[Diabetes-talk] Problems Drawing Blood

[William and Bernadette Jacobs]

Good Afternoon Julie:

Actually, I do have a couple things you might try.

1.  Firstly, as  for the lancets, and lancing devices,  The lancets really 
need to be changed after every use to aleviate unnecessary tearing of your 
fingers.  Each time you use one lancet, the end bends ever so slightly so 
the next time you try to use it, you may get a prick, but it may be just 
enough off that the lancet will tear your skin.  You also run the risk of 
contamination because you used it once, then again, it's like playing germ 
warfair--russian Rulet with your fingers.  Not something I would recommend, 
my friend.

The next thing is that any lancing device is only affective for six months. 
After that, pitch it and make sure you have a new one onhand.  The springs 
are only good for so long.  I would say all the other things you're doing 
correctly.

Have a great day!

Bern
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Julie Kline" <julie.kline at rochester.rr.com>
To: <Diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2012 4:05 PM
Subject: [Diabetes-talk] Problems drawing blood


> Good afternoon,
>
> I'm kind of perplexed about a problem I am having and am not sure what to
> do, so I thought I'd ask since I would think other people on here have
> experienced this.  On Friday, my doctor increased my medicine I take 
> because
> my A1C was a little high, 8.6 to be exact.  This morning while I was at 
> the
> store, I ate something and then shopped afterwards for about an hour.
> Coming home from our shopping, I started feeling really clammy.  It was 
> like
> I wasn't sure if I was hot or cold but I was sweating and feeling a little
> nauseous at my stomach.  I felt something else too, not quite sleepy but
> that's the closest thing I can think of to describe it, maybe droopy?
> Thinking I might have been having a sugar issue, I tried taking a sample 
> so
> I could see what my reading was, and couldn't get any blood to come out. 
> I
> had run my hands under hot water both times before I tested.  I also 
> milked
> the finger.  Nothing worked.  I know my lancing device is set to maximum
> penetration at 5, and I tried 4 spots on different fingers and had no luck
> getting anything.  I never was able to do the sugar check, but I did eat
> something and the problems I experienced wore off for the most part.
>
> Is there something I'm doing wrong for the sample?  Can your fingers get
> callused enough to where blood won't come out anymore?  I changed lancet's
> too thinking that the one I was using wasn't sharp enough, but to no 
> avail.
> Could the spring on the lancet just wear out and I'm not getting stuck
> enough?  I felt the sting, but nothing at all came out.  During my last 
> lab
> visit, they had a lot of difficulty drawing blood out of me then too so 
> I'm
> wondering if something's going on more than the equipment failing.
>
> Any ideas I could try for how to fix this and get a blood sample would be
> helpful.
>
> Thanks.
> Julie
>
>
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