Hi, I usually take the blood for my BG levels from my left hand, no real reason just more convenient I guess but lately I decided to give the fingers a rest and took blood from the right hand fingers instead. There is a very definite difference in the readings they are lower from right hand. Is there an explanation for this or am I just odd?
-
Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
Strange BG readings
- Thread starter Catz63
- Start date
- Status
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
If the readings are very consistently lower then the only possible reason I can come up with is that (assuming you are right handed) you use that hand/arm more and therefore it uses more glucose and the cells are perhaps less insulin resistant.
Cherrelle DUK
Much missed Online Community Coordinator
Hi Catz63,
How different were the readings? It really can vary depending on the finger you use or how many times you do it.
It's not an exact reading so there'll be some difference. I usually just work off an average.
How different were the readings? It really can vary depending on the finger you use or how many times you do it.
It's not an exact reading so there'll be some difference. I usually just work off an average.
Well at first I was finding the fingers were bleeding a bit too freely on the left and needed a rest so just for comparison I tried same finger on right hand, it went from 6.6 on left to 5.8 on right and on occasion because I've become a little obsessed it has been a full 10 point so 6.2 to 5.2. The other week I took a reading mid afternoon as I was getting visual disturbances and felt quite empty. Automatically took it from left hand and it was very thin blood, so immediately thought it wasn't good but reading came out as 5. I didn't believe it and ate a jelly baby and within a minute or so the visual disturbance cleared. Tested again after 10 mins on right hand and it came back as 3.9 so I tend to use the right hand now.
I might add that was the first hypo I've experienced in 10 years. I have now learned not to go for a walk and then come in and do exercises. I walked this morning and will exercise this afternoon and see if this is a better regime. I'm still on the meds they haven't reduced the Glicizide any more than half a tablet a day but I think I may need to talk with the diabtic nurse again.
I might add that was the first hypo I've experienced in 10 years. I have now learned not to go for a walk and then come in and do exercises. I walked this morning and will exercise this afternoon and see if this is a better regime. I'm still on the meds they haven't reduced the Glicizide any more than half a tablet a day but I think I may need to talk with the diabtic nurse again.
Inka
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
The meters have a 15% margin of error. They only provide a rough idea not a precise number. Those figures are within the margin of error. Just take the average. I rarely bother to test more than once but if I did, I’d get different figures too. That’s just how it works.
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
That’s a really interesting observation @Catz63 - not one I’ve heard anyone mentioning before!
As folks are saying, the differences are small, and within the margins of error, so it could be ‘random’, but it sounds like you’ve put a few strips into this project, and I’m guessing you are seeing fairly consistent differences?!
No explanations... and the differences aren’t enough to be significant I wouldn’t expect. Interesting though!
As folks are saying, the differences are small, and within the margins of error, so it could be ‘random’, but it sounds like you’ve put a few strips into this project, and I’m guessing you are seeing fairly consistent differences?!
No explanations... and the differences aren’t enough to be significant I wouldn’t expect. Interesting though!
silentsquirrel
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Group 7-day waking average?
Morning all, 8.4, then 7.8 on an immediate retest with a different finger here. Seems an unduly harsh punishment after just one choccy digestive last night because 3.9 was too low to go to bed on.
forum.diabetes.org.uk
@Catz63
@Inka
Searching "dominant hand" brought up this discussion from a few years ago - thought I remembered we had had this discussioin before!
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Just want to say that I test lower on right hand than left - and I'm a leftie. Right hand is normal guinea-pig.@everydayupsanddownsGroup 7-day waking average?
Morning all, 8.4, then 7.8 on an immediate retest with a different finger here. Seems an unduly harsh punishment after just one choccy digestive last night because 3.9 was too low to go to bed on.
@Catz63
@Inka
Searching "dominant hand" brought up this discussion from a few years ago - thought I remembered we had had this discussioin before!
silentsquirrel
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
I remember because at the time I made the decision to stop alternating hands to try to increase consistency. I started testing on the 3 fingers of my left hand (not index or thumb), with the intentiom of switching hands when those 3 fingers became sore. 3 1/2 years later I'm still LH only!
nonethewiser
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
As above, get 2 different readings from same finger.
Interesting though, find with libre sensor placed on right arm is near enough same as bg reading, placed on left arm can be out by fair bit.
Know its measuring interstitial fluid but cant fathom out why it can be so different to right arm, one of lifes mysteries.
- Status