Can't prick my own finger

Skipped some of the posts as I started at the beginning - usually a very good place to start but when a post gets rolling its quite a task to make it to the end.

Glad this subject came up as I've found that I'm getting worse about it rather than better!! I think I need to find which fingers and parts of which hurt the least. I've got arthritis in my fingers and mild fibromyalgia so that doesn't help things . A friendly squeeze on the arm can be really painful for me.

Anyhow, like many of you have said warm fingers to create most blood though I think that's when it hurts me most. If I don't use the deepest setting I sometimes don't get any blood at all. Though everything says to use the sides of the finger pad I might try the middle next - but will work my way around my fingers until I find the least painful. They say use an icecube when you are plucking your eyebrows but I think that I'd defo get no blood at all if I tried that!

I'm pre-diabetic so it is self inflicted torture BUT it has helped me to see that high GI carbs (not that I usually have many) really does push the reading up even 3 hours after a meal - had pie as part of my evening meal tonight, at a Crown carvery - it looked good and I was tempted but I'll stick to the meats from now on. Another thing testing my blood has done is to show me how much I DO snack between meals (far healthier stuff these days but I've found myself reaching for the fruit, nuts etc well within the 2 hours - sometimes I DO feel hungry but mostly my mouth wants it.....

nomistheman said:

Yeup - know exactly how you feel - I felt the same way!
Then I realised why - the doctor had done mine using my finger tip with the max setting ... the shock was such that I physically jumped and my doctor appologised.
When the nurse performed my next one it was the lowest setting on the side of my finger and I hardly felt it!

I resolved to just get on with it and do it - FEAR = False Evidence Appearing Real - it really hardly hurts.

I promise you that, like me and others, you will become de-sensitised to it. In a few days you'll wonder why you were so anxious about it

I now test on the top of my finger between the cutical start and the knuckle nearest my nail on the lowest setting. I'll be honest, sometimes it hurts a little but, then that's usually a sign I should change the lancet!

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Don't you use a fresh lancet every time?? I thought it would contaminate the prick site and produce a false result or even infection?

FatGenes999 said:

I'm still doing OK with the lancing, but I sometimes have to redo it as the first time isn't good enough to get enough blood to test. I'm keeping the depth level at #1 so maybe its too shallow for certain finger sites, but not for other finger sites. I would rather redo at Level #1 than use deeper depth levels as like mostly everyone else here I don't happily anticipate the feeling of pain from a needle.

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I've found that stroking the finger downwards towards the tip helps blood to flow if I've not pricked it properly - don't know if this will help you - combined with a low setting??

Fallgal said:

Yup, still a wimp. Just wanted to let everyone know I've read each and every post and I appreciate all your tips and encouragement. I was distressed when I read one poster say that the SD Codefree lancets are "barbaric" as that is what I have!

I have to go to see the nurse tomorrow so I am going to bring my meter and ask if she'll do it for me. Then I'll know how bad it's going to be.

I also just read another thread that says some companies may be coming out with prick-free testers soon. OH BOY. That actually made my day. I surely hope so, and that they are not cost prohibitive, although if I don't have to prick my finger I think it will be well worth the money.

Thank you again, everyone. I will read them all again tonight, and try to get that courage up!

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Be brave - you CAN do it

Andrew26 said:

I was exactly like that to begin with. My heart would start racing and I'd start sweating with the anticipation. Ridiculous really! I'll happily join you in the "major loser" camp!

What I've been doing is to just push the lancet into my finger using the other hand. I find different areas on my finger require a different depth and with a bit of practice you can learn exactly how deep to push it before being able to squeeze some blood out. Pushing it in slowly means that you can learn what it feels like to know you have pushed in far enough. Doing it this way makes me feel much more in control, and I don't dread it at all. It also stings far less in my experience. I also noticed that my self-punctured marks seem to heal up much faster, presumably as I don't go to such a depth.

Anyone else do this?

I tend to focus on the side of the finger, or else grip my fingers and notice where the skin goes red quickly, and focus on that area. A tiny scratch above your finger nails also produces loads of blood, although you obviously have to be really careful around your nails. I definitely don't do finger tips as that is way too sensitive.

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I do exactly that Andrew! I push the lancet into my finger!! And I only ever prick between the nail and that first knuckle! A lovely nurse told me to prick there 35 years ago when I was diagnosed at 10 years old and due to constant testing my poor pads of my fingers were black and blue. Using the above the nail ( not right next to the nail, more towards the first knuckle/ joint) area is pain free as there are no nerve endings


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Sable no to your Q some have lances for ages (months) l change when l give up getting blood but as normal have to have it set on 4 or l have no chance. Not had infections or wrong readings, you wouldn't get wrong readings as you are not putting blood onto just a hole into to bleed out off. And infection my body wallops things all the time l am always tripping, cutting bruising so it just rolls it's sleeves up swears and sorts.

Some people do use fresh ones every time, those of us more laid back (lazy) make do until we get enough ouches for the brain to poke us and say... errm idiot you want a fresh on there or do you like pain?

Sable_Jan said:

I've found that stroking the finger downwards towards the tip helps blood to flow if I've not pricked it properly - don't know if this will help you - combined with a low setting??

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Thanks for this advice about having the blood flow to the tip of the finger. I do already keep it at #1 which is lowest, and the most shallow.. I also saw on this thread that keeping the fingers warm before pricking helps. I'll try all of these suggestions.

I have to take a break from daily checking as I am out of strips. I'll get more over the next few weeks. My weekly BG average is 112 mg/dL which according to an on-line calculator, is in the Ac1 "4" range, but that seems too low, even though it would be great if it was true.

I use One Touch Delica pricker find it more or less painless. I have it at 2-3 depth use new lancet every time and change finger each test. You can normally get them free on OneTouch site.

jonarron said:

I use One Touch Delica pricker find it more or less painless. I have it at 2-3 depth use new lancet every time and change finger each test. You can normally get them free on OneTouch site.

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That's interesting, I had just posted about "One Touch" in regards to guitarist B.B. King's TV commercials for it. Thanks, I'll check into it!

When I was younger I went to diabetic camp. We were told to try using the back of the finger between the nail and the knuckle for testing. There are not the same nerve endings here so less chance of losing sensation. I have since done my testing from here for the last 15 years and I couldn't/wouldn't go back to using the tip of the finger!

Fallgal said:

I just can't. I don't know why. I certainly have had my share of pain over the years. I couldn't even let my husband do it. I followed all the hints for a less-painful test, but still couldn't press that button. I got myself all worked up and nervous, wasted a test strip and have no reading.

I am NOT good with pain, at all. Any other tips to make this easier? Do you ever really get used to it?

Thanks. Feeling like a major loser at the moment.

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When you press the button say ouch. Sounds crazy but don't feel a thing.

I was also told not to prick my forefinger or thumb as there are more nerve endings on those so you'll feel it more. I only recently discovered about pricking the side of the finger which does seem to be a bit less painful. I think it's something you get used to. I had my fingers pricked hourly for 3 days when I went into hospital on diagnosis so I think anything after that is a doddle!

Erinne said:

When I was younger I went to diabetic camp. We were told to try using the back of the finger between the nail and the knuckle for testing. There are not the same nerve endings here so less chance of losing sensation. I have since done my testing from here for the last 15 years and I couldn't/wouldn't go back to using the tip of the finger!

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Ditto!! Spread the news!! It's been 35 years for me and I'd never go back either. I had some surgery done on my shoulder recently and post surgery was unable to test my own bgs. The nurse nurse came to to it and I was filled with dread knowing she'd have a 'lancing' machine and use my finger tips (bad memories) j insisted she use the nail side!


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Fallgal said:

I just can't. I don't know why. I certainly have had my share of pain over the years. I couldn't even let my husband do it. I followed all the hints for a less-painful test, but still couldn't press that button. I got myself all worked up and nervous, wasted a test strip and have no reading.

I am NOT good with pain, at all. Any other tips to make this easier? Do you ever really get used to it?

Thanks. Feeling like a major loser at the moment.

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You have my sympathy, it is not an easy thing to do and some people are more sensitive than others, so your fingers may be quite sensitive. Have you tried using your inside lower arm instead? arm caps are usually supplied with your finger pricker for this purpose. You don't need to wash your arm either before testing and it is a different sensation to finger ends, you just need to hold the pricker down on the arm a little longer after you've tested to create a vacum for enough blood to come through should be in the instructions with your finger pricker. Also look up the accu-check mobile great device.

I use an AcuChek needle cartridge, which seem reasonably sharp, but sometimes it still hurts. But you do get used to it. Try washing your hands in hot water first. Hold your hand tightly against your chest, and stab slightly to the side of your fingertip where there are less touch-sensitive cells. Doing something positive can help take your mind off it

I set my lancet device to 1 or 2 and cannot feel it, I use the Bayer Microlet2 which is Teflon coated and are really fine

You will get used to it. Set it on 1 and don't put to much pressure on it. I have have taken so many tests over the years and injected my self god knows how many times that it has become second nature. Finger tips do get sore sometimes though. But what's a sore finger when you look at the big picture, once you can see your getting your diabetes under control it's all worth it. Good luck and just keep trying

FatGenes999 said:

In todays world you could get picked up for terrorism while doing something like that in public! Glad nobody batted an eye.
I'm expecting to get into the routine very quickly now that the initial first step is over.
Hope it doesn't become a "thing", like I start placing bets against myself as to how low, or, high the BG reading will be.

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I normally know i m high or low these days but not always which one it is. I also test and inject in public and I haven't had anyone say anything about it , I don't know if that's because over the years I ve become very quick at doing it or I ve just been lucky so far.

I've known a few people with diabetes, some needed insulin and some didn't. One pal I had, who did do insulin injections, had either an enormous spike or went hypo while we were in a restaurant.. Needless to say, she ended up in the emergency ward in the local hospital and was taken by ambulance that I called for her.
She had obviously started getting lax about her daily insulin. She normally would go into a ladies room to inject herself, she told me, but sometimes that seemed like a pain in the butt to have to do.

Maybe Americans are just very conscious of what might appear to be IV drug use to observers, or, some kind of politically motivated statement which includes drug-induced suicide:***: I have never personally ever seen anyone in the States inject in public.

Happy to hear that Ukers are more open about it.

Much sympathy, I am exactly the same.

I've managed by using the Freestyle monitors that come with a clear cap that allows you to test on alternative sites (you can contact them and ask them to send you one of their meters, but request that specific cap as they didn't send me one last time until I requested it - https://www.myfreestyle.com/products.html ). They also need a smaller amount of blood than some, so win-win! For the past 10 years I've tested on my forearm, which is painless on all but the odd occasion. I would never go back to finger pricking again.

I've been injecting insulin for 4 years now and would rather do those injections than finger pricking.