I’m curious to know if anyone else ever goes to check their BG and has blood come out of more than just the one spot you pricked? I’ll try to draw blood from one side and my finger but it will end up coming from both. I’m thinking that maybe these other mysterious holes in my finger are from previous checks that just have not healed? This would be more understandable if I was using the same finger over and over, or even checking more than once or twice a day, but I’m not, its surprising every time it happens. Also, my finger tips always seem to heal immediately, its only every now and then that I’m trying to squeeze blood out the it comes from more than one place. Does anyone else experience this? If so, do you have any information on this subject?
Yup. I am certain they are prior tests that didn’t heal. Occasionally, I’ll get a spectacular fountain of blood from an old site too. I’d like to get a movie of that as it’s pretty amazing but I never know when it will happen and am way too lazy.
On occasion it will. I test 8-12 time a day. My fingers have some serious calus on them. What I find most frustrating is when it is really cold outside, I can get my finger to bleed at all.
Okay, so replace “Know what it is” with “Know WHY it is” I still do not know why they would not be healing! Maybe if I changed the needle more than once a year… Just a thought.
Thanks for the picture Danny, thats exactly what I’m talking about, only not that extreme.
I test 5 to 7 times a day using only 2 fingers so I may use the same finger same side on consecutive tests. It has happened to me, i assume its an old test site.
8-12?
5-7?
How do you guys afford all those test strips! Are there some super cheap test strips out there that I dont know about? I think I calculated $1.00 per test for me! Maybe normal diabetics have health insurance that helps out with that stuff.
I was up to 17 @ my peak (spring 2009, I had a big martial arts test coming up and was working out 3 hours/ day pretty regularly and 1-2 hours/ day the rest of the time…those were the days!) but still test what seems to be a lot to my insurance company. We are sort of in the middle of a feud right now and the doc just faxed them a letter. I am waiting for them to say “no” so I can go hit golf balls @ their office.
Haha. Do it! Insurance companies hate us poor diabetics! Its not like we wanted this! We don’t get that confidence that our blood sugar is okay through whatever we have going on so we have to check it. Makes sence?
Throw those golf balls with passion!
…Or kick them, or “Hit” them, or however you desire!
It happens to me too. And sometimes I can do a test and it comes out like a fountain! I remember once doing a test in a conference and actually spraying the person behind me with blood! Embarrassing, but I do not know what it is all about. I just try not to squeeze too hard - I am not very generous with my blood usually but sometimes it catches me unawares.
I have never healed very well and just put it down to experience.
My insurance doesn't cover my strips, but the more you test the better control you have(if you act on your results).
Here are a couple of cheap sources. The Wal-mart Relion meter has strips for around $20 for 50. I use a WaveSense Presto. It's nothing fancy but gets the job done. They also have software to download your meter readings to your computer. Then when you go to see you doc you can print out some nice charts instead of handing him or her a blood stained log book. I get my strips from here They give free shipping for a $100 order and you can get an additional 7% discount because you belong to TuDiabetes. Look under Resources --> Member Discounts at the top of the page. Figuring all this in my cost is around $33 per 100. They also have a free meter deal if you buy so many strips.
Some find the Presto meter reads higher than their existing meter. As a T2 not on insulin I like this as I think it results in tighter control. But for a T1 it may cause problems computing their insulin dose.
Don’t know about that but I started using my arms years ago, before the FDA approved it. Lots of room and never a double stick. I do not agree with the “pros” that say you don’t get as accurate a reading.
I was in UVA for a diabetic research program about 3 months ago and they drew blood every 5 - 30 minutes for 24 hours (from an IV). I checked mine against many of theirs many times (even the doc thought it was an interesting test that hadn’t been done there before. Sometimes I was only 5-10 points off, sometimes they were dead on which is hard to believe. One time it was off 200. We figured out later that I had just eaten a glazed donut and had some on my fingers which through it off.
Sure, and every time someone brings them in the office too. Only 23-26 carbs depending on where they are from. Krispy Kreme not that is a glazed donut.
Oops maybe I shouldn’t have put that on this site…never mind everyone can enjoy it vicariously.
Take care.
