[Diabetes-talk] Hello and question about finger pricking

[Mike Freeman]

Ronit:

Everyone has given you great advice.  If you've discovered nothing else,
finger-sticking techniques are about as individual as the persons
propounding them.  Here's my take on the subject.

I tell people to set their lancet devices on max; one is more likely to get
enough blood this way and the sting gives a good clue where the blood is
likely to be.  This isn't fool-proof but it's a start.  Lynn's hint to then
back off the lancet device depth setting till you find a good compromise
between pain and blood quantity is a good one.  The hints from Lynn and Joy
on getting blood to the fingers  are also first-rate.

The one area of disagreement I have with the advice so far is that, unlike
everyone else, I advocate holding the hand with the punctured finger flat on
a surface like a counter or table, poking your finger, placing your thumb
against the finger near the puncture site (this allows you to squeeze a bit
and gives you an idea of where to place the strip) and moving the meter and
strip to the finger.  IMO this means that one is not as likely to smear the
bead of blood as one is by moving the poked finger to the strip.  The bead
doesn't move if the finger is held flat and steady with the palm of the hand
up.  What you want to do is slide the little notch on the strip that takes
in the blood by capillary action into the bead of blood, forcing the bead
into the notch.  Bear in mind that the notch is on the end of the strip on
the upper side, close to the left-hand corner if one holds the strip
horizontal with the business end away from you.

I know it's frustrating.  Every newly-diagnosed diabetic of my acquaintance
including me has the devil of a time the first few days.  The good news is
that the skill can be mastered.  It just takes practice, practice and more
practice.  One's coordination improves and one ends up devising his/her own
favored techniques.

Please also heed Veronica's advice to not be too hard on yourself.  We all
have problems getting enough blood on the strip at times.  It's part of the
nuisance of blindness.  But we all manage it.

Please continue to ask questions and keep us informed on your progress
toward that happy day to come.

Mike Freeman, President
Diabetes Action Network

-----Original Message-----
From: diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ronit Ovadia Mazzoni
Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2011 8:06 PM
To: diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Diabetes-talk] Hello and question about finger pricking

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

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