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Does anyone experience pain/itching around CGM sites?

phdiabetic

Well-Known Member
Messages
879
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Yesterday I put in a new dexcom sensor, my stomach was very painful all day when I moved even slightly. Today I woke up and the pain was gone but it's been very itchy. A small part of the adhesive peeled off and I can see my skin is a bit red. Normally painful/itchy sensors are a sign that the sensor will go wrong soon, but this whole time it's given me perfect numbers.

Does anybody else get pain/itchiness in the region of their sensor? How long does it last usually? Do you get good or bad numbers when this happens?
 
Hi @phdiabetic . I've been using dexcom for a couple of months. On my fifth sensor now.
I've had one occasion when a sensor has given me a " sharp " pain at the site, I put it down to laying on the sensor in bed and it was pressing against the bottom of my rib cage, just a sensitive area. The pain lasted an hour or so and then went away. I was concerned that I had somehow damaged the sensor, but it kept working perfectly well.
As for itching and redness. A few times the area around my sensor feels itchy, usually when I'm active and a bit sweaty. Again it doesn't last, a quick scratch or rub and it passes with no adverse effect on readings.
Redness is always there when I remove sensor, I would expect it though, it's an alien body that's been stuck there for a long time. I give the area a good wash and apply some cocoa butter as a moisturiser and the redness is gone within the day.
Not sure if any f this helps.
The only time my dexcom gives readings that aren't close to bloods is a day or so before it finally dies on me.
So far I've had 3 sensors last 3 weeks plus and 1 last 9 days. Strangely the 9 day one was whilst I had a bout of the flu. Not sure if this played any part in its early demise.
 

Thanks for your comment, I've tried scratching/rubbing near the area like you mentioned but it hasn't helped. I'm not worried about redness when I remove the sensor - that's always fixed itself up nicely on its own (after a thorough clean with alcohol wipe). This is on the adhesive area so I'm worried about a potential allergic reaction to either the adhesive or the alcohol wipes if that's even possible. One of my more recent sensors seemed a bit infected/damaged when I took it out and it had been itching for some time. I just hope this one is ok, I'm not going to take it out since it's been working so well. I also have a fairly big bruise near the sensor site from a previous sensor insertion that bled badly. It's recovering well but I was thinking maybe that had something to do with my current troubles.

Your sensors certainly last a long time! I tried a couple of times but never got more than 9-10 days so I gave up on trying to extend their life.
 
@phdiabetic . That sounds unfortunate and a nuisance. I've read posts where people have struggled with reactions to the adhesive on the sensors and have had to stop using them.
Are you just using the sensor patch or are you applying an extra patch over the top of the dexcom patch?
Are you using skin tac prior to applying the sensor?
If you're just using an alcohol wipe I doubt this would cause a long term irritation,the alcohol evaporates within seconds.
Maybe a call to dexcom and see if they can suggest options, after all they want/ need you to buy there product.
 
I'm interested in this thread, as I am an ex freestyle libre user who had to stop because I developed an allergic reaction to the sensors... The reaction in itself did not stop me using them, but this was accompanied by increasingly erratic readings which were anything up to 4mmol/L too low (reader would read LO when I had an actual blood sugar of 5 or 6). I read somewhere that glucose levels around injuries can be lower than elsewhere??? So am wondering whether I'd have the same problem with dexcom and while I could afford to self fund I don't want to pay $1000 start up costs for a meter which simply doesn't work...
 

Just the sensor, no skin tac or patch. I don't know if it's a reaction or not, I mean the one I had before this was totally fine so you'd expect something to go wrong every time if there was a problem. I've asked my doctor, she said that I might be developing an allergic reaction (which would explain the intermittent symptoms,as well as some issues I've had with pump sites being itchy). The itching seems to have improved so hopefully I've just had some bad luck. If not I will contact dexcom as you said.
 

I used to use libre. When I started it was great but it became less accurate over time (although I didn't have an allergic reaction. It must have been something else causing the problems). The injuries thing makes sense, especially if it's bleeding the sensor may get contaminated with blood and go wrong.

Do you have reactions to medical tape? (if you've ever used it). I sometimes use some adhesive tape that looks like the dexcom patch. You could try yourself out on some tapes to see if you can't handle any adhesive or it was just a freestyle issue.
 
phdiabetic said:
Do you have reactions to medical tape? (if you've ever used it). I sometimes use some adhesive tape that looks like the dexcom patch. You could try yourself out on some tapes to see if you can't handle any adhesive or it was just a freestyle issue.
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I'm not aware of any reactions to tape. The only skin reactions I remember are to starched sheets and to a glued denim watch strap... The libre worked perfectly for 8 months before I developed the reaction, and then became progressively worse - Abbott sent me numerous free sensor replacements and even a new reader but of my last 6 sensors only one had decent readings, and that was only after 3 days of application. I've got one sensor left, am debating whether to try putting something under it before I apply it, and if so, what that something should be.
 
Ive used 4 libre sensors rotating between L and R arms
Bizarrely the ones Ive put on my right arm have both been accompnied by a rash around the sensor and a hard slightly itchy lump to the lhs of it, meanwhile the ones on my left arm haven't produced any reaction
 

Try Skin Tac if you haven't already, I believe it is even mentioned in the libre guide so there shouldn't be any issues with it affecting accuracy etc.
 

Well that's very strange. Perhaps it's something to do with application technique? If your right hand is your dominant hand, then maybe you apply the left arm sensor better because you are using the right hand?
 
phdiabetic said:
Well that's very strange. Perhaps it's something to do with application technique? If your right hand is your dominant hand, then maybe you apply the left arm sensor better because you are using the right hand?
Click to expand...
Good thinking
 
phdiabetic said:
Try Skin Tac if you haven't already, I believe it is even mentioned in the libre guide so there shouldn't be any issues with it affecting accuracy etc.
Click to expand...
OK, that sounds great.

Anyone have any idea where I can buy it in New Zealand?
 
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