tegaderm woes...preferred brand? are any easier on the skin than others? and do any of the...

[carrotsprout]

my poor dd's skin looks so raw from tegaderm patches.   the arms were fine with it, but now that she has a port, the patches really seem to irritate her :(.

does anything help this? 

i've also been looking at the removal swabs.  do any of them help with the clear patches or do they only work on the tape?

[KCMichigan]

It has been too long and I dont recall the name, but I had a central line for a year back in 2004. I did not do well w/ tegaderm.

My home health care brought a hypo-allergenic brand that did not stick as well, but did not cause the red/fiery reaction that the tegaderm did. She also had a clear sealant that she put on my skin before hand to help protect it.

I used very small amounts of baby oil on a swab to help remove the really sticky parts, as long as I did not get near the 'line' and open skin. I also clipped any loose bits of tape and tegaderm like patch pieces that started to peel to try to keep it lasting longer.

I would ask for an alternative...they do exist out there!

[anj_rn]

The removal swabs hel some, but not really much.  There is a hypoallergenic type, but it does not stay in place for long, you can use adhesive swabs around the edges, but that may irritate the skin as well.  If you are using tegaderm for emla, you can stop that and use a little saran wrap and paper tape.

[MotherWhimsey]

There is this stuff you can swab on that is like cement. If you use that stuff and the hypoallergenic kind it works well. I'm just not sure what the skin cement is called. One time my kid stuck the swab in his belly button and sealed it shut and it took weeks to work its way back open all the way. The stuff is crazy.

[fuzzylogic]

You can maybe use skin-prep or some similar under it, to protect the skin.  It comes in a little wipe like an alcohol pad, and you coat the skin with it and leave it dry before applying the tegaderm.....we use it to prevent tape burns.

[carrotsprout]

oh my goodness.  thank you for all the wonderful ideas!  i do think it is one brand that is worse than the other.  unfortunately, i can't remember  for sure which one was used this last time...now that it's red of course i am paying better attention.

the hypoallergenic--is that the one with the orange labels?  i can't seem to get that one to stick to anything but my gloves, lol!

thanks for the skin stuff advice.  that sounds perfect.  is that rx? 

[fuzzylogic]

I don't know if it is RX....it comes in the ostomy kits here, but I found the name online.  Google it, and maybe you can buy just a few to try it.

[carrotsprout]

thanks!  the skin prep stuff isn't rx.  i ordered a box of 50 today.  i ordered some of the adhesive removal too. 

on the end of your tubing, after the needleless cap, do you use a red cap if your ds is not hooked up?  i know the nurses have all said we don't have to but it really looks naked to me to leave it with the needleless cap.  everyone seems to agree it won't hurt anything--i just wonder if i'm the only weirdo that thinks it looks all wrong without the red cap, lol!

[MotherWhimsey]

what do you mean needleless cap? And the tubing on the huber needle or the pump tubing? We use the red cap on the IV tubing when he's not hooked to it if we're going to put it back on. We have this white cap thing that goes on the end of the tubing that's stuck to him. We call it the "dongle" and I can never remember the real name. And on top of that we put this orange cap that has an alcohol sponge in it. The orange cap is not a normal thing to use but we are test driving it for our IV supply company. I like it cause I always worry that he's going to suck on the end of the line or put it in something gross.

[gealach]

I'm a pediatric nurse, and my hospital recently starting using a product called sorbaview  or sorbashield instead of tegaderm for a variety of applications.  (We do still use tegaderm for some things)  Seems to be gentler on sensitive skin, plus easier removal.    Worth a look for you maybe.  

[carrotsprout]

Originally Posted by MotherWhimsey 

what do you mean needleless cap? And the tubing on the huber needle or the pump tubing? We use the red cap on the IV tubing when he's not hooked to it if we're going to put it back on. We have this white cap thing that goes on the end of the tubing that's stuck to him. We call it the "dongle" and I can never remember the real name. And on top of that we put this orange cap that has an alcohol sponge in it. The orange cap is not a normal thing to use but we are test driving it for our IV supply company. I like it cause I always worry that he's going to suck on the end of the line or put it in something gross.

the dongle is a needleless cap.  same things there.  it's also called a valve.

okay, the orange thing you are talking about sounds perfect.  and yes, the red cap is the one that goes on the end of the tubing.   it also happens to fit on the end of the needless valve.  and while that is supposed to be fine i still haven't recovered from the day my daughter informed me that the end of her tube fits in her belly button.  i just about fainted!  she is frequently at school all day with that thing and i would just prefer it be covered.

[carrotsprout]

Originally Posted by gealach 

I'm a pediatric nurse, and my hospital recently starting using a product called sorbaview  or sorbashield instead of tegaderm for a variety of applications.  (We do still use tegaderm for some things)  Seems to be gentler on sensitive skin, plus easier removal.    Worth a look for you maybe.  

i got the brands straightened out now :).

the sorbaview was the one that turned her red.  i am loving the skinshield too!  that stuff makes such a difference.  the only bad thing is that it ruins my grip.  last time i doublegloved one hand so i could peel off the first glove after the skin shield and that worked fine.

poor kiddo :(.  she's been accessed so much in the past month.