Type 2 Increased finger prick bleeding

[LiSwati]

Greetings everyone. Is this normal, and if not, what’s your advice?

I was diagnosed T2 in Aug 2023. I’m taking metformin 500gm, 1/day, and on BP & Cholesterol meds (vital all normal), but no blood-thinners and no aspirin. BG stable between 5-6 mmol, fasting. Being enjoying a 16/8 intermittent fast and high-fat, low-carb lifestyle, since October 2024. I’m in pretty good health.

For the past month, I’ve noticed an increase in bleeding after finger pricking. I test once/day, every morning, and always on a different finger, excluding thumb, thus alternating on 8 fingers (thus same finger every 8 days). I’ve been using a slightly bigger needle gauge for past 2 months, as pharmacy did not have my usual needle prickers.

Is it normal for us to experience an increase in bleeding over time? For me, it’s increasingly taking longer for the blood to stop bleeding. I am increasingly having incidents when, after testing and holding the prick closed for a few seconds (as I usual did), that it starts bleeding again after a few more seconds.

I’m thinking it’s the needle prickers I’m using, but what’s your take? Thanks.

 

[EllieM]

I’m thinking it’s the needle prickers I’m using, but what’s your take? Thanks.

I'm thinking that you could change back to the previous ones and see if it makes a difference....

In this N=1 T1 sample, I've not noticed a change in bleeding over time, but I am very old school in my finger pricking, I just stab with a bare lancet....

 

[lovinglife]

I find when it’s particularly warm my finger prick droplets are bigger & tend to bleed a bit longer, in the colder months I have to dial up my lancet device a bit. Can you alter your lancet depth? (I use an accuchek multi click and it’s the only one I’ve ever used so don’t know if other devices have this ability) or as @EllieM suggests if you’ve changed recently GI back to the ones you were using?

 

[Mark Rawlinson]

I find when it’s particularly warm my finger prick droplets are bigger & tend to bleed a bit longer, in the colder months I have to dial up my lancet device a bit. Can you alter your lancet depth? (I use an accuchek multi click and it’s the only one I’ve ever used so don’t know if other devices have this ability) or as @EllieM suggests if you’ve changed recently GI back to the ones you were using?

I agree with this due to warmer weather, I am fairly recent to doing all this stuff and injecting (3 months) It is far easier for me to get a decent amount of blood compared the when I foist started finger bloods. I am dreading when it gets cold again I get sever cold hands and feet. try the depth thing good idea that

 

[Mark Rawlinson]

I agree with this due to warmer weather, I am fairly recent to doing all this stuff and injecting (3 months) It is far easier for me to get a decent amount of blood compared the when I foist started finger bloods. I am dreading when it gets cold again I get sever cold hands and feet. try the depth thing good idea that

Going from 5mm to 4 still bled as much will try 3 next one, it still felt the same though

 

[grantg]

Going from 5mm to 4 still bled as much will try 3 next one, it still felt the same though

eh? u shouldnt require 5mm thats over 2x normal depth.

28g 1.8mm lancets is normal for nhs to use.
26/23g/21g 2.2mm for those that struggle to get enough of blood droplet using standard 28g.
if beeding after all finger pricks for a bit suggest look into 30g 1.8mm or 32g 1.8mm.

the number on the side of pen using doesnt at least usually represent the depth in mm.

you should aim for the highest number gauge which allows enough of a droplet to test against, then use the lowest number on the side of the pen (shallowest depth) for comfort which should also speed up side of your fingers from healing up. you can also use both sides of fingers and slightly different areas of same side to see if that helps any.

 

[Mark Rawlinson]

eh? u shouldnt require 5mm thats over 2x normal depth.

28g 1.8mm lancets is normal for nhs to use.
26/23g/21g 2.2mm for those that struggle to get enough of blood droplet using standard 28g.
if beeding after all finger pricks for a bit suggest look into 30g 1.8mm or 32g 1.8mm.

the number on the side of pen using doesnt at least usually represent the depth in mm.

you should aim for the highest number gauge which allows enough of a droplet to test against, then use the lowest number on the side of the pen (shallowest depth) for comfort which should also speed up side of your fingers from healing up. you can also use both sides of fingers and slightly different areas of same side to see if that helps any.

0.5mm/28 gauge Microlet the DN said use 5 mm when I was shown how to do it. when my hands are cold (most of the time) it can take ages to get a decent enough amount of blood

 

[grantg]

0.5mm/28 gauge Microlet the DN said use 5 mm when I was shown how to do it. when my hands are cold (most of the time) it can take ages to get a decent enough amount of blood

sod that :O i guess they used in the lancing device at its HIGHEST number (deepest setting) then?

heres the instructions i was given for lancing device. (i still cant bring myself to use this)

https://www.glucorx.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/GlucoRx-Lancing-device-Instructions.pdf

instead i use microdot lite pressure activated safety lancets (which 3 hospitals have been at all use alongside my gp surgery) with the 21g-2.2mm bleed for a little bit afterwards and stung like heck. i ended up buying when injected insulin 32g 4mm safety needles rather than using the prescribed autosheild duo 30g 5mm as had tons of bruising and frequently had some bleeding from injecting that stopped when changed needle toujeo injection itself also wasnt as stingy for me.

i found ifhands cold if i held a mug of coffee for a few minutes it helped a lot to get blood flowing alongside having a major advantage of being a lot less nippy

 

[Mark Rawlinson]

sod that :O i guess they used in the lancing device at its HIGHEST number (deepest setting) then?

heres the instructions i was given for lancing device. (i still cant bring myself to use this)

https://www.glucorx.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/GlucoRx-Lancing-device-Instructions.pdf

instead i use microdot lite pressure activated safety lancets (which 3 hospitals have been at all use alongside my gp surgery) with the 21g-2.2mm bleed for a little bit afterwards and stung like heck. i ended up buying when injected insulin 32g 4mm safety needles rather than using the prescribed autosheild duo 30g 5mm as had tons of bruising and frequently had some bleeding from injecting that stopped when changed needle toujeo injection itself also wasnt as stingy for me.

i found ifhands cold if i held a mug of coffee for a few minutes it helped a lot to get blood flowing alongside having a major advantage of being a lot less nippy

4 mm is ok 3 mm still hurt and little blood :/

 

[LiSwati]

28g 1.8mm lancets is normal for nhs to use.
26/23g/21g 2.2mm for those that struggle to get enough of blood droplet using standard 28g.
if beeding after all finger pricks for a bit suggest look into 30g 1.8mm or 32g 1.8mm

Good day friends. Thank you for the advice. It was all very useful.

I agree with the common opinion that my issue is likely linked to the needle gauge I am now using. 2 months ago I was using 28G/1.8mm disposable lancets. The new needles I’m using are 23G/2.2mm disposable lancets.

Unfortunately I purchased a box of 100, and have about 40 remaining, so I’ll suck it up (excuse the pun) for the next 2 months (due to the expensive), and after I’ll go back to the 28G/1.8mm lancets.

PS: The 23G/2.2mm also caused more pain.

I live in Eswatini, a small country in the southern part of Africa. We are in the middle of winter, therefore, temperature is not a factor. But it’s a good point, which I did consider too. Thanks.

Thank you all again for the advice and for sharing your experience. This is what makes this forum most valuable to us, and for me, my No.1 go-to forum for diabetes advice.