I'm using my 2nd sensor now, and I'm having problems with it when taking a shower. It seems like the warm water dissolves the sticky side of the tape; and after showering, it tends to wear off.
Is there anything I can put on it, so the tape is more resistant orimpermeable. Does anyone cover the sensor while showering?
Thanks
HI Santi - I have not had that issue yet…but I am on my 2nd sensor too! Have you tried the IV 3000 Infusion set covers? Really any type of bandage would probably help you out by keeping it more dry while in the shower. I also use the IV prep sticky wipes on top of the dexcom tape and it sticks well. Good luck
I used Skin Prep wipes on my skin before putting on the sensor. Then I put a larger piece of Flexifix tape over the whole thing, extending beyond the sensor adhesive. I cut a hole in the center for the transmitter, as I don’t think you’re supposed to cover that. I’m on day 11 of my first sensor and the tape hasn’t started to peel up yet. Flexifix is great stuff – I highly recommend it.
I haven’t had a serious problem with this but since I change my Omnipod every 3 days using skin prep for it I do tend to go over the tape with the same skin prep pad. I think that I got that tip from someone on here. I’m not sure it does much but it takes no time for me and does seem to keep the tape a bit more sticky and waterproof.
I second Ann’s recommendation for Flexifix tape. It’s a little expensive (do some Googling and you should find it for $30 or so), but the roll should last a long time. (You’ll want to get the 4" x 11’ size.) I don’t even use skin prep, just the tape, and I haven’t had any problem with showers.
Yes. Where do we get these IV preps? I went to Walgreens and they only had alcohol swabs. I KNEW I wasn’t going crazy when I asked the pharmacy rep.
She thought I was nuts.
“Sticky alcohol wipes??” haha.
“IV preps!”
Where can I get them?
I got my skin prep wipes at a “medical pharmacy” – the ones where they have wheelchairs and other medical equipment. They’re usually located near hospitals. Also, you can find skin prep and IV prep wipes online, probably cheaper than you can buy them at the pharmacy.
I take showers all the time and I never have problems with my sensors. I use 3M Tegaderm to protect the white oval tape, and cut a rectangular hole in the patch so that the transmitter is not covered by the tape. Works great!
Ciao, Luca
P.S. Given Rita’s latest comment, let me also tell you that I keep the receiver close by during my showers, and the BG measures keep coming in nicely during my showers… 
Hi Santi - I shower every day. By the fourth day or so, the side of the tape which faces up starts peeling away. Sometimes I stick it down with IV3000 if it looks like it is getting too loose. I am not thrilled with IV3000; sometimes after a day or so it sticks to me but not to the sensor tape. I am thinking of getting one of the sticky liquid products to see if that works better.
I keep my receiver in the bathroom on the vanity counter which touches the shower stall. I haven’t had any problems with the receiver malfunctioning, and it picks up the signal from the transmitter fine. I do run the exhaust fan while I shower, so it doesn’t get very humid in the bathroom.
Brad
THANK YOU ALL for your input…
We’ve tried your suggestions & believe it or not the one it worked best was using regular BANDAIDS to cover the white tape while showering, so the hot steam does not affect the tape… it’s working!..
Hi SAnti,
Google “Skin tac”. I ordered the bottle for home and the individual wipe pads for travel. What I do is wipe the adhesive of the sensor and let it get tacky. I then place it on me. Must be careful so you do not fold over the adhesive area. It REALLY works great for me.
Thanks! Is it hard to take off once your sensor needs replacing?
Santi,
I use an alcohol soaked cotton ball. They also make Skin tac remover pads. It takes me a minute to remove it. I pull up part of the senson adhesive as much as I can then put a little more alcohol and so on and so on. After it is totally removed I take another soaked cotton ball to remove the Skin tac. The stuff works great.
I couldnt find them ANYWHERE retail… But at least the Apothecary and more of a specialty pharmacy/medical equipment knew what i was talking about (even though he had none, he went looking in the back) (The chain pharmacies were absoutely clueless)… The local medical supply store does NOT carry them here. Ended up ordering from Allegro Medical (web site)…They had IV Prep, Bard Barrier Wipes, a bottle of Skin-Tac-H, and unisolve (You will love unisolve for removing sets, also is sort of needed to remove the Skintac unless you get their stuff… Also tends to get rid of the adhesive ring left by a set/sensor… but DO NOT use unisolve to wipe anything plastic …(Theres a warning on the Omnipods docs because of this, it will haze the plastic)
http://global.smith-nephew.com/master/6600.htm
http://www.bardmedical.com/products/loadProduct.aspx?prodID=353
http://www.torbot.com/index.html
http://www.ferndalelabs.com/consumers/mastisol.aspx
http://www.reliamedproducts.com/
Reliamed makes their own version of many of Smith/Nephew products (their own IV prep and their version of IV 3000 film dressings) Havent used their equivalent of Unisolve but heard they make one
Hope that helps
Skin Tac H or Mastisol… you want to leave a clear area on the skin where the sensor is going in, and not get any adhesive near/on the sensor, …think of putting the glue in a donut shape, and leaving a clear middle for the sensor…
Iv found Unisolve pads cheaper in some areas than the Skin-Tac remover pads and they leave your skin feeling soft… plus they work great for removing the glue after you pull a set or “helping” release a set…
What kind of CGM do you have that you can use the sensor 11 days? DexCom says 7 days but have read where some use them for 9 days. I think I can get some of this at the hospital where I work PRN in the lab. I’m going to look into this as I’m getting the DexCom next week. Medicare won’t cover any of this so out of pocket for everything.
I get my DexCom next week. I’m totally new to this. Medicare won’t pay for it so all is out of my pocket. What is skin prep wipes? Can’t you use rubbing alchol as a skin prep? This sounds like more expense I hadn’t planned on.
Hello, FDA approval requires a maximum of 7 days for each sensor, in order to have less chances of rashes on the insertion point of the sensor.
I’ve been using the Seven Plus for almost a year, and I can tell you that it’s quite normal for me to squeeze out two weeks from one sensor, and quite frankly the second week I wear the sensor the readings are even more accurate. Yes, FDA says you’ve got to wear the sensor only one week, but people’s experience on this forum is that you can keep a sensor for longer, as long as you don’t feel itchiness around the insertion area.
I too pay everything out of pocket, so using half the sensors since I can extend them to two weeks every time is very welcome!
Ciao, Luca
Skin Prep or IV Prep are both similar to like an alcohol swab but they leave a film on the skin, that makes things like infusion sets and in this case, the dexcom sensor, stick better to the skin… Not overly expensive but you dont use as many as if your using alcohol swabs… The problem with using alcohol swabs is that for some people, it doesnt let their set adhere as well…technically you alcohol, let dry, then skin prep/iv prep, then put your set or sensor over it after it dries…