I've found some extra fingers...

[Tezzz]

I had a chat with someone in the pub today about diabetes and mentioned my fingers get sore with all the tests.

I know washing them in warm water helps a great deal. However I have learned something new tonight...

I have eight more fingers. Honest.

Look at your hand with the palms nearest.

You can see one side of your fingers nearest your thumbs easily.

That's the side I've always used with the lancets for my blood tests.

I was told to turn my hands so the thumbs are furthest away. See the other sides of your fingers yet?

There you go, Eight more fingers to stab.

 

[Northerner]

Haha! very good tez! I usually use both sides of my little fingers and the fingers next to them. I came across an old book the other day that talked about getting a blood drop from the earlobe! 😱

 

[katie]

hehe. I always try to use both sides tez. I also use my thumbs 😱

 

[Tezzz]

Haha! very good tez! I usually use both sides of my little fingers and the fingers next to them. I came across an old book the other day that talked about getting a blood drop from the earlobe! 😱

When I gave blood before the diabetes I used to insist on them doing my earlobes. Now I bring my own finger pricker as it's far less painless.

 

[bev]

In young children who have sore fingers - they use their toes and their ear lobes - so it gives their fingers a rest! You can also use your forearms with a special pricker!🙂 You can also use the flesh just under your thumb if your fingers are sore.🙂Bev

 

[Northerner]

When I gave blood before the diabetes I used to insist on them doing my earlobes. Now I bring my own finger pricker as it's far less painless.

I'd not heard of that before! I used to be a blood donor, and those standard lancets they use are much cruder than our finger-prickers, probably to deal with all thicknesses of skin, I guess.

 

[katie]

dont they use an intravenous needle for when you give blood? or is the lancet for testing whether you have an iron deficiency? (ive never given blood) Does anyone still give blood since having diabetes?

 

[Copepod]

blood donation

Before the long venous needle is inserted into a blood vein, blood service staff take a drop of blood and drop it into a copper sulphate solution to check that the donor is not anaemic.

You're right that people with type 1 diabetes aren't allowed to give blood (personally I reckon that it would be OK, provided blood glucose levels were high enough at start, and I don't think that injected insulin would be a problem to the recipeint, as it would be similar levels to natural insulin), but those with type 2 who are diet or tablet controlled, can give blood.

 

[Steff]

I use my thumbs at the moment and he blood dont half come wuick , i find if i use my little fingerr or 3rd finger in takes about 3 goes befre i have sufficient blood amount

 

[katie]

Before the long venous needle is inserted into a blood vein, blood service staff take a drop of blood and drop it into a copper sulphate solution to check that the donor is not anaemic.

You're right that people with type 1 diabetes aren't allowed to give blood (personally I reckon that it would be OK, provided blood glucose levels were high enough at start, and I don't think that injected insulin would be a problem to the recipeint, as it would be similar levels to natural insulin), but those with type 2 who are diet or tablet controlled, can give blood.

Thanks Copepod. I thought we were allowed to donate now though? I'm still using the excuse I can't though, I already have enough blood tests and my veins are small so it can be quite traumatic for me if I get a dodgy nurse!

 

[VBH]

Tez,

I have 40 test sites. I could have more test sites, but I don't think I will ever be desperate to use the test sites I allude to in the last line of this..... 😉
http://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/joomla/diabetes-blogs/How-To-Stab-Yourself.html?blogger=VBH

 

[AlanJardine]

Thanks Copepod. I thought we were allowed to donate now though? I'm still using the excuse I can't though, I already have enough blood tests and my veins are small so it can be quite traumatic for me if I get a dodgy nurse!

I tried to donate a few years ago but was told they they would not take any due to a recent change in medication. They were concerned that taking blood may have had an effect on me.

I also offered to donate to the labs that calibrate the machines that test HbA1c levels (as they were asking for volunteers), but was told I couldn't because I was on ramipril.

 

[katie]

I use my thumbs at the moment and he blood dont half come wuick , i find if i use my little fingerr or 3rd finger in takes about 3 goes befre i have sufficient blood amount

yeah thumbs always work 😎

 

[rossi_mac]

Wow I didn't know we weren't allowed to donate!!

Has any one commented on the readings obtained from taking blood from other areas, i.e. the ear!?! or arms, would be interested, may do some testing later!

I was told just to use the 3 fingers away from my thumb, I guess thats to do with not knackering the whole hand and affecting our grip, or am I totally wrong?

Great read tho peeps.

 

[insulinaddict09]

Wow I didn't know we weren't allowed to donate!!

Has any one commented on the readings obtained from taking blood from other areas, i.e. the ear!?! or arms, would be interested, may do some testing later!

I was told just to use the 3 fingers away from my thumb, I guess thats to do with not knackering the whole hand and affecting our grip, or am I totally wrong?

Great read tho peeps.

Hi Ross , I was told the same as you , not to use my thumb and undex finger , I was never told why though I dont think I like the idea of using Earlobes to test ewwww noo .

 

[rossi_mac]

Hi Ross , I was told the same as you , not to use my thumb and undex finger , I was never told why though I dont think I like the idea of using Earlobes to test ewwww noo .

No me either, I haven't got big old grandad lobs either, so I'm quite protective of them really!!

 

[VBH]

Hi Ross , I was told the same as you , not to use my thumb and undex finger , I was never told why though .

Because those are the fingers you are touching things with most of the time. If you are unwise enough to stab the pad of your finger rather than the sides, this will lead to soreness partly because of touching stuff with that testing point all the time and prevent it healing properly.

If you are using the sides of the finger it should not be a problem. If you're using 2 test points on the side of each finger, you have 40 test sites which gives even the most frequent testers time for the test sites to recover before being used again.

 

[rossi_mac]

Because those are the fingers you are touching things with most of the time. If you are unwise enough to stab the pad of your finger rather than the sides, this will lead to soreness partly because of touching stuff with that testing point all the time and prevent it healing properly.

If you are using the sides of the finger it should not be a problem. If you're using 2 test points on the side of each finger, you have 40 test sites which gives even the most frequent testers time for the test sites to recover before being used again.

I was told by my nursey, to use the area on the top of the finger that basically is almost in line with your nail line (so nearly the side but the top) I think I find it easier than the sides, and feel they get less dirty there? Am I the only one who doesn't do the sides??

 

[AJL]

I'd not heard of that before! I used to be a blood donor, and those standard lancets they use are much cruder than our finger-prickers, probably to deal with all thicknesses of skin, I guess.

When I first started doing blood tests I only had the lancets to use to stab my fingers - not an enjoyable experience - it was such a relief when the finger prickers were introduced.

 

[Northerner]

I was told by my nursey, to use the area on the top of the finger that basically is almost in line with your nail line (so nearly the side but the top) I think I find it easier than the sides, and feel they get less dirty there? Am I the only one who doesn't do the sides??

I was told you should use the sides - the keratin is thinner there, and there are fewer nerve-endings and pain receptors.