Hello..newby here

[joegeordie]

I've just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (out of the blue, no symptoms as such!)..have been given a 4Sure Smart monitoring system with 32g lancets, I understand how to use it but having difficulty actually drawing any drops of blood ..Any advice welcome..Thank you..

 

[PerSpinasAdAstra]

The most common tip I've read on here is to make sure your hands are warm so that there is blood circulating to your finger tips - washing them for a while in in warm water may help for example. Also the lancet will probably have a depth setting on it - a piece you can rotate to set the depth that the needle penetrates - usually settings numbered 1 to 5 with 5 being the deepest.

The best tip I've read which usually works for me is to massage the blood in your finger to the tip with a 'milking a cow' motion - forcing as much of the blood in your finger as possible to the point where you pricked your finger. If none of that works maybe try pricking the tip or pad of the finger. It's a little more painful as there are more nerves there I think, though when I get impatient trying to get a drop of blood I tend to resort to pricking the finger tip rather than keep pricking the side of my finger as I was instructed to do by the diabetes nurse. For whatever reason, my fingers bleed better from the tip than at the side.

 

[joegeordie]

The most common tip I've read on here is to make sure your hands are warm so that there is blood circulating to your finger tips - washing them for a while in in warm water may help for example. Also the lancet will probably have a depth setting on it - a piece you can rotate to set the depth that the needle penetrates - usually settings numbered 1 to 5 with 5 being the deepest.

The best tip I've read which usually works for me is to massage the blood in your finger to the tip with a 'milking a cow' motion - forcing as much of the blood in your finger as possible to the point where you pricked your finger. If none of that works maybe try pricking the tip or pad of the finger. It's a little more painful as there are more nerves there I think, though when I get impatient trying to get a drop of blood I tend to resort to pricking the finger tip rather than keep pricking the side of my finger as I was instructed to do by the diabetes nurse. For whatever reason, my fingers bleed better from the tip than at the side.

Thank you.. I'll give your tips a go..

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @joegeordie

I’ve never used the meter you mention, but over the years I’ve had a few with finger-bodgers that seem more like the kind of thing you got out of a cracker in the 70s.

If @PerSpinasAdAstra ’s helpful tips don’t work (especially the depth setting) you may decide to upgrade your fingerpricking device. I’ve used Accu-chek ones almost exclusively for 30 years, no matter what meter I'm using. Their Fastclix is super reliable and comfortable to use.

 

[joegeordie]

Welcome to the forum @joegeordie

I’ve never used the meter you mention, but over the years I’ve had a few with finger-bodgers that seem more like the kind of thing you got out of a cracker in the 70s.

If @PerSpinasAdAstra ’s helpful tips don’t work (especially the depth setting) you may decide to upgrade your fingerpricking device. I’ve used Accu-chek ones almost exclusively for 30 years, no matter what meter I'm using. Their Fastclix is super reliable and comfortable to use.

Thank you..may need to think about Accu-check thingy..

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Thank you..may need to think about Accu-check thingy..

They come with a little drum of lancets, but I change lancets so rarely the ones that come with the device usually last as long as it does!

 

[grovesy]

Boots sometimes have them on offer.