I’m about 5 days in on my first dexcom. Since the first or second day, i’ve had some intestinal discomfort below the site - closer to my lower abdomen/upper groin. Forgive me - its a bit like gas or other stomach ailments. It’s only on the left side where the sensor is.
I don't know if this is just some dietary thing, or a stomach bug that has exactly coincided with my sensor usage. It's a bit painful, like stomach problems can be.
Has anyone experienced anything like this in relation to their dexcom? I'm a bit overweight (~40lbs) and have plenty of padding, so i don't feel like i would have "hit" anything.
I sincerely hope this is a coincidence or some fluke one time thing. Even though i've only had it for about 5 days, the thought of not being able to use my dexcom would be a bummer!
i haven’t experienced anything like what you are describing. i have been using th eDEX for a few months and once had a painful insert that i removed and it bled for a while, but that is as bad as it has been. why dont you remove it and try one in a different spot?
I would suggest calling a doctor if you’ve had pain for several days. I haven’t had that problem and the only pain I had for days in past was on right side (not left) due to appendix (I ended up having an emergency surgery). I’m not a doctor (and I don’t believe it is appendix) but it’s worth having a doctor check out what your pain is. The only problem I’ve had is itching on day 13, 14, etc.! (LOL! I try to make my sensors last longer).
Clancy, I’d rip out that Sensor right away-- because it’s your very first one. Although it’s likely to be stomach -related, and just a coincidence, you should do this (IMO) to be absolutely sure that it’s not Dexcom related.
The three candidates for a Dex-related problem are:
(1) Reaction to the adhesive on the Dexcom pad. Many people are like Mommy-Of-3, experiencing only at “itching” reaction after many days. But others, including me, develop a powerful, painful rash, with blisters. I use a “wipe-on” skin protectant barrier between my skin and the pad to prevent the problem.
But I think that’s the least likely problem of these 3 problems, because you’d see and feel that the trouble is right at the surface of your skin. These other two are much more likely:
(2) A bad insert. Either just like Allen’s where you hit a blood vessel due to “bad luck”, or a particular variation on the same theme – a bent Sensor probe. Your insert technique might have “issues”. (You don’t have a lot of experience, yet.) In either of these cases, you might see something “funny” when you pull it out. Unfortunately, there’s also a chance that you won’t see a bend or blood; you might have hit tissue containing a lot of nerve axions.
(3) Infection. There should be only the slightest bit of redness (at the site of the hole), with no puss or swelling in the area.
Like others here, I’m not a medical professional, and I’m unqualified to give advice about this. When in doubt, see a Doctor.
I second the suggestion of taking it out to at least eliminate the possibility of any surface problems. I haven’t had any problems like that but I haven’t had it that long.
I have had similar issues of discomfort when I put the sensor on my stomach. I wondered the same. My endo said it could not be the sensor as the insertion was not deep enough.
Yeah, that happens. The OP is probably never going go see it, and the issue for her/him is certainly resolved by now, but sometimes these resurrected posts can be useful to someone else. Other times, “revenant” is maybe a better term…
