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What's The Best Finger Pricker/Lancet For Older Person?

W

woodbine

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Hi.
Need to introduce myself as a new member. I am posting on behalf of my 74 y.o. mother, who is newly diagnosed type 2. Her GP made the diagnosis 10 days ago, and sent her straight to hospital where she remains. Unfortunately, my mum didn't pay attention to some mild symptoms, until she had a toe problem, requiring amputation during her ongoing stay in hospital.

The immediate problem is getting her to monitor her sugar level on the Accucheck machine provided by the hospital. Although she's not technically minded the machine isn't the problem. It's getting the blood sample out of her finger with the black pricker/lancet thing that came with the Accucheck that is difficult at her age.

Although following all the instructions, neither myself nor 3 ward nurses (not the diabetic specialist) have been able to get the pricker to work.

Bearing in mind her age, is there a better device that will easily get the required drop of blood out of her finger? Or is there another method? We all realise how important regular monitoring will be.

Many thanks

Ian
 
Welcome to the Forum.

As we get older the skin is often dehydrated on the fingers. Have you tried warming her fingers up first ? Massage the fingers gently, maybe warm them in a bowl of warm water first. Dry them throughly and then try using the ring finger as this generally has a better blood supply. Prick on the side of the finger rather than the finger pad as this can be painful. Hope this helps.
 
The accucheck one is by far the best imo. It is far far less fiddly to change the lancet than others, and there is no risk of you impaling your finger inadvertently, and the lancets come in drums of 6 so you have to change them 6x less, and you never have to see the horrible scary needle (seriously the last point is very important for me! Lancet needles are worse than the insulin needles, I think because they are/look thicker).

If you and 3 others can't get it to work, I'd assume it is broken. But just case it is not, do you have the instructions, and a new lancet drum?

To get it to work (if it is not broken) if you don't have the instructions: take the cap off. Take the drum out (you should see red marks on it. This is to show it is used). Get a new drum (if you can see red marks on it, it won't work). Insert drum into device, blue end first. Press it all the way in. Replace cap. Set depth setting to 1. Click end in (the opposite end to the drum). The button near the cap should go yellow. Hold device at side of fingertip (I'd suggest you try, assuming you don't have nerve damage to fingers?). Press yellow button. If you can't feel anything, try again with depth set to 2 - swivel end round to change lancet (in the direction of arrow) and then press end in and hold against fingertip and press button. If that doesn't work, I'd assume it's broken.
 
I agree with HLW, i've tried a fair few meters and two different single lancets, i've started to use the accu-check with the 6 lancet drum and it's by far the kindest to the digits :)
 
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