My Finger Tests: was-Re: How to use my meter w/o sticking fingers?

July 24, 2005

I'd just add that I test on the sides as Alan suggests, average 4 times a

day " now " & experience little pain if any.

But I'd add that I switch fingers, using one for all the pokes in a day,

then switching to another finger the next day, ad. infinitum.

I have to do this in an orderly fashion because there's so little trauma

from my adjustable Softklix lancing device that I don't know which finger I

used

" yesterday " , at least when I'm in the fog of sleep after waking!

For whatever trauma is done, there's seven days of healing before I get back

to the same finger.

I " never " test on the pads of my fingers as " that is painful " & gushes

blood, far more than I need even on low-depth settings of the " lancer " .

I've not used any alternate sites for serious testing, but those I've tried

experimentally, I had poor luck getting any blood without poking very deeply.

But then, that's just me.

Although there's some debate about it, it seems that there is a delay in bg

readings taken in the arm. This is not important for general testing, but

could be crucial if you're talking testing for a low (for instance) and using

readings to make corrections. Also, insulin users may have comments on that

because it's more important that they accurately know actual #'s at the moment

(as accurate as possible with our meters) to determine " bolus " injections. At

least that's my impression as a non-insulin user & I'm sure some of the

insulin users will comment.

, T2, dx'ed 4/98, controlling with LC & Supplements

Average fasting bg 100mg/dl, last HbA1c 5.6%

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I know you are looking for alternative site testing advice, but this

may at least give you some ideas on easier ways for your fingers. If

not, some of the logic applies whatever site you use.

Painless Pricking.

Wash your hands in warm water first, and shake them to get the

circulation going. Check your lancet - it should be adjustable. Mine

is Soft-clix, made by Roche and is usually painless. I get an

occasional tiny sting, and it lets me know if it's getting blunt

sometimes, but I've tested close to 4000 times in the past 3 years

without any trauma. That's from a guy who was, and is, needle-phobic.

Start with the second lowest setting (1 or 1.5), hold it firmly

against your skin on the side of a finger near the tip. Don't flinch

when you release the button. The button releases a spring-loaded tiny

needle which makes a tiny hole in your skin and instantly retracts.

Incidentally, using the sides has two advantages - there are less

nerve-ends than on the pads, and it doubles the number of test-points

so you can rotate through the positions.

Massage gently until a drop of blood forms sufficient to put on the

test strip. If this setting doesn't provide an adequate quantity, move

the lancet setting up one notch for the next one. If you got a large

sample and it hurt a little, go to the lower setting.

And that's all there is to it. Sometimes it helps to shake your hands

a little more, or warm them up if it's cold. The manufacturers advise

changing the lancet needle every time; I change mine when I remember

or if it gets a bit blunt - that's about once a month or every 150

tests :-) You do what you are comfortable with.

Cheers Alan, T2, Australia.

July 24, 2005

On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 09:49:52 EDT rogerhlmn@... writes:

>

> I'd just add that I test on the sides as Alan suggests, average 4

> times a day " now " & experience little pain if any.

, it is not just Alan who suggests this. If you read the literature

that comes with most meters, their instructions specifically say to use

the sides of the fingers. This was not the case when meters first came

out. We used the pads in the center of the finger and got calluses to

prove we were testing. Then meter companies (at least Lifescan and

Accuchek) told us to stop using the pads and start using the sides of

fingers and the calluses will go away. It was sort of a selling point to

get the new lancet devices that replaced little stabbing devices we

initally used. We had to buy the lancet devices separately, unlike now

where the lancet devise comes with the meter. If more people read the

inserts that come with products, maybe there would be less problems.

July 24, 2005