CGM and Scar Tissue: What could one expect?

@docslotnick, meaning you just switched to the G6 and this is your first G6 sensor?
:smile:
Nice !!!
Hopefully it works for you at least as well as the G5 was doing.

Or to mean that you have not yet been able to get past seven days on any G6 sensor. Which would be not so good.
:frowning:

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@docslotnick, youā€™ve just begun on the G6?? I also started not too long ago and decided to try to extend this last one. Iā€™ve never been much for extending, but I wanted to try. I inserted this one on the 12th, and yesterday was the most accurate itā€™s been so far. I really am impressed.

And with no scarring issuesā€¦ So some fairytales are true. I dislike changing locations and have a tendency to just do clusters in the same general areas but have, obviously, been concerned about scarring. Youā€™re an inspiration. :grin:

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Hey, Iā€™ve got a ā€œlist of things to tryā€, too! I hope Iā€™m diabetic long enough to get to them all. :grin:

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@Thomas I just started using the G6 after running out of G5 sensors. So far so good, after a failed transmitter.

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@docslotnick
Your first G6 transmitter was a dud?

Bummer. Not a happy start.

I guess it depends on what you consider scar tissue. I have decade-old pump bumps on each side of my abdomen. I do not use pods there and rarely inject there, but I put my sensors on the outer edge and get great results. In the past 12 months my G4s averaged 42 days. My theory is that the tissue is not so firm that thereā€™s poor blood supply or interstitial fluid but firm enough to provide stability to the sensor.

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Hereā€™s probably a ā€œnatural cureā€ kind of question, but has anybody ever tried massage to work out scar tissue?? Like deep tissue massage? I once had a masseuse who worked on a large scar I had from an abdominal surgery because it was causing a lot of pain. We talked about scar tissue and absorption, and she wanted to try to ā€œwork onā€ my sites. I didnā€™t have too many more appointments with her after that because she ended up moving, but anyone think there was any merit? Or should the other red flags like her ā€œinhaled cuminā€ suggestions mean my question really has already been answered?

Breaking up scar tissue is possible, so I donā€™t think that is completely without merit. On the other hand, inhaled cumin is a bit strange, I donā€™t like the idea of inhaling things into my lungs that arenā€™t designed for that purpose. I prefer my cumin in chili and guacamole.

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@Beacher, I have to say this is so impressive to us. Getting 7 days out of a G5 sensor is hard for us.

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Iā€™ve been told (as red herrings with no actual examination of my skin) that I have scar tissue on my thighs from MDI, scar tissue on my back from CGM, and scar tissue on my arms from pods. Every single time Iā€™ve been told that it was as if the practitioner was buzzing in on ā€œFamily Feudā€ to try to guess the most common response to a question: ā€œScar tissue!ā€

So thatā€™s why I ask. I try to rotate methodically and take care of my skin. But being thin, you can only move around so much. My saving grace is that thanks to a recent home video, I discovered that my butt is way bigger than I remember it beingā€¦especially for someone with my BMI. My butt will save me when it comes to scar tissue. Itā€™s like a Land Rush back there.

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So I should add more massages to my treatment plan. Iā€™m going to try to explain that to my family. Medically necessary. :grin:

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Overachiever. Not that anyone needs to know this, but mine has fallen into the back of my knees.

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Hahahahaha - itā€™s from all of that running youā€™re doing!

Mine just got shockingly wide. Like, I was like, ā€œThere is no way thatā€™s what I look like!ā€ when I saw this home video. Of course, Iā€™m sure I look totally normalā€¦but the mismatch between my mental representation and the video evidence in front of me was striking. Iā€™ve had kids. What can you do?

But, I also believe that when I do kartwheels that they are perfect 10ā€™s and the US Gymnastics Team would be lucky to have me. When in fact, I actually look like someone whoā€™s trying their best to stay upright after just getting off of a too-fast merry go round for too long. Reality is a funny thing.

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My CDE told me that newer versions of CGMs donā€™t add to scarring; I guess because theyā€™re pretty slim. Older models that had the thicker wire gave me some scarring but guardian sensors and dexcom g6 havenā€™t given me issues thus far

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Holy cannoli you make me laugh. Now you are giving Nicky a run for her money. I donā€™t think Iā€™ve ever thought about anybody elseā€™s butt as much as yours. :rofl: I am glad you found real estate that is available for pods or cgms or whatever you need it for. And that you made me giggle.

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Also, because I was thinking about how much I have laughed tonight, and how it is related to the CGM, I feel like I have to tell this story here.

So, while I was on a telephone call earlier with my phone switched to ā€œringā€ as opposed to ā€œsilentā€ which is my normal setting, a startlingly loud noise occurred. It broke right through my phone call and nearly deafened me. I realized it was Dexcom trying to tell me that EH was going low. Scared the crap out of me before I figure what was happening.

Later that evening, I told EH about being alarmed by the Dex alarm on the phone. Which totally set him off complaining about how loud the Dexcom alarm is no matter what the phone volume is set up. At which point he reminded me that the worst possible combination is Bose noise-canceling-over-ear-headphones and the Dexcomā€™s alarm. I have sat next to this man on a plane, when the alarm has gone off and he has had the aforementioned headphones on, and I swear it appears that all of his limbs flail separately as if he had two sets. He looks like an octopus while with one hand, he rips off the headphones and the other he fishes around to open the app on the iPhone and silence the thing. Unfortunately, even as I retell the story tonight, I cannot stop laughing about that situation. I understand that it is painful, and I do really feel bad for him. But just thinking about EH flailing about is enough to make me laugh so hard I cry. He thought me laughing about it was also funny tonight on the phone and we both had a good round of laughing. And the funny thing is, we both know that the alarm is basically unpredictable from a volume standpoint, and yet it routinely scares the crap out of both of us. :rofl::joy::rofl::octopus:

I was laughing so hard at the exchange about the land available both behind the knees and on the derriĆØre, it made me cry, so I figured I better share the story since Iā€™ve been spending all night laughing about diabetes. Or at least laughing about things that go with diabetes. I have missed you guys!!!

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My work here is done. [polishes nails on lapel]

:joy::joy::joy:

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I have been T1 for 73 years, and I have tons of scar tissue, mostly on my upper ab, above my belt. I read in the Dexcom manual that it is not recommended that we place a sensor in a scarred area. I called Dexcom and they echoed the same words, but both sources only said ā€˜not recommendedā€™. I do not want to disturb the areas where I get good insulin absorption, so I have been using my upper ab for sensors. I am having good results. I suggest that you give a scarred area a try.

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Thank you, @Richard157! Iā€™m all for giving stuff a try but am always afraid of suggesting it to others. Yours is definitely evidence enough though for someone to consider it. I also feel like I must have some scar tissue under my sensor since Iā€™ve used the same spot for 13 years. :grimacing:

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@Richard157, that is great input: I am really pleased to know that there is a chance of good signal with scar tissue.

Have you tried pumping in scar tissue as well?

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