Hi everyone!! I’m pretty active during the summer, and now that I am using the NYC subway system, I often find myself getting so sweaty that my pump site and CGM doesn’t stick on very well. Does anyone have solutions? I’ve recently moved my CGM site to the back of my arm, but that hasn’t solved the pump problem. Has anyone found better tape or adhesive?? I’ve had T1D since I was two, and you’d think that I would have found a solution by now…
My little sister has T1D and she plays so many sports during the summer! She has the same problem… Advice is helpful!!!
I used to have that problem with infusion sets while spending 5 or 6 hours almost every day in the Florida heat riding my bike - and the humidity being a higher reading than the temp. Oh yes do I sweat!!!
I began using “smith&nephew I.V. Prep Antiseptic Wipes” which I would order from Medtronic along with my infusion sets. These pads clean the site and leave a very sticky skin surface - and they hold up well while swimming.
Since Medtronic improved their adhesive a few years ago I haven’t needed to use these and still have a half box left.
I haven’t had this problem as of yet but I was told if I have this problem to get skin-tac. if you google it you will find it.
I have two t1 teens and they sweat off their pump and cgm sites as well. We have found that using 3M Tegaderm Transparent Dressing with Label 4" x 4 3/4" (10 x 12 cm)50 per Box #1626W from Amazon helps keep them on. We also use Skin Tac. We are in North Texas and summertime is brutal for diabetes.
I do not sweat excessively. I started using Skin-Tac but ran out of pads while out of town. No pharmacies had any idea of what Skin-Tac was until I stopped into a no-name hole-in-the-wall pharmacy. The manager was called over and knew exactly what I needed. They did not have Skin-Tac but did supply a box of 50 AllKare wipes made by ConvaTac for less than $10. Works same as Skin-Tac, ie similar to using contact cement. Initial application is to the skin only and generally holds up for 5 to 7 days. If my Dexcom sensor tape starts to come loose, I wipe with alcohol then apply the wipe to the loose tape AND to skin to get several more days of STICK.
So what I use for my CGMs is Grif Grips - http://www.grifgrips.com/. They are really great since before my sensor sites would peel off with working out and just Houston heat. Now I can wear my CGM for about two weeks without it coming off.
I live in south central Texas and am often outdoors during the summer. My sites were always falling off. I also suffer from adhesive allergies and can not use IV prep or skin tac. Here are the things that help me keep my sites attached.
-Make sure skin is super clean and dry before placing a new site.
-Make sure tape is well stuck to skin
-I use KT tape on my pump sites by cutting a hole just big enough to attach my tubing through (I use 1/4 a strip of KT tape, part of the tape covers the top of the site)
-I also use 1/2 a strip of KT tape over my cgm (I know you are not supposed to cover it but this works fine for me and is the only way it stays attached to my arm!)
I use the professional grade KT tape as I’m less allergic to it than the regular KT tape. You can get it on amazon or at a sports store. KT tape is very sticky. The reason I cover part of my pump site and my cgm with the tape is that nothing really sticks to the cloth tape around those devices. If you cover just a small portion of the plastic on those sites the tape will stick better and longer. KT tape is designed to be very stretchy but I apply it without any stretch. Always round the corners on your KT tape to help prevent it from catching on your clothing. If the edges begin to peal off trim them and when needed apply another piece of KT tape.
Hello everyone,
I also life in Florida, and sweat heavily. After a lot of research, I began speaking with people at Smith & Nephew, and they sent me some samples of a product called IV 3000, which I tested, and liked.
It is a transparent membrane, which is primarily used to provide a “buffer” between your skin and what you are injecting into (or through) it. I get mine from Medtronic, and it’s covered by my health insurance. It took some discussion to get the product approved … but it is now, and this makes it free in my case. It would cost me $ 50-60 bucks, if they did not cover it … so, I suppose I’m lucky.
There are other products out there that are similar … so. look around, call for samples, anry different product to see what works best for you.
Arnold
Try grif grips! I always had issues trying to keep my dexcom on. I used everything, skin prep, tegaderm, you name it and they would not stay on. But the grif grip adhesive is so strong I never had any issues since I started using them. Definitely give them a try, I think its worth it. And for me, my dexcom will even stay on up to 3 weeks now!
I swear much in summer while training indoor/outdoor. Use mastisol liquid adhesive. only need a small amount to work great. When removing use detachol to help the skin area after removing sensor/tapes.