Producing blood

[bluebeard90]

Does anyone have useful tips to ensure I produce enough blood when I do my finger prick blood testing? I sometimes find there is not enough blood for my monitor to give a reading, and end up stabbing myself 2 or 3 times and wasting the lancets!

 

[Freema]

washing hands in rather warm Water just before stabbing your finger.. maybe get another kind of finger-pricker

this one you can get to stab in the right length right away every time, it depends of how thick your skin is if how long in the lancet has to stab
http://www.boots.com/en/Accu-Chek-FastClix-Lancing-Device_1853106/

this is the one I use myself http://www.boots.com/en/Accu-Chek/

 

[Neohdiver]

Wash your hands in really warm water before you test. You can use the lancets more than once. I know the health professionals tell you not to, but you can. I change mine once in a blue moon aka when I remember to

I change mine when they start to get painful.

 

[dancer]

If you still have a problem after washing hands in warm water, give the hand you intend using a shake about (aiming downwards). This helps me get more blood, even when my hands are cold.

 

[AndBreathe]

Firstly, don't allow yourself to be dehydrated.

Wash hands in warm water, and ensure your hands feel warm afterwards (by warm, I mean they aren't cold). Dry them well, then shake your target hand fairly vigorously.

As suggested, it is important to have your lancing tool set properly, so that it does puncture your finger, but doesn't cause pain. I find it more comfortable to have my lancing device set a notch high, but only just having the device on the finger, rather than holding it firmly to the fingertip. That way all I feel is the recoil for the device firing off, but no great stabbing sensation or trauma.

Some of it will be trial and error, but hydration and warm hands are at the core of it. Good luck!

 

[bluebeard90]

Thanks everyone - all sounds like good advice. I'm also delighted to hear I can use the lancers more once