Have you ever gotten a random reading when you checked your blood glucose? When this happens to me I usually wash my hands, dry them, and try it again. If I get a crazy high reading that makes no sense, I assume I had something on my finger (jelly, juice, remnants of fruit, other??).
I always tell my patients to make sure their fingers are “clean and dry” when they poke them for a blood sample. There has even been research that showed that clean fingers give more accurate results with blood glucose monitoring. I love this kind of study – reminds me of the ones that were done looking at the rate of infection for people who inject through clothing or reuse syringes (no difference in infection rates). So, according to scientific research, if you wash your hands before you check your blood glucose, you will achieve more accurate results. Makes sense.
Clean and dry fingers also lead to less pain and less risk of infection. If your fingers are covered in dirt (just came in from gardening, perhaps), be sure to wash first. And just a tip (no pun intended), be sure to keep away from lemon juice when poking fingers. It really stings!!
Most people have heard by now that it hurts at least slightly less if you use the sides of your fingertips. The very tips and pads of your fingers are where the nerve endings are located, so they hurt more. Some people have a nice little dimple in the spot that’s ideal for poking.
Also, be sure to rotate fingers. I use both sides of every finger except my thumbs and the outside of my pointers. I rotate back and forth, and despite poking my fingers up to 12 or 20 times per day (ok, 20 was happening more when I was pregnant than now), you really can’t tell that I poke my fingers. Another trick is to use a good cream on your hands every day, which keeps away calluses and rough looking fingers.
Care to share any good stories or recommendations about fingertips??