Increased sensor life

Since I have been using opsite flexifix over my sensor I have been getting more out of my sensor. My last one went for 15 days. Anyone get any longer for theirs?

Do you use opsite flexfix as a barrier bewteen the sensor bandage and your skin? You don’t mean that you place the flexfix over the top of the transmitter, do you?

I usually get 14 days but I have one now going strong at 15 days, but I’ve got it doctored up with all kinds of helping tape. The sensor is drawing such nice noise-free gentle lines.

As a general rule, I leave my sensors in for 14 days. I get pretty good data most of the time and have never felt that I needed to change one out due to poor data quality.

Also, I know they say to never cover the sensor with anything, but I occasionally I put large Tegaderm patches over my sensor and it has never caused any problems. The tegaderm helps hold the sensor in place, especially after days 10 or 11 when the adhesive is starting to wear down.

Do you mean “transmitter” in this context?

I cover my sensor AND transmitter with Opsite. Zero problems. The other thing I do is insert the sensor on top of half a Tough Pad I put on my skin. It’s a hydrocolloid bandage and it keeps the site from getting itchy so I can USE a sensor for at least two weeks.

I do not cover the transmitter. I use opsite flexifix
only over the dressing of the sensor. I have some skintac too. I was wondering if I were to use that if I would get even more mileage out of my sensor?

I’ve never used flexfix but I’ve tried tegadrem. My usual routine is to wash the site using a wash rag, hot water, and soap. I dry the area with a clean towel and slightly abraid the site with the towel. I then apply the sensor and its bandage and mount the transmitter. Then I paint Skin-Tac over the top of the sensor dressing and carefully dry it making sure the bandage does not pull away before dry. A hair dryer helps here. I can usually get 14 days out of this set up. But I don’t do a vigorous/sweaty workout every day. My exercise is walking.

Yes, I mean transmitter. I guess I view the thing as a whole unit. I use big tegaderm squares and cover the entire thing. Tegaderm is so thin that I can’t imagine it interfering with the transmitter’s bluetooth signal.

I wasn’t concerned so much with impairing the radio wave as much as I was trying to picture what your set-up looks like and how well it can wear. Does the tegaderm peel up at corners and edges after a few days?

No worries. But I think Dexcom specifically says not to cover the transmitter. So I’m mostly wondering why that would be, hence the comment about Tegaderm not blocking the bluetooth.

Anyways, the Tegaderm squares I use are 10x12cm. I basically just peel one open and slap it on. I usually only wear it like that for 2-4 days at most, but I don’t think I’ve ever had it peel up at the corners. What does happen, though, is that moisture will accumulate inside the Tegaderm, It’s not entirely breathable, so if you sweat a lot, you can get some buildup inside. I’ve found that eventually it dissipates on its own, but it does seem to ruin any remaining adhesive left on the Dexcom itself. So I never take the Tegaderm off until I’m ready to replay the sensor.

And just as a gross side not, I went for a long run yesterday and the temperature got up into the high 80s. Needless to say, I was sweating a lot. I got home and decided to take the Tegaderm off and replace the sensor. When I peeled the Tegaderm off, a rather large quantity of sweat that had pooled under the film went came pouring out and ran down my belly. I had to laugh. I’d never had sweat pool up like that before.

I recently went back to the dexcom cgm from the enlite sensors that went through my 630 pump. I found that they really only last for 5 days for on the sixth day they are inaccurate. The dexcom sensor I inserted on the 15th of September is still going strong!! This is the first time I have ever gotten it to last this long. This in the long run will save us money. I also prefer the dexcom as it has trend arrows so I can make more informed decisions managing my diabetes. I just love all this technology!!!