Type 1 on Libre, how many BG strips so you get?

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@helli and @nonethewiser I can and did prick the same finger 10-15 times a day (alternating sides) and it didn't ever get sore (My ring and little finger have softer skin than the others which are pretty hard and dry, so easier to test) but pricking might not be painless every time (I don't have a Soft Clix or whatever it is and really can't justify the waste in changing). It doesn't bother me at all as it is only a tiny moment of pain maybe 60% of the time.
Injecting can be more painful probably 7-8 times out of 10 and is very dependent on where I inject. Nothing to do with needles, just certain sites it slides in so easy and other sites even just half and inch away it is painful and more resistant. Then I have the times when the insulin stings and other times when it doesn't. Both Fiasp and Levemir can sting me but certainly don't every time. It is all very hit and miss and no real rhyme or reason to it. We are all different both in our bodies and our tolerance to pain, so I think it is difficult to say what will work for everyone. Personally it doesn't bother me. It is just a routine in the same way as brushing my hair can cause pain if I snag the brush on a persistent tat. It is just part of the rich tapestry of life and personally I don't see a need to go out of my way to avoid such a small amount of pain when I know it is not doing me any harm.
I appreciate however that pain doing finger pricks and injections can cause a mental barrier for some people so I do understand the importance of instructing in good technique to minimize it, but I don't think pain can be eliminated from the process for everyone.
 
helli said:
I have read others mentioning the effect of finger pricking on their fingers. Often this is mentioned as a reason for a CGM. I have read of doctors/nurses telling people with Type 2 that they do not prescribe meters because there is no reason to harm their fingers. Media articles talk about the "painful finger pricks".

I do not recognise this. I was finger pricking at least 4 times and often 10 times or more a day for over 15 years. My fingers were fine once I learnt how to finger prick (warm hands, correct depth on lancer) and where to prick (for me this is to the side of the finger and a different one each time). IN fact it makes me angry when I read articles that mention the challenge of diabetes is that you have to do painful blood tests every day. Not only are there bigger challenges by far, it is untrue if you know how to do finger pricks. So why are we not taught how to prick with least pain? Why are we left to work it out ourselves or suffer?

And the value of the Libre is nothing to do with less finger pricks it is the amazing insight you get between finger pricks.

Sorry, nonethewiser, I went off on a rant. It is not directed at you. You just managed to tweak the nerve.
And I appreciate some people have more sensitive fingers than others.
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Technique is everything, I also can not understand why people struggle to get a drop of blood the size of a pin head. I regularly would get 40 x that much from a finger prick for experiments at the Uni.
As for being painful anybody who does any gardening or sewing will get pricked or stung by something which is more painful
 
Leadinglights said:
I also can not understand why people struggle to get a drop of blood the size of a pin head.
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That one I can understand - if my hands are cold (which they often are), my blood is not near the surface so I struggle to get more than a grain of salt sized blob. But that's down to technique - I cuddle a cuppa before pricking and all is well.
 
Ooooo, I never thought of cuddling a cup of tea first! Trying that next time :D
 
Leadinglights said:
As for being painful anybody who does any gardening or sewing will get pricked or stung by something which is more painful
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Oh, when I was (for a short period) making soft furnishings for a living, I often pricked myself with a needle which was indeed quite painful. Instead of doing what a normal person would i.e. suck the finger and find a plaster, I'd be fumbling for test strips "so as not to waste the blood".
helli said:
My fingers were fine once I learnt how to finger prick (warm hands, correct depth on lancer) and where to prick (for me this is to the side of the finger and a different one each time).
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@helli, when I was in hospital with DKA the nurse kept coming with the nastiest lancing device I have ever experienced and pricking me on the side of the finger pad. I said to her "It's much less painful if you prick the sides of my finger" She insisted that was the side (it wasn't)... I think she was mortally offended that I questioned her expertise as a nurse, but surely in this case we know best!
Jacen017 said:
The libre has literally given me my life back only doing a few calibration checks and when it says I'm low.
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@Jacen017 What do you mean "calibrate?" Are you using XDrip or something?

Actually like @nonethewiser the value of the Libre for me is the effortless recording of levels, seeing patterns, and now with Libre 2, fending off hypos, enabling me to manage the D better. Though I don't mind fingerpricks. I've emailed the nurse and hopefully she'll let me have a few more strips at once.

This has developed into a very interesting conversation. Loving hearing all your experiences.
 
i did get 200 a time but was still ordering it can;t allot but because of the the issues I had with the libre I may go back to libre in a few weeks and try setting it up with x drip or whatever again but difentlly wouldn't ant to correct based off it because even half a unit when not needed could dertimal to me
 
Pattidevans said:
Instead of doing what a normal person would i.e. suck the finger and find a plaster, I'd be fumbling for test strips "so as not to waste the blood".
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That's brilliant, I love it!

rebrascora said:
Injecting can be more painful probably 7-8 times out of 10 and is very dependent on where I inject.
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Yes, my first injections were absolutely painless and I was starting to feel confident and relax and then I got a painful one. Since then I found out it is pretty random and now I just choose any spot and hope for the best.

rebrascora said:
I appreciate however that pain doing finger pricks and injections can cause a mental barrier for some people
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This! Is so important. I find finger pricks more painful than injections, but the injections still face a mental barrier and the pricks, not at all. Everyone is different.

I appreciate that this is not the worst pain in the world. And certainly not the hardest part of diabetes. But it's not nice either and I would save myself some of them pricks if I could.

Btw, regarding test strips, I don't even have them in my repeat prescription, but I have ordered 100 each time and didn't have any problem. I'll try with 150 next time, and ask my DSN to include them in the repeats because it's the only thing it's not there and the only one I've had to restock so far!
 
Pattidevans said:
@Jacen017 What do you mean "calibrate?" Are you using XDrip or something?
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Ah no, poor choice of words. I mean just checking it's accurate.

I want to use xdrip at some point though. It looks really useful!
 
Jacen017 said:
Ah no, poor choice of words. I mean just checking it's accurate.

I want to use xdrip at some point though. It looks really useful!
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@Benny G has just sent me details of XDrip. Just need to try to understand them now!
 
The DSN actually said, approving my continuance with Libre on prescription, that it was "on the basis that you're using fewer test strips". Nothing about improved levels or better management! She requested the GP to reduce my strips prescription to 50 every 4 weeks - but the GP took no notice! I can order 100 at a time but there's no 28 day limit (same goes for needles).
 
When I was type 2, I generally got a prescription for a hundred, around every three weeks if I put the prescription requests in.
 
I just checked the hospital letter, that was sent to my GP to ask them to prescribe the Libre, and it states clearly that I will still need an average of 4 test strips a day.
I haven’t needed anything like that, and just order a repeat when I need to, but it means that I do have enough, or could order more quickly, if I had a sensor failure.
 
They didn’t drop my strip allowance when I got approved for Libre (though tbh I stayed with self-funded Dexcom G6 for Control IQ).

I think it’s 300, but I rarely order them now, because I hardly ever doubt or feel the need to double-check the dex.
 
Pattidevans said:
Oh, when I was (for a short period) making soft furnishings for a living, I often pricked myself with a needle which was indeed quite painful. Instead of doing what a normal person would i.e. suck the finger and find a plaster, I'd be fumbling for test strips "so as not to waste the blood".

@helli, when I was in hospital with DKA the nurse kept coming with the nastiest lancing device I have ever experienced and pricking me on the side of the finger pad. I said to her "It's much less painful if you prick the sides of my finger" She insisted that was the side (it wasn't)... I think she was mortally offended that I questioned her expertise as a nurse, but surely in this case we know best!

@Jacen017 What do you mean "calibrate?" Are you using XDrip or something?

Actually like @nonethewiser the value of the Libre for me is the effortless recording of levels, seeing patterns, and now with Libre 2, fending off hypos, enabling me to manage the D better. Though I don't mind fingerpricks. I've emailed the nurse and hopefully she'll let me have a few more strips at once.

This has developed into a very interesting conversation. Loving hearing all your experiences.
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Finger pricking is no where near as painful as when you accidentally catch your finger on the insulin needle!
 
I got a reply to my email from the DN and the prescription for 50 was an oversight. So she has sent a script for 200 to Sainsbury’s. They said on Thursday they couldn’t get them. So I will have to go there to get the script and take it to Boots in town, then get them from Boots next week. We’ll probably take the bus to Sainsbury’s then a nice walk into town. It makes it difficult as the town centre is now traffic free from 9:30 to 4:30. Parking is silly prices, so everyone parks in side streets and they are rammed. Hence bus and walk.

At least I am glad the script has been reinstated and I’m not unreasonable in asking for 200 according to what other people get here. The 200 will probably last me into May, or end May with the 50 I pick up today fromBoots in town.
 
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