What do your fingers feel like?

We all know that being diabetic requires us to do finger sticks, and probably will for a long time. Many people think that the worst part of being diabetic would be the injections or wearing an insulin pump, but for a long time my fingers have been the worst part. However, over the past few months (probably because I have been doing more Enter BGs with my 670G), I have been noticing more pain on my finger tips. I will admit, also, that I probably haven’t been alternating fingers as much as I could, so guilty as charged there. How much pain do you feel in your fingers? Does anybody have any suggestions as to how to reduce the pain? The pain is not while doing the BG, it is afterwards, just to make it clear what I mean by pain.

@njsokalski I switched to a finer grade of lancet for this reason. Most brands are available in fine and ultra fine. I also switched how deep the lancet goes when I test. For me at least, the little things have made all the difference.

Yes finer lancet and i never use my finger tip. Lots of nerve endings. I use the side of my fingers about half way from the center. I test 3 to 5 times a day,

If I use the tip of my finger i can hit a nerve tip and it can be sore for awhile

In general I don’t experience any pain. I used to, back when I hardly ever changed lancets. I change lancets minimum once a week now, sometimes more, and it makes a major difference. I also prick the sides of my fingers, never the pads. No pain and no callouses. Lancets are cheap enough and (with devices like the FastClix) so easy to change that it’s not worth ruining fingertips by only changing lancets once a year like I used to and many people still do. I’m also a braille reader, so any callouse or pain in my fingers is extremely annoying compared to most people (akin to having something stuck in your eye!).

Thank you all for those comments & suggestions, I’ll try some of them and see if it helps.

I’ve never used anything other than the tips, but I guess it wouldn’t hurt (hopefully!) to try. When you say “half way from the center”, does that mean the second segment from the end of your finger? Thanks.

Usage of a good lancet device SHOULD prevent pain. the only time it hurt to test my bg’s was back in the 1980’s when I used naked lancets. Because a device retracts quickly, there’s little pain, but using a naked lancet will hurt because it will stay in too long. I use only the Accucheck Fastclix. Accu-Chek FastClix lancing device | Accu-Chek
It’s the best I’ve used.

For me if is a line down the center from the tip to the base I usually test from half way from the tip to first joint and then to the right of left of center. I have not really mapped it out before, but that is what works for me.

And for me the tips can be painful. Ouch.

I play the piano so I avoid painful tips.

Mine are calloused. I need to file those down for testing. In cold weather, they become bruised enough for folks to remark. They hurt.

My fingers feel like…fingers. My feet, however are pretty numb after 40’ish years of being diabetic.

My fingers used to get sore and I never wanted to adjust for my thumb, my pinkie would hurt too easily so I wouldn’t use it as much, so yea my fingers would get sore. Since my sensor I count on it to make adjustments and dosing and now will go days plus without testing.

The first day of my sensor I will test a few times to try to figure out it’s variable. (But that is also why I’m keen on putting a second sensor on 18-24 hours before needed to see the comparison) and if my numbers seem strange sometimes I might verify with a fingerstick. But if all goes well I can skip finger sticking for over a week. That’s me though and my system has worked well for me. I know skipping finger sticking is not popular with some!

Gosh when I knock off a sensor early or recently had to remove one because of the huge bruise under it, I am finger sticking constantly and get very aggravated about it!

I am looking forward to the 1 hour start up in the new ones, but I gather it won’t be available where I’m at for a little bit. I’m mail ordering my sensors since our move, but our insurance will also be changing so I’m not sure if that option will be available.

They’re starting to hurt. I was holding a door for someone and the tip of my finger hurt while I was doing it. Some pain a little numbness.