Sarah Howard
Sarah Howard (nee Tackett) has dedicated her career to supporting the T1D community ever since she was diagnosed with T1D while in college in May 2013. Since then, she has worked for various diabetes organizations, focusing on research, advocacy, and community-building efforts for people with T1D and their loved ones. Sarah is currently the Senior Manager of Marketing at T1D Exchange.
Sarah and her husband live in NYC with their cat Gracie. In her spare time, she enjoys doing comedy, taking dance classes, visiting art museums, and exploring different neighborhoods in NYC.
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If you use a CGM, how many times in the past year has a new sensor caused excessive bleeding at the site? Cancel reply
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I guess it depends on what you consider excessive. Have had some bleeding a few times but never had to start a new sensor because of it, so answered never.
Not so much with sensors but more so with infusion sets upon removal.
Happens rarely. I said once or twice.
Never excessively
Once it was so bad, a river of blood actually washed the sensor right out. I am squeamish so that was fun. I was able to stop the bleeding with pressure but I really don’t want to go through that again.
Never had any bleeding at all. This is since the beginning. Is libre fundamentally different from the dexcom in this regard?
Had a couple of times where blood sqirted out like a water gun! It scared my husband!😱
I’m so sorry those that have this happen don’t know how easy it is to stop a bleed. Simple first-aid is the answer, direct pressure on the sensor wire hole with an absorbent material for a minimum of a minute, repeat in needed. After a few decade of using sensors it’s worked for me so I no longer put up with the bleeding, sensors or sites.
Curiously I found when I used to place sensors on my abdomen and they bled somewhat, sensor behavior would be abnormal, but now that I put them on my upper arms when they bleed they still seem to work OK. I’ve gotten a little better at avoiding blood vessels when I place them so that I haven’t had much bleeding lately. But once I had quite a bit of difficulty stopping the bleeding (applying pressure is obvious but didn’t work well that time) and ended up with a massive bruise on my arm all around the application site. Nevertheless that sensor performed well throughout its full life. I do find putting the sensor on my upper arm works far, far better than on the side of my abdomen where the sensor would often behave erratically while I slept.
I place my sensor on my inner abdomen since I’m a side sleeper. I seem to have good results and they don’t get compressed when I sleep.
Upper buttocks, either side, works the best for me.
Bleeding, yes. Excessive, no.
I wouldn’t say excessive bleeding. I noticed a little discoloration around the edge and dried blood when I removed the patch, but only a few times over the past year.
I expect to bleed a bit more, I am on a blood thinner.
Just a couple of times when there was so much blood the whole area around the site got soaked before I could get it to stop. Both times Dexcom sent a replacement.
Even though my blood doesn’t clot normally, I don’t remember ever having bleeding trouble with a sensor. Infusion sets are another matter. I’ve learned to have a towel handy and never stand over carpet when pulling them out.
LOL! Yes! …Can’t stand over carpet and also need to have something within arm’s reach to mop up the blood if a gusher happens!
About once a month I get a bleeder, usually ruins the readings. Starts low for me and frequently is out of range.
I have the same problem
I clicked never, then I knocked on wood. Something to look forward to?
On g6. I’ve had a little bleeding once it twice, never what I would call excessive.
I have more oil gushers than a Texas-Oklahoma-Louisiana land owner. Only it’s blood due to blood thinners (clopidogrel), not oil.
Yet, despite these wonderful opportunities to spew blood everywhere, I answered once or twice. 🤷♀️
One time, I had a large bruise (3in-ish/ 7cm-ish diameter or so) form almost immediately after inserting the sensor and it was still there (but a different color) 20-ish days later.
I’ve had gushers, too. The gushers are more common with the pump insertion site, but I’ve had the sensor make them, too.
I’m not on blood thinners, but I wonder if my blood is naturally thin… if that’s possible or a “thing”?
About once a month, insertion of new Dexcom G6 sensor “hits oil.” Event is always super evident immediately and only at the time of insertion. My BMI is very low – I have to really look for sites that have enough subcutaneous tissue. Dexcom has been very responsive.
never excessive.. often a little around transmitter contacts that I wipe and wait for it to stop before attaching transmitter. None when removeing sensor. Only use belly. G6 …
Seems to depend on where I place the sensor.