So my monitor came and so I tried to get a reading. After faffing about with the lancer and being unable to prick myself, I finally got some blood only to be told by monitor there was an error. This happened three times!
New lancets usually come with a plastic tip you have to remove. I will put the tip of my used lancet onto the plastic tip of the new lancet and then dispose of it in the usual garbage. The lancet cannot then inadvertently prick anybody.
Yes it is an ds code free one with lancet. I've mastered the pricking now (and hate it!!) but blood errors were first test strip error then blood error.
I use a Codefree meter and if the strip is in the meter to long before you test....it is about 3 minutes... it will not work and you will get an error. If you have difficulty getting blood it is best not to put the strip in the meter until you have enough blood to test. I have to do it that way as I don't get the blood out easily
Thanks. Well I'm pathetic. I plucked up courage to do fingers and palm but although I pricked, I got hardly any blood so now I'm crying like a baby because I can't do it. I hate myself for being so ridiculous :-(
Deb you are certainly not stupid everyone one is nervous and messes it up at first we have all been there,,,even the most macho man can be worried about pricking his finger... just keep trying and soon it will be second nature you will hardly notice the prick and wonder why you were worried about it.. good luck with it
Unfriendly and bigotted persons; i.e. persons who do not have an open or enquiring mind - but all within reason - persons may have a reason to appear as such - we will never know their backgrounds or where they come from ...
Deb you are certainly not stupid everyone one is nervous and messes it up at first we have all been there,,,even the most macho man can be worried about pricking his finger... just keep trying and soon it will be second nature you will hardly notice the prick and wonder why you were worried about it.. good luck with it
Annie, I so agree - quite scared at first - but now I don't even notice - it will become only business as usual - and I too fumbled a lot with the test strips as well - but try not to touch the end of the strip where the blood drop will be collected.
A good strategy is to first wash your hands in warmish water. This will bring out the blood drop more readily - and then try to scoop the blood drop with a sideways movement (not a vertical movement) .
I've been type 1 for just over 1 year and finger prick and inject insulin four times per day without too much trouble. BUT sticking a sharp piece of steel into your fingers and body is a very unnatural thing to do and I think it will take a while before I just do it without flinching. I still hover over the injection site before I plunge the needle in, even though I use only 4mm needles.
Sounds to me you're doing OK - keep it up.
Oh forgot to mention I use a yellow sharps box from my GP, which is collected by a special collection service every 4 weeks.