I keep sticking myself

I began home testing Tananda, I watched many of the recommended links on home testing, and know where the "sweet spot "is, but some how I keep managing to stick my own finger with the lancet. I have the lancing device set to the shallowest depth, have a paper towel folded in fourths to support her ear, the cap is clear so I can see the lancet and where it will puncture. It doesn't happen EVERY time, but I feel bad when I know I just went all the way through her ear. Does anyone have any tips on how prevent going completely through the ear?? Right now she is still giving a me little struggling, lots of growling and understandably is pulling her ears tight against her head. Did I mention Tandy is a Tortie? For those who know Torties, enough said. But for those who don't...well Torties have opinions...and they tend to express them, usually with a lot of emphasis. By the way, her numbers are half of what the vet was seeing. Last result at the vet was 432, I am seeing numbers in the mid 200's. We go back on Saturday for the next vet check.

 

Don't worry about going all the way through the ear. Kitties' ears are thin (easy to go all the way through) but also not very sensitive (so going all the way through doesn't hurt like you may think it does).

To avoid sticking yourself, use a slightly larger piece of paper towel to support her ear. You are probably sometimes hitting right past the edge of the paper towel, so there is nothing to protect your finger and you get stuck. Or you might be sticking right at the edge of the ear, so you are hitting only the little fringe of fur; then the lancet isn't stopped by the ear but can go straight through the paper towel to your finger. I sometimes do each of these. Neither one is harmful, but they can be annoying to you and to the kitty.

 

Help with lancet device settings/poking thru ear

That's great that you're home testing and you feel like you have a pretty good handle on it (minus testing your own blood, that is!). That's really wonderful news about Tandy's dramatically lowered numbers. Was her insulin dosage prescribed based on the #s in the 400s? If so, you need to discuss lowering the dose with your vet, because if her #s are half, her insulin needs might be half too. You are getting her pre-shot numbers before giving insulin, right? Are you able to get any #s when the insulin peaks, usually between 5-7 hours after the shot? The PSs and the peak #s are the most important ones to get, as they will tell you what the insulin is doing and whether or not BG is too low to shoot. I know you know all that already, just making sure. Anyway, do make sure that the lowered #s are being taken into consideration when dosing.

Buzz is a tortie, too, so I know all about those opinions.

I don't use a lancet device, I freehand, so I don't have any advice on that. Sorry! Lots of people do use them, though, so you will get more eyes soon. I am going to change the subject line to reflect the questions so people might respond quicker.

 

HI Terri,

Congrats on the hometesting! That is great. Nice to see the lower numbers. Are you sure treating her after every stick? We want her to associate good stuff with a poke.

It doesn't hurt to go through the ear, except for your finger of course. :razz: I used a small makeup sponge behind the ear. The folded up kleenix wasn't enough for me. I know other people just put the rice sack behind there and just it.

Another idea is to poke at a little slant - like you are sewing.

 

Oh I so remember how that feels. I can't tell you how many times I poked Maui's ears and my fingers. Then I got smart. I used the warming sock - (assuming you know about them) and I kept it behind her ear, instead of a paper towel or anything else.

This way when I pierced her ear, I hit the sock and not my finger.

In case you don't know about the warming sock - which also will help with blood flow:

Take one sock, put about 1/4 cup of rice, oatmeal or dried beans in it, knot the top and microwave for about 20-30 seconds, until sock is warm. (I prefer using oatmeal, doesn't smell as bad as rice).

Place sock behind ear to warm it up and get blood flowing. Keep it there while testing and your fingers will be poke free!

 

i use a cotton ball. i've poked myself enough i learned along time ago, the fatter the thing behind the ear the better off my fingers are :smile:

 

Good job on the home testing.
I also use a nice cotton ball. It also makes it very easy to have something to lay the ear on.
The cotton ball is perfect and I have not pricked my fingers yet.

But do ceck you are on a low setting if you seem to keep going through the ear.

 

I use a cotton ball, too. One of those "triple size" ones. Afterward, I use it doubled over the spot that I poked (held in a "pinch") to stop the bleeding

~M

 

I don't use the pen but handle the lancets free with my hand.
Then I poke at an 45 degree angle in the vein.
I also don't use a sock or anything. That way I have room for a small flashlight I put under her ear so I can see the vein and the capillaries better.

And I know about those cat's. Got one myself. cat(2)_steam
It still isn't routine with her. She has her good day's, and then of course it doesn't matter how often I poke. But then there are a couple of day's where she just doesn't want to be touched and want's to be left alone.
I wish for the day to come where I have to test her less than now.

 

I used a paper towel (one of those half size ones) folded into a square. After the test I used it to put a little pressure on the spot to stop the bleeding and reduce bruising.

 

Thanks For the Tips!

I haven't tried the sock yet but will tonight. IF thet dos'nt work for me I'll try the cotton ball.

Tandy is at least for another day on Glip. and the latest numbers are with the diet change.My vet is very pleased with the BG results I gave her last night ( I was there with another pet, a 23 year old cockatiel).

 

I always held the rice sock under the ear to provide a firm surface for pricking against and to keep my fingers from being poked.

 

I have always used cosmetic pads and when using a lancing device you have to hold it flat on the ear, not at an angle. Haven't stuck myself once in over 11 years.