Any Southpaws Out There (of course there are!)

Diabetes Technology
#1

This is a whine, vent, petty gripe whatever -- but done light heartedly.

I've always known it is a right-handed world out there, and take pride in sharing my left-handedness with Da Vinci, Michelangelo etc. But with diabetes stuff - it really is a right-handed world.

I have to leave the strip canister loose in my meter case, otherwise my (less than adept) right hand is responsible for getting the damn things out. I then twist the meter around so that it reads upside down in order to apply the sample (I use an Ultra Mini)

With my pump, of course I use my left hand to reattach to my waistband. I accidently hit a button, stopping the delivery and get the "fur Elise Alert" at least once a day.

Of course, I don't expect meter companies to offer leftie cases, but I had to get it off my chest. And of course, I know it is a petty whine and I am very very grateful for my devices.

Now that I feel better I'll step down off my soapbox.

#2

South Paws unite. I get frustrated too. My meter unless used up side down is meant for a right handed person. My poor left hand that I depend on for almost everything gets more than its share of pokes with a lancing device.

#3

I'm married to one. Does that count for anything?

Seriously -- my Freestyle Freedom Lite will accept a sample on either side (the strips have TWO ports of entry) so it's essentially ambidextrous. As a bonus, Bernstein presently rates it as the most accurate meter out there.

#4

My brother is a lefty and insulin dependent...every move he makes looks weird, when we golf he looks like he is going to hit the ball off the tee box in the wrong direction at first glance, I have even seen people duck and move out of his way it's kind of funny. I don't even like to watch him swing his clubs because I'm afraid it could rub off on me. Your also right about the meter, it looks like he is struggling when he tests...he 's not but it looks that way to a righty...With a little work you can turn that meter around in the case...

#5

I'm a rightie but I can relate because they design this stuff so poorly! My new Contour Link meter is great, but the only way for a rightie to test is to hold the whole thing upside down! So maybe you'd actually like that one. And for the Minimed pump, how come when you put the clip on, the tubing comes out the top instead of the bottom? I mean, we clip it to our pants usually, right? Then I have to try to tuck the tubing under my belt or it just looks dorky. And while we're on the subject, why does the luer only insert in one direction and not the other? These design people need to test it out themselves to make things more ambidextrous and more usable in general. Good luck to you!