Anywhere else but fingers?

[Spudz]

Hi, probably been asked a hundred times but is there anywhere else on the body from which you can take blood sugar readings apart from the fingers? I'm using the Accu-Chek instant system at the moment. If there is another part of the body that can be used, and give reliable results, would I need different lancets?

 

[Satan’s little helper]

Hello, I read once somebody using their toes? I’ve accidentally cut my forearm or gashed my leg in the past & decided to use my meter on a sizeable amount of blood before cleaning the and or covering the wound.

 

[Thebearcametoo]

Blood is blood.

What are the reasons you can’t use your fingers? Maybe we can help with technique.

We use fingers because they bleed well and are easy to get to. There’s no reason not to use toes but that isn’t always practical. The fleshy bit below your thumbs is an option or down the little finger side of your hand but it all depends on why you’re struggling with your fingers


Would a sensor be better for you? They’re very accurate these days and mean you need to do minimal checks.

 

[Docb]

I was curious about this so a little while ago I took some tests using my toes. As far as I was concerned the numbers were not statistically significantly different. Reported it on the forum but cannot remember where or when.

 

[Lucyr]

Hi, probably been asked a hundred times but is there anywhere else on the body from which you can take blood sugar readings apart from the fingers? I'm using the Accu-Chek instant system at the moment. If there is another part of the body that can be used, and give reliable results, would I need different lancets?

You can use your toes, but why do you want to stop using your fingers? If you have fingers then those are the best places to test. If you don’t have fingers then understandably you’ll need to test somewhere else.

 

[mashedupmatt]

Do you use the Accu-Chek fast-clix lancing device as well? I do and it's brilliant - once you've worked out the right settings it never hurts and you always draw enough blood to get a reading (I can highly recommend it) - and easy to use on all fingers - no need for anywhere else

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Some finger pickers used to come with alternative ’caps’ for AST (Alternative Site Testing) eg forearm.

But instruction booklets used to say that AST didn’t give as reliable results and was not encouraged unless absolutely necessary (or something similar)

 

[Leadinglights]

The ear lobe is an alternative but not easy to do yourself and get the blood into the strip so someone would have to do it for you.
Better to look to getting your finger prick technique sorted out.

 

[trophywench]

Well FWIW I've been finger pricking since they first released it to the public - mid-late 1970s - had to buy your own meter but could get the strips on prescription, so I asked sister and parents for money for Xmas and birthday, saved it and Invested in my first meter, which cost nearly a whole months salary, which was just over £30 at the time. Anyway I've been using Accu-Chek since just after the turn of the century and only have the Fast Clix lancet set at 0.5, ie the shallowest setting.

 

[Spudz]

Blood is blood.

What are the reasons you can’t use your fingers? Maybe we can help with technique.

We use fingers because they bleed well and are easy to get to. There’s no reason not to use toes but that isn’t always practical. The fleshy bit below your thumbs is an option or down the little finger side of your hand but it all depends on why you’re struggling with your fingers


Would a sensor be better for you? They’re very accurate these days and mean you need to do minimal checks.

Not having too many problems with using fingers now, (changed technique recently and it's been better). I was just wondering if there was an alternative area I could for a change Looked at sensors but the price is a bit prohibitive at the moment.

 

[adamrit]

Hi, probably been asked a hundred times but is there anywhere else on the body from which you can take blood sugar readings apart from the fingers? I'm using the Accu-Chek instant system at the moment. If there is another part of the body that can be used, and give reliable results, would I need different lancets?

I used to test 8 times a day, now I use a Medtronic 780G pump and type 4 sensor and BG finger test 1 a week because the sensor id so accurate. No help if you’re not on continuous glucose monitoring. It is life changing after 68 years of Type 1

 

[Lisa65]

Well FWIW I've been finger pricking since they first released it to the public - mid-late 1970s - had to buy your own meter but could get the strips on prescription, so I asked sister and parents for money for Xmas and birthday, saved it and Invested in my first meter, which cost nearly a whole months salary, which was just over £30 at the time. Anyway I've been using Accu-Chek since just after the turn of the century and only have the Fast Clix lancet set at 0.5, ie the shallowest setting.

You must have soft skin Jenny, even with fastclix (which is by far the best one) I have to have it near maximum. I think I have leather instead of skin after years of kitchen work, burns and washing up in boiling hot water!

 

[Leadinglights]

You must have soft skin Jenny, even with fastclix (which is by far the best one) I have to have it near maximum. I think I have leather instead of skin after years of kitchen work, burns and washing up in boiling hot water!

What I used to find with supervising students pricking their fingers to get a blood sample for lab work, they were too hesitant and didn't actually put the lancing device firmly against their finger. We were needing to get many times more blood for the experiments than for the glucose test strip. The people who were most difficult were those who played the guitar as the fingers were quite tough.

 

[trophywench]

Blimy Lise! I hate and loathe any hard skin on the sides of my fingers - and having made quite a few bits of me non absorbent to injected insulin over the decades, I am now extremely anti those advocating eg the St Swithin's Day myth or re-using pen needles when you don't HAVE to. Very shortsighted to think 'Oh it's never going to happen to me' - because it damn well does happen to me, with a vengeance - sodding nuisance though it is when it does!

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Not having too many problems with using fingers now, (changed technique recently and it's been better). I was just wondering if there was an alternative area I could for a change Looked at sensors but the price is a bit prohibitive at the moment.

I was always advised to use the sides of my fingers (where there are fewer nerve endings), but to be careful not to be too close to the fingernail. Important too to regularly switch between fingers and to use all 4.

When I was checking very frequently (8-10x a day) I’d also sometimes stray onto the other sides, which is a little awkward, but does give you a whole new 4 spaces to use.

 

[rebrascora]

I could prick the same finger 16x a day (and did for a while) and not get sore and always get blood. I have had hard, dry skin on my hands and feet from being a child as I had eczema and used steroid creams for a decade. Never have problems getting blood though and surprisingly my current "bodger" is set at just 2 but it goes up to 7. Quite surprised at that!

 

[PerSpinasAdAstra]

Some info here on alternate site testing:

Alternate site testing for blood sugar levels

Can you test your blood sugar anywhere on your body besides your fingertips? Learn how and when it’s okay to use alternate site testing for blood sugar levels.

www.accu-chek.com

Finger tips are considered best because they have quick turnover of the blood under the skin. Blood from a fingertip better reflects real-time blood glucose levels than elsewhere, which becomes important when BG levels are changing fast.