Checking blood glucose levels by poking fingers is a common practice in diabetes management. But how can we keep our fingertips happy and healthy despite all that poking?
I poke my fingers between 8 and 10 times each day. That’s not an exaggeration, and it’s not because I’m neurotic (as I’ve heard frequent checkers called, believe it or not). I check when I wake up, before I take insulin, if I feel low, before I exercise (sometimes during and after), before I drive (if there’s any question), and before I go to bed. I also might check if I’ve taken insulin to bring down a high blood glucose level.
I think my fingertips look pretty darn good for all that poking, if I do say so myself. And here’s a little secret: I even use the big, huge, old, blue lancets from the dark ages (because I got so many boxes of them for free at diabetes camp in the 80s and they’re still not gone!!).
Here are some tips I’ve learned along the way:
- rotate fingers (I literally poke a different finger – inside then outside – each time I check – this allows time for healing)
- use cream daily (I use Amlactin – be sure it’s cream and not lotion)
- use a dial-a-depth lancing device and choose the right setting so you only have to poke once
- change your lancet every once in a while (used lancets get rough and can do more damage)
- use a fine lancet (unlike me, but I’ve found that even with thicker lancets, rotating and cream do the trick)
Good luck and enjoy your happy fingers!