This punch has surfaced several times in threads at FUD, most recently on the Dextape thread. It has the perfect shape for a Dexcom G4/G5 sensor, and allows you to punch adhesives (such as Tegaderm or Opsite Flexifix) so that they fit perfectly around the sensor.
It has historically been available on Amazon (and occasionally on ebay):
However, availability has been spotty, and this specific punch is not always available. Amazon itself distributes other punches in the same series (“Classic punch”), but unfortunately not the “Tag Punch Classic.” I just called Amazon to ask them to take on distribution themselves. They were obliging and took my request, but suggested that I post a review asking for same, which I did:
It would be really useful, I think, for this punch to be available all the time for people to purchase. May I suggest that, if you feel the same way, you post a review for this item requesting that Amazon take on distribution for it? (not a fake review, just a request for distribution).
It’s interesting how this topic suddenly came up. Yesterday I replaced my senser which was 3 weeks old and running fine. The tape became so worn and brittle I needed to replace it. I cut the old tape off, placed the remaining transmitter slot in the middle of a strip of Tegaderm, and cut around it using a razor. I’m very happy with the result but it would be nice to have this punch.
I’ve been on the Dexcom G5 for 4 months with Xdrip and absolutely love it.
Thanks
I think this is the one that I have, but it didn’t work for Tegaderm. I ended up using template/scalpel to cut out my holes. I wish they were “adjustable”, but they aren’t…at least the one I have isn’t. It looks just like the one above, but it’s only got one fixed location for the hole.
I would put a marking (tactile or visual) on the side of the punch so that you can consistently line up your tape with the hole where you want it. This is my plan once I figure out how to punch a hole without making a huge mess of the tape.
What I’m saying is that the hole punch doesn’t go all the way to the “center” of the tape where I need the hole to be punched. The back side of the hole punch is in a fixed location and only goes so deep. I’m looking forward to getting the “small” DexTape that is pre-punched!
Maybe it’s because Tegaderm is so much larger? The punch I have goes to the centre of Hypafix and Opsite with lots of room to spare, but I don’t know if a Tegaderm would fit centred in it.
Yeah, that’s what I had to do, but that crease, believe it or not, interferes with the film going over his skin and laying flat, plus lining it up just right to not get the hole too big, or the hole being too small was just too much work. Anyway, I don’t even use it…scalpel with template is much easier. Takes me just as much time now to cut it out with a scalpel as it would with the tag punch honestly. Looking forward to trying the DexTape, though. Much smaller WITH hole already in it!
I see your problem. I am not 100% sure if you have the same punch, because my punch does not quite reach to the middle but seems to reach much better. However, there is a trick to it. Here goes.
Below you can see an assortment of Dexcom adhesive patches: Opsite Flexifix already cut and punched, Grifgrip 9pre-punched by the manufacturer), unpunched Tegaderm in the open, and the punch (along with a smallish Ziploc). We use a lot because we swim a lot, and being in the water is hard on the Dexcom sensor adhesive.
There are two ways to deal with Tegaderm. The first way is what I normally do: I punch through the packaging. For that, you first gently fold the edge of the packaging inwards (to the edge of the Tegaderm patch):
Then you feed the Tegaderm as folded into the punch. You will see that now you actually have extra room. You line up the outer edge of the Tegaderm on the outer edge of the punch:
But there is another way to deal with Tegaderm. When we want to keep some Tegaderm punched but unused for a long time, we sanitize our fingers, carefully remove the Tegaderm from its package, punch it, then reinsert it: Here is another Tegaderm that was punched then re-wrapped:
Finally, we store our cut and pre-punched sensor adhesive reinforcement patches into smaller ziplocs. Here we have 5-6 patches in a ziploc, ready to be left into by son’s D-bag:
Finally, I will add that I almost always make a mistake in my first punch of the day: I don’t punch aggressively enough. If you look at the pic of the punched Tegaderm above, you can see that the edge has a couple of tiny imperfections: it is because it was my first (and last) punch of the day.
To do a good job, I find that I always must punch aggressively. Then my edges are perfect.
I ended up using template/scalpel to cut out my holes. I wish they were “adjustable”, but they aren’t…at least the one I have isn’t. It looks just like the one above, but it’s only got one fixed location for the hole.
