I use the tag punch on my tegaderm, and have also use grifgrips, on top of skintac. With all of these with a hole in the middle, I struggle quite a bit putting it on. I have to expose all of the adhesive at once on the back, try to not touch the adhesive too much, it always ends up getting stuck partially on the transmitter. Then the edges start peeling up anyway within a day or two because I used up some of its sticky power while putting it on.
Any tips on how to put these things on without having the sticky side touch things it shouldn’t?
No tips whatsoever. Which is why this DexTape product has me so excited. No other single product/combination of other products that I’ve tried has solved this particular problem that makes taping down the Dexcom a major PITA.
Not for me. I long ago gave up trying to use a piece with a hole in it. I use four strips. I put them on the day I insert the sensor and forget about it until at least a week has passed. I might have to add a little more tape then, but for the most part the four strips work like a charm and are much easier to put on than a single piece with the center cut out. I rarely have a problem with a strip sticking to itself. It does no happen sometimes, but it’s very rare.
I’ve tried peeling back the tape partially and bending it back while placing it. Sometimes this works for me. Sometimes it doesn’t… When I add tape to fix bits that have started to peel off, I don’t use a full piece with a hole in it anymore – then I use strips of tape.
I ordered a pack of 10 small DexTapes and hope it is an easier product to use than Opsite Flexifix when I am applying them by myself to the back of my arms. I probably won’t keep using them because like rgcainmd, I have a lifetime supply of Opsite Flexifix.
For those of you recommending strips of tape, I actually have more problems applying 4 strips of tape in the right position than I do the 4" Flexifix cut correctly. Like Thas, I bend up the paper to make it easier to grab. Only occasionally do I have a total failure, but rarely does it look as nice as it would if I were putting in a location where I could use two hands.
I usually make it ten days with the original adhesive supplemented with SkinTac. Then I apply the Flexifix and make it another week or ten days. My last sensor lasted 22 days with my average being around 16-17 days.
Even if I don’t continue to purchase DexTape, I like to support diabetes entrepreneurs.
Murphy’s Law plays a role here, for me – any time I have placed the tape perfectly, something “bad” has happened to the sensor within the next 24 hours! The messy ones seem to last and last!
I have a punch that works and fits exactly: Classic Punch
I use this punch with tegaderm and it works very well. I have not tried it with Opsite yet.
I have also tried griffgrip and find it useful, although more expensive, but certainly not ruinous. I looked up that guy Todd from dextape after the advertizing posts from yesterday. It looks very similar to griffgrip - I like the idea of 2 sizes, so you can up the size the next time. I am not sure how well his adhesive will work in the pool, so I am eagerly awaiting some reports on that:-)
@DrBB, if you want I can send you a punched Tegaderm patch (you have to slightly finish the cut, but it is very easy to do) so you can see whether it would work for you. FYI, the classic punch cost me $29.50 in the US right now, shipping included (Amazon Prime). PM me your address if you want to try.
Thanks friend for sharing this @rgcainmd I ordered some! Just put on a donut cutout of flexifix today and felt like a contortionist placing it myself on the back of my arm.
I also use the classic tag punch, but with the IV3000 sheets (#4007, 1-hand, 2 3/8 X 2 3/4 inch size) instead of tegaderm or opsite. About $32 for 100 sheets, $6 for 10.
After punching out the center for the transmitter, I remove just half of the backing, and stick it on. Then can easily remove the second half, and it stays in place and easy to tack down. Last, remove the top layer The only downside is that the IV3000 is slightly smaller than the dexcom white oval adhesive tape, so there is not complete coverage. But I prefer the smaller size.
Before applying, I apply skin-tac to the white tape around the sensor, overlapping to skin on the edges, then let it dry. Been using the same bottle for over 4 years and still half full.
The DexTape looks interesting, and may be slightly easier, but I will ‘stick’ with what I’m using.
I don’t understand the big deal, cut a piece of rock tape and cut out the middle and put it on with skinTAC. Lasts two weeks for me. I use 90% isopropyl to clean it with first.
Just put 4 strips of opsite on the sensor on the back of my arm so now my memory is refreshed as to how it works. You cut off the piece you want off the roll. It has a paper backing on the sticky side that’s pealed off one half at a time (similar to a bandaid). This allows you to press one side down while the paper backing is still on the other half… and on the top / non sticky side of the tape is another layer of plastic that gives it enough stiffness that it’s unlikely to get all goobered up on itself. The plastic top piece is pealed off after it’s applied to skin leaving just the thin film which is much like tegaderm… seems like the 4 strips will work well to me
My endo gave me these tapes which were amazing. I think they’re tegaderm but they fit perfectly and obviously were die cut in a large stack and just distributed by Dexcom to people running clinical trials. Another person who makes nice tape patches is Jason Forrester http://asillypatch.com/t/dexcom-sensor-patches,I’m not sure how to attach a photograph to this post but I’ll figure it out eventually.
I received my package of the Dex patches, but haven’t used them yet. From immediate observation, I think the larger ones will be too big for my taste (I ordered the half large, half small set). I had already prepared some Opsite Flexifix tape for my current sensor, so we’ll see next time I need tape…
You can probably use the small size as a template to put on top of the large size, trace around the perimeter of the small size, trim away the excess, and voila!
But you probably already figured this out on your own, Thas!
Probably I will comment that the Opsite Flexifix tape I put on (Tuesday night), peeled slightly away in one spot already, but that’s my fault – It landed on a bit of hair that i hadn’t cleared away from the otherwise clear spot (on my leg)… Oh well - nothing a scissors couldn’t fix. It’s a new site for me (for sensors) as it is, so I’m expecting issues… (I felt like I needed a change of pace, give my ‘favorite’ spots some rest.) So far, so good – and it seems to have even survived a bit of Tylenol that I needed this morning! THAT, too, is a bit of an experiment - first time I’ve even tried Tylenol since starting Dexcom…
I agree anything that will make life with diabetes a little easier, Yeah! Easy is always better and sometimes it’s the little details that can make or break something.
I was in a dexcom study awhile back and while they were testing the sensors, they were also looking at the tape. I know they are very aware of tape issues that many have and hopefully they can come up with something else that might work for some of us. Good luck and keep finding new stuff for us to look over. Thanks!
Maybe that’s part of my problem, using Alcohol Prep Pads that are 70% instead of 90%. I do not add any extra tape but do use SkinTac or AllCare prior to placing a sensor and again on the loose edges when they start to come loose a week later.
@JJM1, we found that adding Skin-Tac to loose edges did not work well for us. We had more success cutting them off, and taping over them if necessary. YMMV of course.
I will comment that the Opsite Flexifix tape I put on (Tuesday night), peeled slightly away in one spot already, but that’s my fault – It landed on a bit of hair that i hadn’t cleared away from the otherwise clear spot (on my leg)… Oh well - nothing a scissors couldn’t fix. It’s a new site for me (for sensors) as it is, so I’m expecting issues… (I felt like I needed a change of pace, give my ‘favorite’ spots some rest.) So far, so good – and it seems to have even survived a bit of Tylenol that I needed this morning! THAT, too, is a bit of an experiment - first time I’ve even tried Tylenol since starting Dexcom…