Lisa, My daughter has the same issue when removing adhesive. We use Uni-Solve Adhesive Remover, an 8 oz bottle on Amazon is around $15. It lasts for about 6 months. We use it to remove G6 sensors every 10 days and pods every other day. We squirt the solution directly on the adhesive tags and let it soak in for 30 seconds before we gently peal it free from the skin. Then we use an alcohol pad to gently clean the sticky goo that is left behind. I don’t know how we would survive without it! Hope this helps.
1 Like
Your gonna love it , get the dexcom 6 , do some research and get a watch that matches it mine is a tic watch , you can see your sugars on your watch , I go in the hot tub daily, I do apply a adhesive over mine , I m very active , your gonna wonder how you lived without it after 2 weeks
1 Like
Brian,
I’ve been using a Dexcom since they first came out and have managed to update each time they come out with a new version. I now use the G6 coupled with my iPhone. Here’s an answer to your questions:
- Where do you typically apply the sensor?
Upper buttocks on the cheek below the belt line. I place it here for several reasons but you’re going to need to get your doctor to approve the placement there. That usually can be done just via an e-mail to your doctor. One problem I have with using it in my abdomen is I keep my body fat pretty low due to a lot of exercise, and I almost always hit muscle when I place it on my abdomen. Another nice thing I found out is that if I have to take my singlet off while running, it’s hidden. One day, I may try swimming again and thus it will be hidden. - I notice it, but not as bad as on the abdomen. It will sometimes “touch” the muscle and I’ve had to some times call Dexcom for a replacement and indicate that yes my doctor approved the location. By the way, it’s uncomfortable when it hits the muscle, but not as bad as hitting abdominal muscle.
- I’ve had no problems with irritation, mainly due to that being the “meatiest” part on my body.
- Usually I can make the 10 days without concern about the adhesive. Running in this hot Texas summer heat, after about 8 days I’ve had to use Grifgrips to make the full 10 days since I can see it starting to come off.
- The only con I can think of is getting the alarms set correctly so it’s not alerting everyone. I turn the “Always Sound” on at night to wake me up for lows and highs, and sometimes forget to turn it back off so that it just vibrates.
Let me know if this helps, and good luck with it.
Ed
2 Likes
One thing to note, yes you can display the numbers on an iWatch if you also have an iPhone and keep it nearby. Same for Android. I would get an iWatch or Android phone if I didn’ t need the phone too.
If they ever make it to where you can do the watch only I’m on it.
I have a receiver which I really like because I can just pull it out of my pocket and push one button and see the results. Also a lot easier to conceal looking at it without having to peck on a phone while everyone else thinks you’re goofing off and playing Candy Crush or something. 
I have been a T1D for 41 years. CGM is a game changer. As Lorna said it can tip you off on lows before they happen so you can head them off at the pass.
I have never had a problem with them not staying on and don’t use any adhesive. I don’t run anymore but I do bicycling 3 or 4 times a week.
I put them on my abdomen. I never even notice it’s there unless I look in the mirror without a shirt on. Peeling 'em off is not so much fun though.
I do have to remind myself not to obsess over it and check every few minutes or so sometimes though.
Lorna will relate to this, but there was something to be said of he old days post diagnosis where I took one shot of NPH in that morning and that was it. No testing or multiple injections. But now I’m sure my control is better, but really, who knows LOL?
I love mine! It is such a game changer for me. I haven’t had to prick my finger in weeks. I really like putting it on my arms and find that I have more space on my arms with the G6 than with the G5 or G4. I will also put it on my leg(upper thigh), and hips. I hate having it on my abdomen. It hurts when I put it there and gets in the way of clothing. I always wipe the site with Skin Tac first. I live somewhere that is very hot with a lot of moister in the air and Skin Tac really helps in Summer.
1 Like
Hello fellow Texan. A few questions. Just started mine G6 a week ago. The humidity and sweat from exercise has already eliminated 1 and I’ve had to use tape to save the 2nd and it’s 7-days in. Is this typical? At the gym after an hour I blot around it and try to reduce moisture but that’s a huge issue. Any advice? Second on sites. My abdomen is tough too. What about upper arms? Will it hurt when I do weights? Does your rear placement ever dislodge at night?
Lastly to all bought an Apple Watch and it frequently has dashes for glucose. If I touch that on the face it’ll typically reconnect to get my glucose from the iPhone but do others notice that? Any fix?
Thanks all!
Where exactly on your arm? Upper back? Upper under? Do you lift weights? Does it interfere?
Susie,
I’ve always had luck with grifgrips, Grifgrips. The endo I was using in the Chicago area before I moved to Austin recommended them for me. He was a type 1 who also and ran the Chicago marathon each year, so I could count on his suggestions. They apparently have changed the adhesive on the G6, since it seems to last longer and I’ve only had to use them a couple of times. With the G5, I always had to go to the gifgrips after a few days. My suggestion is to give them a try. Using the upper arm or what I call the shoulder is something I haven’t tried. For me, that would be a problem since I play golf when I’m not doing everything else. I can just imagine taking a back swing and having that probe hitting the muscle. That would end up in a wild shot:grinning:. Anyway, it’s just something you’ll have to try. It took me about a year to figure out that placing it in my upper buttock works best for me. I tend to place it there and forget about except for an occasional calibration and checking it after about 6 days to see if it is coming loose and if I need to put a gifgrip over it. The only time I’ve had it dislodge at night is when I placed it on my abdomen, and I may have actually pulled it off in my sleep. Like I said, when I place it on my upper buttock, I tend to forget about it.
Lastly, I’ve had the same problem on delays with my iWatch, but not the dashes. What generation iWatch are you using? Mines the updated 4th generation. I tend to rely on my iPhone, though. I sometimes notice the delay in talking with my iPhone. It doesn’t always do that though. I just tapped my iWatch and saw on immediate reading and then checked my iPhone and saw a match. Night seems to be a problem. If I wake up and check my watch, I notice the delay, so I just reach over and check my iPhone. I hope this and the other suggestions help. Let me know how it works.
Sincere Regards,
Ed
I just bought a series 3 as I wanted a smaller face and that’s the only 1 they had. It’s brand new and synced yesterday. I limited the data on the face to time, weather, dexcom & battery power. Deleted other stuff. It’s odd. If I touch the dashes it will go to the app and typically show the glucose although today it hasn’t and instead if I tab back to the main face the BG shows up. My sensor expires tomorrow so I was wondering if that impacts but it shouldn’t.
I may try my buttocks. I just know I sweat a ton in the abdomen area when I do stair master. I know Austin isn’t as humid as Houston but does it come off easier in summer there? Do hot showers make it come off quicker too? Right now I have massive tape on it to last until tomorrow. Love it but it’s gonna take some juggling to find a good way to keep it on.
Thanks for your help!
Susie,
You may just want to try doing a simple reset of your iWatch and see if that works? Do it before you put on the new sensor if it’s not too late. Also, make sure you don’t have too many apps going simultaneously on your iPhone. That’s caused me problems.
Personally, I had to quit doing any aerobic workouts such as treadmill or spinning indoors because of sweating. I do have one of my bikes set up on an indoor trainer, and when I do that a lot is when I have to use the grifgrips. If I recall, you were getting an order of the SkinGrips, which should work just as well. Just keep an eye on it before you go to bed each night, and if it’s starting to come off just put one of those over it. Let me know how it goes.
Ed
Susie,
Hello, this is Edward from the type 1 forum and I just thought I
would take this offline. The one thing I noticed is that you’ve had
t1d longer than I have. You indicate 1973 and I never developed it
until I was 17 and that was when I was 17 years old. Like me
The only time I noticed placing the sensor on my upper buttock was
doing lunges on a Smith machine. It did pinch me when the leg on
the side I had it on was back. Let me know how it goes.
EdHi Ed. Thanks a bunch. Changed sensor today so will see how gym goes tomorrow. Stair Tuesday run Wednesday. It’s a little concerning that humidity & sweat can demolish the adhesive. I’ve reached out to the local pharmacy school I know well and suggested a research project in conjunction with their engineering dept. they were intrigued. Years ago I was on a pump and had the exact same issues. Guess I expected progress!
Have a great night!
Susie
Morning Susie,
A quick note before I take my dog out for a run, but the Grifgrips
were developed by NASA engineers in Hunstville, so you may be
reinventing the wheel :).
Let me know how it goes.
EdI actually prefer it in the butt. However, I guess it’s it’s too close to my muscle. Last night, when I believe I was sleeping on my back, the sensor stopped working. It did it multiple times. This morning it worked for a little while as I was at the gym, but then stopped again later today. I am so bombed! So once I get home from work, I will put it into my abdomen and see what happens. Another sensor lost! Is it always this quirky?
Hello Susie,
Now I feel bad about suggesting it :(. The only thing I can see why
it works for me is that I have a little bit of a fat build up in
that location. I actually once placed a pump there, so that may
have contributed to it. Did you feel a pinch when you were
sleeping? My experience is once it starts failing, it never
recovers. I sleep on my side (deviated septum from too many
cracked/broken noses causes problems with me sleeping on my back),
so I rarely disturb it in my sleep.
Keep in mind, I do sometimes not get that sensor in there right and
go through the same problems, that’s why I had my doctor indicate
that is where to place my sensor and I can get it replaced with no
cost. I also keep forgetting you’re new to the g6, are you new to
the cgm altogethor?
As for as loosing the signal, just make sure you don't have too many
apps going on simultaneously with your phone. A lot of times I’ll
get the news, strava, messenger, ect. going simultaneously and I
loose the signal. I then have to swipe them “off”, turn the
bluetooth on and off several times and wait a few minutes to pick up
the signal back up.
Also, you may want to try you upper arm or shoulder. When I was
bike racing, a guy on another team placed his omnipod on his
shoulder, you could see under his jersey. This was about the time
dexcom came out with it’s first version, and I can’t recall if I was
using it or not. When I talked to him, we were talking about the
pros and cons of insulin pumps, so I don’t believe they had come out
with the dexcom yet.
Also, I found a web site where a lady uses it on her shoulder
[https://diabetesstrong.com/category/excercise/cardio/](https://diabetesstrong.com/category/excercise/cardio/)
You can see it right there on her shoulder. So you may want to give
that a try.
I've got to feed my dog and do a few miles on the indoor trainer.
Let me know how things work out and what route you end up going.
EdEd
Absolutely no reason to feel bad. I freely chose to try it. I do have adipose there (sounds nicer than fat 
so not sure what the deal was. I did everything as far as my phone although I wonder if that isn’t part of it. It’s not old but iPhones these days aren’t meant to last past 2-yrs intentionally it seems. I’ll back up my phone tonight and insert another - my last until my reorder arrives.
Yes I’m new to cgm but was on a pump 20+ years. I finally took a break as when you’re thin there’s only so many places and I built up scar tissue despite rotating. So pump is old cgm new. Im not wearing a pump still as I’ve enjoyed the lack of a tether. Honestly I get annoyed with Minimed who promotes things as an artificial pancreas or cure. Really? So if my site fails or tubing ocludes I’ll be fine? I think not! That’s just my soap box.
I may try the upper arm. I lift but heck I’m 49 and my arms aren’t what they were when I was 25! Ha. Better than most but still I’ve cut my exercise time in 1/2 as I wanted a life outside work and exercise. Guess I’d better work on that! Hehe.
Again no worries. I really appreciate all of your help and advice. I know there’s med professionals but no one can really understand unless they’ve lived it. No vacations no back ups. Sincerely - thanks. I invested in this as I had a nocturnal hypo seizure in August & almost died since I live alone. Scared the begeebees out of me so I need to get this to work!
Susie
I do lift weights sometimes and it has never been a problem, but I try not to put it where the muscles meet. I will put it anywhere above the elbow, but not where it will rub between my arm and body. If It is getting lose I put a SIMPATCH – Dexcom G6 Adhesive Patch on, which I order from Amazon.
Omg you sound just like me!!! I have been so resistant to technology (probably because I had an endo who turned me off to things like the pump). I received my dexcom g6 on Saturday and immediately put it on…didn’t even care about training lol. It is the BEST THING EVER!!! I can see what my blood sugars are all day long and adjust my insulin. I will wait for formal training on the pump tho…i don’t think I’ll try that one on my own lol!!!
1 Like
I’m glad you got Dex and that you like it!! Hope things go well with your pump training 
1 Like
What can i use to help in the removal of my son’s g6 sensor?