all that well.
I basically gave up on Tegaderm and its ilk. The whole rigmarole of laboring over a sheet of Tegaderm with an Xacto knife trying to make a neat transmitter-sized hole and then and struggling one-handed to get it to lay flat over the sensor on my upper arm–doesn’t seem like such a big deal at first but after a while I started to say screw it. I find if I do a good job with alcohol swabs and SkinTac the original Dexcom patch lasts a few days into the second sensor session and I can patch it with a roll of regular medical tape to keep it going to day 14 even if it looks kinda ugly. But THIS I might try if it really simplifies the process.
ETA: correction–Tegaderm, not Opsite in the first 2 sentences.
Opsite is a lot like tegaderm on a roll…
Jen, don’t order any Opsite. PM me with your address, and I’ll send you a crapton of our immense supply of Opsite.
I’ve been using one of those tag punches (forgot what I paid for it, but not $55…) Its worked reaonably well for me.
Well, even with those Dextape stickers, I think the Opsite tape will be helpful for “repairs” of the tape, especially if the sensor is left on more than the 7 days.
This is exactly why this product appeals to me. Anything that improves or simplifies the process of dealing with D day in and day out is greatly appreciated! And I get to begin stockpiling yet another item in anticipation of the ZA (it’s only a matter of time!)