Struggling to get enough blood to check sugars

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Nicki-Lou

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At risk of diabetes
Hi!
Another question, I am so sorry! And a big thank you to everyone for replying to my previous questions!

I got a Kinetik Wellbeing glucose monitor however as hard as I try I can’t get enough of a blood sample to check.. I’ve tried adjusting the depth of the lancet device, different fingers and different spots on my finger.. I make sure my hands and fingers are warmed up before testing, and I’ve tried keeping my hand below my waist but nothing seems to draw enough blood for a sample!
Does anyone have any hints/tips at all?
Thank you!
 
Hi @Nicki-Lou

It sounds like you have tried all the strategies that I have seen listed on here: warm your hands, have them below your heart, use the sides of your fingers not your pads (but not too near your cuticles), change the depth of the lancet if possible. I do squeeze if necessary (usually when it is very cold) which I know we are told that we should not need to, but ….
I shall be interested to see if anyone comes up with any other suggestions.

The blood does not always flow readily, and other times it is a gush.
If only life with Diabetes was consistent!!!!
 
Usually most monitors only require a drop the size of a pin head so not very much.
Make sure your hands are warm, massage the finger towards the tip. I find the best place to prick is just to the side of the pad, if you put your thumb onto the pad of the finger and prick just to the side of that and just press with your thumb and you should get a drop.
 
The only other thing I can suggest is to make sure you’re well hydrated but as has been said most monitors only need a drop of blood so check if the strips are ok by trying a new packet (there have been issues with some from our monitor where they weren’t drawing the blood up).
 
When I'm struggling to get a drop of blood (and it seems that I have poorer circulation than some folks) I give my hand a sharp shake downwards and that invariably works - unless I'm seriously cold.
 
I have had a couple of BG monitors that have finger prickers that did not penetrate my finger tips so they got junked and back to the old ones that did. It could be that your finger pricker is not going deep enough so I suggest you change it? A good tip that somene gave earlier in this thread was to let your hand drop to your side and 'shake it all about'
 
I use my thumbs if my fingers are being particularly non co-operative. Usually when they are cold.

I'm lucky that my meter doesn't require too much blood.
 
Deb_l said:
I use my thumbs if my fingers are being particularly non co-operative. Usually when they are cold.

I'm lucky that my meter doesn't require too much blood.
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One of the reasons for not finger pricking on thumbs and fore fingers is because we use those 2 digits a lot with a range of things that we handle; often we need the sensitivity, that we otherwise take for granted. I'm not saying you must never use these 2 digits - just keeping people aware that this can cause sensitivity challenges relatively quickly.
 
Merryterry said:
A good tip that somene gave earlier in this thread was to let your hand drop to your side and 'shake it all about'
Click to expand...
I've just tried this and it worked a treat, thank you!!

I'm fasting for a procedure tomorrow but thought I had better take my BG before I take the prep drink thingy. I feel perished today I thought I had no chance of getting a decent 'drop' but this worked so well. Slightly alarmed that my BG was 5.3 after only missing one meal (it was 8.5 this morning) but that's another story :confused:
 
Best advice that I've ever used to get more blood - or any sometimes as long as there was actually a hole! - was again from Alan Shanley - on the side of the finger you've bodged, with the other hand finger(s) and/or thumb, stroke firmly and smoothly up towards the top knuckle (or even just above if you have really long fingers) from immediately above/or the side of the first knuckle from the palm of the hand.

Oh and that sounds like a colonoscopy - Yuk, and hope they don't find anything worrying - there again if there is summat iffy there, they'll be able to start treating it for you. So good luck!
 
Before I got the Dexcom.One, I was using the finger prick test before and after a walk, as my blood sugars bombed during exercise (and still do). It was often reluctant beforehand but after walking half a mile it gushed out when I got home.
 
trophywench said:
Oh and that sounds like a colonoscopy - Yuk, and hope they don't find anything worrying - there again if there is summat iffy there, they'll be able to start treating it for you. So good luck!
Click to expand...
Yep, it is indeed. Not particularly looking forward to it but it will be good to get answers. To be honest, it was the tummy trouble that sent me to the docs and then the diabetes diagnosis followed. Hopefully the two things are related and manageable.
 
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