[Diabetes-talk] Hello and question about finger pricking Hands and fingers and feet heal faster than other places - I personally would cotton ball with H2o2

[tom]

-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Freeman <k7uij at panix.com>
To: rovadia82 <rovadia82 at gmail.com>; 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sun, Jan 16, 2011 7:54 pm
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Hello and question about finger pricking


Ronit:
Everyone has given you great advice.  If you've discovered nothing else,
inger-sticking techniques are about as individual as the persons
ropounding them.  Here's my take on the subject.
I tell people to set their lancet devices on max; one is more likely to get
nough blood this way and the sting gives a good clue where the blood is
ikely to be.  This isn't fool-proof but it's a start.  Lynn's hint to then
ack off the lancet device depth setting till you find a good compromise
etween pain and blood quantity is a good one.  The hints from Lynn and Joy
n getting blood to the fingers  are also first-rate.
The one area of disagreement I have with the advice so far is that, unlike
veryone else, I advocate holding the hand with the punctured finger flat on
 surface like a counter or table, poking your finger, placing your thumb
gainst the finger near the puncture site (this allows you to squeeze a bit
nd gives you an idea of where to place the strip) and moving the meter and
trip to the finger.  IMO this means that one is not as likely to smear the
ead of blood as one is by moving the poked finger to the strip.  The bead
oesn't move if the finger is held flat and steady with the palm of the hand
p.  What you want to do is slide the little notch on the strip that takes
n the blood by capillary action into the bead of blood, forcing the bead
nto the notch.  Bear in mind that the notch is on the end of the strip on
he upper side, close to the left-hand corner if one holds the strip
orizontal with the business end away from you.
I know it's frustrating.  Every newly-diagnosed diabetic of my acquaintance
ncluding me has the devil of a time the first few days.  The good news is
hat the skill can be mastered.  It just takes practice, practice and more
ractice.  One's coordination improves and one ends up devising his/her own
avored techniques.
Please also heed Veronica's advice to not be too hard on yourself.  We all
ave problems getting enough blood on the strip at times.  It's part of the
uisance of blindness.  But we all manage it.
Please continue to ask questions and keep us informed on your progress
oward that happy day to come.
Mike Freeman, President
iabetes Action Network
-----Original Message-----
rom: diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ronit Ovadia Mazzoni
ent: Saturday, January 15, 2011 8:06 PM
o: diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
ubject: [Diabetes-talk] Hello and question about finger pricking
Hello all,
y name is Ronit and I have just been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I
m required to test my blood glucose four times a day. I have purchased the
rodigy voice glucose meter and am having trouble with afew aspects of the
ricking part. I Hope some of you can help me.
When I prick myself with the lancing device, I usually have to squeeze my
inger to get blood. I usually don't know how much blood is on the tip of my
inger so when I Try to touch my finger to the test strip, it doesn't always
ork. How can I be sure that when I prick myself, I am getting enough blood,
ut not too much blood? How do I Not smear the blood around on the strip?
hen this happens, I am finding I have to reprick myself in order to get
nough blood again to try again. I have had sighted help for this first day
f testing but in afew days I will no longer have sighted help. I am already
ery frustrated and woulod love some tips. I have the lancing device set on
, which is almost the highest level for pricking.
Thank you so much.
onit
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