Not bleeding!

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Stuart60

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Type 2
Hi
Does anyone else have issues drawing blood for fingerprick tests?
I struggle to draw enough blood using the fingerprick tests if indeed at all draw blood. This morning it took me 6 attempts to get enough blood to get the test meter to register
 
Stuart60 said:
Hi
Does anyone else have issues drawing blood for fingerprick tests?
I struggle to draw enough blood using the fingerprick tests if indeed at all draw blood. This morning it took me 6 attempts to get enough blood to get the test meter to register
Click to expand...
Having spent many years getting finger prick sample from people I found just to the side of the pad was the best place, making sure your hands are warm, massage the finger towards the end before pricking and then apply gentle pressure just behind where you have pricked and touch the strip to the drop. You only need a tiny drop of blood for the strip whereas I was having to get 50x that much, but it usually worked unless somebody played the guitar and their fingers were very tough. We used disposable lancets so no adjustment for depth.
 
Check the depth of the poker and use the side of your finger after washing your hand in warm water and drying.
 
Sorry to hear you are having trouble getting enough of a sample for your BG strips @Stuart60

AlanS wrote this blog post many years ago, with some practical tips for reducing discomfort when getting fingerprick samples:

Painless Pricks

Managing blood glucose levels for type 2 diabetes. Learning how to achieve long term control by testing and diet.
loraldiabetes.blogspot.com loraldiabetes.blogspot.com
 
Leadinglights said:
Having spent many years getting finger prick sample from people I found just to the side of the pad was the best place, making sure your hands are warm, massage the finger towards the end before pricking and then apply gentle pressure just behind where you have pricked and touch the strip to the drop. You only need a tiny drop of blood for the strip whereas I was having to get 50x that much, but it usually worked unless somebody played the guitar and their fingers were very tough. We used disposable lancets so no adjustment for depth.
Click to expand...
Though I don't play guitar though for over 30 years have been touch typing on a mix of devices from Old Manual Typewriters, to Laptops have also played piano since age of 6 so fingertips are quite tough. I do usually try to prick on the sides and though I sometimes draw a little blood smears this doesn't seem to be enough for the device to register.
 
I have a bit of bother, mainly in the winter. My technique:

Shake my hand vigorously downward beforehand. Do not do this afterwards unless you want to splatter blood everywhere!!
Set the lancet to midway depth. Deeper depth didn’t seem to make much difference for me.
Side of the finger tip, not the actual pad.
Last resort, use my thumb!! That always gives.
 
Stuart60 said:
Though I don't play guitar though for over 30 years have been touch typing on a mix of devices from Old Manual Typewriters, to Laptops have also played piano since age of 6 so fingertips are quite tough. I do usually try to prick on the sides and though I sometimes draw a little blood smears this doesn't seem to be enough for the device to register.
Click to expand...
It may be worth looking at a YouTube video of the technique as I think it may just be the angle you are holding your hand, the drop is sucked into the reservoir in the strip by capillary action so only needs to be touched gently on the drop.
 
Leadinglights said:
It may be worth looking at a YouTube video of the technique as I think it may just be the angle you are holding your hand, the drop is sucked into the reservoir in the strip by capillary action so only needs to be touched gently on the drop.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately the issue seems to be that there is not enough for capillary action to draw enough into the strip
 
Stuart60 said:
Unfortunately the issue seems to be that there is not enough for capillary action to draw enough into the strip
Click to expand...
Most monitors only require a drop the size of a pin head, I wonder if you are trying to apply it to the top of the strip rather than the end.
 
Leadinglights said:
Most monitors only require a drop the size of a pin head, I wonder if you are trying to apply it to the top of the strip rather than the end.
Click to expand...
I have tried both, the issue I have is that many times I click the lancet and no blood can be pushed out no matter how hard I try, some I get a dot head of red blood showing but other times nothing at all
 
Stuart60 said:
I have tried both, the issue I have is that many times I click the lancet and no blood can be pushed out no matter how hard I try, some I get a dot head of red blood showing but other times nothing at all
Click to expand...
You may not be pressing the lancing device hard enough against your finger as it sounds as if you are not puncturing the skin. When you do get the drop apply pressure just behind the drop you have got.
I find if you put your thumb on the pad of the middle finger and press gently, then prick just to the side of your thumb and continue with the pressure. The drop should appear.
I wish I could just come and show you.
I must admit I just hold the lancet in my hand and give a quick stab. I found the lancing device I had too fiddly and it didn't always reset properly when I pushed the lancet into it so gave up on it.
 
Leadinglights said:
You may not be pressing the lancing device hard enough against your finger as it sounds as if you are not puncturing the skin. When you do get the drop apply pressure just behind the drop you have got.
I find if you put your thumb on the pad of the middle finger and press gently, then prick just to the side of your thumb and continue with the pressure. The drop should appear.
I wish I could just come and show you.
I must admit I just hold the lancet in my hand and give a quick stab. I found the lancing device I had too fiddly and it didn't always reset properly when I pushed the lancet into it so gave up on it.
Click to expand...
Guess I will just have to keep puncturing at my fingers and maybe find a technique that works.
Before my accident I don't remember having this much difficulty, I know whilst in hospital and the staff there were doing it they sometimes had to have a few goes to get me to bleed enough, sort of became a bit of a joke, in fact in the reports I just got from my SAR one described me as Blood Stingy!
 
Stuart60 said:
Guess I will just have to keep puncturing at my fingers and maybe find a technique that works.
Before my accident I don't remember having this much difficulty, I know whilst in hospital and the staff there were doing it they sometimes had to have a few goes to get me to bleed enough, sort of became a bit of a joke, in fact in the reports I just got from my SAR one described me as Blood Stingy!
Click to expand...
I was well known at work for being able to get blood out of anybody, so I was always called over whenever anyone was struggling. Nicknamed the vampire.
 
Stuart60 said:
Hi
Does anyone else have issues drawing blood for fingerprick tests?
I struggle to draw enough blood using the fingerprick tests if indeed at all draw blood. This morning it took me 6 attempts to get enough blood to get the test meter to register
Click to expand...
I really struggle. My fingers are often cold and if I'm having a low I really cant be bothered with washing hands in warm water etc. I sometimes just cheat and use an elastic band wrapped round my finger. Works every time.
 
Lisamw said:
I really struggle. My fingers are often cold and if I'm having a low I really cant be bothered with washing hands in warm water etc. I sometimes just cheat and use an elastic band wrapped round my finger. Works every time.
Click to expand...
Never thought of that idea.
 
Just checking. If your lancet does not pierce your finger, do you change it regularly?
 
I use usb rechargeable hand warmers to warm my fingers.
I always carry one around with me in the winter.
 
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