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Help! Got my first meter today

Bluetit1802

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Messages
25,215
Location
Lancashire
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
My nice DN has given me an Accu-chek mobile meter with a 50 strip cassette and 2 lancet drums each with 6 lancets, plus the USB cable and batteries etc.

I messed up my first test somehow and got a reading of XX.X then did another but by this time it was 2.5hrs after lunch, with a reading of 7.7mmol/L. No idea if this is good or bad as I didn't have a pre-lunch one to compare. There were 30g of carbs in the meal plus 1 egg and some butter. Does it sound OK?

It says all over the instructions not to use the same lancet more than once as the needles get blunt. If I did that, the 12 lancets I have won't last me long. What does everyone else do?

It also says not to use the thumb without a special cap that I haven't got, or forefinger. I did use the forefinger. There are 11 penetration depth settings. I used number 4. No idea if this is OK. I'm still not in control of the thing!
 
Ok, congrats on getting a meter ! Your post meal reading is not too bad but could be a little lower but, as you mentioned, no pre-meal reading so nothing to guage it against. Record all readings so you can look back at them and see how your body reacts to certain foods. The lancets, NHS guidance is they are 1 time use only but there are many here that use them multiple times. As for the setting, you should have it at the lowest setting that still draws blood. I use index finger no problem but personal choice. It's less painful if you use the side of the finger and rotate fingers so they don't get sore.


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7.7 two and a half hours after a meal with carbs sounds great to me!

I tend to use the sides of my two middle fingertips, either hand, but not underneath on the pads themselves as it's more sensitive. Rotate around so you're not using the same place all the time.

I tend to change lancets about twice a week. There was a thread on this not so long ago, ranging from 'every time' (!) to twice a year (!!).

You'll get the hang of it in no time.
 
Thanks for the advice folks, much appreciated. I now have 3 bruised finger tips. but I've got the hang of it now, and not liking my post-dinner reading!
 
Bluetit1802 said:
Thanks for the advice folks, much appreciated. I now have 3 bruised finger tips. but I've got the hang of it now, and not liking my post-dinner reading!
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Don't be too harsh on yourself. If we all like post meal readings straight away there'd be no point in testing ! You'll soon lower it
 
Do you have the Fastclix gadget for the lancets? I use this and find that setting 2 is fine for me with this but it depends on what works for you and how tough your skin is!! Try this setting and go up if needs be (or you could try going down by 1/2 to see if it will still work). I use each lancet for about a week or until I think it getting blunt/painful! But do whatever you feel most comfortable with.

To check how you're doing readings-wise, have a look at the guidelines here
- aim (eventually) for the lower end of the appropriate range.

Good luck!

Robbity
 
Thanks Robbity,

Yes, it's the Fastclix. I seem to be OK on setting 3. I accidentally moved it to 4 yesterday afternoon and am still a bit bruised this morning. I'll have a go on 2 and see what happens.

Good luck, and well done on your weight loss so far this year.
 
Are you pressing the end of the device onto your finger? I found initially, I was doing this, and now consciously just touch the fingertip with the device. It's a much gentler experience.
 
thats great, now you can start to get an idea of what to eat and what level of carbs you can tolerate

personally and this isnt advice i use the same needle for weeks and weeks, it doesnt seem to effect the reading or hurt any more or less, although someone once posted a microscopic picture of a new needle next to an old needle and it was unbelievable how damaged the needle tip gets and therefore potentially could hurt more when blunt, but i have stonemason hands and my skin is like leather so it doesnt seem to matter for me,

have fun testing, its enlightening
 
The general recommendation is to puncture the side of the fingers but not too close to the nail as there's fewer nerve endings there leading to less pain.
 
Usually after about a month, when I can no longer draw blood on 6, I think about changing the lancet.

Tom
 
@bluetit if you are using insulin, a bg of 7.7mmol 2hrs after eating is very good but is also not good because the action of a bolus will unfoftunately start to make yr bg drop and not by tiny tiny amounts....it could well drop to 5mmol at 3hrs and then drop to 3mmol or 2mmol by the time 4hrs has gone by. The way to alter the drops is to test frequently and eat a small amount of carb as and when necessary to prevent bg dropping too much. Would be lovely if better control of bg could be achieved by turning the insulin tap on and off but unfoftunately we cant snd can only at the end of the day.....eat to its action

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Sounds like you are on the right track. As for lancets I hate when I don't draw enough blood so I make them as deep as possible.
I have a box of 100 that is going into about a year old and I test 4 to 8 times a day

I change the lancets when they bend or break - no infection yet LOL

As for the needles for the insulin pen I change those every couple of days keeping it all in the fridge - my GP is horrified!!!

Good luck to you soon this will be old hat and you will feel in control - just remember to always test and eat to your meter

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sammey90 said:
My daughter has been told to use a new needle every time and change the lancet every day.

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I was told the same thing. My dad was a doc. He said in the beginning they would reuse needles sterilize them and even sharpen them.

Mine never draw blood mostly keep them in the fridge but sometimes keep it attached to the pen with two caps on.

I prime them with a unit or two before I inject - never had a problem.

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I always change m y needles every time because you are putting stuff into your body. When lancing and squeezing, any pathogens on the lancet will be squeezed out. Well that's my excuse for laziness anyway. In 3 months I have aquired 600 odd spare lancets!

Tom
 
Unfortunately, I have seen (through the use of an electron microscope) what damage not changing your lancet or needle every time causes to your skin, blood vessels and flesh. It really is not pretty! Also, it is the main cause of scarring, which builds up over time. For insulin, this leads to unpredictable/irratic absorption and for blood testing - well, let's just say that I know someone in his early 30s who has to stab himself with a scalpel in order to get sufficient blood to test!

Please, be kind to yourselves and change your sharps every time!


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