Guest guest Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 Hi, I am 'pre-diabetic' and hope to keep it that way via diet and weight loss and exercise if I can (I am disabled in a wheel chair). I was given the FreeStyle Flash glucometer by my endo's office with the 10 strips too, but had no problems. I thought I had another problem, called the company and they overnighted me a new glucometer too. I had some problems getting blood the first few times I did this and solved it this way: 1) look on the lancet 'thing'. There are numbers from 1-4. you might not be using the number that pricks your finger deep enough to get blood. I usually use 2 for my fingers and it works ok. 2) I stopped using my palm but only because for some reason it seems to hurt me more. 3) I had the same problem about not enough blood a few times in my fingers so I made sure they were warm before I tried (not cold finger tips) and also sometimes I'll rub them, but now that I make sure they are warm first I don't have to rub them. 4) when I first prick a spot there is almost no blood and I'll squeeze the finger tip sideways for a second and then squeeze it up and down like milking it or just pressing below where I pricked and then there is more than enough blood for the strip. Hope this helped. Question(s) which are none of my business but what is OGTT and why don't you want to see an endocrinologist or did I misunderstand? Oh, I just re-read your post - 1 dr said not to go to endo. do yourself a favor and go. The worst that can happen is that you have pre-diabetes and can get a referral to a good dietician and other education especially if you have a teaching hospital or a team endo group available. The worst that can happen is that you don't have pre-diabetes and you DO have a clear mind! :-) Well wishes! JUDITH > They can't seem to explain why I can't get > enough blood out of my fingers or palm (below thumb). > > I've tried the proper technique: rub first, etc... Anyone experience > the same? > > I see my doc next week, but would like to have some results to take him. > > BTW, 3 docs consulted. 1 said pre-diabetic. 1 said not pre-diabetic, > but referred to to an endocrinologist to explore my hypoglycemia. 1 > said not pre diabetic, forget about seeing endo..(2 said that OGTT is > useless except for use with pregnant women). > > Thanks > -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.3.3/296 - Release Date: 3/29/06 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 My friend who is a nurse told me to squeese the end of my finger this forces the blood to the tip. I also use one touch ultra smart hardly needs any blood love it!! sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 Do you turn the meter to use the edge of the test strip? I have to turn it to use the back edge in back of the half circle. Then it doesn't seem to need much of any blood at all. I had trouble with not getting enough for quite a while, then experimented with where to use it. It is supposed to use the least of any and when I was having problems I was bleeding all over the place. Now I can usually set the lancet depth at 1 and have no problems at all. Once in a while I will have a problem. Darlene Blood sample problem I just got a new FreeStyle glucometer. 10 test strips and lancets included. I used one strip to confirm unit was OK (control). From the next 9 strips , I only got 3 readings. Meter gave an insufficient blood error reading on the other attempted readings. FreeStyle sent me a new meter overnight. Same problem, but I didn't waste any strips this time. They can't seem to explain why I can't get enough blood out of my fingers or palm (below thumb). I've tried the proper technique: rub first, etc... Anyone experience the same? I see my doc next week, but would like to have some results to take him. BTW, 3 docs consulted. 1 said pre-diabetic. 1 said not pre-diabetic, but referred to to an endocrinologist to explore my hypoglycemia. 1 said not pre diabetic, forget about seeing endo..(2 said that OGTT is useless except for use with pregnant women). Thanks Diabetes homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/diabetes/<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/diabetes/> To unsubscribe to this group, send an email to: diabetes-unsubscribe <mailto:diabetes-unsubscribe \ > Hope you come back soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 I even used the 5 setting on my fingers. I rubbed my fingers, but maybe I haven't done so quite enough. I'll try warming them with water. I tried squeezing, but didn't have much luck. FreeStyle told me not to do it because body oils can mess up the test. Seems to me that as long as one doesn't get too close to the actual blood, it shouldn't be a factor. Milking may be a better idea. The OGTT = Oral Glucose tolerance test. You drink 75 mg of sugar, then get your blood sugar tested every hr for 4 hrs + or - an hour or two. Seems that it is an outdated test, except for testing pregnant women (whom I was told can develop diabetes during pregnancy -- but it goes away after birth). I'll ask my doc about the endo. next week. I'll go unless he has changed his mind. I think he wants the endo. to rule out some of the rarer causes of hypoglycemia. Thanks for all of the good information! > > Hi, > > I am 'pre-diabetic' and hope to keep it that way via diet and weight loss > and exercise if I can (I am disabled in a wheel chair). > > I was given the FreeStyle Flash glucometer by my endo's office with the 10 > strips too, but had no problems. I thought I had another problem, called > the company and they overnighted me a new glucometer too. > > I had some problems getting blood the first few times I did this and solved > it this way: > > 1) look on the lancet 'thing'. There are numbers from 1-4. you might not > be using the number that pricks your finger deep enough to get blood. I > usually use 2 for my fingers and it works ok. > > 2) I stopped using my palm but only because for some reason it seems to > hurt me more. > > 3) I had the same problem about not enough blood a few times in my fingers > so I made sure they were warm before I tried (not cold finger tips) and also > sometimes I'll rub them, but now that I make sure they are warm first I > don't have to rub them. > > 4) when I first prick a spot there is almost no blood and I'll squeeze the > finger tip sideways for a second and then squeeze it up and down like > milking it or just pressing below where I pricked and then there is more > than enough blood for the strip. > > Hope this helped. > > Question(s) which are none of my business but what is OGTT and why don't > you want to see an endocrinologist or did I misunderstand? Oh, I just > re-read your post - 1 dr said not to go to endo. do yourself a favor and > go. The worst that can happen is that you have pre-diabetes and can get a > referral to a good dietician and other education especially if you have a > teaching hospital or a team endo group available. The worst that can happen > is that you don't have pre-diabetes and you DO have a clear mind! :-) Well > wishes! > > JUDITH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 Did you see my comment about FreeStyle telling me not to squeeze? I still think it's OK. Maybe I'll squeeze just before the prick. Thanks! > > My friend who is a nurse told me to squeese the end of my finger this forces > the blood to the tip. I also use one touch ultra smart hardly needs any > blood love it!! > > sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 I do turn the meter to the edge of the strip. Do you use the edge just behind the half circle? or just the back edge of the half circle? I noticed that it claims to make the smallest blood drop. I just haven't had luck. The meter was on sale, and I will get all of the money I did spend on it back via a rebate. I have 9 more free strips, so if all else fails, I'm not out much money. Thanks! > > Do you turn the meter to use the edge of the test strip? I have to turn it to use the back edge in back of the half circle. Then it doesn't seem to need much of any blood at all. I had trouble with not getting enough for quite a while, then experimented with where to use it. It is supposed to use the least of any and when I was having problems I was bleeding all over the place. Now I can usually set the lancet depth at 1 and have no problems at all. Once in a while I will have a problem. > > Darlene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 In a message dated 3/29/2006 11:55:28 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, cdf.nets@... writes: I noticed that it claims to make the smallest blood drop. I just haven't had luck. The meter was on sale, and I will get all of the money I did spend on it back via a rebate. I have 9 more free strips, so if all else fails, I'm not out much money. If you bought your meter at a local pharmacy, you can go back and they will show you how to use it. hugs Eunice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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