Dexcom G4 CGM placement, Omni Pod placement

kates578

Hi, I have been using the Dexcom G4 sensor for about a month now, and have been wearing it on my stomach as recommended.  I was just wondering if anyone else had tried other spots and how accurate they found the sensor to be.  ALso, before I was pregnant I was rotating my Omni pod placement between by back and the inner part of my thighs.  I have found that the insulin absorption has been terrible on my thigh since I have been pregnant, so I have just been rotating between the sides on my back, but am getting kind of sore.  (I stopped using my stomach for the pod this summer before my wedding, lol, as I am still trying to get rid of the "bumps" that years of using syringes and pens has left).  Any other ideas for pod placement would be welcomed! I am fairly lean, thanks!!

~Kate

obxlaurak

Hi! 
I wear my dexcom on my thighs and love it.  However, my high risk OB told me that once I get pregnant thigh sites are OUT.  =(  Something about "trauma to the leg" and blodclots?  Makes me blue as I have found that with tummy sites, sensors don't last as long.  On my thighs I get 2-3 weeks out of each.    (Don't tell dexcom).  I plan on teaching my husband how to insert it with my next site change.  I've heard a lot of people have success with the backs of their arms, so that is what I will try now that it's cold out and I'm wearing long sleeves more.  (I don't like my robot parts to be visible)

I am on the animas ping and usually have my site in my belly or upper butt area.  Have you tried the backs of your arms?

kates578

thanks, good to know about the thighs being a no-no, maybe that's why my omnipod didn't work well there once I was pregnant?  No, I haven't tried the backs of my arms, I thought about it with the omnipod but I am pretty lean/muscular, and they are kind of big.  It will probably work with the dexcom though, I will try that thanks!!!

mfarmer0811

Butting in here, I have the dexcom, and have only been wearing them on my stomach, my endo told me the further out they are from the middle stomach area, the less accurate they are. I didn't want to waste a sensor and it not work. 

@obxlaurak I'm also on the animas ping, I am 20.4 weeks, and I have noticed that my insulin is not absorbing as well on my belly. I'm a first time mom, so this is all new to me. Is this normal in pregnancy? I feel like I run out of places on my stomach to place the infusion set, but when I try to put it anywhere else, ie:upper buttox, I end up ripping out the infusion set within a day or day and a half! Any advice? I woke up with a fasting BG of 199 this morning, it hasn't been that high fasting in MONTHS! All I ate for supper was hamburger meat and cheese. It was 147 before I went to bed, and I bolused. Any advice would be appreciated. 

obxlaurak

@mfarmer0811

Well, I'm not a doctor and I've never been pregnant (currently semi-sorta-kinda trying), but from what I've read, insulin needs change during pregnancy and towards the end tend to go up.  I've heard of people needing one unit of insulin for ever 2 grams of carbs before.  So maybe your rates just need to be adjusted?  Have you tried adjusting them?

Are you able to reach/can you have your partner put the site in the upper part of your butt/back of your hips?  Maybe try there?

Good luck! 

obxlaurak

Just re-read your post and saw you've tried upper butt.  I just get into the habit of kind of pulling my underwear OUT as I'm pulling it down to pee. 

mfarmer0811

Yeah, my doctor adjusted my settings on Monday, but I don't think she knew what she was doing. I tend to run high mid-morning, and she set my carb ratio from 1:7 to 1:9...I moved it back. I know I'll get it all figured out, it's just frustrating and scary at the same time. 

I guess I'll just try and be more careful when I pull my pants down....I think my stomach is so full of knots that it just doesn't absorb the insulin as well anymore. 

Thanks for your advice, and good luck sorta kinda trying.  

obxlaurak

Hmmmm.  Maybe try using a lower I:C ratio.  Maybe she meant to move it to 1:6?  Or maybe try leaving it at 1:7 but upping your basal by 10-20% for a couple of days and see how that works.  Do you go high mid morning and then come back down?  That'd tell me it was a bolus issue.  If you're high and stay high, may be a basal issue?  I dunno.  I'm talking out of my butt.

orriskitten

mfarmer0811 said:

Butting in here, I have the dexcom, and have only been wearing them on my stomach, my endo told me the further out they are from the middle stomach area, the less accurate they are. I didn't want to waste a sensor and it not work. 

@obxlaurak I'm also on the animas ping, I am 20.4 weeks, and I have noticed that my insulin is not absorbing as well on my belly. I'm a first time mom, so this is all new to me. Is this normal in pregnancy? I feel like I run out of places on my stomach to place the infusion set, but when I try to put it anywhere else, ie:upper buttox, I end up ripping out the infusion set within a day or day and a half! Any advice? I woke up with a fasting BG of 199 this morning, it hasn't been that high fasting in MONTHS! All I ate for supper was hamburger meat and cheese. It was 147 before I went to bed, and I bolused. Any advice would be appreciated. 

Totally butting in here (haven't started my CGM yet, but might be in a few weeks so want to see the tips I can find around here until then), but I'm 19.4 weeks and just had to have my insulin adjusted. Not sure if it is absorption issues at this point or just the hormones going crazy and the ratios going out of whack, which is totally normal.

Have you tried on your thighs for an infusion site? Last PG I was doing injections and did them exclusively on my legs and didn't have an issue. I hadn't done insulin before and was already having kicks where my child was trying to reach the opposite wall and I was petrified of jumping as I was injecting myself lol.

obxlaurak

I've only tried my thigh once and promptly ripped it out the first time I went to pee.  Figures.  I used to use my thighs for injections though!   
orriskitten - you will love the Dexcom!

babybean82

I wear my omnipod on the backs of my arms, when I get sore there I move it to my back once in a while but my favorite is my arms. I am also wondering where else to try my dexcom, I have always put it on my belly but will need to change it in the future too. Maybe on the back or hips? Guess it's worth a try at least once.

kates578

Lol, it seems like we all have the same questions/issues:)  I did end up putting my dexcom on the back of my arm tonite, I will keep everyone posted on how well it works!  Also, I did just try my Omnipod on the top of my butt, I usually put it above my pantline on my back area, but as I said in my first post I was getting sore spots:)  @babybean82, let me know if you try your dexcom on your back/hips.  @orriskitten, were you using the inside or outside of your thighs?  And yes, you will love the dexcom!  @mfarmer, try above you upper butt/above your pantline where your back kind of goes in, I have found good absorption there with and without being pregnant. Oh, and I agree with oblaurax, change your IC ratio (lower e.g. 1:6) first and then if that doesn't work try your basal.  I am 12 weeks and have been making adjustments (even small ones) at least once a week. Good luck everyone:)

kks4471

I keep my infusion set and CGM inserted into my flanks / lateral lower stomach.  Putting it in my arm just sounds so weird to me!  Maybe I'll try that if I run out of abdomen spots though.  Right now, my carb ratios are 1:8 for breakfast and dinner, and 1:6 for lunch, boo.  I've had a really bad week of blood sugars, from raging high to seriously low.  It's so frustrating   It's great to hear all of your input!

orriskitten

kates578, I was using the outside of my thighs. I would get some bruising and I'd probably be sore if it were inner (I'm not a skinny minny and my thighs touch lol). I never had that issue with my pens/stomach area, so maybe it was just the insulin type I was using mixed with the syringes I used. Who knows.

I'm not actually getting the Dexcom, I'm getting the Medtronic MiniLink. The thing looks so barbaric to me that it scares me and I keep questioning if it is really worth it since I have to text 7x/day anyway. I'd love to hear other people's thoughts and experiences on this. To be fair, I haven't looked at the CGM since I started my pump, but I remember the gauge difference scaring me. Proud to say I'm a recovering needle-phobe and that, I think, is the largest size I'd have to face.

mfarmer0811

I moved my infusion site to my upper buttox yesterday, and so far so good! I did have a few lows last night, but I'd take those over the highs since I can get them up quickly. I don't love it at that site, I'd rather have it on my stomach, but I'll do what I have to protect my baby...I'd wear it on my forehead if I had to! LOL 
You are right, diabetes is frustrating on an every day basis, and when you mix in pregnancy with it, it's just much more so! I am thankful for the modern technology in medicine, I think having the pump and the dexcom has really helped keep my BG's regulated!

Good luck to you all! 

kates578

So I did try the back of my arm for the dexcom sensor...it wasn't too bad at first, and I seemed to have accurate readings,  but then when I showered I went to dry my arm (I guess I was in a hurry...) and rubbed the towel up it and ripped off half the adhesive....it stayed for another 2 days, and then my husband used medical tape to hold it on...then I was getting into bed and reached down to grab my phone charger, rubbed my arm against the mattress and ripped the whole thing off!!  What a bummer:( I am now trying it on my upper butt/lower back...so far so good!!  Oh, and has any one else heard/been told the same thing as obxlaurak about not wearing anything on the thigh area due to risk of blood clot?  It was from an earlier post...

obxlaurak

Bummer!  Sorry the arm didn't work out, but it sounds like it may be worth trying again.  I use SkinTac adhesive (comes in liquid and wipes) and OpSite FlexiFix tape on all my sensors.  Really helps them stay on! 

mfarmer0811

Bummer it didn't work on your arm! I haven't gotten brave enough yet to try my Dexcom anywhere else, I just really hate to waste a sensor if it doesn't stay on, ya know? I also use SkinTac adhesive, and it works really well! 

I also have had my infusion set on my upper butt the last two changes, and it has seemed to work better too! 
Thanks for the advice!