First home test attempt flopped - may I ask a question?

I got Joey all relaxed on a towel, groomed, purring, promise of a treat loomed - got everything set, and ....the lancet firing device didn't work!! The lancet did not protrude far enough from the cap. I don't dare try to freewheel it without the cap.

Would it be OK to use a brand clean empty syringe to poke his ear?

I doubt if I will ever get the hang of this. Plus, he looks at me like he knows I'm up to no good.
If I only could grow a third hand.....he's also waving his head around like a flower in a gale.
Thanks.

 

What brand lancet device are you using? Someone here may use the same one and can give you tips on how to use it. Did you read the meter instruction booklet? There are usually instructions in there on how to set up the lancet device and work it.

The lancet itself is not supposed to protrude from the end of the cap (safety feature obviously). Most lancets device have a button on the side or top that you press to make the lancet prick. It pricks and goes back into the device in less than a second.

You can freehand the lancet without the device. Some people find that easier. Just give the ear a quick prick near the edge. You don't need to go completely through the skin to the other side of the ear.

Have you seen the hometesting videos?

Testing is frustrating at first but don't give up :thumbup You'll get the hang of it.

 

Lancing devices are so quick that if you think you can click it and watch it come out, you will be wrong. I use only level 2, not a high level, and hold it FLAT against the ear, not at an angle. I use a cosmetic pad underneath the ear for support. I do not use a lancet free hand. Tried that many years ago on Baby(GA) and she moved and I slashed. Use only the edge of the ear also, just a little in so device is on the edge completely, not half on and half off.

 

Did the lancet pen come with a clear cap? If so, try using that instead of the solid plastic cap, then you can see where you are poking easier. Are you putting something on the other side of the ear, like a cotton ball or paper towel, and using your finger behind it to apply counter-pressure? After you trigger the pen, hold the pen in place with some pressure against the ear for the count of 3, you will see that the blood wells up around the lancet point...it may save you having to "milk" the ear for blood. Another tip that helps some people is using a flashlight on the other side of the ear so you can see the vein easier, and it serves as a hard surface to poke against.

Keep trying! It is rare to get blood on your first attempt, it does take some experimentation and practice to get the hang of it and figure out what works the best for you. Also, it takes time for the ear to "learn" how to bleed. Persistence pays off!

 

You are not aiming for the vein.......just hit a capillary in the ear......the blood will come but in the beginning you may need to milk it a little.

 

Yes, Hope is right...I hope my post was not misleading...you can see the vein with the flashlight, but you don't want to aim for it! You want to aim between the vein and the edge of the ear...the "sweet spot."

 

I used the device without any cap at all. I found that so much easier for me. I couldn't free hand with Calliope. No way. No how. I can't tell you how many tries it took me to finally get it, but I got it! I had to wrap her in a blanket and then tuck her with her back against me on my kitchen island to sort of brace her since I only had two hands, too! I used a cotton ball or a folded tissue on one side of the ear to brace the ear against it like described above. One I got may position together, I could control her head and get it done. It sort of takes practice sometimes to get that position that's comfortable for you, both. Remember that every time you attempt to test, you are making progress, so don't be discouraged or give up. I was crying when I was trying to learn. Then, I just laughed at myself for being so silly and that relaxed me and made it all much better.

 

Hey thanks for the info about the edge of the ear. I had a hard time too. I am new also and this has helped. When I test again tomorrow I'll know better what I am looking for. Libby and Callie

 

I myself tried using a lancing device at first and had soooo much trouble so I just use the lancets by themselves to me its just so much easier to have it in my hand and poke HTH some it just takes time practice and lots of patience so I do understand since in Do Lou's beginning of being dx'd I found this forum and tried so hard to hometest and Do Lou would actually hide from me at first but at this time I was trying on his ears he hates his ears touched so I then saw a thread somewhere on here about using pawpads we did not try this actually until late Feb of this year right before going on lantus since I had read so much about this insulin and I was afraid he would go hypo on me without me knowing it if I did not learn well here we are many months later and he is just perfect for testing purrs the entire time I wish I could use his ears since I am always worried a bit about a paw pad getting infected with getting in the LB daily so I always use neosporin in this feet each time good luck to you and keep asking for tips here thats what we are all here for to learn and help the cats :mrgreen:

 

I didn't even realise you were supposed to use the lancet w/the clear cap on... I always thought it didn't reach far enough! I just barely touch the tip of the lancet to Kazi's paw and then 'fire' it.

 

Make sure you firmly support the back of the ear with a cosmetic pad or similar material. You do not want to prick your finger. If you do not firmly back up the ear the lancet will push the ear down rather than penetrate the ear.

 

I am new at this too and at first I had to keep trying. (once it took 5 try's!)

I use a piece of folded paper towel to support the cats ear.
After I get the blood sample, I hold that paper towel on both sides of her ear and hold with a little pressure to stop the bleeding.

Its important to test before injecting the insulin, so just keep trying.

 

My first lancet device didn't work. I even tried poking myself, and the lancet really didn't come out beyond the cap. It's true that when you "fire" it, the lancet moves really fast, but that wasn't the problem. When I put my finger on the business end of the device and fired it, the finger remained unscathed. I think that's very rare, but it did happen.

What I did was this: For a while I used that device without any cap at all, then tried freehand for a while, then bought another device. I greatly prefer using a device, with regular cap, but I know that is personal preference - some people prefer devices, some prefer freehand, some prefer using the cap, some prefer to leave the cap off, some use the clear cap, some use the regular cap. It's all what you feel comfortable with. I think I learned a lot by using the device without a cap for a while, though I wouldn't choose that as my normal method now (but that's me - what I find best isn't what everyone finds best).

The main thing is to try various ways to find what works best for you. And if you don't like your device, buy another one, probably a different brand, or take off the cap. Maybe changing to the clear cap will help. In my case it didn't, but it might do the trick for you.

Whatever you do, just keep trying and trust that eventually it will work. Pretty much everyone has trouble at first, so that alone doesn't mean you are doing something wrong.

 

I found that the lancet had sunk too deep into the device, so that it was not firing outside the cap. So I tried not inserting it to the full depth of said device. I fired-tested it a few times and got blood from my own finger ( yay- my bg is 90, I was happy to discover)

I tried Joey again this am - used the towel-burrito, got him relaxed, put some treats in plain sight, used the makeup sponge idea ( have tons of those around here - dh had a toe problem and used em for shock absorbers - works like a charm) and fired twice. No blood, but at least he hardly flinched or screamed. I gave the treat and he was poised to hide under the bed, but came out in the open after about ten minutes. Tom'w I shall try again. Psyched now.

I think I'll also use the burrito method if I ever have to administer a pill or liquid medication. You ppl are full of great ideas.

 

Amen to what Jean said. It takes practice and patience, you sound like you started out well getting him all nice and relaxed. That is very important. It sounds like you might need a deeper setting. Supporting under the ear is important like Larry said, or the ear will just push away from the lancet.

There are two or three threads going right now on this topic, check them out for other ideas. I'm of the no device school, just easier for us. One good device tip I've seen mentioned is to use a fine marker to mark the centerline on the cap, that way you can aim it much better.

 

I found that the lancet device was a lot more difficult to control than freehanding. It's a lot easier for me to get the blood with freehanding, and now I always get it on the first time.

 

Are you warming the ear first? Cold ears just won't bleed. There are tips near the bottom of this thread on how to make a "rice sock": viewtopic.php?f=28&t=26112 Microwave time varies. Start with 15 seconds and adjust as needed. The sock needs to be toasty warm but not burning hot. You should be able to comfortably hold the sock in your hand for a minute.

Try the other ear. Some cats only have one ear that will give blood. If that doesn't work, you can try a paw pad.

 

I think that'll be my next move, now that I know how he reacts to an ear prick.

 

Hand warming doesn't always work for a newbie. Try holding the warm rice sock to the ear for a good minute to really get the blood flowing.

Other things to try is a higher depth setting on the lancet device and even try a different lancet device as some work better than others. The Human pharmacy will sell them.