• Guest, the forum is undergoing some upgrades and so the usual themes will be unavailable for a few days. In the meantime, you can use the forum like normal. We'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Quick Question

R

Rattus66

Member
I'm very newly diagnosed (confirmed yesterday over the phone). I have to have a face to face meeting on Tuesday with the nurse. She has said I will need to do Finger Prick Tests which I do myself. I'm not good with needles.

1. Does it hurt?
2. How often do you have to do it?
2. If it does hurt do you get used to it?

I know these are ridiculous questions but I've never done anything like this and I'm a bit anxious about it.
 
Hi @Rattus66 and welcome to the forums.
Rattus66 said:
1. Does it hurt?
Click to expand...
Not if you get a good technique, though some people find it does.
Rattus66 said:
2. How often do you have to do it?
Click to expand...
I'm T1 so I'll let some T2s answer that, though I suspect you're going to have to talk to your nurse about this
Rattus66 said:
2. If it does hurt do you get used to it?
Click to expand...
I would say yes.

You can also get continuous glucose monitors that are inserted into your arm or stomach, and allow you to get a reading without fingerpricking, but they aren't always accurate so don't completely replace fingerpricks, and are quite expensive. (Very unlikely for you to qualify for NHS funding for one as a new T2).


My advice would be to try not to worry, it sounds much scarier than it is, and is nothing like giving yourself an injection. (Though as a T1 I don't mind those either :)

Once more, welcome.
 
They are most certainly not ridiculous questions, non of us had ever done it before we had to.

It can sting a little sometimes, the lancet device has adjustment so you can vary the depth if it's too painful. Having warm hands helps, also pricking just to the side of your finger tip seems less painful.

Don't think needles, think more a small pin that is completely concealed, once you have done it a few times it really will get easier.

How much testing you need to do depends on why you need to test, if you have been prescribed medication that can cause your sugar levels to go too low(hypo) you need to test before you drive or if you are feeling unwell.
Most of us however use our meters to see what our food is doing to our sugar levels by testing our meals.
We test just before we eat, make a note of the reading and test again around 2hrs after. The difference between the 2 numbers tell us what that meal has done to our level.
Someone without diabetes would typically be back to where they started by the 2hr mark, so that is what we try to aim for although most people allow themselves a margin of 2mmol.

So if your post meal number is within 2mmol or less, then that meal was OK. But if your result is greater than the 2mmol then it contained too many carbs for you to handle and you need to reduce the carbs or maybe cross that meal of the menu.

It means a lot of testing at first but you will soon have a good idea of how your food is affecting you. Once you know that a certain meal is OK there is no need to test it every time you have it, unless you want to.
 
Rattus66 said:
I'm very newly diagnosed (confirmed yesterday over the phone). I have to have a face to face meeting on Tuesday with the nurse. She has said I will need to do Finger Prick Tests which I do myself. I'm not good with needles.

1. Does it hurt?
2. How often do you have to do it?
2. If it does hurt do you get used to it?

I know these are ridiculous questions but I've never done anything like this and I'm a bit anxious about it.
Click to expand...
I use a Kinetik Monitor and Lancets. They do not hurt at all. I set the clicker at 3.5, not too deep.
 
As well as warming your hands up, vigorously rubbing the chosen finger for 20 seconds seems to increase blood drop flow and decrease how it feels. I was ever so worried tests would be painful, but for me they aren't at all - I've had more pain from touching prickly leaves. Doing the tests isn't half as difficult as thinking about it was. So take heart.
 
Outlier said:
As well as warming your hands up, vigorously rubbing the chosen finger for 20 seconds seems to increase blood drop flow and decrease how it feels. I was ever so worried tests would be painful, but for me they aren't at all - I've had more pain from touching prickly leaves. Doing the tests isn't half as difficult as thinking about it was. So take heart.
Click to expand...

Thank you, I’ll definitely give it a go.

With injections I always slap my arm before it goes in. The slap that I can control is worse than the sharp scratch. Doing that I haven’t felt an injection in years. Obviously I can’t really do that with a finger :-)
 
I was terrified at the thought of pricking my fingers, but with a bit of research after I'd concluded that testing my glucose was A Good Idea, I discovered the pen-like FastClix lancing device. You can use this with any glucose monitor , and never ever have to see a needle, as these come pre-loaded in tiny drums which are inserted into the Fastclix. This is placed against your finger and a button at the end is pressed to get the blood sample. You can adjust needle depth by a dial to suit your needs.

I found that it was not actually seeing what was going on was what originally helped me most in getting over my needle phobia, but I found anyway that it's rarely ever hurt me at all.
 
Robbity said:
I was terrified at the thought of pricking my fingers, but with a bit of research after I'd concluded that testing my glucose was A Good Idea, I discovered the pen-like FastClix lancing device. You can use this with any glucose monitor , and never ever have to see a needle, as these come pre-loaded in tiny drums which are inserted into the Fastclix. This is placed against your finger and a button at the end is pressed to get the blood sample. You can adjust needle depth by a dial to suit your needs.

I found that it was not actually seeing what was going on was what originally helped me most in getting over my needle phobia, but I found anyway that it's rarely ever hurt me at all.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I’m coming round to the idea now that it’s probably not going to be a scene from Saw!
 
EllieM said:
Hi @Rattus66 and welcome to the forums.

Not if you get a good technique, though some people find it does.

I'm T1 so I'll let some T2s answer that, though I suspect you're going to have to talk to your nurse about this

I would say yes.

You can also get continuous glucose monitors that are inserted into your arm or stomach, and allow you to get a reading without fingerpricking, but they aren't always accurate so don't completely replace fingerpricks, and are quite expensive. (Very unlikely for you to qualify for NHS funding for one as a new T2).


My advice would be to try not to worry, it sounds much scarier than it is, and is nothing like giving yourself an injection. (Though as a T1 I don't mind those either :)

Once more, welcome.
Click to expand...

It’s just a pinch, I have done hundreds. If possible ask the nurse to do the first one. You can also check YouTube, I am sure YouTube have video. Nothing to worry about. Good luck.
 
Take it easy, it will become a very common thing in your life after that, and it will not hurt at all.
But now that I've chosen CGM, it's a bit more convenient.:)
 
Back
Top