[SCAPER]

So I've been testing 7 times a day, like a lot of the Type 2 on this forum do. Before ev. meal, 2h after, and once before bed.

I'm just curious about the procedure a little bit. I'm still new to all this. Do you guys always use an alcohol swab to clean your finger? How important is that, really? I usually forget to do that.

Second question; How often do you guys change the lancelet? I don't see the point in changing it 7 times a day. They seem to stay sharp longer than one test. So I've been changing out the lancelet once a day or so - but not every test. How important is it, really, that you change the lancelet every time? And what do you all do?

[jer.lawrence]

I test closer to 4 times a day.

I never clean my finger with alcohol. I just try to make sure my hands are clean. If I've recently washed them, I don't go out of my way to wash them again.

I use the same lancet for maybe two weeks to a month. I could probably go longer than that, but I try to change it out every once in a while so that it doesn't get dull and hurt.

[xMenace]

If you use alcohol, make sure it dries completely. It can interfere with results. I haven't used any since ... hmmm. My brain hurts

I try to change my lancets at solar equinoxes, but I've forgotten the last two. Thanks for the reminder!

Seriously.

[jer.lawrence]

Originally Posted by xMenace

I try to change my lancets at solar equinoxes, but I've forgotten the last two. Thanks for the reminder!

Seriously.

Haha.

What somebody said once that made a lot of sense to me was, they change their lancet with every new container of strips. I use the OneTouch strips, they come in 25's. I usually combine two of the little strips together so I have 50 in a container to start with. That would be changing my lancet every 50 tests (10-12 days for me)

That helped me to remember for a while, but I also haven't done that the last couple of times.

[DannyK]

I don't use alcohol swabs but do wash my hands with warm water and soap before testing.

As far as the lancets are concerned, I am also guilty of using the same one for a month or more at a time, (even though I have a stockpile of new ones).

[butterflykisses]

I don't think its even recommended to use alcohol swabs anymore. They're good if you're out somewhere and don't have a way to wash your hands, but washing and drying hands thoroughly is best. If you use alcohol swabs a lot it can dry your finger tips and make callusing worse.

I have been trying to be better about changing my lancets after a few tests...only because of callusing. A fresh sharp lancet causes less tearing, which mean less callusing.

[imac]

The information that I received from a diabetes educator was do not use alcohol swabs for lancing or injecting as they dry out and toughen the skin, I change the lancets when I think about it, once a week maybe.

[SteveFromIowa]

Originally Posted by SCAPER

Do you guys always use an alcohol swab to clean your finger?

Never with an alcohol swab. If my hands are dirty or have food from food prep, I'll wash with soap and water.

For clean up, I cut one paper towel (kitchen roll for the Europeons here) into tiny squares and soak the leftover blood up with that and remove the strip from the machine with it and throw it all away. One sheet of paper towel will last over a week. I've saved a fortune in facial tissues since starting to do this.

Originally Posted by SCAPER

How often do you guys change the lancelet?

I tried to change once a week and that worked for awhile when I scheduled that process on Sundays. It's probably been 6 weeks now.

[yanki01]

i always use an alcohol swab and make sure it dries before poking or giving myself insulin.

i guess im the only one who uses a new lancet every time? i didnt think it was safe to use the same one over and over? maybe i should try that to save lancets & money?

[shiftzor]

I try to change my lancet every test, mainly due to a small risk of infections, although I have reused the same lancet hundreds of times and never got anything. I think changing the lancets is a bit easier on the fingers because its always very sharp. Its like any needle after the first jab it begins to lose its edge but will take ages to go completely blunt. There is no hard and fast rule.

Alcohol swab? Do people really use that stuff? I have never used it and never needed to use it. If the soap on your hands will mess up your results then you can be sure that alcohol will do the same.

One tip is to regularly use moisturiser on your hands to soften up the harden areas of your fingers. Always take a sample of blood from the first three fingers i.e. not your index finger or thumb. Always take a blood sample from the sides of your fingers not the pads because you use the pads to feel things not the side of your fingers, lots of testing will reduce feeling in the areas regularly hit so it makes sense to use all fingers evenly.

[Petruchio]

Originally Posted by xMenace

I try to change my lancets at solar equinoxes, but I've forgotten the last two. Thanks for the reminder!

Seriously.

Daylight Savings triggers a day of Change for me.

I change my:

• Clocks
• Smoke Detector Batteries
• Lancet
• Skivies (kidding)

[jenb]

Hi. I test roughly 10 times each day. I do not swab, although if my hands are dirty I do wash them. And I try to change the lancet each morning but don't always remember.

Jen

[fgummett]

Originally Posted by Petruchio

Daylight Savings triggers a day of Change for me.

I change my:

• Clocks
• Smoke Detector Batteries
• Lancet
• Skivies (kidding)

You mean you don't change your skivvies with Daylight savings?

---

Lancets are relatively cheap so for me it's not saving money so much, but that they are also sharp and fiddly... if you test through the day, at work, at play etc... you need somewhere to dispose of them safely... that's the main reason I don't bother changing them so often... just leave it in the lancing device at all times. I put the test strips in the garbage.

In hospital things are different with many different people and many many bugs around... at home it is just you and your own faithful bugs that live with you every day I've never had an infection (nor ever heard of one) from reusing a lancet on myself. But then I wouldn't test anyone else with my lancet either.

I don't use alcohol as I believe it is unnecessary and too drying... I'll wash, well rinse and well dry my hands before testing but more as a way to improve circulation and remove any food contamination rather than to avoid infection.

[Granny Shanny]

I test anywhere from three to eight times a day. Can't remember when I changed the lancet. Only swab if I'm away from the sink & don't wanna get up to go wash hands.

[genie86333]

I change two times: #1 when a thread like this reminds me to change. #2 when someone else asks me to test them - I use a new lancet for them & then replace mine as well. I've never had one get dull & start to hurt noticably more.

I *have* however had one minor (didn't even go to the doc, just cleaned it out & neosporined it) infection on a finger, which I believe was from testing, so re-use at your own risk.