If you have diabetes or are suspecting you might have it, you will have to check your blood glucose at periodic intervals. Although each machine is different, the collection process is the same. This article will give you these details so the details don't seem so overwhelming coming at you all at once. (Some of these need to be done quickly, so the machine doesn't turn off due to failure to apply a sample. If you need to, read this article's steps in their entirety - focusing on the first sentence at least.)
Steps
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1Prepare for the test. Get your blood glucose meter, your test strips (specific to the meter's brand and might or might not have a code that only needs to be programmed once into the meter), the lancing device and lancets.
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2Make sure the lancet is placed firmly into the lancing device and that the test strip is inserted into the meter. Miss either of these and you'll be in for a rude awakening when the time comes to start the test.
- Sometimes the insertion of a test strip into the meter may turn on the device and initialize waiting for you to apply the sample - while other meters may ask you to turn on before inserting.
- Be aware that test strips have two ends. One end is the device's entry-end and the other end is the sampling end (where the blood sample is collected). Do not confuse the two - they will each be explained in your particular system's owner's manual/booklet.
- Lancets and test strips must be kept sterile until they are in-use for the test.
- If the meter doesn't turn on or doesn't power after pressing a button or putting in a new strip, you may need to replace the battery - of which your owner's manual will be able to give you the information to. Do not test until this battery has been replaced.
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3Prepare the lancet into the lancing device. Each lancing device is different and differs wildly, even up to the end, having to figure out if the cap needs to remain on or not. Your owner's booklet should be able to provide that information.
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4Pick a finger. You'll need to pick any of your fingers (not your toes) to test your blood glucose (blood sugar). Doctors mention to not try to use your thumbs, but sometimes that has to be used when the rest of your fingers are raw and have been tested on rather commonly.
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5Utilize an area at the side - not at the fleshy end - of the finger to test. You can use either the left or right sides of the finger.
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6Use an alcohol prep swab to clean and sterilize the testing area with rubbing alcohol. These may or may not be included in the blood glucose testing pack, but should be used at every test.
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7Set the lancing device's depth setting - if it has one. Some newer lancing devices contain a dial that can be used to set the depth of the "cut". The larger the number, the deeper the cut.
- Set the number too high on someone with thinner skin, and you could be asking for a second rude awakening. "Yowzers!"
- Set the number too low on someone with thicker skin, and you could be wondering if you ever had a lancet set in the lancing device at all.
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8Cock the lancet back to prepare it for the prick. Each lancing device has a different method - most you pull back or out a switch until another button "pops out" and "ready" for the prick! Older lancing devices, you just pull and prick - and not hear a sound in the meantime.
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9Prick your finger. Press the Ejection button. (Each lancing device - according to the booklet's calls this button a different name, but on your lancing device there should be another button to push that should complete the prick.
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10Squeeze your finger to gather the blood. Although it doesn't have to be gushing out, it should be somewhat collected in a small pool. Depending on age of the device and test strips, you may need more than a tiny bit.
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11Do not use blood samples if the blood smears or runs. Let the test strip do the work to pull in the necessary blood into the channel.
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12Apply the sample. Let the blood sample channel fill. It may be necessary to apply the test strip at an angle into the wound - to get the best results. Pull the test strip at an angle to pull the blood from the "wound." Once the meter has pulled enough blood, some meters will beep to say it's gathering the data. Others will show additional indicators.
- Never touch the test strip - near the collection area - with any of your other fingers. This will dirty the sample and not provide true results.
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13Let it analyze the sample.
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14Clean your finger, as it reads and analyzes the number.
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15Read the number it provides. Normal ranges depend on the companies' ranges and differ. Blood glucose numbers also differ due to the age of the machine and other factors.
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16Act on high blood glucose numbers, as well as low blood glucose numbers. Some people have injection pens, and some have medications that will help them bring these numbers under control - but will depend on your specific situation.
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17Learn the different error codes, and what they mean. These will be listed in the owner's manuals of your meter. Some could mean as simple as "not enough blood", or something else as simple. Others could mean that your sample is higher/lower than the device can effectively monitor - of which these can be fatal if not treated quickly.Advertisement
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Tips
- Make sure to keep a collection bucket around of used lancets. They can't be discarded as trash since they can hurt others and have a pricker end that's been used and collected blood (and contaminated further prickers). There are companies that sell needle collection container buckets, but they tend to cost a fee to take away. Your blood glucose meter companies may offer ideas to get a needle collection companies details to you, but you need to open up and explain your problem.
- Lancets are hazardous waste. Test strips may also be considered the same - because they contain bodily fluids.
Thanks - Buying test strips without health insurance can be a costly matter. However, it can be done. Buy only from reputable online sites (CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, etc.) - most pharmacies only sell test strips behind the counter and pharmacists know to ask for insurance ID cards. Lancets are sold near where diabetic testing supplies are sold but are dependant on the lancing device that is being used.Thanks
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