My mom emailed me the other day and asked if I thought my skin had toughened after so many years with diabetes and the various taping involved in wearing a pump and CGM for the last…let’s see…carry the one…seventeen years.
Someone mentioned the idea to me a few years ago, too. It doesn’t seem to me like something that’s even possible! (I’m not talking about calluses or scar tissue that has formed as a result of a zillion finger sticks or needles or sites. This is surface skin “toughening” based on various adhesives over time.)
Because it’s Monday and I’m being a lazypants with this blog, I’ll just paste in my email response to her question. For what it’s worth, which probably isn’t a whole lot, but one never knows:
I don’t think my skin has toughened from tape; I think I have pretty tough skin as it is, compared to comments other people have made through the years. I have a hard time getting it to stick through sweat, etc. and that Mastisol stuff has truly been a life saver. I have no idea come to think of it where/how I heard about that stuff. I know one of the Minimed reps said he broke in a rash if I even mentioned “Mastisol”.
Other people can use all sorts of tapes that don’t work for me– I know when I first went on the pump and had to use that bent needle thing with a piece of tape over it, that tape was awful. The tapes (actual tape dispenser medical tape stuff) just won’t stick to me. Or won’t stay stuck, or something.
This has been a system I’ve spent years discovering what works! It’s funny you mention it today, though, since on [Saturday] today’s run I was feeling slightly claustrophobic just with my sensor on my arm– it has been on since I think Monday and the edges of the tape are unsticking slowly and annoyingly. And my site is on its third day, too, so I’m just ready to change them ALL! But, for example, I’m the only person I know who needs to put down Mastisol, and a serious tape Tegaderm, before I even put in the sensor. If I just go with the sensor and no tape like everyone at Minimed says I have to do, it will fall out.
All of that said, if something happens and I have to take something off before the three days? Like, in that first day? OMG now THAT HURTS.
I’d love to hear what works for you when it comes to sticking things on, or if you think your skin has changed based on your diabetes management!
