Finger pricking for blood

I don’t have any scientific backing for this but is it possible that getting blood from finger becomes harder over time?

I’ve recently done a lot of finger pricks over 10 a day because my sugar has been hard to control. I am finding that no blood comes out any more - well not easily. I’ve been using the accu chek soft clik. I feel the needle jab into my finger so it’s deep enough. And it’s a new needle so not blunt.

I’ve also noticed, when I switch to the microlet next lancing device that comes with the contour next one glucose monitor I have better luck getting blood out. I don’t know why.

Your fingers are getting callous. At some point, it might be easier not to use the pen. I just use the lancet without the pen - takes a little technique, but gives more control ad requires less equipment.

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I remember those days!

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But why is that when I use the other lancing device, it doesn’t seem to be much of a problem?

Also I was taught to avoid pricking my thumb and index finger. I can’t remember why but I think it was along the lines of it hurts less and blood flow isn’t as good there. But I’ve seen in hospitals and medical centers, the first finger the doctor’s choose for a finger prick is the index finger. Is there any truth to this?

Make sure you are doing finger stick on side of finger every time rather than on pad. It hurts less there, often you won’t even feel it, and you will get better blood flow and less possibility of something you touched affecting your BG.

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Those fingers are more sensitive, it hurts more there.

Are the lancets different gauges? The thicker lancets might yield better flow. The opposite could be true, too. Maybe the finer one is pricking deeper without anymore noticable pain.
Also, just because you feel a prick, doesn’t mean it went deep enough to draw blood. Have you simply adjusted the setting to go deeper on the problematic one?

I loathe the OneTouch Verio IQ meters my DME provider kept foisting on me, but I love the Delica lancing device and lancets that came with them. I put the lancing devices with my Freestyle Lite meters, and trashed the random number generators that came with them.

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Being well hydrated helps. But what number do you have your lancet device set at? It could be one lancet device requires a higher number than the other?

I agree, that is the very best lancet on the market and can be bought for almost nothing on the web, especially as you buy it as part of a $5.99 countour one next package. (not that lancing device in all packages)

I agree delica is the best. Have used it for years.i make sure Irotate my fingers. And do not use the top of them in case I need to read braille. Nancy50

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I don’t know about getting more difficult. Heck my fingers look like disaster areas. I know my fingers look like 15 semi’s run over them every day. If I see them again I will let you know.

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I’ve always used four on the accchek for years. Just more recently few it’s dried out.

I also use four on the microlet. It seems better but I dunno why the difference. It is a thicker kind of lancet but seems more effective on my fingers now.

Yeah this is the only explanation that seems to explain it. However doesn’t seem to explain why over time there is less blood flow on the same device🤷🏼‍♀️

One pen might have more ‘spring’ than others. You can use whatever finger you want - you could use your earlobes or your toes, as long as you get blood.

The photo in this article shows how to do it without a pen. I stab really fast, like a pen would. I have more control over how deep I prick and get blood more reliably. I must have started doing this when a pen wasn’t working for me either.

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This sounds painful :confounded:

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Thank you for my morning laugh! I’m picturing trying to aim for a test strip with an earlobe I can’t see. LOL

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I use my forehead. Right next to the infusion site. Fabulous.

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I would assume callous off the bat. I dont prick my index finger because thats always toughest. After you prick, instead of just squeezing the tip of your finger, try squeezing from the bottom of the finger going up until you get to the tip. That’s a trick that does work when blood does not come out.
I dont even use a pen. I dont know why. I just don’t. I just buy the cheapest Lancets out there. Healthcare controls everything these days, and it’s all about the money. The pens do work very well though. Also, I have one or two small welts in my abdomen from injections, which come from not changing the spot often enough. I’m not sure otherwise, but I hope it gets solved.

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When I was on multiple injections I would use my insulin syringe to poke my fingers. They are sharper and hurt less. At some point the meter companies suggested using your fore arms, but that would make my arms itch and it was more difficult to load on the strips. After a few years of using my fingers,I don’t even think about it anymore. I can barely remember a time when I didn’t test my sugars.

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