Finger prick difficulties

[Finzi]

I'm really struggling to get enough of a drop of blood from fingertip. I wash my hands in hot water beforehand, I did try squeezing hard but then told this was a bad thing, I'm using the sides of my fingers, having to prick about six or seven times each time before I've got any blood, and because at the moment I've only got 10 lancets I'm re-using, is that ok? But I don't think that the reusing is the problem because tonight when I finally got success it was on about the fourth attempt. What I did in the end was use an elastic band round my finger like a little tourniquet. Is that ok?

 

[twinkle1980]

Finzi

I was told it was ok to re-use a Lancet no more than 10 times, but less if poss.

Does your lancet device have multiple settings? Which setting are.you using? I have the glucomen Lancet and generally use numbers 2 or 3 (1being most shallow and 7 being deepest), however a t2 friend has the same device and needs hers at 7 to ensure she gets a good blood drop. Have a trial with the different settings or ask your gp for a different device? I'm sure needing a torniquet can't be a good thing.

Hope that helps

Sal x

 

[Finzi]

Mine goes from 1 to 7 and at the moment I've got it on 5, every time I've put it up a notch it hurts a bit more lol. But then I am a total baby when it comes to needles - I will just have to man up a bit more!

I've got some different lancets coming in the post that I bought on eBay - have bought 50 lancets and 50 strips because I don't know how much my gp is going to ration (he did say he would prescribe).


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[GraceK]

I can't see that the tourniquet is any different to squeezing. I find some of my fingers are more sensitive than others and some bleed more easily than others. The ring and little fingers fingers seem the easiest to get blood from without squeezing, but I do squeeze if necessary. My readings have always been fairly consistent. If I waited until they bleed of their own accord after I've pricked, I'd wait forever. :roll: I think sometimes we have to just realise that testing isn't 100% accurate at the best of times for one reason or another, but it's better than not testing at all.

 

[hallii]

Strange but true, at least for me is that lancets hurt a lot less when they are quite blunt. I have been using the same blunt one for many months, of course I cannot suggest that this is the best way, just how I do it.

You could try the ear lobe, lots of blood there and less painful:- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/811495.stm

H

 

[Ambersilva]

Which lancing device are you using?

If I am using a similar device I will send you some spares.

 

[diggerhtfc]

Why is squeezing bad? I have to squeeze everytime - and still end up wasting loads of strips from not getting a large enough sample :x

 

[Sid Bonkers]

Why is squeezing bad? I have to squeeze everytime - and still end up wasting loads of strips from not getting a large enough sample :x

I understand that heavy squeesing can give a false reading , not quite sure of the physiology involved though.

Finzi try shaking your arm/hand/fingers in a downward motion or even try the Pete Townsend windmill action and spin your whole arm around, you will not want to do this in public probably :lol: but it will push more blood to your fingertips.

Wash in warm water as you are doing and dont be scared of the lancet, it is very important to place the lancet firmly against the skin at the side of the finger, not hovering above it, a firm contact will ensure a good prlck and should produce a large enough sample to test. I have quite thick skin on my fingers and only have my lancet set on 2 or 3.

Fully agree with GraceK that the ring and little fingers are the easiest to get a sample from. :thumbup:

 

[hanadr]

I never use fingers nowadays. My Freestyle Lit allows Alternative Site testing. It also allows "top-up" for the strips. I test on my fore arm and never waste strips. I set my "stabber" to 1 or 2[of 4] and change lancet when Ithink about it. I suspect finger pricking causes toughened skin and makes the next test more difficult. AST is plenty accurate enough for monitoring daily . It might not give a sufficiently accurate result if tracking a hypo recovery.
Also it's so painless, I sometimes don't feel it at all.
Hana

 

[diggerhtfc]

Why is squeezing bad? I have to squeeze everytime - and still end up wasting loads of strips from not getting a large enough sample :x

firm contact will ensure a good prlck and should produce a large enough sample to test.

I hope you were sniggering when you typed that bit. :lol:

 

[AMBrennan]

I understand that heavy squeesing can give a false reading , not quite sure of the physiology involved though.

You end up measuring glucose of interstitial fluid instead, which lags behind blood glucose values.

 

[Sid Bonkers]

I understand that heavy squeesing can give a false reading , not quite sure of the physiology involved though.

You end up measuring glucose of interstitial fluid instead, which lags behind blood glucose values.

Cheers AMB, over my head but thanks anyway :thumbup:

 

[Sid Bonkers]

firm contact will ensure a good prlck and should produce a large enough sample to test.

I hope you were sniggering when you typed that bit. :lol:

Only a little bit :lol: I substituted the "I" for an "L" as I thought that the swear filter might not let that particular word through as it doesnt on some of the forums I visit but apparently it does here :roll:

 

[Finzi]

Hi everyone!

Well had much more success tonight! ( although the actual reading was a little disappointing - 7.6 two hours after dinner)

I :-

1) used my little finger
2) whirled my arms round and round
3) washed in hot water
4) squeezed just a little, gently, and quite far down the finger away from the site
5) pressed the lancet really hard against my finger before clicking

That was my most drama-free prick so far ))


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[Finzi]

Which lancing device are you using?

If I am using a similar device I will send you some spares.

Oh that's so sweet! It's a Freestyle optima but in fact I'm ok now because the spare lancets arrived this morning. Thanks anyway!


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[Finzi]

I never use fingers nowadays. My Freestyle Lit allows Alternative Site testing. It also allows "top-up" for the strips. I test on my fore arm and never waste strips. I set my "stabber" to 1 or 2[of 4] and change lancet when Ithink about it. I suspect finger pricking causes toughened skin and makes the next test more difficult. AST is plenty accurate enough for monitoring daily . It might not give a sufficiently accurate result if tracking a hypo recovery.
Also it's so painless, I sometimes don't feel it at all.
Hana

If using the forearm is ok then why don't more people do that? Seems to me just instinctively that it would be much less painful? What with our fingertips having so many nerve endings. Maybe I will try that too because my instruction book (which I have now found ) mentions alternative sites


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[the.candy.man]

after playing bass guitar for a few years, my skin on my finger tips is too tough to get blood out, even with multiple stabbing on the highest setting. i just use my fore arm aswell. takes a few goes to get enough blood out, but with such a lack of nerve endings its much less painfull. its rare i even feel the lancet. also, hypo-shakes and shakey hands make it kinda hard to test witout making a mess. not realy an issue on the fore arm.

 

[BaliRob]

Why is much easier in the morning to get blood from a finger tip when only up for perhaps an hour or less from bed?

 

[phoenix]

If using the forearm is ok then why don't more people do that?

Depends on why you are testing.
The forearm gives a result that is consistent with your glucose 20-25 mins ago.
Fine for some purposes but not a good idea if you are someone using insulin or a hypo inducing oral medication and are just about to drive, to do some exercise or think that you are hypo.
There are other possible sites
http://www.bd.com/us/diabetes/blood-glu ... nate-site/

 

[Squire Fulwood]

I am pleased we can write prick now without some little **** sniggering.