Bloody mess

[Evermont]

I know you all know about this but I haven't noted any mention of it before.

Since I started testing... I'm leaving my DNA everywhere. Good thing I'm not a criminal! I test my BG and go out to shovel snow a notice that my finger feels sticky in my mitten and pull it off to find blood everywhere. Earlier today I noticed the frying pan handle I was shaking around vigorously was sticky too - same deal but kinda gross with all the food nearby.

I know that direct pressure is the best way to get any small wound to seal up but it doesn't always need doing so it's not really a habit yet.

How 'bout you folks? There must be a million blood stain stories out there. I haven't ruined anything yet but I just know it's coming. Ever tagged an heirloom or a favorite coat or couch? Hope not but I just know I'm not the only one oozing.

[Dewey]

Every now & then, stuff like that will happen to me, but only every now & then (I have Loads of platelets :D). It usually only happens to me when I'm anemic, but your situation may be different.

I too, get grossed out (even though it's my own blood). Honestly, my biggest "blood story" comes from a bad site, rather than a poked finger. I went to pull the set out & blood went all over my skirt! It took a while for me to get the bleeding to stop, too. :eek:

[DCaplinger]

Keith:

If your blood isn't clotting fairly quickly (less than 2 minutes), then you need to talk to your doctor about it. It's abnormal for a wound that has properly clotted, after direct pressure, to continue to freely bleed. The fact that you take aspirin may be one of the reasons you aren't clotting properly. Aspirin has a thinning effect on blood.

Best of luck.

Regards,

Darian

[Evermont]

Generally, I'm clotting just fine. I set my finger zapper to 4 (max) just 'cause that pokes a nice deep hole. Usually it heals up real quick but I'm a strong hard workin guy who's too often in a big hurry. So it's only a problem when I test, then quickly afterward grab onto something with considerable and repeated force - like the two examples I mentioned.

It doesn't really gross me out at all - I just know that it would gross other people out. It's only a matter of time before I bleed on somebody - or something they care about. And cooking food for other people, that seems like a good place to draw a line.

[someone]

Just set your lancing device to a lower setting so you don't bleed as much. I keep mine on 2 and poke myself a couple times if I have to. At least I'm not stuck with a gash in my finger that bleeds for hours. You shouldn't be getting much more blood than you need when you stick your finger.

[ant hill]

I take warfrin (coumadin) and when I use the lance it can run quite well and I can bleed too well at times as whell. :( Even my injection sites are bruised from internal bleeding. However my clotting is working. (Thank god for that!!)
There has been a time that I was streaming blood and It went everywhere so I decided to be my own vampire as that finger was in my mouth. :eek: And just as I thought that I had stopped bleeding, There was more. :confused: So a band-aid had to be used and finally it's stopped. Phew!!

[Harold]

Have the same problem with tools when I try to use them right after checking. When I used my own tools it's just a mess, but now I have to use shared tools. Since I have Hep C I have to be real careful, so I sneak in my own screwdriver and a multitool (Gerber) to use.

[caswellhb]

Ummmmmmm, I have to be really careful where I bleed. Other bodily secretions are fine. Check my profile.Not that anybody important in my life cares!

Heather.

[ant hill]

Check my profile.Not that anybody important in my life cares!

Heather.

Heather, I feel for you as I find that your life is burnt at both ends of the candle as you have to be careful. XXOO
I am sorry Heather. :(

[DCaplinger]

While it may be convenient to "vampire" out when you need a way to sop up oozing blood, but I wouldn't suggest it. Blood is an irritant to the lining of the stomach, and could easily lead to vomiting.

I don't know what meter you use, however with my meter (Accu-Chek Aviva), it only takes a very tiny amount of blood. I've tried a One Touch Ultra this past week as well. It took considerably more blood to run the same test. If you find you need a larger amount of blood, you might want to consider checking out the Aviva. I'm able to leave my pen on level 2 (the lowest setting). It barely pricks at that setting, but it is enough to get the tiny drop that's needed.

Regards,

Darian

[Olidus]

Sounds like you need to lower your setting on your lancer. What one are you using? I fond some make larger holes then others.
Also where on your fingers are you testing? Tips? Sides?
If tipes try sides on a lower setting.
You mentioned how you use setting 4 to get it nice and deep, you do not need that muc blood.

[xMenace]

Ya, I have dna in lots of places too. My desk and keyboard at work get deposits regularly. It's typically the first jab that didn't bleed that's the culprit. I jab again and test, meanwhile jab#1 decides it does want to work after all. Once in awhile one will start back up unnoticed.

[Evermont]

I have two identical Freedom Freestyle glucometers and the lancers that come with them. This tester requires very little blood but I think it works best (more accurate, lower readings) when I give it a generous sample and don't have to squeeze it out. I also find that clean WARM fingers give lower (more accurate) readings, but warm fingers bleed more. I like to get the accurate reading the first time so I don't have to waste a test strip to confirm what I already know - that squeezin's and cold or apple juice contaminated fingers read up to 100 points higher.

I test on my finger tips, sides, basically anywhere north of the center of the fingerprint pattern. I switched from my left to right hand for B. B. King type reasons and seem to be picking on my ring finger 80% of the time. Maybe calloused skin doesn't close up quite as well. My meters instructions say that I can test on my arms and thighs too but I'm not sure about the results I get that way so only tried it a couple times when I was first starting out. Using the "1" or "2" setting seems just about useless, "3" works most of the time so I'll do that for a while and it will help a bit. "4" is just me being a caveman about it.

[ant hill]

that squeezin's and cold or apple juice contaminated fingers read up to 100 points higher.

LOL, I was working in a vinyard where I was grape picking and of corse I had sweet hands anyway soap and water fixed that. :D

[silverfrost]

I also occasionally find this happening to me. Nothing horrible has happened over it, but when I stick on the side of my finger, the finger right next to it can end up with a smudge.

[Matt9332]

I'm on 7, and I'm 14... Wow.

[shockme]

what bugs me is when i get a "squirter"! last time it happened,blood squirted on my face and my glasses.....

[shades9323]

I guess I am lucky that I don't have those problems. I have my lancing device near max. I poke, test, then lick. Stops everytime after the lick.

[Matt9332]

what bugs me is when i get a "squirter"! last time it happened,blood squirted on my face and my glasses.....

Hate that too, Once went into my eyes :(

[Mich]

I keep a "blotter" of tissue with all of my testers and push hard into it if I get a bleeder. I also keep some bandaid spots in the zip part just in case. It's an occasional problem for all of us, especially if we take aspirin, warfarin or ibuprofen.

I've noticed it happens more frequently if I am wearing white or I'm in a hurry :)

[UpNorth]

I'm using the Aviva and loving it:D The Multiclix lancing device is heaven to use. If i remember it right, the lancets is 31G:eek: And yet, after 3+ years of frequent testing, i can set my multiclix to depth 1.5 or 2, if i set it any deeper i'll have to use bandaids:eek: I don't get those squirters often at all these days, and wasn't frequented with them before either, but i did have a few when i used my first meter... Precision Extra, used the lancing device for that one... even the lowest setting on that one could cause quite some bleeding:T But my worst fear is those lancets used in doctors office and hospitals, did you know that Soft-clix PRO uses 21G lancets!:eek: :ahhhhh: I've used one of those once, and ****** **** it hurt like **** :bawling: and the bleeding was quite bad... These days i bring my own lancing device when i go for checkups, to avoid those 21G monsters :hahaha:

[bryan42]

Simple Solution.....buy alcohol wipes in the diabetic section of walmart,meijer..etc..you get a box of 100 for 1.00..Just wipe after the puncture,and it seems to stop it right away. Im on blood thinners, so I had to experiment and find out what works. Good Luck!! :)

[UpNorth]

Simple Solution.....buy alcohol wipes in the diabetic section of walmart,meijer..etc..you get a box of 100 for 1.00..Just wipe after the puncture,and it seems to stop it right away. Im on blood thinners, so I had to experiment and find out what works. Good Luck!! :)

:eek:
When i clean my hands with alcoholwipes before or after testing, the bleeding seems to last forever:eek: Especially if i have been using one of those monstersized lancets doctors and hospitals usually have :ahhhhh: I'm not on blood thinners btw...

[2high]

what bugs me is when i get a "squirter"! last time it happened,blood squirted on my face and my glasses.....

LOL Trish, I once squirted someone else's face!!

[Bunkins]

I've never had that problem, I have to my lancer is set to max, and I have to push it hard on my finger.. Then "milk" my finger to get any blood, sometimes I cant even get enough out of it to fill a test strip ( One Touch Ultra's ).. Within a few seconds my finger wont bleed at all, so if your not on the ball to get any blood after lancing you have to do it all over again... My hands are about as tough as leather gloves though, I'm just surprised that being that rough the hole seals as fast as it does..

One of my employee's has a bleeding problem, just barely cuts himself and he makes a mess.. But he's on blood thinners.. Never seen anyone bleed like he does, cut himself with a knife opening boxes last yr, thought he was going to bleed to death..

[jjames]

what bugs me is when i get a "squirter"! last time it happened,blood squirted on my face and my glasses.....I can count on two fingers how many times that has happened to me in the course of my diabetic life. ;) I actually found it quite funny - I embarrassingly admin I sometimes try to do it about 30 seconds after lancing my finger - just to see if I can.:o

[2high]

I can count on two fingers how many times that has happened to me in the course of my diabetic life. ;) I actually found it quite funny - I embarrassingly admin I sometimes try to do it about 30 seconds after lancing my finger - just to see if I can.:o

Nice pun, Jay ;)

[ant hill]

Hot Day + comadin taker = red fountain!!!

[princesslinda]

I think I missed this thread the first time around....so appropriate this morning. I tested and went about my business, now I note 2 small blood stains on my lab coat....must have been a better stick than I realized.

Also, i've noticed that the lower my blood sugar is, the better I bleed....maybe if its higher, the blood is thicker? Not sure if there's a correlation or its just in my mind.

I've had a few "squirters" and they always take me by surprise.