Minilink site question

[Mama2H]

Ok, those pros out there :D How do you attach your site? Do you use IV prep first? I bought flexifix to put over the whole thing, has anyone used this? What happens if I get condensation under the tape? Where do you attach the tape? Do you tape the sensor itself before you put tape over the transmitter? If someone can give me a "dummies guide to cgms sites" I would be eternally greatful :cwds: We have been having trouble getting good numbers since yesterday :( We were right on for the first 6 hours and then things went to crud. She was right on again today right before lunch with no arrows so I had her calibrate and told her not to eat for 15 minutes but she said she didn't think the teacher would let her stay at lunch later. Our plan was to try to calibrate at midnight and noon since those are the only two predictable stable times but I may try to move it to 11 a and 11 p. Any tips to get better accuracy? I know there is lag time but things like last night are definatly more "user error" I think as she was in the 200's and the cgms was saying that she was 40 and the isig was around 17 after I dried the condensation and removed the iv300 that the DE had used (was 5-8 before)

[EmmasMom]

If the sensor isn't deep enough you can get crazy false lows if you lay directly on it for a while, (mostly during sleep). I'm not sure if it's what happened last night, but it happened to us a few times in the beginning. If you see a sudden sharp drop on the graph, especially when you know insulin isn't peaking, just move her off the sensor and it should correct itself.

Here is a pic from one of my first posts about using it, it shows a false low on the graph just before 2am. I didn't re-cal, I just rolled Emma of the site and it was right back on track.

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o74/nabholmes/sensord5.jpg


For a site change I use only alcohol on her skin, then once it's in and the little adhesive is attached I leave it alone for 5-10 minutes. Then I connect the transmitter an make sure it's working, (the ISIG is usually very high at first). The I cover the entire thing with a clear Tegaderm dressing. I use a small amount of IV prep under the tegaderm to help it stick really well, but am careful to avoid the actual sensor.
I prefer the clear dressings so I can see what's going on under there and make sure it's not getting infected. I think tegaderm is WAY better than the IV3000 MM sends, and keeps a really good water tight seal.
We used flexifix tape to attach the old larger transmitter, but we don't use it on the new one. One piece of tegaderm is perfect, and I rarely have to change it out for the full seven days between d/c-ing the transmitter.

Good Luck!:)

[Mama2H]

Thank you so much Amy!!! You really should work for MM :D

[rickst29]

Note how she avoids IV-Prep on the spot were the Sensor wire is gonna be inserted. If you use it, only put it on AROUND that spot (leaving a little hole in the middle for the Sensor). MM says that IV-Prep kills the Sensors, and I believe them.

[EmmasMom]

Thank you so much Amy!!! You really should work for MM :D

I would love to bill them for my "services" :p

[Mama2H]

Note how she avoids IV-Prep on the spot were the Sensor wire is gonna be inserted. If you use it, only put it on AROUND that spot (leaving a little hole in the middle for the Sensor). MM says that IV-Prep kills the Sensors, and I believe them.


Thank you Rick, I have added that to my "cheat sheet" :D