Do you have a favorite patch to help Dexcom stay inserted longer?
We have tried the Stay Put ones, but the cutout seems too big and the sensor tape peels through it. Before we did not use any patches because my son was using a hydrocolloid as a barrier between the sensor and his skin, and patches were not needed. We heard the formula was modified a long time ago and started using them with the hydrocolloid some months ago.
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Opsite flexifit and then cut out oval patch just about 3/8" larger than dexcom adhesive and cut hole for transmitter. Made cardboard template to draw hole size I need on flexifit and then cut out drawing.
If really want a tight fit, cut 2 oval opsite fexifit patches and place one on skin. Then insert Dexcom sensor through this first layer. Then make second layer with hole for transmitter in the middle. Works awesome if you plan to wear same sensor for a few weeks.
I forgot to mention he is allergic to Skin Tac!
I do fine with the free patches from Dexcom tech support. A package of 10 for nothing is a great deal and they work for me.
Opsite for me too. My G5’s last and stay on 4-6 weeks (currently on week 6 for current sensor). Given my health insurance is non-existent I count every extra week as $85 in my pocket 
Wow, four to six weeks. My body destroys them after about day 10 or 11
It’s awesome Dave. And to think 4 years ago I was stupidly replacing them every 7 days while I got hosed by Dexcom.
Long live the G5!
I have to agree that many weeks of wearing a g5 is such a great deal anyone not fully covered by insurance
I guess everyone is different. My G5 starts to give numbers that are WAY off around day 10-12.
I use Mastisol for this reason - gum based adhesive instead of a rosin based adhesive. I use this as an underlayment, insert the G5 sensor right through the Mastisol and then apply a GrifGrips fabric (stretchy) patch over the sensor. The GrifGrips lasts 7-10 days for me, I change them and ultimately get a 25-28 day average per sensor. I don’t replace the sensor unless it quits or gets super noisy.
How do you get those?! Ive not heard that dexcom has patches.
Call Dexcom Support, they are 10/pack and free
I tried the Dexcom patches and found them to be as bad as the adhesive on the sensors. I use Skin Tac now but I see where he is allergic to it. But when I had called Dexcom sent me a complimentary pack of ten patches.
I put the sensors on my arm and before I started Skin Tac or now when I go snorkeling I secure it with a ace bandage around my arm. Elmers glue is messy but push comes to shove it does work for a couple of days just fine. It just seems to wear off pretty quickly.
@Marie20 I use Tegaderm and have for several years. At first I would put the Tegaderm over Dex to help keep it dry, so I didn’t get the ??? and it would stay on longer. Then, at someone’s suggestion in the DOC (Diabetes Online Community), I place the Tegaderm first, put the Dex on top, no cut-outs on the Tegaderm, just right through the film, and with Dex G4 and now G5, I can get upwards of 30 days without problems. No ??? and it stays on and looks like the day I placed it, 30 days later.
Another suggestion I have followed from the DOC is to place Dex vertically, as if it were running the lengh of the femur or ulna. It works much better than horizontally.
We tried them, did not work! 
Just ordered Simpatch, to see how they work.
One thing I don’t like about the free dexcom patches is when I shower, I sometimes have trapped water all around edges of the sensor base. I wick up the extra water with Kleenex until it stops showing moisture transference.
I bought a package of SIMPATCH for my G6 when I started using it as a precautionary measure. Thankfully I’ve not had to use it and have only had one sensor peel excessively but it was the last day.
Here are patches I ordered from Amazon:
They are great, but a little stiffer than the ones I have to spend 20 minutes calling Dexcom to obtain. They come in clear and mesh.
