Mickey and home testing

[pat3332]

Re: Mickey and home testing

Don't get discouraged, it just takes time, practice and finding what works for you. I doubt that you broke your lancet device, but they only go together one way. Everyone has found the way that works best for them. I use to use the lancet device, but doing it by hand is more reliable and easier for me.

When doing it by hand I leave the area flat and then quickly jab all the way in and out while petting him. Sometimes I will stretch the skin a little so it's tight. After, if I need a little bigger drop, I gently press on each side of the puncture to get a little more blood if necessary, but don't squeeze too hard. The AlphaTrak only needs a tiny amount of blood. Just touch one edge of the test strip to the blood drop and wait for the meter to beep before moving it away from the test site. If necessary to do a second stick, you can add blood to the test strip for up to 2 minutes, just be sure to add it to the same side of the test strip you have already used.

I have a feeling that you are possibly being a little tentative about the lancing for fear of hurting Mickey. If using the lancet device, I press firmly into the site before triggering it. By hand, I make one quick jab all the way in and out, not a little prick. If it hurts Mickey, he will let you know, if he doesn't react, you will have learned something from it either way. All part of the learning process.

Trying once and then waiting so as not to stress Mickey too much at once is a good way to go. Eventually, you will get that first drop of blood that gives you a reading and from then on, each one becomes easier. Even now, I still have times when Bailey just doesn't want to give up any blood, or the meter just won't read it and gives me an error message and I need to try 2-3 times with new test strips to get a reading.

You're doing great, let us know how the next one goes.

Pat

[Mickey'sMom123]

Re: Mickey and home testing

Thanks so much - we will try again tomorrow after I get home from work and before I feed him. I'd love to do it in the middle of the day, but my husband and I both work. I work about 25 mins. from home, so I can go home just long enough to let everybody out, do a keto-diastix test, and then return to work. But we will definitely try again. I'm just a little frustrated about it right now. But, I appreciate the pep talks. Will post again tomorrow to let you know how it turned out.

[jjefferjo]

Re: Mickey and home testing

Hang in there we have all been there, you will get there, I too feared that i was hurting when just using the lancet and have gotten better with the lancing device, Ed flinches evrr so slightly if at all- maybe it's me flinching
In no time you will be a pro and then you will feel very empowered even when the numbers are not what you expected them to be- you know that you have the means and the ability to re-check quickly for assurance.
Ed and I are cheering for ya'll

[Patty]

Re: Mickey and home testing

This may sounds like a dumb question , but I know you're trying different size lancets. Was the lancet you couldn't get into the device the same type that goes with that particular device?

I know the OneTouch lancets I had for a while wouldn't fit into my AccuChek Softclix.

Just a thought...

[Mickey'sMom123]

Re: Mickey and home testing

Actually, the lancets were the ones that came with the soft clix (but that was a good thought) - I don't know what I did, but I can't get the top back on. It just won't click in. When we got home from work tonight, we tried using the lancing device that came with the alpha trac and of course, that didn't work, so we tried the 26 gauge lancet. Nope. We just can't get blood. I spoke with my Vet tonight, and she will be doing a full curve probably toward the end of the week, I'll call tomorrow to get the appointment.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your positive feed back and encouragement!

[pat3332]

Re: Mickey and home testing

Hi Jamie,

You've probably planned on doing this already, but I have just one more suggestion. When you go to the vet for the curve, show them how you are trying to get blood and see if they have any suggestions, or can give you any tips.

Let us know how the curve comes out.

Pat

[Mickey'sMom123]

Re: Mickey and home testing

Pat - Thanks for that suggestion. I definitely will. I don't know how true this is, but when I was speaking to the Vet last night and I was telling her that I can't even get blood from the base of his tail (and we try above that area as well), she said that sometimes their circulation is comprised because of the condition, and it's just hard to get blood.

I try to stick him very quickly so it won't hurt - should I be sticking him like I'm putting a tack into cork (only a whole lot quicker - maybe I'm too quick about it and it only goes in a little)? He's so boney in that area (we think due to amputation). Mickey is a tripod (I don't recall if I mentioned that or not). When we got him from the Rescue, we were told that someone brought him in with one of his back legs completely broken and it had been that way for several months (imagine the pain he must have been - no wonder he's a grouch at times). Before they allowed us to formally adopt him, they had the leg amputated. We picked him up directly from their Vet when he was able to be released and brought him home with us so he could start his new life in a better environment. The Rescue actually wanted him returned to them after the surgery so that they could microchip him before we took him home. We thought that was silly - and promised to bring him back for the chip after we got him home and he was feeling better (which we did). Just a little background on Mickey.

[jesse girl]

Re: Mickey and home testing

for jesse to get enough blood almost every time I hold the device a split second longer instead of pulling it out immediately . take a short breath to time yourself then pull out you must hold in place semi firmly for that time youll find what works for you and your fury freind

[pat3332]

Re: Mickey and home testing

Hi Jamie,

I don't remember seeing that he was an amputee, but I may have missed it. I think what you said about sticking a tack into a cork is pretty much what I've been trying to say, but you said it better. I stick all the way in very quickly. Bailey doesn't notice the difference whether I just do a quick shallow stick, or a quick deeper stick. You need to get deep enough beneath the skin to get to the blood. The lancet devices have different depth settings because too shallow doesn't always go deep enough to get enough blood. I've always had to use the deepest setting on Bailey, but I'm using a callous. Even at the deepest setting on the device however, I still get a better drop of blood, more consistently by doing it by hand and sticking the lancet all the way in and out quickly. If you haven't been following it, here's a link to another thread where Tiggy's Grandma has been having the same problem and finally got some blood to test and I believe in the same area you're testing.

http://k9diabetes.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2552

You'll get there.

Pat

[Mickey'sMom123]

Re: Mickey and home testing

Thanks for the thread. So cute, her word for Broccolli is "test".

Even my husband doesn't want to give up on trying to home monitor (before he was a little resistant because he feels Mickey's pain). Now, he's all for it, so we'll keep on trying (without too much stress on Mickey)......

Tonight we will try your suggestions (Jesse Girl and Pat) about trying to go all the way (w/the flat side of the lancet up against Mickey's skin) leaving it just a teeny bit longer than we have.

Every day we will at least try. When we used the Alpha Trac lancet device last night (before resorting to the 26 gauge lancet manually), we had it set on the second to last setting, and it seemed to us that it didn't even shoot out of the device, although we know it did. It just seemed so light.

Jamie

[SandyL]

Re: Mickey and home testing

Hi Jamie

One thing that really worked for me was I held a warm compress on Tiggys shaved spot for awhile before using the lancing device. I also upt the lancing device (One Touch Ultra) to the #8 position and held it in place just a little longer like Jesse girl described. Worked a little better tonight, as I didn't have to "milk the spot" too much for that precious drop of blood.

Oh, btw, I tried all the above on my 2nd attempt tonight....practice, practice practice.

Keep trying Jamie...you and Mickey can do this!!

Sandy

[Mickey'sMom123]

Re: Mickey and home testing

Hi Tiggy's Mom -

The One Touch Ultra - I need to look into that one (is it a specific model?). We didn't get to try last night, the door bell rings and they all get excited. No point in trying to get a reading if it's going to be off (assuming of course I would be able to get blood).

Thank you so much for your suggestion!

[SandyL]

Re: Mickey and home testing

Jamie,

I am using the One Touch Ultra Mini. The lancing device came with it. Seems to work ok for me In fact, since I'm off today, I thought I would try to do a curve and see how it comes out. Rocky morning though, she really didn't want to eat her normal meal but after almost an hour I coaxed her to eat most of it....we'll see

Sandy

[Mickey'sMom123]

Re: Mickey and home testing

Oh - It came with the One Touch Glucometer. I have the Alpha Trac and the device that came with it doesn't work so well for me. The other day, I had it set just one below the deepest, and it seemed like it hardly moved, so I'm thinking at the deepest it wouldn't do the job. I'll see if they sell the One Touch Lancing Device by itself. I also saw one on one of the Videos - it appeared to be a small flat device - I'd like to find that one too just to see if it's made any stronger.

J.

[SandyL]

Re: Mickey and home testing

I purchased the mini at Walmart about a year ago for only about $20 can't remember the exact cost but it wasn't much and it came with lancets, strips meter and lancet device. I think control solution too Might be cheaper to get the whole thing than just trying to find the lancet device. Anyway originally got it to monitor my own BG since both my parents were diabetics and I just wanted to keep track of me It has since come in handy for Tiggy!

Sandy