I've found some extra fingers...

[rossi_mac]

I was told you should use the sides - the keratin is thinner there, and there are fewer nerve-endings and pain receptors.

Stop using strange words - Keratin???

Anyway I get what you mean, but can I suggest you give it a go, the skin pretty thin on top too. Not much pain either, well I don;t think so.

If you do let us know what you think.

 

[rossi_mac]

I was told you should use the sides - the keratin is thinner there, and there are fewer nerve-endings and pain receptors.

Just dug this thread up as I saw nursey this week, she said to use the side not the top but to be honest I find it really hard to get blood out the side of my fingers, much easier on top! Thats all. Cheers.

 

[Becca]

We were told we could use the tips of fingers/thumbs and sides, i know of people using earlobes and the fleshy bit on the palm of your hand. Also forearm, with the cap that comes with the lancet device although not when hypo.

Just checked and you can also test on upper arm, thigh or calf - anyone else done them here????

 

[Adrienne]

If you test on the arm with the other top to the lancet device then you will not get a true reading if you have eaten within the preceeding 2 hours.

Heels are also ok and are used for babies up to about a year old then you move to the fingers. We have been told by numerous people to use the upper sides only of the fingers and try and avoid the index finger.

 

[VBH]

Consistency is the key because as Adrienne has mentioned, its not the same as you would expect from a fingerprick test. Glucose levels should be lower, the further out from the body the test point is. So all the recommended BG limits are based on fingerprick tests.

Arm tests and so on will always be higher so they may cause more confusion than anything else. But if you were to get used to using approximately the same position on the arm then it would be consistent enough for you to gauge results against each other.

Might as well stick to 4 test points on each finger.

 

[Caroline]

I always use fingers and thumbs. I was told to go as close to the nail as possible, but find that too uncomfortable

 

[Twitchy]

When I first started doing blood tests I only had the lancets to use to stab my fingers - not an enjoyable experience - it was such a relief when the finger prickers were introduced.

Does anyone remember the "Autolet" finger pricking device?! OMG that was scary 😱...hard to describe, but unlike the penlike devices around now the lancet was exposed to view, on an arm on the outer arc of the device, which looked like a kind of squashed, rounded tiangle shape (sorry, pants description!)...you cocked the device by pulling the arm with the lancet in it to the top til it clicked, put your finger against the finger rest at the bottom, pressed the button at the top (once you'd screwed up enough courage in my case! 😱) & watched the lancet swoop down around the arc towards your finger! It wasn't too gentle either!! I now use an Accu-Chek softclix device which in comparison is a delight! 🙂

 

[Northerner]

Does anyone remember the "Autolet" finger pricking device?! OMG that was scary 😱...hard to describe, but unlike the penlike devices around now the lancet was exposed to view, on an arm on the outer arc of the device, which looked like a kind of squashed, rounded tiangle shape (sorry, pants description!)......

Here you go - it was a good description! Looks vicious!!!

 

[sofaraway]

yep that would take some courage to use!

When I was first diagnosed I didn't have a lancet device so my mum would use the lancet and do it manually, it really hurt and stopped me doing my own tests for ages.

 

[Donald]

ekk 😱that look's as though it could be painful or is that just in the mind after seeing.

 

[Northerner]

ekk 😱that look's as though it could be painful or is that just in the mind after seeing.

I think the distance it travels is the scary thing! My lancet (a multiclix) probably travels a few millimetres - this thing looks as though it goes about 5 centimetres! It's a weapon of mass destruction!😱

 

[Donald]

I think the distance it travels is the scary thing! My lancet (a multiclix) probably travels a few millimetres - this thing looks as though it goes about 5 centimetres! It's a weapon of mass destruction!😱

Adsolutely I think it is the anticipation just before push the button that will make it seem more painful

Donald

 

[Twitchy]

Ooooh yes, it was an "interesting" experience...for some reason it always puts me in mind of madame guillotine!!😛 ...we too had the lancet only thing...didn't like that much either!

I also recall going through a phase of hating injections...so they gave me this steel tube thing that you put the syringe into, twisted the end piece to lock the syringe in, cocked by pulling the ends apart til the click, & then you had to put the "needle end" against your skin & gently press down...it was pressure activated & would go "clunk"!! & more or less shove the syringe into your leg 😱 lol!! After a few weeks of this I decided I'd go back to taking my chances with the syrgine on it's own!!

All I can say is Thank God for insulin pens (crude as they are) & softclix devices!!