Lancets and figer poking

Well, when my son was diagnosed, the first meter that we used was the accucheck with the accu-check soft clix. Well,4 years , 2 pumps and several meters later, we have tried a variety of different testers. His insurance stopped paying for the accu check strips and we switched to the pump compatible one, Anyway, recently, I found his soft clix and he was so excited. He keeps saying that it really doesn’t hurt like the other ones - and I have tried it and it really doesn’t. I am not sure if I can still buy the individual soft clix pen or need to buy the multi clix. ( I have meters all over the house - by his bed, in the kitchen, in his sports bag and one in school - it drives his endocrin nurse crazy, but if it is not convenient he won’t test. ) I may try the multiclix especially if you can reuse the lancets - I know, it is not sanitary, but I am sure we will reuse. Thanks, Nancy

I am a multiclix man. I love the fact it clicks up after each test and even if i don’t switch the cartridge it stays pretty fresh because each lancet is used every sixth time. I hate dull lancets.

Rick phillips

I play the guitar a little. I haven’t been practicing a half an hour everyday like I used to. I guess I give it another try. Thanks! Peter

Faye:

Prescription? YES MA’AM!! I love the Multiclix. You can even get the pens free by calling Roche Diagnostics and playing it cute. Tell them that you have heard about the device on site and just wanted to try it out! They usually fall all over themselves to send you new technology. I’ve even gotten 3-4 brand new glucometers from them. I use the AccuChek Compact Plus. The NEW one.

By the way, don’t expect good results on alternative sites. I have found through personal trial AND by a medical personnel input that alternative site testing usually leaves you 30 - 40 points higher than the finger. If you use the MultiClix you will soon adjust.

Lois La Rose
Milwaukee, WI

P.S. I gave Sarah M. her MultiClix because I had quite a few that I had gotten free. I just called the company and sang it’s praises!!! Roche: 800-858-8072.

Yep, it’s becoming my new best friend! I ended up buying it at CVS yesterday because I couldn’t wait. :wink:

I also found out last night that my insurance covers a 90-day supply (mail order) of the drums for $20.

try using different lancing devices. The gauge of the needle differs and here is a comparison.

The Multiclix is my favorite. I also really like the Renew Lancing Device, (their page is down but this one describes it well) it’s VERY gentile!

One of the diabetes educators who writes for Diabetic Living magazine makes this suggestion: Consider applying tea tree oil to your fingertips twice a day. The terpenoids in oil from the Australian tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) have antiseptic properties that can help your skin heal. The oil is sold over the counter.

I’ve not used it personally. Has anyone else in the community tried it?

This is my favorite, too.

http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/2006/10/painless-pricks.html

What a great post!!!
What Great Replies!!!

I’ve used it in the past for athlete’s foot fungus. (Thank you YMCA showers) It has a fairly strong pine odor. Also, I wouldn’t want to accidentally rub my eyes with that on my fingers. . .

Thanks everyone - I will be ordering the multiclix too - my finger tips are looking not so great from 12+ tests a day.

Two questions -

What is your finger rotation like? I have been sticking one finger for the whole day then the next for the next so they would have time to heal. What do you do?

And … do you test on your thumbs? I have no idea why but I can not ever remember testing on my thumbs before. maybe hurt really bad when I was a lot younger? Tried the palm once. Never again!

I’ve used tea tree oil & it’s great for healing cuts, abrasions, infections, any kind of boo-boo, except for burns or puncture wounds. It’s antibacterial, antiseptic, antifungal.

It’s an oil & very oily, so a big problem putting on your fingertips unless you can walk around not touching anything because it doesn’t absorb into your skin. It’s also strong stuff. As Yvonne said, you wouldn’t want to get this in your eyes, on your face, or into anything you’d eat.

I don’t bother with my thumbs because it’s too hard to get blood there. Maybe your thumbs are different?

i look to see which ones/sides are the least battered. :slight_smile:

i rarely test on my thumbs, mainly because i either get a LOT of blood out of them or not enough.

Thanks!

I just keep changing fingers, and don’t use the wipes much? I use the ultra one touch and dial it down… Hope this works for you… welcome to our 2nd home…OdieDiabetes Expo 2009

Saturday, April 18

10:00 am - 3:00 pm

Open to the Public, hartford Ct

Parking is $5.00

I want to say Thank You to everyone who has commented. I had already started to rotate sides of the fingers, rotate fingers and hands-left hand one day and right hand the next. I use each hand position one through eight - I have never tried the thumbs.

Last night, I stumbled into a deal at CVS here in Phoenix, Arizona. They had the ACCU-Check meter including the lancet and two drums. If you buy the meter for 9.99 one transaction, then do a second transaction you get 9.99 in CVS bucks (or whatever it’s called) toward the purchase of whatever you want to buy. In essense, the meter is free.

I haven’t tried the lancet and multiclix included with the Accu-Check yet. I was too tire to open the box last night and went straight to bed when I got home.

Blood from the fingers give the most accurate reading for blood sugar, which is why we test there. I think the arm would be next in line, but I would recommend the fingers.

For me, I just a standard BD lance that you can get at almost any pharmacy with BD 33 lancets. I usually press on the finger to make it red and use the lance at an angle. I only need to use the second or third setting because I have very soft skin.

I think the trick is pulling up on the skin, just as you would when you give an injection. For me, there’s hardly any pain associated.

GOOD GRIEF! 16 times a day? You poor lady! And I was griping because I had to do it once a day. Now, my doctor says I can do it even less, because I am so well-controlled. My last A1C was 5.9, and it usually is around that.