Problems with lancing for finger prick test

[MrsA2]

You only need a drop, a domed drop, not a lot

 

[Helen H]

I will take look at that - thanks

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).
View attachment 64738

 

[Omar51]

(I've been squeezing for 7 years now... Never had a problem with it... )

I have been squeezing for a long time too, as long as my hands are clean and dry. If enough blood come out, no problem at all. omar

 

[becca59]

Sometimes blood emerges when pricking sometimes it doesn’t. I always squeeze. As indeed the medical profession do. However if no blood emerges in the first couple of seconds I always abandon ship and prick elsewhere.

 

[Helen H]

i may resort to squeezing then as struggled again this morning (5 attempts) despite trying all the tips here.

 

[aylalake]

i may resort to squeezing then as struggled again this morning (5 attempts) despite trying all the tips here.

I always squeeze gently. I have done so since 2014 and haven’t noticed any issues. The DN does as well when she tests me at my annual MOT.
Incidentally, you do need to push the end of the lancer quite firmly on to the finger before triggering the lancet. Hence why you may need to adjust the force of the trigger. Mine is set to 2.

 

[Solaire]

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).
View attachment 64738

My husband still uses that one even though he no longer has an Accu chek machine .... they are brilliant ... biggest problem for him is that he always has cold hands no matter what, and even though he is on blood thinners, trying to get blood out of finger tips is like trying to get blood out of a stone , so usually has to squeeze but often wondered if it alters the readings in any way ....

 

[mariavontrapp]

Try a different brand of lancet. The one that came with my new meter was rubbish so I went back to my old one. All lancets are not the same!

 

[LivingLightly]

i may resort to squeezing then as struggled again this morning (5 attempts) despite trying all the tips here.

We're advised to avoid squeezing the finger hard, because this risks diluting the blood specimen with interstitial fluid and may give a false reading. A short, gentle squeeze will do no harm. It simply pushes some blood out of the pin hole.

 

[Helen H]

Try a different brand of lancet. The one that came with my new meter was rubbish so I went back to my old one. All lancets are not the same!

Thanks, I have some different ones that came with a new lancer which I haven’t yet tried - I will do now.

 

[Helen H]

We're advised to avoid squeezing the finger hard, because this risks diluting the blood specimen with interstitial fluid and may give a false reading. A short, gentle squeeze will do no harm. It simply pushes some blood out of the pin hole.

That is what I had read but I am now doing what you say, a bit of massage and a gentle squeeze.

 

[Lainie71]

I seem to struggle regardless but have resulted in holding a mug of tea and then the blood flows!

 

[LivingLightly]

We're sometimes advised to avoid pricking thumbs, but some of us obtain a blood sample more easily from thumbs than fingers.
That's worth a try too.