As you can see with the attached photo, my fingers are getting pretty chewed up. Any tips for treating my poor wounded fingers?
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What kind of lancing device are you using? I switched to one touch’s delica and my fingers have never looked more normal. Also, changing your lancet more frequently will help with that. The blunter the lancet the harder it has to poke and the bigger the hole.
You can also adjust the intensity of how hard the lancet strikes your finger. Maybe a lighter setting would help.
Ok, first, you need to use alternate sites and use extended sites with more aggressive rotation. I actually no longer use my finger tips and instead have taken to lancing the sides and tops of my fingers. I could care less about those parts of my fingers getting chewed up or scarring. My favorite place is actually the top of my fingers on the first nuckle, near the finger nail (not on the cuticle tho). This is actually the site recommended by Bernstein. If that is not enough then you can lance the sides of all your fingers, possible down through the second nuckle or further. That is like 10X as much lance area.
And I'm with Cinderfella, consider a Declica, replace the lance often, press it firmly into the flesh when lancing and set it to the lightest setting possible.
Yikes!! I can third the Delica. It took a bit of getting used to as I have a hard time perceiving that it's stuck me but it's very easy on the fingers. My upstairs meter still as the older model. I used to be pretty nonchalant about it but now it's pretty rough compare to the Delica in my main meter.
I use the fast-clix. I test about 10 times a day and use the sides of my pads. I can hardly feel the sticks, and have no marks. Quilters who regularly get maimed by hand quilting recommend Bag Balm (comes in green tins at Harmon and quilt shops and online) to heal the pads.
I also suggest the Delica. I had little black dots on my finger tips until my CDE gave me a Delica to try. Now the black dots are all gone. The CDE told me the Delica is what they use on babies.
I use Bio Oil for my hands & cuticles anyway & that has helped with the testing sites on my fingers.
I never heard of the Delica....my finger tips are starting to look like that also. So, where do I get one of these?
I've heard great things about this device too.
Here is a link to their site where you can order from a "trusted online retailer" they recommend:
http://www.onetouch.com/buy-onetouch-diabetes-supplies-online
You can use any other those 6 retailers to purchase one online. Drugstore.com looks like they have a buy 1 get 1 50% off of OneTouch products right now!
I have heard good things about the Delica and also the Autolet Impression. Personally I rely on the Fastclix and am very happy with the job it does.
I second Brian's comment about sites. I have 30 (thirty) sites that I use in rotation. That way each site goes 2 or 3 days between uses and doesn't get irritated.
I don't have any tips for treating poor wounded fingers, I sometimes over use one and it needs a vacation.
To avoid those finger woes I do change my lancet every day, I also use the smallest available, right now the 33g is the smallest. BD makes one, and also the pharmacy(s) have them in their own names.
Mine actually look worse than that! I rarely change my lancet because it doesn't seem to make a difference in my ability to draw blood. Maybe I should do so more often so my fingers aren't so callused. I also have circulation problems and I wonder if it doesn't negatively impact that as well...probably not.
I only use the sides of my finger tips, not the actual fingertips themselves. Not including using the thumb that is 16 different locations to use. Try that.
since im right handed i try to avoid the right hand. and its harder to see in the pic, but the sides of my fingers are almost hardened over from over use. i take insulin 7-9 times a day and hardly feel thise anymore but those damned finger sticks hurt. and i use accuchek softclik