Did anyone else feel queasy upon seeing this image on the Home page here? I always use the lancet on the sides of my fingers...never like it's shown in the image!
Honestly, I am weirded out by the image, but mostly because it’s a thumb… I almost never use my thumbs, but I’ve poked all over my fingers… I sort of “rotate” sites just like I would shots or pump sets… I do prefer the sides, but when they start getting too scarred/callused, I move on to more accessible/easy areas 
If I use anything other than the sides, the pain lasts a long time…perhaps a day or two!
I rarely use the sides of my fingers, I find that it hurts too much. but then again I might have been scarred by a nurse who just jabbed the pricker into me when I was a kid. I have never used my thumbs Im kind of scared to.
The sides of your fingers hurt? So you lance your finger pads? Wow!
I have never used my thumb too… and I prefer to poke at the sides. It hurts a little less =)
I don’t get queasy from it but it brings up certain things.
MelissaM, I hate the lanclets in the hospital because you can not adjust them and they fire hard! I always use the sides of my fingers and do occassionally add the thumbs into the rotation. As a nurse I have gone into a patient’s room to do a BG and have let them know to tell the nurse where they would like the prick. It is one of my pet peeves that some nurses never paid attention (or cared to learn) where and how to properly check BG. Unless someone has specifically asked me to I have never used the pad, always the side and I always check to make sure there is no bruising first. I have had a patient before that would not check his sugar because then his fingers hurt and he could not play the piano. We got him an alternate site lanclet and glucometer and also found out his wife was checking by lancing his pads instead of the sides!
This image has always put me off. It’s trying to be positive but it’s just really odd.
I am glad you brought this up! Definitely a strange picture. I never use the pads of my fingers, that stings too much, and definitely leaves a pink spot.
I test the sides, where my nails attach, in a little 1/2 cm circle. It only bruises if I forget to stop the bleeding immediately after testing.
I rarely use the sides of my thumbs, and my right hand definitely gets used more than the left, though each finger is used - on the side towards my thumbs. =)
Do any of you test on your arm? My daughter was diagnosed in September and she received her “poker” with the regular top, but also a clear top. We asked what the difference was and a nurse told us that the clear top was for the arm. My husband has tried it, but my daughter is too scared. It would sure open up a whole new area of sites to poke and cause less strain to her little fingers.
uppss, this is great feedback, I had no clue… see maybe this is way almost nobody has made click on the banner. :S I’ll change the image. and keep this in mind for the future…
Thank you! Now that I see it better, it is a big drop too. Sorry…
I don’t just say “ouch”. I wince. I wonder what good it is to remind us. 6x a day is more than enough!
Just a question, this image that we used for the community test in, 14kpwd… Does it produce the same effect on you?
I am guessing the answer is yes, hehe, it is almost the same but worse…
Can you think of any imagery we could use that will entail testing more delicately… we are open to suggestions, I will be making new graphics on the next few days.
I always use my thumb, it was my go to guy when I was younger, now I rotate a little more to other fingers and always on the side, closer to the padding hurts like hell and leaves a bruise… I end up with several bruised fingers after leaving the Doc’s office…lol
I only use the pad of my finger if I can’t get the sides to work. ( This seems to be a morning thing for me.) It is not the most enjoyable thing to do first thing in the morning. It does hurt.
I also try to use my thumb to test at least once a month. My poor index and ring fingers seem to get the most pokes.
I don’t mind the image.
I use my thumbs more often than I do my fingers. There is more room on them. Those photos don’t bother me a bit.
Yes, I lance the pads. But then, I am woman with diabetes, hear me roar!
For some reason, I can’t bring myself to lance my thumbs or pointer fingers. And alternate site testing–I"m totally squeamish about it!
The only time a fingerprick hurts is when I put in a new lancet!
Tip: Don’t rely on blood drops from alternate sites if you’re checking for rapid changes in blood glucose (like trying to treat hypoglycemia). The blood in the fingertips will reveal changes in glucose more quickly than blood from alternate sites.
That blood drop is the red badge of courage for diabetes!
Although the drop on the thumb isn’t as accurate as showing it on other fingers, the “thumbs up for us” message is fabulous! I’d just like to see a variety of skin colors, however.
You could show a person proudly displaying a number on a meter, but it would be hard to choose a number and would subtly promote a meter product.