[CookD]

I've been sticking my fingers since May 07. Last week my fingers started hurting, intense pain, deep down. I used an accu-chek softclix. It is not broken... I've had that happen before. The problem is not the pressure of the stab but more like nerve pain.
I tried to use alternate sites but can't seem to get any blood to well up even upping the setting to the most pressure.
My BG levels have not changed, nor meds. The only difference in my routine has been canning a lot of tomatoes from my garden. I wonder if the acid in the tomatoes is making my fingers more sensitive.
Has anyone experienced this problem or have suggestions as to what to do?

[Stuboy]

you could try using the AST adaptor for the softclix, using the base of your thumb?

I find this is a good alternate site for me and easy to get blood.

Sometimes getting blood from an alternate site needs a bit of a nac, i find that if i do my forearm, the depth setting needs to be increased, and instead of just removing the lancet device straight after the prick, pump the device against the arm... this "pumps" the blood out... that's why the AST adaptor is see through... so you can see when there's enough blood there!

Good luck

[CookD]

Thanks for the advice about "pumping". It worked for the first time. Now I'll wait to see if that site hurts as much as my poor little fingers.

[mortis505]

How old is the lancet? Do you use the tips of your fingers or the sides?? I get less pain from the sides than if I test on the tips/pads.

[CookD]

Originally Posted by mortis505

How old is the lancet? Do you use the tips of your fingers or the sides?? I get less pain from the sides than if I test on the tips/pads.

Thanks for the tip. I use the sides of my fingers and change the lancet once a day. This pain just started last week I am convinced it has something to do with the tomatoes. I am trying alternate sites until our growing season is over.

[Gordonm]

I have used the sides of my toes for an alternate site also. If you are not going barefoot a lot in the summer this works for me. Just a thought.

I also use the sides of my fingers and never the pads. My lancet?? I cannot tell you the last time I changed. I guess I should change it today!

[dbdb]

Theres a lancet called a Valulance thgat I use on my arm. Use it with a meter like the freestyle where you only need .3ul and it's less blood each time!

[Stuboy]

i wouldn't think its a good idea to use your toes as an alternate site. I was warned off from doing that when i asked about it by my diabetes specialist.
When a common complication of diabete is nerve damage in your feet, lancing your toes isn't a good idea.

i've never tried it personally.

[clarky99]

I had a similar issue with soreness in my fingers a few months ago. I was changing my lancet once per day at the time.
Since then I switched to the Accu-Check Multiclix. It takes a barrel of 6 lancets. Now I still only have to go through the hassel of changing it once per day but I get a fresh lancet for nearly every test. The finger pain went away within 2 weeks.

[CookD]

I started using alternate sites and my fingers are almost all better. I'm testing on the heel of my palms and no problems there yet.
But of course tomorrow I'll be putting up another batch of tomatoes so I'll find out if that was the culprit causing all that pain.