Help please! Glucose Monitoring - technical support

[Neens]

Evening, I finally got a monitor and was shown how to use it - my glucose level was better than on diagnosis (17.5)! Of course by the time I came to set up at home I had to find a video to remind me and using that and the instruction pictures... I messed up - so many times there is not a message box long enough!
I understand that our information needs to be accessible to all but am driven mad at the moment by printed materials/ advice (not forum/ I meaning the packs we are given and online) being set to a patronising level of basic but when it comes to a pump with a needle and electronic gadgetry even the instruction manuals say - now do this - without showing you how to prepare/set up to do it!
Long and short I didn't get a reading/used several needles and test strips and have just cooked a healthy tea!

I was feeling as if my blood sugars were low.

So if anyone is technical please help - I have since read the manual properly - still can't get it working.

Told to put strip in 1st and that was all correct and the meter showed the raindrop (I know it's blood) for ages whilst I struggled to get the pen ready - by the time I came to drop blood (even with pressure/using side of pad/finger/using different fingers/and setting to max intensity shot I cannot draw enough blood to drip onto the test strip), beyond this the screen set to MEM - I understand but couldn't get it to take a reading. Just showed previous one.

Wouldn't even do that on 2nd attempt.
Now I just have snicked fingers and am annoyed!

It won't send me to the screen to take readings. Have done all IT usual off/on again etc.

URGH!

Also reassurance that we can't all take to it like ducks to water will help pacify my ego! ;-)
I can't even manage to put contacts in! I have just had a month of blood tests and all that - fine if someone else attacks me with sharp pointy things!

In hope - thanks!

 

[Felinia]

I struggled for the first couple of days - I thought I was the thickest moron on the Forum!! I quickly learned to get everything on the lancet ready first, set to the right depth (3 for me), wash my hands, and only then putting the strip in the meter. (Are you sure you're putting the strip in the right way - I wasn't which was one of my problems?) Whilst it was counting down to ready I then pricked the side of my finger and squeezed around to get a decent drop - it didn't take much - and it didn't have a chance to coagulate. And I've had no problems since - apart from very sore fingers!!!

 

[Kaylz]

Try warming your hands just before you prick, whether that be washing in warm water and drying OR putting under your armpit for a while before, its often easier to get blood when warm

Regarding the meter, have you taken the battery/batteries out and reinserted? You may be better mentioning which meter you are actually using as every meter is different
xx

 

[Neens]

I struggled for the first couple of days - I thought I was the thickest moron on the Forum!! I quickly learned to get everything on the lancet ready first, set to the right depth (3 for me), wash my hands, and only then putting the strip in the meter. (Are you sure you're putting the strip in the right way - I wasn't which was one of my problems?) Whilst it was counting down to ready I then pricked the side of my finger and squeezed around to get a decent drop - it didn't take much - and it didn't have a chance to coagulate. And I've had no problems since - apart from very sore fingers!!!

Thanks, Felinia - I will try again tomorrow, or later if need be. I double checked the strip with instructions before I put it in because I was confused/couldn't remember which way up - so that was in okay. The settings I hope will reset and yes, I will do it the opposite way to the way I was advised now I know how long it takes me to set up without a nurse beside me! Thank you.
Fingers crossed - well I would if they weren't feeling prickly! 🙄 Sure it will get easier!

 

[Neens]

Try warming your hands just before you prick, whether that be washing in warm water and drying OR putting under your armpit for a while before, its often easier to get blood when warm

Regarding the meter, have you taken the battery/batteries out and reinserted? You may be better mentioning which meter you are actually using as every meter is different
xx

Thanks, Kaylz - sorry thought I had (was in ranting head space) AgaMatrix.
Great advice re: warm hands & batteries.
I will try both. Cheers.

 

[Drummer]

I get everything ready, but place the strip on top of the meter, not in it.
After stabbing and getting a drop of blood, I steady the meter under the side of the stabbed hand, insert the strip with the other one, then rotate the meter on the desk and pick up, collect the blood as soon as the drop symbol shows.
The settings do not need to be redone once they've been gone through once, there is a process to adjust if necessary, or a wrong thing has been put in.

 

[Ralph-YK]

Told to put strip in 1st and that was all correct and the meter showed the raindrop (I know it's blood) for ages whilst I struggled to get the pen ready

Pen? Do you mean the Lancet? The device to prick your finger? What's the difficulty you are having with it?

 

[Dave W]

Hi @Neens ! Yes it can be a bit confusing when it's all new and one is trying to get things right as there seem so many steps in the process that need to be done properly. Here's what I found helped me to get a sample successfully:
1. Place test strip ON, not yet IN the meter, with the sampling end outward and correct way up.
2. Prepare lancing device by inserting lancet, dialing correct depth and cocking (tensioning) the device.
3. Not essential, but does help produce a good sample - Warm hand in basin of hot water.
4. Insert test strip in meter.
5. Briefly massage finger in direction away from heart and prick finger and squeeze out a drop of blood.
6. Apply blood to test strip.
7. Suck finger and go and have a cuppa. Job's done!

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I think it's just a matter of practice. Once you've got the hang of it it's (for most of us, anyway) very easy. Took me a while to work out which way the Optium test strip went into the reader, but that's just because it was a bit new to me. (Though I'm sure some people find it harder to get blood than I do; programmers probably have thinner skin on our fingers than average.)

 

[Ljc]

I hope these videos help , check out video number 4 first
https://agamatrix.co.uk/support/videos/

You might find this blog by Alan S helpful
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/2006/10/painless-pricks.html

And yes it does take practice to persuade enough blood to come out when you need to test, yet when you don’t need to test , ie when washing up , preparing food the merest touch with a knife you bleed like a stuck pig .

Amongst all the other things previously mentioned, I found it can take a second or three before squeezing finger will produce enough blood.


Other than inserting the testing strip the correct way round in the meter you shouldn’t have to set your meter up each time, all the meters I’ve used ,switch in when I insert a test strip, then let you know when they are ready for you to apply the blood msample often 5 seconds ,

 

[Drummer]

By the way - there ought to be instructions with the devices - they will be specific to those devices.
I often find that people who are having problems with their knitting machines are trying to follow a video made on a different brand of machine. It means that I get more money - I charge for the visit, but it is something which can seem wrong. The knitting machines also have manuals.

 

[Felinia]

Hi @Neens ! Yes it can be a bit confusing when it's all new and one is trying to get things right as there seem so many steps in the process that need to be done properly. Here's what I found helped me to get a sample successfully:
1. Place test strip ON, not yet IN the meter, with the sampling end outward and correct way up.
2. Prepare lancing device by inserting lancet, dialing correct depth and cocking (tensioning) the device.
3. Not essential, but does help produce a good sample - Warm hand in basin of hot water.
4. Insert test strip in meter.
5. Briefly massage finger in direction away from heart and prick finger and squeeze out a drop of blood.
6. Apply blood to test strip.
7. Suck finger and go and have a cuppa. Job's done!

Great reply Dave, wish I'd had it that comprehensively laid out in the instructions, not just pictures!!

 

[Docb]

Hi Neens, one of the really annoying things about the modern style of instruction booklet is that they are written by people who know what to do! They also have to be very colourful, full of arty pictures and make everything look very easy. I doubt if anybody took the kit and the instructions, gave them to a random person and said, measure your blood glucose and come back and tell me when you have done it.

I bought a smart watch last week and had to take it back. Simply could not work out whether it was faults with me, the on-line manual, or the watch which was the reason why I could not get the thing to do what the flash advertising said it would do.

 

[Toucan]

Hi Neens,
There is some very useful advice here, hope it all works OK for you now.
The only small thing I can add, is if you are having difficulty getting the blood drip to appear, it sometimes helps to use gravity and lower your arm downwards and give it a quick shake.
Hope things are going Ok otherwise with working out the best plan for you.

 

[Toucan]

I bought a smart watch last week and had to take it back. Simply could not work out whether it was faults with me, the on-line manual, or the watch which was the reason why I could not get the thing to do what the flash advertising said it would do.

Hi Docb, I have the same problem and mine is still sitting in the drawer unused. I'm not usually too bad with technology but this one defeated me. I'm hoping that my young grandson will help me work it out when he next visits.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Most meters I have used over the years have had a ‘timeout’ if the strip has been in for a while, but no blood applied.

Usually if I pull the strip out and push it back in again that’s enough to wake them up.

You've had some good suggestions so far, so hopefully it will all come much more easily next time.

 

[grovesy]

I have found that some models of meters can be fussy about the spot of blood they will perform with. My Microdot does not seem too fussy, my libre handset can be slightly fussy, but my Dario seemed to be very fussy.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

my libre handset can be slightly fussy

Yes, the Optium test strips need much more blood than my Accu-Chek ones, so they definitely vary.

 

[Neens]

A huge thank you to all of you! WHOOP (yes shouting) never thought a successful lancing would bring me such joy and reading not too bad either! It is done. As with all things in life it takes getting used to and once you have it is alright. I still don't bleed well though but used the warm water idea and applying pressure up the finger afterwards.



*Warning: In a happy place - long thread/overuse of emicons & exclamation marks!*

@Drummer - thanks for the advice your way of taking a reading is impressively gymnastic by the sounds. 🙂 Great advice to put strip on top of meter. Thank you. And re: knitting machines, I did make sure the watch was for the same product. But the video link Ljc sent was far better than the one I found. To be fair my 1st attempt I used the pictorial instructions in the box and only when I failed to get a reading did I go online. Cast on!
@Ralph-YK yep - I meant Lancet - all a new language to me. 😉 The problem was mainly me - being technically inept!

@Dave W thanks for listing success. Especially liked have a cuppa etc - decided to post a BIG THANK YOU instead. 🙂

@Bruce Stephens thanks for making me feel better about it. An arrow on the test strip would have been too obvious. 🙄

@Ljc thanks for superb video links these not only helped in reaching a successful reading today but also showed me the other bits I had managed but not done the correct way (yes, like pulling the needle out manually whilst wondering what that release latch on the side did... it was covered and no harm done) I did think it was a bit weird to have to pull it out yourself! I also realised that you can move the needle up before you take the cap off initially and this probably allows for a better incision. I hadn't done that ... so small wonder there was little impact on my flesh! I was also holding the lancet upside down when I changed the depth (didn't see the circles were different sizes) and so had made it less intense not more. 😳

@Docb that makes me feel better - at home we have a joke about my tech trousers because anything electrical gets sabotaged by my magnetic field and lack of tech logic!

@Toucan thanks for the tip, makes perfect sense. As for the rest of the treatment I feel my Healthcare team are great, which is positive and I have the course booked and retinopathy. I am scared about my insides but trying not to think too much about it - tests with issues (high results) were repeated and future planning has already been explained - we will do this if this happens/doesn't happen etc. I am a little angry with my body for being broken! But it could be worse. I have lost a little weight and at least I enjoy healthy foods. This must be really difficult for people who have issues with food choices. Thanks for asking.🙂

@everydayupsanddowns thanks - I have since realised that on my 2nd failed attempt if I had reinserted the strip it may have worked - I know better now as after 5 minutes it shuts down. Had no idea I had been battling with the lancet for that long.

@grovesy thanks - I had already blamed my tools/fussy meter - but today I have to admit - it was me! 😉


Tech nightmare over for now. Thank you all!

 

[Bruce Stephens]

One thing all manufacturers ought to do is have a simple (one minute or so) video showing someone doing a blood test, making sure it shows which way the test strip goes in and so on.