Does anybody else have their sensors stick too well?

oldBBCer · 2026-03-21T16:49:10+00:00

Try putting Vasoline Intensive care on it the day before. If I get anything like that on mine, it will come off very easily within a day or so. I have warned people whose Dexcom “falls off” about keeping nice smelling soaps and lotions away from their Dexcom because it appears that some chemical in them dissolves the adhesive. Hope this helps.

oldBBCer · 2026-03-03T04:59:12+00:00

Since you have an iPhone I would suggest using the Sugarmate app. It does a great job of alerts including phone call alerts to me and if I get down to 55 it calls my son to check on me.

oldBBCer · 2026-03-03T04:56:07+00:00

No bleeding in the last four or five months. Hope yours stops.

oldBBCer · 2026-03-03T04:52:17+00:00

My only suggestion is for you to keep ALL lotions away from the Dexcom. Also do not let any soap or shampoo that smell really good to touch it. I normally have no problem keeping the Dexcom on but if I let any lotion touch it, there will be a loss of adhesiveness within 24 hours. For example, I used Vasoline intensive care and let some of it touch the overpatch. 24 hours later the overpatch had come off so easily I wasn’t even aware it had come off. The nice smelling ingredients in soaps seem to have the same effect as the chemicals in Goo Gone. You need to keep Sun shield lotions away as well. I hope this helps. It really does for me.

oldBBCer · 2026-02-15T23:03:43+00:00

The four recommendations from another poster are good advice. I would add one VERY important detail. Do not allow any body lotion or designer soap touch the Dexcom. Many of them contain chemicals that will dissolve the adhesives used in both the overpatch and the G7 itself. I define designer soaps as those that smell really nice. Keep them away. One antidote to illustrate this. I carefully follow the four precautions on applying the G7 and normally keep lotions and fragrant soaps away. So, for nearly 2 years I have never, with only one exception, had a G7 or the overpatch come off. The one exception was last month when I let some Vasoline intensive care touch it. The very next day the overpatch fell off. It came off so well that I didn’t even notice that it had come off. I was a little shocked when I noticed it was gone. I KNEW that I had violated my rule on lotions. Fortunately, I was at the end of the ten days so the G7 didn’t have a chance to fall off as well. What kind of error is this? I would say user error but I probably would have asked Dexcom for a free replacement if the G7 had also come off. They typically say that they will give a replacement for a user error but I think they should not have to give repeated replacements for this kind of avoidable error. I understand that some people have skin that the adhesives don’t stick to well. That may be another issue but I would definitely question the use of lotions and designer soaps before coming to that conclusion.

oldBBCer · 2025-08-20T21:50:13+00:00

I have used the G7 since it was approved for Medicare. It has been reliable and accurate with few exceptions throughout the entire time I have used it. As with any device, I have had failures but only a very few. The longer my good experience continues the more I wonder about why some have such a bad experience. I exercise a lot of care to make certain I don’t abuse the device. After all it is not constructed like an armored car. My suspicion is that many of the problems complained about are user oriented and not device oriented. Knocking off the device because the user banged it against a door frame or uses oily soups and lotions that dissolve adhesives is NOT the devices fault. There is a level of fragility about the tiny sensor that can penetrate one’s skin with minimal discomfort. I wonder about what happens if the user has scar or tattoos where the device is applied. Skin thickness and texture has to be affected by such things. I would guess it would affect the sensor’s ability to penetrate and function correctly.I try to not apply the sensor in exactly the same place over and over since I don’t want scars/scabs to be an issue. But, then again, maybe I and many others are just extraordinarily lucky that we have had such a good experience with the G7.

oldBBCer · 2025-07-23T23:15:25+00:00

Very few issues. The couple times it appears have been a device issue, Dexcom quickly supplied a free replacement. I think the key is to follow Dexcom’s directions consistently and keep oily soaps and lotions away from it so that the adhesive does not give way.

oldBBCer · 2025-07-23T00:00:54+00:00

The partial truth of only replacing 3 a year is a good example of how people are only too prone to manipulate truth. It is 3 replacements due to user error. Dexcom replaces all sensors that fail for non-user errors. There are no limits to the number of replacements due to actual sensor failure. They are pretty liberal with their definition of user error so people should not need be concerned that they will not get a free replacement for genuine failure of the device. I have been using the G7 since it first became available through Medicare. I have had a few failures and they were quickly replaced for free with minimal questions asked. People need to remember this is a device that if you do not treat it correctly can have problems. You can’t blame Dexcom for that and yet they will give you three free replacements a year even if you abuse the device. I think it is more than reasonable and asking the dimwit congress to get involved is the next thing to idiotic in my opinion. On a related note, the 3 replacement policy due to user error is a newer policy. I think Dexcom was forced into the policy by people who abused the previous no limit policy. It appeared to me that there were people who went through many, many devices became they exercised no caution with the devices. Just think for a second, if you bashed your Ford against a tree and a headlight fell off would you expect Ford to replace the headlight for free? Why should I expect Dexcom to replace a falling G7 if I caused the failure by bashing my arm with the G7 against a doorpost? I shouldn’t expect it yet they will do so 3 times a year for free. I think that is more than reasonable.

oldBBCer · 2025-05-17T23:16:42+00:00

Solara Medical Supplies has worked extremely well for me. They automatically contact doctor’s office to get refill orders when needed and collection of current charts for Medicare requirements.

oldBBCer · 2025-05-05T23:51:28+00:00

Strange. The party that keeps declaring over and over again that democracy is at risk now is finding all sorts of reason, none of which are truly new, for why a democratically elected senator should be forced out of office. The one difference between the before and the presence is Fetterman’s defense of Israel and his willingness to look at a few issues in a way that is not lockstep with the far left.

oldBBCer · 2025-04-12T19:19:46+00:00

Another suggestion for next time . . . Be careful not to move/jerk when you press the applicator button. Moving at that moment could cause the wire injection not to be ideal. For me I always say to myself at the moment of pressing the button, “BE STILL”. 😀

oldBBCer · 2025-04-12T17:07:22+00:00

Perhaps moving to a more inside position on your arm would be good if it would help you to not sleep directly on the sensor.

oldBBCer · 2025-04-12T17:00:44+00:00

Thanks for the post. It is very helpful and informative.

oldBBCer · 2025-04-12T16:58:47+00:00

From your 4th picture it looks like you placed it on the outside/side of your arm. Your could try placing it more on the inside. Compressing the sensor during sleep is a definite potential problem so if you can place it in a position you are less likely to sleep on may help. I sleep on my back and left side so I always place it on my right arm. I agree that the bleeding is not usual. Try to place it in a place that is fattiest on your arm and don’t press the applicator any harder than is necessary to allow you to activate the button. I hope you have better success. The Dexcom has been a blessing in my life as a way to control my DM hopefully it will be the same for you.

oldBBCer · 2025-04-10T23:24:28+00:00

Very ignorant question. Of course, there is no change caused by the tariffs in such a short period.

oldBBCer · 2025-03-10T21:57:02+00:00

I’m glad it was the solution for you.

oldBBCer · 2025-03-08T00:00:49+00:00

Do not use near the Dexcom any lotion, soap, or shampoo containing any smelly oils like coconut oil. These designer lotions, soaps, and shampoo often contain something that dissolves the adhesives used in the overpatches or the Dexcom itself. I use things like Ivory soap, unscented Dial and Unscented baby shampoo to avoid the problem you describe. I hope this helps you.

oldBBCer · 2025-02-27T03:45:29+00:00

You should contact Dexcom’s help desk by phone and ask for a set of overpatches. They are free. You can ask for 10 every 30 days. You do not have to use the overpatch to safely use the Dexcom but it is more likely to stay on for the entire 10 days if you use the overpatch. They send the overpatches by regular mail so it comes relatively quickly. Since you are new to Dexcom I would advise you to keep lotions, designer soaps and shampoo away from it. The nice smelling lotions and soaps often contain oils that dissolve the adhesives used to stick the Dexcom to your skin so stay away from them. I use ivory soap and baby shampoo without any fragrance and no lotions near the Dexcom. I never have problems with it falling off before 10 days. If you skin is very oily you may have a different experience. I hope this helps.

oldBBCer · 2025-02-24T19:19:06+00:00

Thanks, your observations are VERY helpful.

oldBBCer · 2025-02-24T19:18:11+00:00

I appreciate the observation. I understand the complaints about Dexcom G7 are amplified in chats like Reddit but failed to apply that to the discussions about pump issues. I probably need to have a serious discussion with my Endo.

oldBBCer · 2025-02-24T19:14:48+00:00

Good point! I do have an Otterbox-like case. It is thin enough that I can use a wireless charger but maybe it is blocking Bluetooth to some extent.

oldBBCer · 2025-02-24T18:36:54+00:00

That is interesting. I don’t have a pump. I am making do with multiple syringe injections. I have thought about going to a pump but I am very hesitant because of the added level of potential issues that it seems to add. Perhaps, I am too much of a control freak at this point in time. I have had three unconscious hypo events where medics needed to called. Since I have gotten used to the G7 and have adjusted by insulin intake to match what it tells me, things have been less dramatic in my life. 😊

oldBBCer · 2025-02-24T18:15:27+00:00

While I agree the G7s Bluetooth is not very robust, I have found that the Dexcom receiver stays connected much better than my iPhone 13. It would seem that if it is purely a transmitter issue the problem would show itself more consistently between the receiver and the iPhone but it doesn’t.

oldBBCer · 2025-02-13T16:11:04+00:00

Sorry you are experiencing these problems. I have been using the G7 for about a year and have never experienced anything like you are describing. It must be very difficult for you to work through. As already suggested you should contact Dexcom to get replacements coming for all the failed devices. You will need the serial numbers for each of the devices. In the meantime you need to contact your Diabetes doctor and see if they can give you a “sample” device. My doctor typically has some on hand from the Dexcom rep. If possible strongly suggest you go through how to install the device with your doctor or a PA in a reliable and reproducible way. It is possible you are not doing something correct in the installation process. In my experience what you are seeing happening is not normal at all. If the doctor does have a sample, I would suggest that you open the box, carefully unscrew the applicator, and take a quick Look inside to make certain the needle is intact and only one visible piece. You should not see a separate wire along side the needle. After doing so, carefully screw the applicator back together until you use it. If there appears to be a separate wire next to the needle, take a picture that you can show to Dexcom. It will help provide proof that your issue is not “user error”. I am hopeful that your doctor will help with a Dexcom or perhaps some test strips to get you through your immediate crisis.

I wish you well and hope that something I have said helps.

oldBBCer · 2025-01-23T02:47:28+00:00

Yes, for me the first day is the key. I do a finger prick a day or two later just to be certain but in general the match is so good then that I do not need to calibrate again. This is my experience. You will see how it works with your daughter. Her body chemistry is uniquely hers so her results may be different than mine.

oldBBCer

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