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Type 1 What finger pricks everyone useing

Jason91 said:
My seems broken always comes up with err
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Are you just talking about a device for pricking your fingers, or your actual glucose meter?

I'm a minimalist, so just use a bare lancet to get blood from my finger(s), but if you like a lancing device there are plenty out there, and many glucometers come with one.
 
What meter have your clinic given to you? Assuming you are in the UK, you are entitled to a meter from your doctor and/or clinic and if it's giving you too many error messages they should give you another. I'm in New Zealand and if my meter stops working my local chemist just swap it over for me, but am not sure if that is the case in the UK now. AS a T1. you need a working meter almost as much as you need insulin.
 
I use a libre but I have 4 meters as well :nailbiting: Admittedly 2 of those I never use and I only have them because they came with my pumps but you should always always always have a back up meter and test strips. The thought of not being able to check my BG gives me anxiety. Without knowing BG levels you're just guessing what's going on.
The one I use most is a Contour Link, I also have an Accu-chek Aviva and 2 x Contour Next Ones, they're a bit fancy for my liking though :D
If you have a Diabetes Specialist Nurse please get in touch with them on Monday and request a new meter.
 
Are you touching the tip of the strip to the little blood bubble? I had that trouble when I started: I'd always watched my dad do the tests and thought you put the blood *on* the strip, but actually you let the strip suck it up like a straw. I had a lot of 'ERR' until I got the hang of it.
 
Jason91 said:
My seems broken always comes up with err
Click to expand...

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.

Yeah, some meters can just go "err" on you for many reasons? Others can show a code that's a little more specific. (Though it may need looking up in the user manual?)
Stuff like not enough blood. Or even the unit being too hot? (Left in direct sunlight) can do it..

What meter are you using?

With the company Roche who make my Accuchek meter I can contact them & they will send a new one for free?
(They make the money off the strips. Or in my case cartridges.)

As @Geordie_P suggested above. It could just be your technique with testing may just need a little refinement?

How long have you been diagnosed?
 
Geordie_P said:
Are you touching the tip of the strip to the little blood bubble? I had that trouble when I started: I'd always watched my dad do the tests and thought you put the blood *on* the strip, but actually you let the strip suck it up like a straw. I had a lot of 'ERR' until I got the hang of it.
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Yes, I had this trouble with my TEE2 to start with. I once used 5 strips before I got it right!

Now I'm a veteran of 2 weeks it's become easier. The key is to get a good bubble of blood. It doesn't seem to work if the blood flow is too weak or too strong, causing the blood to smear.

Now I'm confident that I've got the "right type" of bubble before it goes anywhere near the strip. And yes, getting the edge of the strip in contact with the blood so it sucks it up is crucial!
 
Jason91 said:
Yea on about thing thing that shows my blood sugar levels
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Do note if in the UK it will depend on what your doctors will prescribe, my doctors will only provide one brand of test strips (the CCG's choice, probably the cheapest) unless specifically told to by my hospital clinic
 
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