wait, you're not supposed to have calluses?!?!?! J/K, but yeah, all of my fingertips have 'em. I should try testing on my forearm, but I've just never liked the idea...
Hmm...I would have to say I haven't changed my lancet since last year...(oh, wait...last year was only around a month ago). It's been a long time. I grow fond of my lancets. I like some more than others. I got a really bad lancet the other year, and we had it out for months, every check escalating into a shouting match. It wouldn't give me good blood drops, so my readings always came out terrible.
Unfortunately, I am wondering (mischeviously) what the effect would be on an instructor if I licked the blood off of my finger every time I checked my blood sugar. I was only thinking of doing this in Ethics and Abnormal Psychology. I think it would be a fascinating experiment. But then I wouldn't be able to do it...blood, the taste of it, for me anyway, is a little...I'm not fond of it. Frankly, bleach. No offense to those that do...not use a tissue. Of course, on the bleach factor, my little polka dotted tissue is right up there with most things. I feel a little self conscious about using it because it looks a little ghastly, so I'll wipe the blood on something black.
Which probably elicits a reaction of its own. Sigh...can't win sometimes. And I have to check in class because I have this predisposition to get Low (not just minor low but majorly low) when I'm attempting to create new brain wrinkles.
Using the multiclix is awesome. A simple twist and you have another lancet. It's also so much less painful that the one touch. My son is 5 years old and I test everything on myself before I have him do it. Also, with the prevalence of Type 1 being prone to infection, especially staph, I would highly recommend changing the lancet and alcohol wiping your finger prior to testing. I know, I know... I'm a mom. I over-do sometimes. But why not establish a good practice now?
A doc told me (not that this makes it absolutely true...and I've heard some whoppers) that alcohol can effect readings. I don't use it myself and haven't noticed anything...but when other people (pet peeve, too...let me tell you! I can check my own blood sugar!) check my blood sugar, I ask them to wipe the first drop of blood off and not use it to get a reading if they also used alcohol (and they always do...sigh). But maybe I'm off about the whole alcohol affecting the numbers thing.
Surfing Mama,
C.N. is right that with some strips, the alcohol will cause a lower reading (as a young teen I used this to get snacks). The other concern is that alcohol dries the skin out and makes it more prone to callous and damage. Washing hands is a good and important practice but everything I have read and experienced would make me wary of consistant alcohol use for frequent testing. Keep in mind also that you are flushing the wound with the bleeding so your infection risk will be reduced by that alone... I would, at the least, double check your approach with your endo...
Cheers!
A-D
Yes, a lower reading if alcohol is still sitting on the skin (dilluted bg), but if allowed to dry and wiping the first drop, you now have clean skin. Not to mention being able to clean off residual sugar from a prior snack. I'm in agreement about washing hands if you can. Here's the thing. A 5 year old, running around on a playground with his buddies is already doing a good job letting you stop him to test his blood sugar. The chances of getting him to go into a restroom to do proper handwashing is slim to none. At least he's off and running with a smaller amount of interruption and the best shot at obtaining an accurate blood sugar reading.
[quote user="Kay"]
Another wonder of mine is do other people just lick their finger after poking? Because it just seems WAY easier to do that than go find a kleenex or something to stop the bleeding.
[/quote]
I keep a cotton pad inside my case. Then I wipe my finger on there after testing
for changing the lancet...I was told once a day, however I probably change it once a month or once every two months. Usually when I feel it getting dull or when I think about it.
I've heard people that change it on daylight savings time... you change the clocks & the smoke detector battery... so why not change your lancet. :)
I agree with changing the lancet. There are times when I forget to change the lancet and I can tell the difference on the hands. They get really holey! It doesnt seem to hurt as much when they are sharper. I would also reccommend using the multiclix for anyone who has a hard time changing a lancet. Its too easy not to do it.
Okay, so I used to change my lancet every time I checked. I have friends who would use the same one over and over, but I noticed that their fingers didn't look too great. So, I kept on changing the lancet every time. My school nurse even told me that it was okay to use the same one for about a week, but I still didn't like the idea. But then, since my mom had heard the school nurse say this, she asked at the beginning of the summer for me to start changing it about every three days or so, which would save money because she wouldn't be buying as many lancets.
So, somewhat reluctantly, I began using the lancet for a couple days and then changing it. But now, I've gotten into the habit of completely forgetting to change it, and I am now one of those many diabetics that use the same one for a long time. I think I've been using the same one for a couple of months now. I usually change it when I can feel it getting dull or when it takes several pokes (or when I have to change the depth setting from 4 to 5) in order to get a drop of blood.
Oh, and also, I used to get great compliments from my endo when she would look at my fingertips. She would always say that my fingers looked so much better than a lot of her other patients. I have yet to hear her compliment my fingers since I started to use the same lancet. So, I guess it must make quite a difference in whether or not you get callouses.
Oh, and I also have started licking the blood off of my finger. I used to run it under water or use a tissue, but after a couple of summers at camp, I saw others just licking it off. I only do it if it's a small amount left, though. I don't like licking if there's still a big drop left.
|†~*Sarah*~†|
P.S.- I never thought I could write so much about lancet changing!
Also, I have always rotated through all my fingers. I don't like using the same one repeatedly. I have a friend who only pokes her thumb and little finger on one hand. She has some nasty looking callouses on them, though. I prefer to use them all.
|†~*Sarah*~†|
A-D, I might have had you beat on the 10 months...I really couldn't remember when I had changed my lancet last...and I was having a lot of trouble sticking my finger and getting blood without having to do it several times, with a lot of pain! I read, in one of the forums on this site, that someone was having trouble getting blood and realized it was because their lancet was old. So I started changing mine every morning and what a difference it has made! I get blood on the first stick and it doesn't hurt like it did before.
Such a simple thing I was able to change and it made such a big difference...all thanks to this site!
Thanks to all of you for sharing - even what seems like something so small can really help someone!
Kathy
I change my lancet once my fingers hurt so bad that I cant type on the computer haha when you think about it not changing the lancet is pretty disgusting but we all do it. ewwwww....
I change my lancelet about every two months or longer :).
I licked my finger one time before I poked my finger because I was hiking and it was pretty dirty, and I had picked up a can of exploded bear spray on the trail (being a good environmentalist...) and my mouth, throat, and sinuses burned so bad I don't think I will ever put my finger in my mouth again! I ususally use my glucometer case...haha
I have not filled a prescription for lancets since probably 2000 and I know for a fact over that period of time I have "lost" boxes of lancets to explosion and poor travel. I usually try once a month... So you know I go through twelve a year. Glad to know it is not just me.
Just a note: I know some of my friends/family found these pictures a bit disturbing, with reason, so please keep this in mind as you scroll in case you don't want to see! Don't know how effective of a warning that was, but it's my best shot :) (hee hee)
Anyway, I came across the opportunity to mess around with a pretty sweet machine for some serious magnification. What else is there for a diabetic to magnify than finger pokes?! It was my first thought, anyway. So I've taken pictures of what finger pricks REALLY CLOSE-UP look like in both color and black and white (hey look, holy fingers!) I find the bigger they are the more interesting ;)
Either way, after looking at this it made me want to get changing those lancets! Have I? Well, noooooo.... but I said it made me want to, not that I actually would... even if I should :)
So, here are four pics. I took more, so if you're interested in seeing the other colors/views, let me know!
(all the same finger)
1.) Pinky finger :) Fairly close
2.) Black and white shot (colors off)
3.) Different black and white shot (colors off)
4.) REALLYYYY close to the finger :)
Perhaps we should be changing them more often?? :) And I've only been doing this for 3 years!
I use the same lancet for a wicked long time before changing it! I would say once every 3 months!
I lick the blood, too! Do you think that's gross to non-T1s who may be observing??
I definitely think that non-Type 1's think it's gross that I just lick my blood. In fact, I was just lectured today in class by my instructor about how gross and disgusting it is. But I've checked three times since that class this afternoon and guess what...I've licked the blood ALL THREE TIMES. Haha. :)