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Problems with lancing for finger prick test

Helen H

Well-Known Member
Messages
62
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi, I was told 10 days ago that I was pre-diabetic. I purchased a Sinocare Safe AQ Angel meter from Amazon but I am having real problems actually getting any sort of blood sample using the lancing device. I have it set at maximum depth - 5 - but I am having to try 5+ times to get any success. Needless to say I am getting sore fingers and now dreading doing the test. Does anyone have any advice for me?
 
Have you tried soaking your hands in a little warm water before hand? When my hands are cold it's more tricky to get blood.
 
JenniferM55 said:
Have you tried soaking your hands in a little warm water before hand? When my hands are cold it's more tricky to get blood.
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Yes, I do run the under warm water but doesn’t seem to help. Thanks for the suggestion though.
 
Rachox said:
Try setting the lancet on a less deep setting, maximum isn’t always the most effective. Also are you pricking the sides of your finger tip rather than the pad, it’s less painful.
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Hi, ok Will try that, have generally been going on the pad of the finger and will try a less deep setting. Fingers crossed that works. Thanks
 
Thanks for all the replies - changed the depth to number 4 instead of 5, rand hands under warm water, pricked fingers at side - managed to get a sample on 3rd attempt, so a bit of improvement.
 
Different BG meters require slightly different techniques to the blood accepted into the test strip. Some want the test strip at right angles (holding BG meter vertical) to the finger in order to 'suck' it up onto the right position on the strip.

It's always worth checking if there is a YouTube video for your particular BG meter rather than waste test strips. But practice makes perfect.
 
Hi, thanks for your reply - I don’t have a problem with getting the blood onto the strip - the problem I have is I can’t seem to get my finger to bleed. I have read that you shouldn’t squeeze your finger as that can affect the result??
 
Gently massage your finger (if you need to) in order to get enough blood out - but don't pinch it, because forcing blood out like that (I'm told) can affect the result. I can't claim this is certain since I've never tested that - and in any case you rarely get exactly same result even doing 2 tests from same drop of blood. It would take lots of tests (pain) to verify!
 
Thanks, I will try the massage tip on the next attemp. I also have found out that you get different results even from the same drop of blood but I have no intention of verifying this either!!!
 
Lancets come in different thicknesses.
Perhaps your lancet is too thin?
 
Sounds silly.

But shake your hands out like an “actor’s improvisation” warm up?

Hmm, squeezing out blood affecting the result? Not against my sensor.. logic for me is the blood glucose is what it is in that extremity of the body?
 
Helen H said:
have read that you shouldn’t squeeze your finger as that can affect the result??
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I've read that also, can't say I have ever noticed any particularly strange results when I have had to resort to a little persuasion on my uncooperative finger.
One thing that works for me is the opposite to a squeeze, a sort of a pull to open the tiny wound, rather than pushing or squeezing , which for me seems to close it up. After all, when we cut ourselves we put pressure on or squeeze it to stop the blood.
 
Some really good tips there for me to have a go at. If they fail I could be tempted to see if I get vastly different results from a ‘non-squeezed’ sample (providing I can actually get one!) to a ‘squeezed‘ sample. Thank you
 
Helen H said:
Some really good tips there for me to have a go at. If they fail I could be tempted to see if I get vastly different results from a ‘non-squeezed’ sample (providing I can actually get one!) to a ‘squeezed‘ sample. Thank you
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I find different fingers give easier than others. My ring and little fingers are good bleeders, my middle fingers less so and my forefinger just won't play at all.

I agree with the shaking, rubbing and warming the hands first, before pricking advise
 
I agree with the shaking method. Also, you don’t need a huge drop of blood for most meters.
 
Well, did my fasting test this morning (3.7) - used the side of little finger after running hands for a while under warm water. Had to massage finger and shake hands but managed to get just enough to get a reading. your Tips have certainly helped and I think I may also order a different lancer as well to see if that makes any difference.
 
(I've been squeezing for 7 years now... Never had a problem with it... )
 
Helen H said:
Tips have certainly helped and I think I may also order a different lancer as well to see if that makes any difference.
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Well done both for getting blood and the fantastic result.

I use Accu-Check FastClix as my lancer along with a CodeFree meter. I tried about 6 different ones before I found this one. I love it and the replacement lancets are reasonably priced and last forever (ish).
 
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