Good point.
Diabetic homework - love it!
I always was my hands, test and then cream them. Hand cream is an essential in my handbags. Plus hand cream/wash smells so yummy… Dove is my fave ahaaaa.
Am I a little bit sad?
I’m thinking yes!
Good point. I know I was told to make sure if I was testing when I felt low to make sure I didn’t touch any glucose tabs before testing. You might ge a different result as well.
This is a great topic, the other night I was at a Royals game… We won! Anyways I was feeling low so I tested after wiping my finger with an alcohol wipe I was 221. That didnt feel right so I tested again on a newly clean differnt finger I was 188. Then I tested once more for good measures and I was 199. Those number seem all over to me, and I know my meter was coded correctly because the day before I forgot to change the code then caught it and got it changed. Could that be reason for a new meter? I am using the OMNIPOD PDM…
I just had an experience with this a few minutes ago. I thought that I should be starting to drop pretty low prior to lunch, but was 114 when I tested. It occurred to me that it could be the Lubriderm hand lotion I’ve been using since returning from a camping trip with really dry hands. The second ingredient on the list is glycerin, which I suspect is some type of sugar. Anyway, after washing my hands I tested at 91, which is where I thought I would be.
Thanks for the heads up.
Dale
What about using hand sanitizer when you don’t have access to water; would the alcohol base mess up the readings?
Alcohol doesn’t effect the reading. Hand lotions do. Glycerine is a type of sugar alcohol.
May be the one that you are using have 0 sugars! LOL
I don’t know, but I stopped using them after what my educator told me. And now I will wash my hands if I had a chance! So like every 10 times I will wash it twice or so!?
I wonder which is best the alcohol or the sanitizer? Since as you know the alcohol will make the finger dry and may be delay stopping the blood!!! Am not sure just writing whats in my mind!
Basic alcohol wipes are all the same. They’re just alcohol. It evaporates instantly & doesn’t delay “stopping the blood.” Alcohol used like this doesn’t disinfect either, but it will wipe away anything on the fingers.
Not to dishearten frequent testers, 'cause testing with today’s meters is WAY better than meters of old (and test tubes + urine), but with the 20 percent variance allowed on meters, that 221 could be 20 percent higher or lower than your “real” number. That’s 176 to 265 mg/dl!
So, we should demand tighter federal guidelines for how much self-monitoring meters are allowed to vary from a test done by a lab. The standard argument from manufacturers is that a 20 percent difference wouldn’t really change that much about your standard therapy. But for those of us trying to stay between 70 and 140 mg/dl, it does make a difference!
I was at a bus stop playing with a little girl and she kept handing me this Baby Bottle Pop which is all powdered candy. I was low, checked in at 65, ate 3 glucose tablets, rechecked and i was over 500. Then I realized what was in my hand so I went and washed and rechecked and I was 107.
EVERYTHING has a math/science relationship. This is why as your own “doctor/scientist/researcher” you owe it to yourself to learn and practice as much as you can, without drving yourself or anyone else nuts. Your portable laboratory (like the kit you see in my picture) must be used under CONTROLLED CONDITIONS just like anything else that needs precision for accuracy. YOUR LIFE MAY DEPEND ON IT!!!
This includes clean hands, recent properly coded strips, an accurate meter, correct temperatures, and the correct ammount of blood from the best locations possible. I hope I am wrong however, it would appear that because a large number of people run blood sugars that are probably higher than they should be (which is the EASIEST thing to do in the world by the way) most of the products are not geared for tight control.
There is evidence to suggest that as fashions in treatment change, people are slowly and SAFELY seeing exactly what it means to have tight control, and the demand for accuracy is more of a necessity. This is scary and difficult and can have disastrous results so because I am not a doctor ANY CHANGES YOU MAKE MUST BE DONE WITH YOUR DOCTOR(S).
One of the greatest books I have read on the subject of diabetes is “Diabetes Solution” by Dr Richard K Bernstein who is both a long time type1 diabetic and Endocronologist. We should find a way to pay him enough money to put it on line so more people can benefit from his wisdom and experience (doctors included).
When I first read it I started to cry because most of what I read, I was already doing but now I knew the science behind it and why these “tricks” worked. Kristin already knows however, if you are curious about my history by all means check out my blog at www.oprah.com/community/community/health/diabetes called Diabetes The Real Cost. See Chapter Eleven Glucometers. I hope this helps and continued success for all.
Love Always
The Anonymous Diabetic.
Brava, Kelly! You’re absolutely right. Where else would 20%-+ be acceptable! Who cares about bells & whistles & different colored meters when we’re basing our lives on those readings AND spending a fortune on test strips.
Hint: Keep some alcohol wipes in the side of the meter case. I have had false readings from a meter with clean hands, but suspected it was incorrect (usually overnight at a time she is usually stable), rechecked and got a normal reading the second check, so maybe it is the strip or meter error.
Anon Diabetic,
Agree about Dr Bernstein. I’m grateful I found out about him soon after diagnosis.
Though it’s not his entire book, www,diabetesincontrol.com has many chapters of Diabetes Solution on their site. If anyone wants to read it, scroll down to the very bottom of the page & there’s a list of highlighted authors/researchers.
Geez, you’d think I have better things to do (and more regard for the cost of test strips)!
Washed hands with soap and warm water. Dried hands.
6:01 p.m.: fingerpick, left index finger: 80 mg/dl
6:02 p.m.: fingerprick, right pinky finger: 83 mg/dl
6:03 p.m.: fingerprick, right index finger: 83 mg/dl
6:04 p.m.: fingerprick, left pinky finger: 83 mg/dl
Ive heard of this but never put much thought into it. So I guess I should start washing my hands more often! Thanks for the information!
Kelly ,
Besides washing hands …did you wipe the first drop( s) as well ? I think it has been mentioned on this discussion to do so ; my pump nurse reminds me every so often , to wipe first drop ( interstitonal fluid ??) for a more accurate reading . Doing tests as you did is part of the pricey learning process . I knew, when it was time to fire my Doc …when he said :" testing that many times …is this not excessive ??" another story …
you know i always wondered if testing after working with pastries gave me a higher reading. i’ve wondered from time to time if the sugars could somehow desolve into my skin or get into the drop of blood i was testing. from now on i’m washing my hands before i test…see if it makes any difference. oh and nel…i always wipe away that first drop then squeeze out another one for the test. i was also told that the first fluids that come out could affect the reading.