Tips for measuring blood glucose

bearMedicine said:

And although I've been testing for some years now I was never really taught per se so I'm not sure about some things. I was hoping more experienced people could help out:

1. If you have to really squeeze hard to get a drop of blood out because your lancet didn't go deep enough, does that affect the reading?
2. I've read about people "discarding the first drop of blood". They must be going pretty deep with the lancet. Does it make a difference?
3. Where is a good place to test and how do you rotate so that your fingers don't end up looking like a bruised mess?
4. Do people have any recommendations for lancet type / size etc to minimise pain and bruising?

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Hi Bear

From my own experience:

1) If I can't get a drop out without squeezing hard I try again. Washing with hot water beforehand helps the flow. A tiny drop has more chance of getting contaminated to a higher degree by anything in or on the skin.

2) Some do some don't. If you are getting a first drop to potentially discard in the first place it should be because of free flow not the depth of the lancet. You should only have the lancet set just deep enough to get a good sample. Also the act of discarding (especially if you lick it!) can introduce more contaminants.

3) I use the inside side pads of my middle fingers on both hands and rotate fairly randomly between them. Occasionally the little finger or the outside side pads although that's a bit more awkward.

4) I just use the SD Codefree ones set to about 2.5.

HTH

1) I believe it does, I'm not quite sure how but they say you shouldn't squeeze too hard to draw blood but start again.

2) Only set the depth of the lancet sufficient to draw enough blood, personally I've always used the first drop of blood unless my hands haven't been washed and I'll wipe the first drop away.

3) The side of the fingers on the tips, although you can use AST (alternative site testing) but the recommendation is that you speak with your HCP's first. just rotate fingers as much a possible to avoid sores and such.

4) The Accu-Chek lancers are really good, they use a MultiClix drum that contains 6 lancets, the depth setting is good too on this device so pain can be kept to a minimum.

Some advice in the following:

https://www.bd.com/us/diabetes/blood-glucose-monitoring/how-to-test/

bearMedicine said:

I assume the inside is toward the body with palms facing down?

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Yes

Some days I need to try a couple of times, other days it's like Freddy Kruger was here, with blood dripping everywhere.
Some lancet, same finger.

4) Tangentially related - if you can get a lancet with a drum I'd go for that one because handling exposed needles on a bus, etc, isn't fun.

only thing I can add is that I find the accuchek with the release button easier, as suggested by noble the multiclix has this and the softclix. I find it is easier to use, than the top push/click like a pen