02/05/20 Thomas J. AMPS 468, +7 351, PMPS 360

[LilTurkey]

02/04/20
I've been trying for an hour to get blood. Only 30 minutes after the usual shot time. I'm gonna try again if he'll let me but he's had it with me and the pokes.
Every time I did get blood and successfully gather it my meter would shut off. This happened 3 times. Just takes the blood then the screen goes black and it resets. This has been happening a lot lately. I must be bumping or shaking the strip because it's only a few seconds after I insert it. I may have to just scrape the blood off onto another strip and gather it that way from now on.
We're both very upset, he at least got some chicken out of it.
He's hungry too. Maybe I should just give him some food. I don't know.

 

[Sue and Luci]

I'm sorry about the struggle - sounds like us in the beginning! Oh how we would wrestle with getting that drop of blood. I had the same issues with the meter - found another one that seemed to last for longer. You might want to go to Walmart and get a different meter - lots of people use the Prime. I use the OneDrop and it rarely times out before we're done - but that's now. Sometimes I don't get the blood drop correctly either...

One thing you might want to try to do is, if you can squeeze the drop out onto your thumbnail - and just let him have his treat and move on - get the blood drop off the back of your thumbnail onto the strip - might be easier than trying to wrestle with him and deal with the meter.

Also, my DH doesn't push the strip in all the way until he's got a blood drop because he has trouble seeing it and has to use magnifying glasses with a light so by the time all that's going on the meter will time out. Just some tricks you can try.

Early on I poked Luci five times and the blood drop ended up on the floor! I scooped it onto the strip and was able to finally get a reading...so just know you are not alone in your challenge! We've all been there...and it is a struggle but I promise you it will get better!

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

Frustrating for sure! Sue gave you some good tips.

It does get easier. If the meter continues to shut off after just a few seconds, you might call the company and ask for a new meter.

 

[Snickers and Chrissy]

I, too, struggled at first. I've actually ended up poking myself a few times! Like Sue and Luci said, it gets easier. I would second the Relion Prime meter. It's cheap and fairly simple to work with. Good luck, you can totally do this!

 

[LilTurkey]

I'm sorry about the struggle - sounds like us in the beginning! Oh how we would wrestle with getting that drop of blood. I had the same issues with the meter - found another one that seemed to last for longer. You might want to go to Walmart and get a different meter - lots of people use the Prime. I use the OneDrop and it rarely times out before we're done - but that's now. Sometimes I don't get the blood drop correctly either...

One thing you might want to try to do is, if you can squeeze the drop out onto your thumbnail - and just let him have his treat and move on - get the blood drop off the back of your thumbnail onto the strip - might be easier than trying to wrestle with him and deal with the meter.

Also, my DH doesn't push the strip in all the way until he's got a blood drop because he has trouble seeing it and has to use magnifying glasses with a light so by the time all that's going on the meter will time out. Just some tricks you can try.

Early on I poked Luci five times and the blood drop ended up on the floor! I scooped it onto the strip and was able to finally get a reading...so just know you are not alone in your challenge! We've all been there...and it is a struggle but I promise you it will get better!

I'm only 3 days in but continue to struggle. I know it'll get easier but I feel bad for my boy. He's always really patient in the beginning but turns pretty quickly. I also keep the strip just at the entrance and push it in when I'm ready, it must just be sensitive to jiggles. If I had nails I would (bad nail biting habit), I tried it once before and it just spread all over my finger instead. I scraped it onto another strip and got it. 468, most of that was stress I'm sure. He got plenty of chicken then finally his breakfast. At least he doesn't mind his injection at all. Thank you for the tips!

 

[LilTurkey]

Frustrating for sure! Sue gave you some good tips.

It does get easier. If the meter continues to shut off after just a few seconds, you might call the company and ask for a new meter.

Yes, you guys are great with all your advice and tips! I think I mainly come here for all of the moral support.

 

[LilTurkey]

I, too, struggled at first. I've actually ended up poking myself a few times! Like Sue and Luci said, it gets easier. I would second the Relion Prime meter. It's cheap and fairly simple to work with. Good luck, you can totally do this!

Thank you! I'm planning on picking one up soon.

 

[LilTurkey]

I'm planning on getting the Relion Prime meter but it doesn't come with a lancer. I've tried free handing with lancets but I've never been successful. I also get really shaky hands so not a good mix. Any recommendations on a lancer?

 

[Sue and Luci]

Yes, 3 days is just getting started...it does take time. I think we were at about three months before it became a process that one of us could do alone - prior to that it was a two-person project. One to hold Luci in place and one to get the poke accomplished. She was a real spit-fire and has never been a cuddly lap cat kind of girl. She has always wanted or should I say demanded her 'personal space'...this was a whole new ball game to her.

I was very determined to help her though - as it meant life or death - and I'd tell her that at test time - lots of time I'd just pick her up, set on her on the testing towel - always in the same spot in our kitchen and sometimes I'd just pet her and give her a treat and let her go...we were all pretty miserable about it in the beginning. It was a test of wills...who would win? If Luci had her way she wouldn't be with us today - but of course she didn't know that and since I was a better judge of the outcome I persevered...sometimes to the point of tears...I was sure I was going to fail and would have to let her go...but here we are over two years later...Luci did settle into the routine and surprised me one day by laying on the testing towel waiting for me! I was so stunned I took her picture! It was a real turning point for us...now she purrs during the whole thing.

If someone had told me this was going to be our cat I never would have believed them. Even the first vet told us that there's no way she was going to tolerate getting those shots - that she would hide from us at those times - much less home testing. He advised us to euthanize her right then and there...saying it's too hard to regulate cats and that she would pee all over the house, etc. etc. He wasn't very supportive at all...I cried for days after that one...and finally came to my senses and started researching feline diabetes...and viola! Found this group and the rest is history!

Try to be patient...this stuff takes time...you'll have good days and bad days...so hang in there! Lots of people here in this group who started out the same way you're starting today...and it's all worth it.

 

[Sue and Luci]

I'm planning on getting the Relion Prime meter but it doesn't come with a lancer. I've tried free handing with lancets but I've never been successful. I also get really shaky hands so not a good mix. Any recommendations on a lancer?

Are you using the warm rice filled sock to support his ears? I find that helped me a great deal - otherwise I was poking thru the ear and poking myself

I don't use the device because I couldn't see what I was doing - trying to hold that thing on top of the edge of Luci's black ear (black fur, black skin)...and then poking...I just couldn't see...so found that if I supported her ear with the rice-sock and held my breath for a second, that I could get the point of the lancet close and then stab...drop the lancet, grab the meter and scoop up that drop of blood, while still supporting her ear with the rice sock...it will get easier with practice...the process smooths out for both of you...and it'll help when he will stay still...right now it's early and he doesn't know what's going on...but soon he will...and he'll sit there (yes, as unbelievable as that sounds)...you'll have a moment or two while he's got his treat to grab that drop and then the test will be done

As for the moral support - I doubt that I would have continued with the folks on this group to help, support and guide me. I had no clue what I was doing!!!

 

[LilTurkey]

Yes, 3 days is just getting started...it does take time. I think we were at about three months before it became a process that one of us could do alone - prior to that it was a two-person project. One to hold Luci in place and one to get the poke accomplished. She was a real spit-fire and has never been a cuddly lap cat kind of girl. She has always wanted or should I say demanded her 'personal space'...this was a whole new ball game to her.

I was very determined to help her though - as it meant life or death - and I'd tell her that at test time - lots of time I'd just pick her up, set on her on the testing towel - always in the same spot in our kitchen and sometimes I'd just pet her and give her a treat and let her go...we were all pretty miserable about it in the beginning. It was a test of wills...who would win? If Luci had her way she wouldn't be with us today - but of course she didn't know that and since I was a better judge of the outcome I persevered...sometimes to the point of tears...I was sure I was going to fail and would have to let her go...but here we are over two years later...Luci did settle into the routine and surprised me one day by laying on the testing towel waiting for me! I was so stunned I took her picture! It was a real turning point for us...now she purrs during the whole thing.

If someone had told me this was going to be our cat I never would have believed them. Even the first vet told us that there's no way she was going to tolerate getting those shots - that she would hide from us at those times - much less home testing. He advised us to euthanize her right then and there...saying it's too hard to regulate cats and that she would pee all over the house, etc. etc. He wasn't very supportive at all...I cried for days after that one...and finally came to my senses and started researching feline diabetes...and viola! Found this group and the rest is history!

Try to be patient...this stuff takes time...you'll have good days and bad days...so hang in there! Lots of people here in this group who started out the same way you're starting today...and it's all worth it.

Thank you for your story and all of your encouragement, it means a lot to me that you're all so kind and understanding. Not going to lie, the last few days I've gotten upset to the point of tears multiple times, wanting to give up but knowing that's not an option. I know I have to do what's best for him. Compared to a lot of kitties on here he's not in that bad of shape. I believe I can get him where he needs to be, I just can't rush the process. I'll keep trying my best!

 

[LilTurkey]

Are you using the warm rice filled sock to support his ears? I find that helped me a great deal - otherwise I was poking thru the ear and poking myself

I don't use the device because I couldn't see what I was doing - trying to hold that thing on top of the edge of Luci's black ear (black fur, black skin)...and then poking...I just couldn't see...so found that if I supported her ear with the rice-sock and held my breath for a second, that I could get the point of the lancet close and then stab...drop the lancet, grab the meter and scoop up that drop of blood, while still supporting her ear with the rice sock...it will get easier with practice...the process smooths out for both of you...and it'll help when he will stay still...right now it's early and he doesn't know what's going on...but soon he will...and he'll sit there (yes, as unbelievable as that sounds)...you'll have a moment or two while he's got his treat to grab that drop and then the test will be done

As for the moral support - I doubt that I would have continued with the folks on this group to help, support and guide me. I had no clue what I was doing!!!

Thank you! I'll try supporting with the sock. The only problem is that it makes his ear really itchy on the inside and he starts shaking his head.
He's usually patient in the beginning and sits still. If I could just get it with one poke and be done I think he'd accept it better. I think scraping the blood off with another strip might be my best bet to get blood every time.
He's not so easily distracted with the treat as he knows it's a possible trick. Sometimes he'll go to eat it then stop and stare at me and walk away. I'll have to do as suggested and give pets and treats without a poke some of the time to help with that.
I'm honestly not sure what I would've done if I hadn't found this forum, as it's where I got the majority of my information and advice from. You guys are all wonderful!

 

[Snickers and Chrissy]

I'm planning on getting the Relion Prime meter but it doesn't come with a lancer. I've tried free handing with lancets but I've never been successful. I also get really shaky hands so not a good mix. Any recommendations on a lancer?

I use the Freestyle Lancer simply because that's what I got when I first started. I'm sure the Relion lancer is just as good. I like the Freestyle lancer because it's shaped like a thick pen and I find it easy to work with. Also, you don't have to use Freestyle lancets in it. I now use the Freestyle lancer with the Relion lancets because they're cheaper and totally interchangeable.

Also, you can get different thickness lancets. Freestyle has 28 gauge which are thicker so more likely to draw blood the first time. The Relion ones I buy now are 30 gauge and thinner, which are nice for ear pokes but at first I had a hard time with them because they were so thin, and I ended up poking Snickers multiple times to get blood.

FYI, Freestyle Lite is also a nice testing meter and needs a smaller amount of blood than the Relion Prime, it's just more expensive is all, as are the strips. I think that's why so many people here use Relion Prime, because it's cheap and still works well.

Regarding the warm rice sock, I've never used it but I know it helps a lot of people. I do, however, take a paper towel, fold it over into a square, and stick that behind Snickers' ear so that when I push the lancet right up against it, the needle doesn't poke me if it goes through, it gets the paper towel instead. Plus, for me at least, I find the paper towel behind her ear acts as a little bit like a support for her ear and makes it easier for me to do the pokes. And if her ear bleeds extra because I nicked the vein, the paper towel catches the blood.

Hope some of that helps! I'm no expert on anything at all, I've only been doing this a few months, this is only based on my experience with ear pokes

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

I'm planning on getting the Relion Prime meter but it doesn't come with a lancer. I've tried free handing with lancets but I've never been successful. I also get really shaky hands so not a good mix. Any recommendations on a lancer?

I use the Relion brand one, but I take the cap off and put the lancet in the holder. The noise from the lancet clicking scared Bubba AND I couldn’t see where the lancet would poke so without the cap on , I could see where I was aiming.

ETA : I use the Relion brand lancets also. I think sometimes you can buy the meter and lancets and lancet devise all together in a kit. But Walmart sells them all ala carte . You will want the 28 gauge lancets.

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

 

[LilTurkey]

I use the Freestyle Lancer simply because that's what I got when I first started. I'm sure the Relion lancer is just as good. I like the Freestyle lancer because it's shaped like a thick pen and I find it easy to work with. Also, you don't have to use Freestyle lancets in it. I now use the Freestyle lancer with the Relion lancets because they're cheaper and totally interchangeable.

Also, you can get different thickness lancets. Freestyle has 28 gauge which are thicker so more likely to draw blood the first time. The Relion ones I buy now are 30 gauge and thinner, which are nice for ear pokes but at first I had a hard time with them because they were so thin, and I ended up poking Snickers multiple times to get blood.

FYI, Freestyle Lite is also a nice testing meter and needs a smaller amount of blood than the Relion Prime, it's just more expensive is all, as are the strips. I think that's why so many people here use Relion Prime, because it's cheap and still works well.

Regarding the warm rice sock, I've never used it but I know it helps a lot of people. I do, however, take a paper towel, fold it over into a square, and stick that behind Snickers' ear so that when I push the lancet right up against it, the needle doesn't poke me if it goes through, it gets the paper towel instead. Plus, for me at least, I find the paper towel behind her ear acts as a little bit like a support for her ear and makes it easier for me to do the pokes. And if her ear bleeds extra because I nicked the vein, the paper towel catches the blood.

Hope some of that helps! I'm no expert on anything at all, I've only been doing this a few months, this is only based on my experience with ear pokes

Thank you! I'll look into that meter as well.

 

[LilTurkey]

I use the Relion brand one, but I take the cap off and put the lancet in the holder. The noise from the lancet clicking scared Bubba AND I couldn’t see where the lancet would poke so without the cap on , I could see where I was aiming.

ETA : I use the Relion brand lancets also. I think sometimes you can buy the meter and lancets and lancet devise all together in a kit. But Walmart sells them all ala carte . You will want the 28 gauge lancets.

Maybe I'll attempt to poke the way you do it. Perhaps that'll be more successful. I'll get some 28 gauge lancets as well.