Lancets.

[Fleegle]

I haven't been too worried about blood testing because I wear a Libre sensor and do it infrequently But I am soon to give that up and move to traditional finger prick testing. The problems I have is I have a great deal of trouble getting even a single drop of blood let alone two.

Are there solutions people have found - I have recently found out that squeezing can damage your results.
I have seen solutions like this one:-
https://www.mygenteel.com/

Has anyone any experience. I have tried the lancet device that comes with both the SD code free and the abbott devices.
Also tried warm water - standing up - shaking hand, massaging finger before test which all work just a little but not too well and certainly not regularly enough for the seven times a day I now intend to go to.

 

[badcat]

Check the depth setting on your finger prickers - all the ones ive used can be set at different depths so you can find the one that works best for you

 

[Fleegle]

Thanks for that @badcat - I have them both set on maximum depth.

 

[JohnEGreen]

Thanks for that @badcat - I have them both set on maximum depth.

Ouch!

 

[fletchweb]

I'm a guitarist so I sometimes have difficulty extracting blood. If you have stairs in your home - go up and down a flight of stairs. I find if increases the circulation and it's much easier to extract blood.

 

[Kristin251]

If you have calluses vitamin E oil helps soften them.
You can either get it in liquid for, or bust open a vitamin cap.

 

[azure]

Thanks for that @badcat - I have them both set on maximum depth.

Are you using the sides of the finger? The ring finger is normally good.

On cold days, I soak my hands in a basin of warm water, then dry them vigorously with a towel. It's rare that that doesn't work, and I test numerous times a day as a pumping T1.

Keeping your hands moisturised can help too. Not just before a test, but two or three times a day if they're dry/hard.

 

[noblehead]

Has anyone any experience. I have tried the lancet device that comes with both the SD code free and the abbott devices.

If you can get hold of a Accu-Chek Fastclix/Multiclix Lancing device, they have multiple depth settings and are the best around IMHO.

 

[Bluetit1802]

I agree with @noblehead

Best lancing device ever.

I have to squeeze or noting much happens. I squeeze from the base of the finger upwards, a bit like milking a cow!
Why do you need 2 drops of blood?

 

[Fleegle]

I agree with @noblehead

Best lancing device ever.

I have to squeeze or noting much happens. I squeeze from the base of the finger upwards, a bit like milking a cow!
Why do you need 2 drops of blood?

I was under the impression that I needed to wipe away the first drop.
I will get hold of one of these super lancets and fingers crossed

 

[Bluetit1802]

I was under the impression that I needed to wipe away the first drop.
I will get hold of one of these super lancets and fingers crossed

I think the advice is to wipe away the first drop. I never have though. I think the first drop can be very, very tiny

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

Also tried warm water - standing up - shaking hand, massaging finger

As kids, for some reason we used to hit the back of our hands with a comb which would leave a mark. Then we would rotate our arms as if we were bowling several cricket balls one after the other. The increased "pressure" of blood in the hand would break through the indentations left by hitting the back of the hand with the comb causing bleeding. I have no idea why we did it, we were kids, but it does demonstrate that you can get more blood into the hand by swinging the arm around.

I have been in hospital where they were trying to get blood out of my hand without much luck. They got to me to drink several glasses of water which I think would have helped longer term although they seemed to think it would help within 15 minutes.

 

[Prem51]

I have recently found out that squeezing can damage your results.
I have seen solutions like this one:-
https://www.mygenteel.com/

$129 ?! Ouch! That would hurt more than the finger prick! I haven't heard that squeezing would affect the result. Where do you prick your finger? I prick towards the top of the finger, and usually have to press a little to ensure a big enough blob.
I use the Accu Chek cartridge lancet too. I think they cost about £20, but you can buy the Accu Chek Mobile meter for about the same price which has the lancet included.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

Where do you prick your finger? I prick towards the top of the finger, and usually have to press a little to ensure a big enough blob.

The sides of the finger don't seem to be felt so much. Diabetes.co.uk say there's less nerve endings in the sides of the finger.

 

[Deleted member 308541]

If you can get hold of a Accu-Chek Fastclix/Multiclix Lancing device, they have multiple depth settings and are the best around IMHO.

I have my Multiclix and Fastclix set on three which I find to be ideal for my scarred up fingers tips.

First drop of blood is all I need, I have never heard anyone say to me wipe it off then squeeze a drop out again.