• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Hand sanitizer before BG testing.

Alisonjane10

Alisonjane10

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,671
Location
England. (North East)
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Bullies, discrimination of any kind, bad manners, parents who let their kids run amok & spoil things for everyone else, unkind spiteful people, being a clumsy clod, toast crumbs in the bed, cold feet!!
Hello

Can anyone tell me if it's ok to use hand sanitizer gel prior to using a lancet. And will it affect the BG reading. I ask as I'm not always near soap & water when travelling etc so rely on the hand sanitizer. All replies & advice gratefully received.

Ali.
 
Ali,
If no soap/water is available I would use the hand sanitizer (as it MAY affect the readings but not enough to mask problems).
Given the accuracy of meters one/two "glitch readings" won't skew your results too far (I note things like this beside my result)
Better still compare your sanitizer readings with soap/water readings to find one with minimal effect so you have a known expected effect.
 
I always avoid the hand sanitisers as I've read they can squiff readings. Diawipes are available on Amazon - got sent a trial pack once when I bought a vial protector sleeve. Very useful but a bit pricey although handy to have a few packs for travel maybe? Normally, I alway fill a small plastic spray container (99p from a chemist) full of tap water and pop it in my bag/coat. Then just spray finger and wipe off - use a tissue if I have one or trousers if I don't!
 
Ive never bothered to use a sanitiser. If out, I just prick further back on the base of my finger or quickly try to find a tap somewhere to run hand under to get rid of any substance that may interfere with the bg result on my meter.
 
Hi. I either lick my finger or don't do anything. I may rinse under the tap if it's nearby or even wash with soap. I wouldn't be too fussy as the blood droplet is large compared with any 'dirt' on the skin unless it's something unusual.
 
Be careful of the alcohol wipes. I found that they affected the blood test result upward.
 
jack412 said:
am I the only one that licks my finger ?
Click to expand...

I do sometimes if nothing else is around that I can clean up with, but like @Daibell I generally don't bother if my hands are clean anyway. But I always do a post prick lick to get rid of that bloody drop. :D I believe saliva is quite sanitary, and it's certainly convenient, very cheap, and permanently close to (errrm) hand...

Robbity
 
I always used to be able to get wipes on prescription. Saying that I've been diabetic for 17years now and it's been a long time since I bothered with them (16 years) but if you can get cotton wool on your prescription in pretty sure you can get something to clean your finger!!
 
jackois said:
Be careful of the alcohol wipes. I found that they affected the blood test result upward.
Click to expand...
Yes, sure I've read somewhere that you should avoid anything with alcohol in when washing hands for blood test.
 
In with all the paperwork I was originally given, there was a note saying that hand cream, alcohol gel, newspaper print and wet wipes would affect the accuracy of bg results. As a suggestion, why not soak some kitchen roll in water and store it in one of those re-sealable sandwich/freezer bags. Hey presto, uncontaminated wet wipes that shouldn't take up much room in your bag.:)
 
Back
Top