Any suggestions on how to draw blood from permanently cold hands

[sheridan]

I’ve been fairly recently diagnosed with Type 2 (April 2023) and I’m really struggling to draw blood from my permanently cold fingers when attempting to do a blood/glucose test and most times it takes 2 or 3 attempts to get the smallest drop needed for my test strips. I’ve tried warming up my hands by rubbing them together, sitting on them, holding a hot cup of coffee, running them under very warm water, holding a hot water bottle, even cranking the lancet gadget up to maximum but nothing seems to work. After wiping away the first tiny blob, pretty much nothing for the test.

Any suggesting would be most welcome, thanks

 

[trophywench]

Well! - try using the first tiny blob then - cos most meters only need a lot less than you might imagine.

However once you're there, with your meter ready to use - have you tried just dangling the hand you're about to bodge downwards very loosely, ie relaxed, and giving it a ruddy good shake as fast and violent as you like, as if you are a toddler and something's stuck to your hand you want to get off?

 

[SB2015]

You might find that different fingers are more productive than others.
apart from that gravity and movement as @trophywench has suggested could help.

 

[sheridan]

Well! - try using the first tiny blob then - cos most meters only need a lot less than you might imagine.

However once you're there, with your meter ready to use - have you tried just dangling the hand you're about to bodge downwards very loosely, ie relaxed, and giving it a ruddy good shake as fast and violent as you like, as if you are a toddler and something's stuck to your hand you want to get off?

Thank you for your quick response. I thought that the first blob needed to be wiped away but if not that should help a lot. I’ve wasted quite a few of the strips because not enough blood could be taken. Even the nurses have trouble getting blood out of me for the HbA1c test as they can’t find a vein. Out of 5 appointments and 9 nurses they’ve only got a vial twice, one from the back of my hand on my first visit back in April and the last one from my foot earlier this week!

I’ll also try vigorously shaking my arms like a 2 year old. I’m hoping things will get easier the more I times I do it.

 

[sheridan]

You might find that different fingers are more productive than others.
apart from that gravity and movement as @trophywench has suggested could help.

Thank you for replying to my post. Although I vary which finger I use and what edge of the finger I have found that one finger yields more that the others. So my next question would be, do I stick to testing before each meal then testing 2 hours later (6x a day) and using different fingers each time or just test when I get up and before I go to bed (twice a day) using just the one finger. Unfortunately I’m not getting much help or info from my Health Centre.

 

[Leadinglights]

Thank you for replying to my post. Although I vary which finger I use and what edge of the finger I have found that one finger yields more that the others. So my next question would be, do I stick to testing before each meal then testing 2 hours later (6x a day) and using different fingers each time or just test when I get up and before I go to bed (twice a day) using just the one finger. Unfortunately I’m not getting much help or info from my Health Centre.

Whatever testing you do needs to be for a purpose, if you want to check progress day to day, week to week etc then you can check on waking and that will give you a fasting reading. If you want to check to effect of your meals then you need to test before you eat and after 2 hours aiming at an increase of no more than 2-3mmol/l or when levels come down no more than 8-8.5mmol/l, that will help you adjust your meals but once you find a meal is ok you wouldn't need to test that meal again. Otherwise you should test if you feel unwell. As time goes on you will be testing less.
One approach is to get breakfast sorted out so you start the day on a good blood glucose level, then maybe then test before and after dinner so you have a repertoire of safe meals only testing something new. Then try lunch.
As for technique, wash you hands in warm water and dry well, hold your hand below your heart and gently massage your finger towards the end. I find the middle finger the easiest, if you place your thumb on the pad of the finger and prick just to the side of there, you can press gently with your thumb and collect the drop with your strip. I hope that helps.

 

[sheridan]

Whatever testing you do needs to be for a purpose, if you want to check progress day to day, week to week etc then you can check on waking and that will give you a fasting reading. If you want to check to effect of your meals then you need to test before you eat and after 2 hours aiming at an increase of no more than 2-3mmol/l or when levels come down no more than 8-8.5mmol/l, that will help you adjust your meals but once you find a meal is ok you wouldn't need to test that meal again. Otherwise you should test if you feel unwell. As time goes on you will be testing less.
One approach is to get breakfast sorted out so you start the day on a good blood glucose level, then maybe then test before and after dinner so you have a repertoire of safe meals only testing something new. Then try lunch.
As for technique, wash you hands in warm water and dry well, hold your hand below your heart and gently massage your finger towards the end. I find the middle finger the easiest, if you place your thumb on the pad of the finger and prick just to the side of there, you can press gently with your thumb and collect the drop with your strip. I hope that helps.

Thank you Leadinglights for your reply I found your answers very useful indeed especially the advice about testing one mealtime at a time and getting that nailed then doing the same for another mealtime.

I’ll try your tip of using my thumb on a finger pad too.

 

[raaeft1]

Whatever testing you do needs to be for a purpose, if you want to check progress day to day, week to week etc then you can check on waking and that will give you a fasting reading. If you want to check to effect of your meals then you need to test before you eat and after 2 hours aiming at an increase of no more than 2-3mmol/l or when levels come down no more than 8-8.5mmol/l, that will help you adjust your meals but once you find a meal is ok you wouldn't need to test that meal again. Otherwise you should test if you feel unwell. As time goes on you will be testing less.
One approach is to get breakfast sorted out so you start the day on a good blood glucose level, then maybe then test before and after dinner so you have a repertoire of safe meals only testing something new. Then try lunch.
As for technique, wash you hands in warm water and dry well, hold your hand below your heart and gently massage your finger towards the end. I find the middle finger the easiest, if you place your thumb on the pad of the finger and prick just to the side of there, you can press gently with your thumb and collect the drop with your strip. I hope that helps.

As I am out mostly during lunch time it may not be feasible to check for lunch unless I am at home. So, I will check before and after dinner. My posts will reveal that I have checked for breakfast a few times since I became active here.

 

[raaeft1]

Whatever testing you do needs to be for a purpose, if you want to check progress day to day, week to week etc then you can check on waking and that will give you a fasting reading. If you want to check to effect of your meals then you need to test before you eat and after 2 hours aiming at an increase of no more than 2-3mmol/l or when levels come down no more than 8-8.5mmol/l, that will help you adjust your meals but once you find a meal is ok you wouldn't need to test that meal again. Otherwise you should test if you feel unwell. As time goes on you will be testing less.
One approach is to get breakfast sorted out so you start the day on a good blood glucose level, then maybe then test before and after dinner so you have a repertoire of safe meals only testing something new. Then try lunch.
As for technique, wash you hands in warm water and dry well, hold your hand below your heart and gently massage your finger towards the end. I find the middle finger the easiest, if you place your thumb on the pad of the finger and prick just to the side of there, you can press gently with your thumb and collect the drop with your strip. I hope that helps.

Will try testing with the middle finger as suggested by you.

 

[helli]

As I am out mostly during lunch time it may not be feasible to check for lunch unless I am at home. So, I will check before and after dinner. My posts will reveal that I have checked for breakfast a few times since I became active here.

I do not understand why it is not feasible to test when out for lunch. It is something I have done for 20 years. At first I was a little nervous about what others may think but I soon realised no one notices or if they do, they do not comment.
I must keepy testing kit with me at all times which is no problem as it is small

 

[Nayshiftin]

When you wash your hands before you test. i find if i bathe them in hot water they stay warm enough once dried to test. Just washing under the tap doesn’t heat as much if you immerse them . Worth a try anyways. I also usually make my coffee first thing and hold the hot mug to take through to have after. If your hands are still cold s hot water bottle might help. (0ops you've tried all that)I only get this in winter or if out in the cold. Mostly I am the opposite hot all the time. Hope you find what helps.

 

[sheridan]

Thank you Leadinglights for your reply I found your answers very useful indeed especially the advice about testing one mealtime at a time and getting that nailed then doing the same for another mealtime.

I’ll try your tip of using my thumb on a finger pad too.

Hi Leadinglights I tried your suggestions this morning and they worked brilliantly. Thank you

 

[sheridan]

when you wash your hands before you trst. i find if i bstge them in hot water they stsy warm enough once dried to test. Just washing under the tap dont heat as much if you immerse them . Worth a try anyways. I also usually make my coffee first thing and hold the hot mug to take through to have after. if your hands are still cold s hot water bottle might help. I only get this in winter or if out in the cold. Mostly I amthe opposite hot all the time.

Thank you Nayshiftin for your tips above, I think when the weather gets colder here I may have to invest in a hot water bottle!

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Glad to hear you’ve found some of the suggestions helpful @sheridan

Hope the BG checks you are taking provide you with useful information to adjust your meals for improved levels 🙂