I have a sensor through minimed. It seems like the longer I wear it the better it works. It seems like it takes a few days for the data to even be accurate and reliable. When it works the best it's time to change it and start the whole frustrating process over! I've heard that when it's time to change it (3 days or so) you can just disconnect and tell the pump "new sensor" and start over while leaving the old sensor in your skin. I've heard you can use it up to 6 days as long as you're not getting any error readings and the site looks ok. What does everyone else do?? I got the sensor a couple years ago and took a year break from it because I hated it. I'm trying to get back on it to take better care of myself so I'm really going to try this time!!
I wear my MM sensor past the 3 days, usually 6-7 days. When it says the sensor ends I just go to Sensor - New Sensor and after a few minutes I get the Meter BG Now. And it starts up again. You don't have to disconnect the pump when you do this. You just leave everything as is.
Another thing that I do to make the sensor more accurate is when I want to put in a new sensor in, I put it in at night and don't turn it on till the next day this way it soaks in the skin all night before it starts working. I always get numbers close to my blood meter when doing this.
Hope this helps. I am glad you going to try it up again.
With my minimed sensor, it works best if I put it in at night and get it all connected, but don't push "new sensor" on my pump until morning. It also starts up right away in the morning then, without having to wait the normal two hours.
I usually leave it in for about a week. After that my site starts to get sore. You have to be careful with your skin when you leave it in longer - it can get dry and irritated under the tape, so you have to be careful.
My doctor told me that there was a blog out about a guy who wore his for about three months straight without any problems. That's not the best idea, but a week or so shouldn't hurt you if you keep on top it and change it once it looks bad or it stops working well.
Great ideas! It's hard to stay motivated to keep using the CGMS when all you have is problems with it. I'll try the overnight "marinating" and see if that works better! Thanks!
As long as it stays on :D Unfortunately, that ranges from 1 hour to 8 days for me :)
The stay on can be rough with them. Over the summer pre-switch to dexcom I was having more issues keeping the MM sensor on even with the type, but it will stay when forced. The dexcom I have been able to keep for about 13 days before I tend to lose it. I may try tape to stretch it out a little more though.
do you get the dexcom through minimed? I've tried the IV3000 tape but it makes me itch like crazy.
Dexcom is a different CGMS. You would have to go through a whole new thing to get that. I like it much better than medtronic's.
I also have the Minimed CGMS and I use a sensor as long as I can. The sensor will automatically time out & end after 3 days but you can just go into the Sensor Menu, choose Start New Sensor and go for another 3 days. At the end of Day 6 you can start it again for another day.
The transmitter has a 7 day timer in it that starts the second you attach it to a sensor. It doesn't matter if you attach it and leave the sensor turned off overnight. Once it's attached, the transmitter timer starts. So, after you restart the sensor for dyas 4, 5 & 6 you may not get a full 7th day out of it if your transmitter had been attached overnight.
After the transmitter times out (you'll get constant Weak Signal alerts and no readings) I carefully peel up the dressing, making sure that I don't pull on the sensor, and remove the transmitter. I recharge it, reattach to the sensor and tape it down again. The sensor is good & wet so you don't have to wait before attaching the transmitter. In 2 hours it will ask for the calibration and you're good to go for another week.
I was able to get 15 days out of two sensors but most seem to last only 10-11 days for me. I'm on my way to breaking my 15 day record because my current sensor is now at the end of Day 15 and is still working well. I have it inserted very high up on my thigh near the top/outer part. The site is not red or itchy and I don't even feel it. Usually the dressing starts to bother me after awhile and irritates my skin but my leg site is perfect. Even when I got for 10 days with a sensor the area looks very good when I remove it. My sensor sites hea; faster than an infusion set site which is only in for 3 days.
What tape do you use to tape it down? I know you don't have to tape it down but there is no way mine is going to stay put without it. I've heard some people use tupay (?) glue to glue it down but I haven't tried that. The IV3000 tape makes me itch like crazy. Right now I use the tegaderm but it's not big enough to cover the whole thing so I use 2 pieces of tape but water (shower) still manages to get inside the tape. I know the sensor is water proof but the water makes it become loose for me.
I use Opsite Flexifix. It comes in a roll, not individual pieces. It's made by Smith & Nephew who also make IV3000 but it's so much better. It comes in 2" and 4" wide rolls and I get the 4" wide. I cut off what I need and a roll lasts a long time and is much cheaper than individual dressings. If an edge ever peels up I can just cut off a small strip to tape it down. I find that it holds much better than IV3000 (i hate that stuff!) or Tegaderm, which is my second choice.
Do you get that through minimed or something like Walgreens, Wal-Mart??
I get my Opsite Flexifix from eBay. There's a seller that has a storefront that sells all kinds of surgical/medical stuff. Their price plus shipping is the cheapest I've found online. I think it would be a lot more expensive if you asked a store to special order it, which you would probably have to do. I think I paid about $42 (including shipping) for a 4" roll. It lasts a long time.
Thanks! I really appreciate it!
i can wear it for 6 days before it starts bothering me. something i was told to get accurate results is calibrate a couple times in a row, 15 minutes apart. this was something from someone who wears it all the time
[quote user="Courtenay"]i can wear it for 6 days before it starts bothering me. something i was told to get accurate results is calibrate a couple times in a row, 15 minutes apart. this was something from someone who wears it all the time[/quote]
I do multiple calibrations when a sensor keeps getting off track. You have to make sure your BG is stable when you do this. I do 4 in a row, 15 minutes apart. As soon as one calibration appears in the sensor update screen history I do the next. This has gotten two sensors back on track for me when normal calibrations didn't fix the problem.
I also have a Minimed sensor, but I can only get 2-3 days out of them because my skin gets really really itchy and I usually wind up ripping it out because of the adhesive irritation. I have in the past used it for 6 days, but then all my trends go flat and I know it is time for a new one.