is glucose reading consistent at all points in the body

[seanlisa]

This may seem like a stupid question but does you blood sugar levels differ in different parts of the body, I've just bought a glucose monitor and tend to use the finger tips. at the moment reading are 5.0 2hrs meal and 7.0 before meal which seems good for a type 2...but if I where to jab my toes would it give the same readings..

cheers..stupid.com.

 

[phoenix]

In toddlers and infants you can use the toes and there isn't much difference but In adults there will be a difference. If you test the hand/fingers you are getting the most recent level, if you test elsewhere then you are in comparison getting the level you were a little while ago.

With all meters, routine testing on an unrubbed forearm, upper arm, thigh or calf gives a test result that is 20 to 30 minutes old

http://www.bd.com/us/diabetes/blood-glu ... nate-site/

There is also the consideration that pricking the feet, creating the possibility of an infection, might not be a good idea in people with any reduced circulation, neuropathy issues.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

I have found the booklet that comes with my meter. I seemed to remember that since it came with an alternative front end for the lancet device that you could use it anywhere and that you might get different results if you did so.

However the booklet is not clear but repeatedly makes this statement.

"WARNING: We recommend that you test on your fingers if you are testing for hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) or if you suffer from hypoglycaemia unawareness."

They do not explain further but the implication is that you might possibly get an artificially high reading just when you don't need one.

 

[seanlisa]

thanks folks..i'll keep using my fingers.

 

[Sid Bonkers]

I've just bought a glucose monitor and tend to use the finger tips.

Hi seanlisa, its worth mentioning that the best place to test is on the sides of your fingers not the pads, 2 to 4 mm away from the nail is a good place and it doesnt then make your finger tips hurt if you are typing or doing some other task that uses the fingers.

I'm always surprised that this is not made clear I was even tested in hospital in my finger tips which soon became very sore, where as now I test the side of my finger tip it never seems to get sore at all.

There is an excellent video here on the forums main web site that explains this and as a picture/video is worth a thousand words here is the link http://www.diabetes.co.uk/blood-glucose ... evels.html

Hope this is of some help for you

 

[MathMel]

I'm all very new to this but literally half an hour ago I tried to test this. I tried base of fingers and forearm and back of hand and couldn't get a decent drop (even where I now have bruises so I clearly did hi the vein I was going for). Veins at wrist (Palm up) 6.4 while finger was 5.4. So a big different and much much more pain and then bled a lot. Top of the hand still really hurt so that will never happen again. But if anyone has info on where on forearm and how deep they set the lancing (I'm using accu chek fastclix that has the 6 in one barrel. Also I checked the 5.4 against other finger and it was right.

 

[Robbity]

I use the Fastclix and started with a setting around 2 to 2.5. Try lower or higher settings until you get a drop of blood and the prick feels comfortable.

It's possible, if you choose to do so, to use the lancets more than once but you may find they will probably get blunt with re-use and need a higher setting - at which time you usually need to change to the next. N.B. Some people are happy to re-use the lancets, others are noit.

Check the manual as sometimes you need an adapter if you use a site other than your finger. Don't be tempted to test different fingers at the same time, as your blood's circulating, and your glucose levels are constantly changing due to this - so you're usually unlikely to get the same results. Do one test at a time and look for trends and patterns instead - your meter can be set up to record results.

Robbity