[Diabetes-talk] getting blood on to the strip

[Lynn Baillif]

Hello Everyone,
I wanted to introduce myself and add to the advice for Ronit.  My name is Lynn Baillif.  I am a blind dietitian and certified diabetes educator from Maryland.  I have been a memeber of the list in the past, and have just rejoined.  

Ronit, you have received great advice already.  I'll just add my two cents.  Be sure that your lancing device is set deep enough to get a good blood drop.  Try setting it in the middle and the next time you check your sugar set it lower.  Your goal is to set as low as possible whild still getting a good blood drop.  Before you poke your finger, try holding your arm down by your side with your fingers pointing towards the floor.  Shake your hand for about 30 seconds to allow the blood to pool in your finger tips.  After you have a blood drop, you may find it useful to use your other hand to turn your meter on its side and hold it steady on a table or other flat surface.  Turn your finger so the blood sample faces the strip and then move your finger to the strip.  This technique gives your more room to move your finger around the strip without smearing it on the table.  
Wish you well,
Lynn  
> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2011 20:06:22 -0800
> From: "Ronit Ovadia Mazzoni" <rovadia82 at gmail.com>
> To: <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: [Diabetes-talk] Hello and question about finger
> pricking
> Message-ID:
> <8FA0FD6A29A44EB891C7E6C6CB9C8663 at RONITLAP>
> Content-Type: text/plain;   
> charset="us-ascii"
> 
> Hello all,
> My name is Ronit and I have just been diagnosed with
> gestational diabetes. I
> am required to test my blood glucose four times a day. I
> have purchased the
> prodigy voice glucose meter and am having trouble with afew
> aspects of the
> pricking part. I Hope some of you can help me.
> 
> When I prick myself with the lancing device, I usually have
> to squeeze my
> finger to get blood. I usually don't know how much blood is
> on the tip of my
> finger so when I Try to touch my finger to the test strip,
> it doesn't always
> work. How can I be sure that when I prick myself, I am
> getting enough blood,
> but not too much blood? How do I Not smear the blood around
> on the strip?
> When this happens, I am finding I have to reprick myself in
> order to get
> enough blood again to try again. I have had sighted help
> for this first day
> of testing but in afew days I will no longer have sighted
> help. I am already
> very frustrated and woulod love some tips. I have the
> lancing device set on
> 4, which is almost the highest level for pricking.
> 
> Thank you so much.
> Ronit
> 
> 
>