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Fed up of pricking my fingers!!

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veganlass

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Now I know how my BG's are over the day. I am easing off testing my BG's

Fed up of pricking myself !.

Ive certainly stopped doing the evening ones. I have tended to forget doing it anyway.

Think I will just do the odd ones. I know when I drop level due to jittery hands so I just have something to eat. Other times I generally know what my BG's are.
 
I know how you feel! Even the lowest setting hurts me sometimes!!!
 
I've been thinking of cutting down on testing too, my trouble is I don't know when I'm high without testing. Maybe I'll drop my lunch time test, will save one hit on the finger!
 
Are you not all on insulin?

I would never inject it without knowing my level before, and especially with driving too!😱

What I will say is the first finger pricker I got was EVIL - very painful. Then I got (from another diabetic, not the hospital!) a OneTouch Comfort one and the difference was amazing - it really doesn't hurt like the other two did. Maybe worth asking for one that is kinder to your fingers.

Also I only use my last 3 fingers on each hand, not my thumb of forefinger, and always try to use the sides of the pads as it's not as sore most of the time.
 
Me too, guess it's a necessary evil but after so long doing it I find it really hard to get enough blood out now :(
 
lauraw1983 said:
Are you not all on insulin?

I would never inject it without knowing my level before, and especially with driving too!😱

What I will say is the first finger pricker I got was EVIL - very painful. Then I got (from another diabetic, not the hospital!) a OneTouch Comfort one and the difference was amazing - it really doesn't hurt like the other two did. Maybe worth asking for one that is kinder to your fingers.

Also I only use my last 3 fingers on each hand, not my thumb of forefinger, and always try to use the sides of the pads as it's not as sore most of the time.
Click to expand...

I just got hold of the Comfort one from One Touch, and the difference is amazing 🙂 I just have to wait for my fingers to recover from the other evil device!
 
its not the pricking

Its not the pricking that bugs me it finding one which will bleed!!!!
 
Try 46yrs of some sort of testing. Up to now its the best ! 😉
 
I can understand you guys that have type 1, but surely type 2 lot doesnt go seriously hypo?.

When I feel 'hypo' ie jittery hands, my BG is always above 4. So why do I need to check so often?.
 
veganlass said:
I can understand you guys that have type 1, but surely type 2 lot doesnt go seriously hypo?.

When I feel 'hypo' ie jittery hands, my BG is always above 4. So why do I need to check so often?.
Click to expand...
I think because being on insulin you have the possibility of going very hypo. if you get the dose wrong because your meal had less carbs or was slower.

you could run higher all the time of course.
 
I can understand you guys that have type 1, but surely type 2 lot doesnt go seriously hypo?.
Click to expand...

Hypos have nothing to do with blood sugar testing. The reason T1s test their blood sugar is for the same reason T2s should test - to get an overall picture of the quality of their control and make lifestyle and treatment adjustments as necessary.

If you are a T2, not on insulin and find you are getting repeatedly good results (ie. readings over 4 and never above 8), then you can probably afford to dial back on the testing a bit as unless you dramatically change your diet or activity level, your have fewer variables that will affect your BG compared to a T1.

However, I would suggest that if you are having hypo readings over 4, then your control probably tends towards the higher side, something that will need correcting. If your body is used to higher BGs, it will interpret 'normal' as hypo - this is not good for long-term outcomes.
 
Although testing can be a pain - if you are going to drive and you are on insulin its very important.

The DVLA have recommendations in place. Test before you drive - if below 5 have a snack. If below 4 treat hypo and don't drive for at least 45 minutes after blood sugars are back in the "normal" range.
 
margie said:
Although testing can be a pain - if you are going to drive and you are on insulin its very important.

The DVLA have recommendations in place. Test before you drive - if below 5 have a snack. If below 4 treat hypo and don't drive for at least 45 minutes after blood sugars are back in the "normal" range.
Click to expand...
Hi MARGIE
It's now a legal requirement, not a recommendation. This is an excerpt from their leaflet "A guide to completing Diab1" (form for applying for your licence)
● If you have insulin treatment, you must sign and
date the declaration. This will confirm that you
understand that you must test your blood glucose/
sugar when you drive.
● This is a legal requirement and the DVLA medical
panel have defined that you need to do this before
the first journey and every 2 hours while driving.
● If you make numerous short trips you do not have
to test before each journey as long as you test
every 2 hours while driving. Please note if you do
not sign the declaration we will not progress
your case and will return the form for you to fill
in. If you do not sign the declaration, we will not
give you a licence to drive.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Currently I test 4 times a day. I always test before a meal, hardly any other time unless i'm unsure whether i'm actually low or not. The benefit of testing before a meal is to indicate whether you need to add any correction dose.

Right now i'd never stop testing before i go to bed because if you go low then night time is the worst time for it to happen because you wouldn't necessarily be aware of it.

I'm pretty thin, but I don't seem to have problems getting blood out. So i'm lucky with that. I can understand how awful it is for those that struggle to get blood because it can mean doing several pricks just for one test.

I might check out the One Touch Comfort. Currently I use the Aviva, Accu-Check. It's ok, but if the Comfort is more caring to the fingers then i'd rather go with that.
 
veganlass said:
Now I know how my BG's are over the day. I am easing off testing my BG's#]

Fed up of pricking myself !.

Ive certainly stopped doing the evening ones. I have tended to forget doing it anyway.

Think I will just do the odd ones. I know when I drop level due to jittery hands so I just have something to eat. Other times I generally know what my BG's are.
Click to expand...

Can I make a suggestion?

If you wash your fingers first in warm water (I've also used the hot air hand dryer in a public loo when out) and use the sides of your fingers where there are less nerve endings you can turn down the depth of the pricker so it hurts far less.

I can use the second of nine settings now and I hardly notice it. Clean hands also reduces false readings.

I hope that helps.
 
Thanks. I just feel the only time I need to do it, is perhaps when I do feel 'jittery' Only twice since starting insulin Ive been below 4.

Today after a gym session I had jittery hands and as I was out I knew, without testing, that my Bg was low so went into a cafe and had a sarnie and a coffee.

The only time of the day my Bg's are low is late morning. Other time it runs between 6 to 8.8 .

so this is what I mean, why do it?.
 
I got the one touch verio pro it's great it doesn't hurt & uses the tiniest amount of blood got it free by going on the website
 
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