[Catareta]

Hi there, any tips for lancet problems...

I test 4-6 times a day, and fingers becoming very sore, have had two yellow hard lumps that went peely.

Please, I work in admin, so fingers get very sore.

[JediSkipdogg]

Have you tried decreasing the poke depth amount? Maybe you are poking yourself to deep which is making them sore.

[June91]

I've always used pen needles instead of lancets - they're much finer but seem to do the job. That is, I've always tested manually, without an autoclick thingy. Try to stick to the sides of your fingers for a while as well. I played the guitar and usually spend up to 6 hours a day typing, so I understand where you're coming from.

[sofaraway]

you could try the finger of the day method, so each finger gets a 9 day rest.

[Stuboy]

im testing about 10-12 times a day at the moment, and altho my fingers look a little dotty at the end, they're not soar and i have my lancet set to the lowest setting.

i agree with sofaraway... the finger of the day option is very tempting! lol ill start it on monday

[jenet]

I stongly endorse the finger of the day method. That one change made a huge difference by allowing each finger time to heal in between being used.

Also, you might find that a different lancing device is less painful. I tried several different ones earlier this year and found the Accu-Check Multiclix is almost unnoticeable, closely followed by their Softclix. Either one is much, much easier on my fingers that the one that came with my UltraSmart meter.

cheers,
j

[kimbo]

Are you testing from the side of your finger,mine get sore if i prick the ends.I check for areas i have not already used by pushing across the skin,I can then see little dots so avoid that area.

[spike]

Originally Posted by Catareta

Hi there, any tips for lancet problems...

I test 4-6 times a day, and fingers becoming very sore, have had two yellow hard lumps that went peely.

Please, I work in admin, so fingers get very sore.

Best lancet device I've used is the one that comes with the Compact Plus meter. Much of the time I can't even tell it's pierced the skin. amazing device.

[am1977]

I think if you are relatively new to the whole testing scene... it's pretty common to deal with sore fingers at first. I remember that I would hate when testing time came around, b/c my fingers were so sore.

I would suggest that when you test to wash your hands under warm water, that will get the blood circulatiing to your fingers, choose a more shallow setting, and prick the sides of your fingers. I found those things do make it easier to take.

For me, I now don"t mind testing at all. I guess that after all that testing, your fingers adapt to it and it's really no big deal. I'm sure you will find that in time.

Hang in there.

[pumpman]

i have never had a probem with sore fingers, except when other people prick me (like doctors when i was first diagnosed).

I always prick on the side and NEVER put the lance gun flush against my finger. What i do is tilt it to an angle and fire, if it doenst hit the skin, i cock it and fire with a lower angle. This means it just pricks the skin and i rarely feel it. Although i might need to continue to prick for about 2-3 times before i get a good supply of blood. I'm good at it now, so it usually works first time.

[rzrbks]

Possibilities:

1. Alternate fingers with each test

2. Adjust depth of lancet device

3. although I change needles once every 12 years, I do notice a HUGE difference the first day or two after I have changed needles

4. try different sites on your fingers until you find area of fingers you are comfortable with

5. try different lancing devices, I don't know how it works in UK, but here in the states, CDEs(certified diabetes educators) have lots of samples they are will to share with patients

6. try different lancing needles, some are comparatively large 26 or 28 guage but there are smaller 30 or 31 gauge. (I have found that non-Diabetes folk have no concept of the difference between 26 gauge and 31 gauge, so when they're helping someone pickout supplies, they just grab the closest or cheapest.)

[sugarfree76]

Originally Posted by sofaraway

you could try the finger of the day method, so each finger gets a 9 day rest.

or doing the arm? I've found that to work out GREAT! you can't even feel it

[pumpman]

Originally Posted by sugarfree76

or doing the arm? I've found that to work out GREAT! you can't even feel it

i found it really hurts (only done it once :P), the readings are inaccurate and it leaves little red marks all over the arm :O

fingers pwn

[EazyE77]

Originally Posted by jenet

I stongly endorse the finger of the day method. That one change made a huge difference by allowing each finger time to heal in between being used.

Also, you might find that a different lancing device is less painful. I tried several different ones earlier this year and found the Accu-Check Multiclix is almost unnoticeable, closely followed by their Softclix. Either one is much, much easier on my fingers that the one that came with my UltraSmart meter.

cheers,
j

I have to agree when it comes to the softclix. I have the accu-chek active and it came with the softclix and is great but due to the lancet prices for the softclix and just having 1 type of lancet available I decided to switch to the BD one I was given by my grandma that uses quite a few generic and works just the same hardly even notice it. I'll second the motion when it comes to the setting, fool around with it and see which setting just barely gets the blood flowing and you might see a decrease in the pain/soreness as well as using the finger of the day method.