Type 2 and taking Insulin

[77Lucy]

Good Morning,
Ive been tyoe 2 diabetic for 10+ years when 3 weeks ago it spiralled put of control to the point that i need to inject insulin 4 times a day.
My question is how do you cope with the testing every day?? My fingers are so sore and bruised having to prick test 4 times a day and tips to help would be great.

 

[EllieM]

Hi @77Lucy and welcome to the forums.

I've been pricking my fingers for a few decades so am pretty blase about it (it will get easier) but am wondering whether you have tried asking your team for a cgm sensor (libre or decom). They don't have to give them to T2s but it doesn't hurt to ask.

Good luck and virtual hugs.

 

[MrsA2]

@77Lucy
Sounds like there's room for improvements in your pricking techniques.
First of all make sure your needle is sharp enough. Using a blunt needle (lancet) will hurt, but conversely they don't need changing very often. I'm down to testing once a day and my current needle is now over a year old
Then see it you can set it to a depth that works with your skin. Too deep will hurt, too shallow means blood is difficult to flow

Then there's the pricking sites. They should be at the very side of your fingers near the nail. Don't use the pads (where the fingerprints are) that will hurt. The strip sticks out almost at 90 degrees to the side of my finger when I do mine
Use a different finger site each prick. There will be a minimum of 4 or 5 sites each side of each finger, except the fore fingers, thumbs and middle may well be too sensitive.
I just stick with my little and ring fingers on each hand, which gives 4 fingers x 4 sites x 2 sides = 32 pricks before I repeat one. Everyone at my peak of testing 8 times a day that was more than enough time for each site to rest and heal.

I set myself a little routine. The early pricks are near the top of the finger, lunch time in the middle, dinner a little lower. But I use a different finger each meal, so I might do breakfast ring left top, lunch little left middle, dinner little right low, bed ring right top. Then the next day I start the next finger round, so breakfast little left top., lunch little right middle, dinner ring right low...
But with so many sites as long as I mix it up it doesn't matter.

Make sure your hand is washed in warm water. That will soften the skin and prevent hurt.

Hope at least soem of this helps

 

[Jenny 105]

@77Lucy
Sounds like there's room for improvements in your pricking techniques.
First of all make sure your needle is sharp enough. Using a blunt needle (lancet) will hurt, but conversely they don't need changing very often. I'm down to testing once a day and my current needle is now over a year old
Then see it you can set it to a depth that works with your skin. Too deep will hurt, too shallow means blood is difficult to flow

Then there's the pricking sites. They should be at the very side of your fingers near the nail. Don't use the pads (where the fingerprints are) that will hurt. The strip sticks out almost at 90 degrees to the side of my finger when I do mine
Use a different finger site each prick. There will be a minimum of 4 or 5 sites each side of each finger, except the fore fingers, thumbs and middle may well be too sensitive.
I just stick with my little and ring fingers on each hand, which gives 4 fingers x 4 sites x 2 sides = 32 pricks before I repeat one. Everyone at my peak of testing 8 times a day that was more than enough time for each site to rest and heal.

I set myself a little routine. The early pricks are near the top of the finger, lunch time in the middle, dinner a little lower. But I use a different finger each meal, so I might do breakfast ring left top, lunch little left middle, dinner little right low, bed ring right top. Then the next day I start the next finger round, so breakfast little left top., lunch little right middle, dinner ring right low...
But with so many sites as long as I mix it up it doesn't matter.

Make sure your hand is washed in warm water. That will soften the skin and prevent hurt.

Hope at least soem of this helps

 

[Jenny 105]

I follow a similar routine . Little finger top early am. and follow with same place next 2 fingers . top side of the side of little finger , theen side of next 2. Next day down the other side of 3 fingers. If poss mark your recording book if u have one . Until familiar. I use a new needle nearly everytime I prick . Your pen booklet might have ideas about this.

 

[Danmiluk]

Good Morning,
Ive been tyoe 2 diabetic for 10+ years when 3 weeks ago it spiralled put of control to the point that i need to inject insulin 4 times a day.
My question is how do you cope with the testing every day?? My fingers are so sore and bruised having to prick test 4 times a day and tips to help would be great.

I assume you don't drive as the rules of driving from dvla when taking insulin and I was finger pricking about 18 times a day and after 2 weeks I told my diabetic nurse that my hands were to swollen and sore to prick any longer I got the libre sensors and I'm a T2 they were a game changer for me.

 

[Jenny 105]

Can you contact your nurse or doctor ? I'm not sure the finger is the correct place. I only inject once but in a much more flabby area.
Can any one else help who uses more than one injection a day?

 

[EllieM]

Can you contact your nurse or doctor ? I'm not sure the finger is the correct place. I only inject once but in a much more flabby area.
Can any one else help who uses more than one injection a day?

I'm a T1 and do a minimum of 5 injections a day.

This is a 9 months old thread and I think the OP (who only posted once) was complaining about sore fingers due to finger prick blood tests (That's how I read it anyway). I can't imagine anyone injecting into a finger

 

[Jenny 105]

I'm a T1 and do a minimum of 5 injections a day.

This is a 9 months old thread and I think the OP (who only posted once) was complaining about sore fingers due to finger prick blood tests (That's how I read it anyway). I can't imagine anyone injecting into a finger

I missed the date. It did sound very odd. At first it sounded like finger pricking . Then i noticed insulin . Thanks for the tip

 

[Jenny 105]

I cant find out where and how to post a new thread ? any help?

 

[LivingLightly]

I cant find out where and how to post a new thread ? any help?

Evening @Jenny 105. To start your own thread, go to the main page here:

Diabetes Forum • The Global Diabetes Community

Meet the diabetes community. Find support, ask questions and share experiences in the diabetes forum with people with diabetes, friends and carers.

www.diabetes.co.uk

Then scroll down through the list of subforms and select the most appropriate one for your question.

Click on the green button top right of your screen entitled ‘Post New Thread’. Fill in the title and text boxes, then click on the green button ‘Create Thread’ at the bottom of the screen. Hope that helps.

 

[IanA123]

Good Morning,
Ive been tyoe 2 diabetic for 10+ years when 3 weeks ago it spiralled put of control to the point that i need to inject insulin 4 times a day.
My question is how do you cope with the testing every day?? My fingers are so sore and bruised having to prick test 4 times a day and tips to help would be great.

Get a libre2, then only prick when required or you will get used to pricking upto 10 times a day.