After almost 2 months of dexcoming, we've finally got a sensor to stick on for a full week! Woohoo!! So my question is now, if I want to keep this one on, do we just need to "start sensor" and then wait 2 hours, and it should be good to go for as long as it sticks on? Is there anything else we need to do?
Thanks! I'm so excited that we finally got one to stay on this long. And perfect timing because she was up all night puking:frown: But having the dexcom was truly invaluable for this, it made it so much easier and less stressful overnight.
Yep, just start and stop. I believe the current world's record for the longest worn (functional) sensor is 62.74 days. I hope your daughter feels better soon. Vomiting is the worst!
The pump trainer told us that leaving the sensor in beyond its FDA-recommended duration could lead to scar tissue. She said that's especially true for infusion sets but also true with Dex. Do folks here think that is a valid concern or is that not really an issue with the materials associated with the sensor?
I consider it a non-issue with Dexcom sensors because nothing is being infused. When it comes to infusion sets, however, I don't allow my daughter to go longer than 3 days. (She currently can't go longer than 3 days with the OmniPod system because her TDD is so high that Pods cannot hold 3 days worth of insulin. [Thank you, puberty hormones!])
The new sensors coming out later this year will be approved for 10 days I believe. For sure you should never leave a pump site on longer than 72 hours. That is going to lead to infection and therefore scar tissue. You have a much bigger hole and insulin flowing through it. With a Dex sensor, we just removed a 21 day one and the skin and site looked beautiful. The metal sensor is a "foreign body" so the skin will naturally form some scar tissue but I don't think there is going to be much difference in 10 days vs 21 days. Our CDE told us it's pretty routine for most to use the Dex beyond 7 days with no issue but definitely not a pump site. You asked a great question!! I would like to know if scar tissue formation does increase with longevity and by how much.
We get 3-4 weeks out of ours. She always wears it on her upper arm and it's incredibly accurate in that location. We use a layer of opsite flexifix first, then the dexcom, then another layer of flexifix with a hole cut out to cover the whole thing and overlap the previous tape by 1/2".
My son uses the backs of his arms. We tried the belly when we first got it, but it wasn't accurate for at least 3 days and came off before the 7 days. Don't forget that Dexcom will replace any sensor that doesn't last the 7 days. The most we have gotten out of his was 2 weeks. He has sensitive skin and it starts to irritate him around that time. These are the only thing we pay OOP for, but we still try to get our money's worth.
Beginning of this year, our insurance recently went from paying 100% to 90% of sensors, and cheap old me started using them beyond 7 days after that. No issues so far. We run them for 2 weeks, then pull them. I've tried to run it longer and it works, but I don't like the idea of them suddenly failing. I prefer a planned replacement instead.
...as for attaching the sensor, we do a generous helping of SkinTac that I let try for about 30 seconds or until it starts to be sticky before sticking on the Dex.
