I’m a relatively new T1D for just over a year. When I first started on my pump last December I also started using the sensor, which is the Medtronic Guardian sensor. My trainers told me most people wear them on the back of their upper arm, which I tried, but I just didn’t like the feel of it, especially while sleeping. So I started wearing it on my stomach where I do my ports for my pump, but I feel like I don’t rotate my sites well enough when I do that. So the last two weeks I’ve tried wearing it on my arm, but they’ve both come off after 5-6 days when I’ve been taking my shirt or sweater off, as it seems the tape wears down faster on my arm. I’m not sure if it’s due to poor taping by myself, or just wearing down because of arm movements and that kind of thing. For those that wear sensors, where do you find the best place to wear them on your body, and do you have someone assist with taping your sensor down? Thanks!
Welcome to the type one nation brent.stephens51 Brent. I have been dealing with T1 fir more than 40 years, but only the last year or so with the sensor pump combo… I too am using the minimed 670 and the Guardian sensors. I have found that putting them in my arms is awkward at best and I never got one to last 7 days. I even had my wife try and help me once. I then switched to abdomen for a while but while that lasted a little longer but generally not the full 7 days. Currently I am placing them on my butt with the most success. With a little twisting I can generally get both hands on it and get it taped properly. I also use skin tac wipes when placing them so they add a little adhesive and make them stay better
Thanks for sharing your experience, Mike. I’m glad I’m not the only one who struggles with wearing it on their arm! And that’s good to know about the skin tac tapes, I had not heard of those but after looking at them online it looks like those could definitely help too. And that’s good you’ve found success with wearing them on your butt, I think I’ll give that a try. Have you found it uncomfortable while sleeping or sitting? I mainly work in an office setting sitting at a chair, so do you place it more to the side of your butt like around the hip area?
While it’s on the butt it’s more a little higher than my actual bottom while sitting in a chair. More like a butt cheek. it is about 2 inches above the chair
towards my side so I am not directly sitting on it. Easier to put there and more comfortable. Sleeping has also not been an issue. Occasionally while reading on my side in bed I find a spot which is a little uncomfortable but beyond that everything else
is pretty good. .
hi @brent.stephens51 Brent and welcome! I agree with @MikeW, top of the butt is a fav of mine, I use the “love handle” area for sensors. tac and overtape are your friend for keeping the sensor on longer. good luck!
@joe and @MikeW thank you both for sharing about your experiences, this was very helpful to read what works for both of you and I’ll be looking forward to that out for my next sensor change! Thanks again for your help, Brent
All that I have ever worn on my arms is a CGM Dexcom Sensor/Transmitter which is wireless and no lines to get in the way when dressing. However, you may need help putting on the pump infusion set on your arms but particularly with any special tape to hold it in place. I have also used my upper legs for the CGM Transmitter with good success. My Minimed Quick Infusion Sets for my pump are primarily worn and rotated on my abdomen area, but have used my hip area. Medtronic recommends these locations on your body, but others have possibly had success with other areas of the body. Just have to be careful of belts or straps wherever you locate and long-term diabetics have to be careful of areas of the skin that have thickened due to many injections whether by syringes or infusion/sensors.
Hi! Between the CGM and the sensor there is hardly enough room on the abdomen to rotate both to new sites. I started using my upper thighs for the CGM and kept the abdomen for the sensor, which has worked for me. Best to You!
In another post a while back I read that one user uses an arm band when they wear it on their upper arm - I’m picturing something like the reflective bands runners wear at night - to protect their sensor (in their case, while playing sports). They didn’t mention any connection issues between the devices - I guess it’s not much different than wearing it on your abdomen where is covered by your clothing.
I am a construction worker it was a struggle to find a spot it would not get ripped off like my first two attempts. I have found inserting them just slightly above the shoulder blade about half the distance to my midline works the best for me have not had one pulled off now in 2 years. Accuracy is great too.
LMNRancher
Hi Brent,
I have been T1D for 50 years, but only went on a CGM 2 years ago. I wear my infusion set in my abdomen and right from the start I wore my CGM in my thigh. There isn’t enough space on the abdomen for both and I needed a place where I could comfortably put it on myself. (I am very independent - I don’t want to need anyone, even my loving (MD) husband, to be necessary to take care of myself.) I began wearing the CGM on the top of my thigh, but ran into a lot of bleeding issues. I recently moved it just slightly to the outer top edge of the thigh and it solved the problem.
Hope this helps,
Terri
Hi All, I’m new to Dexcom, using the G6. Tried wearing on arm, but that didn’t work as I sleep on my sides & back & it hurt when I rolled on my side. On stomach it keeps getting caught or pulled off when I change pants.
Has anyone had luck/accuracy wearing it on front of upper leg ? If yes please be very specific about where, e.g. 2 inches below crotch or 8 inches above knee.
Back & sides of leg won’t work because of sleep positions.
Any advice would be much appreciated !!
Thank you.
Have you tried higher on your abdomen, above your waistline? I often use the lower abdomen and have learned to be careful when taking off pants. But I’ve used the upper with no problems.
Hi there,
I haven’t yet because I’m thin, a bit of belly fat on lower belly but above waistline I’m skin and bones. So I assumed the Dexcom would be uncomfortable to insert & wear there.
Not sure as I’m pretty new to it.
I take insulin, not on pump,
I have tried the upper thigh, about even with my crotch (excuse me). In my case I knocked it off there when getting undressed, but you may have more success. I find the tape pulls up faster there, I guess due to muscle movement. However there are tapes and adhesives some people use with great success. As a rule I don’t need them so can’t give you any feedback.
Thanks Dorie, Did you find your glucose readings as accurate on thigh as on stomach ?
It’s been quite a while. As best I can recall they were accurate, but down arrows seemed to come on sooner, presumably because it was attached to a part of the body that gets exercised.
Hi Joanne @Jophilly, I know, and know of, many people who wear the various models of DexCom glucose sensors in places other than the recommended abdomen and have “good” results. I have only inserted my sensors on the abdomen, and like you I don’t have much other than skin & bone; my BMI is barely 20.
I’m in my seventh decade of injecting / infusing insulin, and in that time I’ve documented that insulin injected into an “active” body area begins action quicker and with more intensity than when injected into the relatively inactive abdomen. I’m an active person, walking, bike-riding, hammering, building painting, etc., and find that insulin injected anyplace other than my abdomen would quickly drive me into hypoglycemia on active days; this possibly/probably has something to do with how interstitial fluid behaves under activity. The DexCom CGM gets its readings from interstitial fluids and if you place your sensor in a leg on a day when you run, or are walking more than usual, your readings might be in a greater state of flux.
Bottom-line for you, find a place where you can “comfortably” wear your DexCom sensor - a place where the tiny wire will not get compressed, and monitor YOUR glucose closely. Keep in mind, that glucose in a a drop of blood from your finger-tip will not necessarily be the same as the glucose level of the interstitial fluid in your thigh - especially following a meal when your glucose levels are most probably increasing. I personally have become very comfortable with the accuracy, and the consstency of my G6 sensors.