Blood meter problems

[Inkypudding]

Can someone give me some advice on the blood meter, my Husband pricks my finger and follows the instructions to take a sample and it keeps saying Error.4 I understand this means not enough blood, most nights my Husband has to draw blood 3 times on different fingers, do we need to go deeper what are the best sites to use, is it always fingers he’s using No.4 depth and it’s quite painful has anyone else had problems when they first started, I feel like stopping but I know it’s important.

 

[Docb]

Which meter are you using?

 

[Inkypudding]

I have two one is TEE2+ and the other is CareSens Dual both provided by my Doctor

 

[grovesy]

I have not used either of the meters but I have used a few different meters over the last 20 years and some brands of test strips seem more fussy about application of the blood they take up and some seem to need a big a drop than other.
Maybes it might worth looking on You Yube to see if there are any how to use videos for the meters.

 

[Docb]

I don’t have experience of them either. Cannot better grovesy’s suggestion.

 

[Inkypudding]

I have not used either of the meters but I have used a few different meters over the last 20 years and some brands of test strips seem more fussy about application of the blood they take up and some seem to need a big a drop than other.
Maybes it might worth looking on You Yube to see if there are any how to use videos for the meters.

Thank you I will have a look on You Tube as you suggest thanks

 

[Becka]

do we need to go deeper what are the best sites to use, is it always fingers he’s using No.4 depth

If there is still blood on the finger after the test strip has filled, then you do not need more blood. You only need a clean finger (to avoid contamination which can give an incorrect reading) and as much blood as the test strips requires. Depth does not matter, extra blood is just wasted.

I am right handed so just use the sides of the fingers on my left hand. Very occasionally I may test on my right hand, but normally only do this to double check an unusual reading. I suppose it would make sense to cycle through the fingers in turn, but I just pick them at random. Maybe by now I am subconsciously cycling?

But error codes are different for each manufacturer, so you need to check the manual to see what error 4 means on your particular device.

On my current one, error 4 is simply a "technical error" and you need to call the manufacturer for assistance. But on my previous one it meant any of: it is too cold to work properly (under 6 °C); the test strip may be damaged; you are not using it properly (not enough blood in the strip); or a technical error and you need to call the manufacturer.

Both manuals list customer helplines so you can contact them for support.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry to hear you are finding getting blood samples painful.

I rarely feel much discomfort when getting a sample - i wonder whether there might be some practical tips that might help you. Washing hands in warm water... Hanging your hands down by your sides, and/or shaking your fingers to encourage blood flow... gently ‘milking’ the finger at the base...

Or try these from AlanS

Painless Pricks

Managing blood glucose levels for type 2 diabetes. Learning how to achieve long term control by testing and diet.

loraldiabetes.blogspot.com

 

[Gwynn]

I now use 33G lancets and the pain is a lot less. Drawing a good enough blood sample is difficult for me if my hands are or have been cold. Oddly warming up my feet with a hot water bottle seems to help.

 

[helli]

I often warm my hands against a mug of fresh tea* before taking blood from them.
The warmth of the tea helps the blood flow and as I have Reynaud's I sometimes need the assistance.

*coffee will work just as well

 

[grovesy]

I find the Accu Chek Fast clix the least painful lancing device I have ever used in 20 years, bought mine when on offer in Boots.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I find the Accu Chek Fast clix the least painful lancing device I have ever used in 20 years, bought mine when on offer in Boots.

Yes me too. I’ve used Accu-Chek finger prickers since the start, and they are always reliable and comfortable.

 

[ianf0ster]

I use a Tee2 and initially I got lots of Error 4's because of not enough blood.
Once I started using the thinner skin at the sides of my fingers and washing my hands in very warm water I hardly got them any more until the lancet started to get a little blunt (lancet's last at least a week for me).

 

[CivicFreak]

I find the Accu Chek Fast clix the least painful lancing device I have ever used in 20 years, bought mine when on offer in Boots.

I agree! I bought myself an Accu Chek Mobile a couple of years ago when I was diagnosed as type 2. Although expensive, I bought the Mobile for convenience and this comes with the fastclix device. I agree this has to be the easiest and least painful device I've used. Recently I was re-diagnosed as type 1 and my doctors gave me a Menarini GlucoMen Areo 2K. In comparison the finger pricker on the Areo is terrible. Now I get my Accu Chek lancets and cassettes on prescription but if not, I highly recommend buying a Fastclix device. Info in the link below.

Accu-Chek FastClix

Accu-Chek FastClix is a one-click lancing device, with an integrated drum containing six lancets, for gentle and hygienic finger pricking.

www.accu-chek.co.uk

 

[grovesy]

Yes me too. I’ve used Accu-Chek finger prickers since the start, and they are always reliable and comfortable.

I was that impressed that I have one upstairs and one downstairs, and bought one for a spare too, in case of a breakage. Might have even usd my Advantage points I can't remember now.

 

[grovesy]

I agree! I bought myself an Accu Chek Mobile a couple of years ago when I was diagnosed as type 2. Although expensive, I bought the Mobile for convenience and this comes with the fastclix device. I agree this has to be the easiest and least painful device I've used. Recently I was re-diagnosed as type 1 and my doctors gave me a Menarini GlucoMen Areo 2K. In comparison the finger pricker on the Areo is terrible. Now I get my Accu Chek lancets and cassettes on prescription but if not, I highly recommend buying a Fastclix device. Info in the link below.

Accu-Chek FastClix

Accu-Chek FastClix is a one-click lancing device, with an integrated drum containing six lancets, for gentle and hygienic finger pricking.

www.accu-chek.co.uk

I self fund but I buy from Boots when they are on offer.

 

[silentsquirrel]

Some meters are fussier than others about how you apply the blood to the strip - once you have a drop of blood on your finger (and lots of good advice above on achieving that!), offer the tip of the strip into the blood, don't try to place the blood on top of the strip, the strip sucks it up from the end.

 

[Inka]

Can someone give me some advice on the blood meter, my Husband pricks my finger and follows the instructions to take a sample and it keeps saying Error.4 I understand this means not enough blood, most nights my Husband has to draw blood 3 times on different fingers, do we need to go deeper what are the best sites to use, is it always fingers he’s using No.4 depth and it’s quite painful has anyone else had problems when they first started, I feel like stopping but I know it’s important.

Check he’s applying the blood to the strip a) at the right time (applying a fraction too early can lead to error codes) and b) in the right place and in the right way (some strips need the blood at the end, some the side, some suck it up, some absorb if, some’s ‘end’ is actually a fraction underneath the end, some a fraction above the end, etc).

Also check he’s not moving the meter too much or dropping it down heavily. My meter sometimes tells me that I’ve applied the blood incorrectly when I haven’t even applied any blood! I’ve worked out this was due to a slight jolt when I laid the meter down on the kitchen top.

 

[Drummer]

I wondered about the timing. I use the Tee 2 and have never had a failure.
I get everything ready with the strip on top of the meter not already in place, work the stabber, I need to use No 5 depth as I play various musical instruments and my finger tips are slightly thickened. I slide in the strip, wait for it to 'pip' and then apply the blood. It doesn't seem to need much.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I find a short gap between bodging my finger and trying to encourage a droplet out helps too @Drummer

Just checking that you are gently ‘milking’ your finger @Inkypudding - and not trying to jab so deep that a droplet forms by itself.

You don’t want to ‘squeeze’ because that can force tissue fluid out with the blood, and spoil the result, but a little gentle encouragement can create a droplet from a very modest fingerpoke 🙂