Already defeated by lancing device

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Rockpea

Rockpea

Member Since 2013
No matter what I do I just can't get the lancing stick to go all the way down into the device. I've been trying for almost 30 minutes and now it's getting too late. I'm so mad! I don't think I can do the stick without the device. I can't keep not giving kitty the insulin.
 
It shouldn't go all the way in just enough to hold it then there should be a means to cock the device...which lancing device are you using if it one that I'm familiar with I might be able to tell you how it cocks.

Mel, Maxwell, Autumn & The Fur Gang
 
Have you tried free-handing? Its quite easy once you get the hang of it--just took me about 3 days to master it.
 
There may be a teensy piece of obstructing plastic somewhere. Have you tried filing it lightly?

My device took the lancet, but the cap was not allowing the lancet to reach the cat's ear. I ended up not even using that cap. After all, these are not precision instruments, at least mine sure wasn't. I think I paid 10 bucks for it.
 
If I remember that one correctly ...haven't used it in over a year...First off going over the basics..you've taken the cap off right? If so the lancet itself should fit snug in the holder and then you pull back on the far end to cock it, then there is a button on the side to trigger it.

Mel, Maxwell, Autumn & The Fur Gang
 
MommaOfMuse - that's how it works. It is fitting in there snug but according to the picture it should go down to where I only see one notch on the lancet and it isn't doing that. I'll keep trying for in the morning, but this thing has me almost in tears due to frustration. I didn't try pulling back to cock it because I thought that was only to reset once I used it.
 
Breath hon! It's ok! ~O)

Keeping playing with the device. I would try it on my finger and see if it works. You may have it in far enough. If it's the one that has the clear cap and rubber strip that holds the cap on, I have it. You can only push it so far. Try it both with it cocked and without it. I have it in my hand, the lancet doesn't go all the way to the notch, about 1/3 sticks up. I think you may have it and don't realize it. See if it will work on your finger and you'll know if you have it in correctly. :smile:
 
The first time I used the lancet device, it worked like a charm. Truly, I thought I was da bomb, and wondered why I so scared of checking BG's.

The next time? Nope. And the next time? Nope again. And the next time? Er, uh, I was NEVER able to get it to work again, and I have three different lancet devices!

So, I gave up and started free-handing and never looked back. The trick is to poke slightly at an angle. And, you don't have to fiddle with opening and closing the device to insert a new lancet. Just grab a new lancet and go.

Why I was able to have success with the device once and never again is beyond me. Maybe some cat's ears are thicker and stiffer than others and the lancet device will work better on them. I guess my kitty's ears are delicate.

I found this video for you (they are testing from the inside of the ear instead of the outside, but it still shows the angle for the lancet).

Hopefully, it will help. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gXm9xmMzMs

DZ and Sarah
 
LynnLee& Mousie - That is the one that I'm using.

Thank you everyone for the tips. I'm mad at myself that I allowed me to get so upset. I feel like I'm wasting too much time not giving insulin and that the fact that I'm nervous about doing it and just want to get the first time out of the way.
 
Agreed.......I don't evn use the device......poke free style, sabrina still growls angry(2)_cat but I get a quick, blood sample in about 5 seconds,,,my grumpy kity!!!
 
With all the lancing devices I've had the lancet only goes in so that it is held snugly. It won't go all the way down. It is well worth practising trying to get a drop of blood from yourself (or any other willing volunteers in the house!). But what you feel when you do it to yourself won't be what the cat feels. Cats have very few nerve endings in the edge of their ears and should hardly notice the ear prick if you use the lancing device. It is SO quick too.

Some folks are happier using the lancet freehand. It's all a matter of choice; whatever works best for you. I can't poke freehand because my close vision isn't great. So the lancing device is a big help.
 
d0zivyhoo said:
I found this video for you (they are testing from the inside of the ear instead of the outside, but it still shows the angle for the lancet).

Hopefully, it will help. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gXm9xmMzMs

DZ and Sarah
Click to expand...


I like the video. Her setup is good - has everything ready and she uses a nice, casual poke of the ear without that silly device.
I'd never thought of the baby food treat - a great idea to get the cat to come to you.
 
I use the same device - I found that I had trouble using the 'Soft Touch' lancets in mine. I went back to the multi-colored ones in the Relion brand, they worked.

Something I just thought of...are you holding something firmly BEHIND the ear where you're poking? If not, the ear may very well just be bending down instead of actually being pierced. I use those cotton cosmetic pads on my finger right behind where I'm going to poke. I poke, hold it there while I get sample then fold it over to stop the bleeding or just put pressure on it for few seconds to not bruise.

BIG HUGS! REMEMBER - You're learning something each time you fail too!!! Don't let it get you down!!!
 
Squeaky and KT said:
...Something I just thought of...are you holding something firmly BEHIND the ear where you're poking? If not, the ear may very well just be bending down instead of actually being pierced.
Click to expand...
Yep, that is so important. Even after all the many tests I've done it still happens sometimes that I don't get blood, and the reason usually is that I'm not putting pressure on the inside of the ear. The poke needs something to resist.
 
Elizabeth and Bertie said:
Squeaky and KT said:
...Something I just thought of...are you holding something firmly BEHIND the ear where you're poking? If not, the ear may very well just be bending down instead of actually being pierced.
Click to expand...
Yep, that is so important. Even after all the many tests I've done it still happens sometimes that I don't get blood, and the reason usually is that I'm not putting pressure on the inside of the ear. The poke needs something to resist.
Click to expand...

Yep too - I used to used those round, white cosmetic sponges. Washable and just enough cushioning.
 
Is it okay to use the lancet without the cap? I just put the needle in and push the button without the cap? I've tried twice today and still no luck. I'm about to try it with a bigger needle. I went out and bought 26G. I hope this works.
 
Those super thin lancets are annoying -- I have a MUCH better time with the bigger lancets. They seem huge in comparison, but it's so much easier to get a good drop. I promise that within a few weeks, you will have this down! The other thing I've found is that you really have to have something (even your finger) pressing on the other side of their ear, as others have mentioned.

Keep trying -- you will get there!
 
in case you don't see it, in your other thread member ohbell, aka Shellie, is pretty close to you and has offered to help you with the testing. she's been around these parts for a while now and is well known. she said to message her and she'd share her phone number. in case you don't know how to message someone, just click on their name and it will open their profile. on the left side of the screen you will see a little box that says "pm". click that and it go to another screen which is like an email type screen. type your subject line and message and then click the "submit" button at the bottom.

i'm going to send you one now just to show you where to look for pm's (aka private messages). i'll include Shellie's phone number in the pm as she gave it to me too. refresh your page and you will see to the upper left of the page that you have a new message. clock those words and it will open your inbox here on the board. then just click on the message from me and it will open up :-)
 
In the very beginning I did use the lancing device about half and half with the free-hand. I would just take the cap off the device so I could see where I was aiming for, then use the spring loaded action of the device to do the actual poke. Once I got the hang of how and where that device was going to poke I put the cap (the clear one not the solid one) and haven't looked back since. I've tried free handing it and I'm just not good at it so I use the lancing device.

Mel, Maxwell, Autumn & The Fur Gang
 
In the very beginning I used the lancing device with the cap off,so I could see where I was aiming, once I got use to how the device worked, I went back to using the cap but found that the clear cap worked far better than the solid cap did. I still use the lancing device because I'm just not quick enough to free hand it while corralling a squirmy kitty. (she knows she eats after her tests so she wiggles to get to the food).

Also I had noticed that the beige Relion lancets didn't work at all but the colored ones worked fine. Don't know if it was just a bad batch of lancets or if there is an actual difference between the beige ones and the colored ones. But so far the best lancets I have used are the colored ones by Bayer they just seem much sharper.


Mel, Maxwell, Autumn & The Fur Gang
 
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