Itchy Dexcoms

Do you put your pods on standing up? The tightness of the skin can cause stretching when you sit down and will cause itching and welts from the extra pressure on the tape. I’m no where near the shape you are in, but I have to insert pods sitting down to reduce stretching.

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I have to use hydrocolloid dressings underneath the Dexcom. It’ll cause severe reactions for me that are painful and oozing when I take them off otherwise, then they’ll completely scab over and truly take many weeks to heal.

I use the dynadern extra thin hydrocolloid dressings, available on Amazon. (I tried a different brand once and it didn’t work— still had a reaction)

I fold them in half while they still have the backing on, snip a small hole in the center of the folded edge. Then unfold and you’ll have a diamond shaped small hole roughly in the center of the dressing. I align the hole with the Dexcom (adhesive cover still on) and trace around it with a sharpee—- then cut the dressing out. Then I remove the adhesive backing and stick them together aligning the holes.

This works great to prevent skin reaction, but it doesn’t stay on well, so I cut out strips of opsite flexifix and use it as tape all around the sensor/ dressing to hold it on.

Without it, my skin looks like this (this is actually relatively mild).

I’ve tried everything and this is all that works for me.

The pods don’t bother me much at all.

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This technique is truly a lifesaver for me. I hope it can be helpful to someone else

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I get the same bad reaction, and have to do the same to prevent it. I’m glad I have someone willing to help line up the hydrocolloid hole for the G7 insertion – being able to stick it right to the G6 adhesive seems more accurate!

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Update on this – I no longer bother cutting a hole. :sweat_smile: I just insert the G7 right through the hydrocolloid bandage. If it’s not truly on the back of my arm, I can do it alone with a mirror again! Haven’t noticed any sensor issues.

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Which brand dressings are you using? I have my doubts that the g6 would punch through the ones I have

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I’ve been using Band-Aid Hydro Seal bandages in Large. It’s just big enough for the G7 to go on the rounded center. You’d probably need the Extra Large size for the G6. (The other hydrocolloid manufacturers that responded to me use colophony, which I’m allergic to.)

I finally tried because I once missed the hole and didn’t even know until I took it off 10 days later. :sweat_smile: It’s been years since I’ve used the G6, so I don’t know how its punch compares.

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