Today is day 17 with my second Dexcom CGM sensor I got from a promo. Considering my first sensor fell out before the full seven days was up, I’m super impressed with 17 days and counting. The major difference this time is that I’ve got the sensor on my arm and I’ve got good sticky things (aka opsite flex). It may not be the prettiest thing in the world right now (see picture above) but it works.
According to the Dexcom website, the sensor is only approved for placement in the abdomen area and only for seven days. What they fail to mention is how terrible their adhesive that comes with the sensor is. I doubt know that it won’t stay on your skin for seven days without extra tape. I tried. For $80 a sensor, it doesn’t quite justify only using it for the approved seven days (or less, if you’re unlucky).
The thing about the diabetes community is that we are good at finding work-arounds when there is an issue. And because we are all people, there will be someone who has tried to test their BGLs from a wound (or a blood nose) or put a pump site in their boob. Some things work and some things don’t (try and guess which ones haha). The diabetes community is full of varied experiences from people with diabetes on practical things that companies and healthcare professionals may not share due to legal reasons.
I have seen a few friends place their sensor on arms before and I hadn’t really thought much about it. It was only recently that I had learned why people were doing this. Majority of those who have tried putting a sensor on their arm found that it lasted longer and is just as accurate as having it on their belly. There’s also a wealth of advice from the community over what extra adhesive to use to get the maximum sticking time.
Another tip I’ve heard from the diabetes community grapevine is to keep hydrated for better accuracy from the sensor. By the way, this is like the dream of all CGM sensors; to have an accurate sensor that sticks for however long you want.
All these diabetes hacks help to make life with diabetes that little bit easier. There are not enough words to express my gratitude for people sharing their experiences. But thank you is a good start. So, thank you DOC for being there.
HangryPancreas 