The DexCom inserter uses a 26 gauge, 1/2" needle. A typical pen needle, such as the BD ultra fine is 29 gauge, 1/2". The 26 gauge needle has an outer diameter of about 0.464mm, while the 29 gauge diameter is about 0.337 mm. I find the insertion essentially painless, most of the time - certainly no more uncomfortable than a pen injection.
Thanks Bill. So detailed! I think itās really the fear of the unknown thatās getting me and Iāll be good after the first couple times. All the reassurances here are helping.
It did not hurt at all!!! Yay!!! Waiting to calibrate nowā¦
Thanks everyone!
YAY! good news for you!
We are all so proud
Keep calm, and carry on, you are going to LOVE what you see!
Just got my Dexcom tonight and inserted my first set. It didnt hurt at all! I was actually surprised. I got nervous, but it actually hurt less than my inset 30ās (and i dont consider those to hurt unless I hit a vein). Maybe I just got lucky though
Welcome to Dexcom world. Your diabetes life is going to be so much easier. Youāll love it. Good luck.
I just got my new G5 sensor from dexcom and Iām terrified to put it in does it hurt someone please give me some advice
For me, it always hurts a bit, and occasionally a lot, but nothing I canāt handle. I donāt like having to push it in slowlyāI prefer how the omnipod shoots the needle in and out automatically and really fast, but no big deal and I change mine every two weeks, so itās not like something you have to do everyday. Life saver for sureāhope you give it a try! I found my upper buttocks/lower back area to be the least painful.
~Jen
Not if you do it fast!
Iāve been using one for about 2 months, so about 5 sensors now as iāve stretched a few. No pain for me, yet. I wear mine on the back of my arm.
Thank you so much I finally did my sensor the only problem I have now is that it wants to peel around the edges any tip on that?
I use OpSite Flexifix over the adhesive, with an opening cut out for the sensor bodyāmade a template for that per another TuD memberās suggestion.
ETA: Uni-Solve wipes make removing the OpSite easier when youāre ready to change sensors.
try this for holding the dexi in place.
Today is the fifth day of Diabetes Blog week. Each day we have a prompt and are called to post a response. You can read all responses at my friend Karenās site Bitter~Sweet. Also, please remember RABlog week will occur in September. I hope you join the fun then as well. This is my tape tip for living better with diabetes - See more at: http://www.radiabetes.com/tapetipdiabetes/#sthash.kHlSfVI0.dpuf
@Rphil2 Rick, I ordered the punch from the link in your blogpost during Diabetes Blog Week. That punch was too large IMO. I returned it and decided to do without. Recently on Facebook Sarah Kaye gave a link to the punch that she uses. She says it is the classic size, not large. This is the link that she provided:
I just ordered one and hope that it will work. Otherwise Iāll just keep folding the 4 inch tape in half and manually cutting it. But hacks provided by the DOC are much more fun.
Oh Laddie, I am sorry steered you on the wrong path. I am glad you found the right thing. A friend got mine at a Walmart in MA., so I was guessing that I had the right thing.
To all readers, follow Laddieās lead on where to get the punch. It does work well.
After I take the adhesive backing off of mine, I swab the edges with Skin-Tac and let it dry before applying my sensors. I donāt swab it all the way up to the sensor body itself, of course, just the outer floppy bit.
If I restart my sensor and need it to last for 14 days or more, and that doesnāt keep it in place I can either apply more Skin-Tac, or Iāll put a GrifGrip on top of that. Sometimes Iāve even combined Skin-Tac and GrifGrip - that thingās definitely not budging at that point.
Where might I get that stuff and how much does it cost?
the comments on Amazon from people who bought it seem to indicate all the buyers of this product are Dexcom users.
I bought a bottle of Skin-Tac at my local pharmacy. I think it was about $13, but considering how much gets used per sensor it will probably last sometime until the end of the zombie apocalypse.
GrifGrips can be ordered at GrifGrips.com. The link provided here is loyalty program referral link and will grant you 10% off your first order. I have personally found that the less detailed the shape chosen, the less a GrifGrip lifts. Things like the seahorse shape are cute, for example, but the tail tends to curl up because it is thin and pointed, so doesnāt have as much surface area to stay stuck down. The less detailed designs are just also easier to handle as it is a stretchy, sticky fabric sort of like those flexible cloth band-aids. GrifGrips run about $1 each, but stay on for about a week at a time with a little lifting at the edges.
It doesnāt usually hurt me much, the insets can hurt a lot more. It depends if you hit a nerve. I have my sensors on my legs lately and they donāt seem to hurt at all. They get very itchy though. My arm sites were getting very inflamed and itchy. In the leg, the actual insertion is almost nothing.
I had a lot of inflammation and pain the first time I tried dexcom and stopped. Now it is down to a minimum.