First time bg testing

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Summers Mom

Summers Mom

Member Since 2017
Hello, I am ready to start testing. I bought the relion prime and I hope I can get enough blood. If not I will just buy the confirm. I want to know if I use the lancing device with the relion prime, what depth setting should I use? This will be the very first time for testing my cat. I am testing for a few days at home to see what her bg reads. If her numbers read high enough for insulin then I will be using Lantus. Do you guys think I should free hand her stick to the ear or use the device? I think either way she is not going to be a happy camper.
 
Debrajane61 said:
Hello, I am ready to start testing. I bought the relion prime and I hope I can get enough blood. If not I will just buy the confirm. I want to know if I use the lancing device with the relion prime, what depth setting should I use? This will be the very first time for testing my cat. I am testing for a few days at home to see what her bg reads. If her numbers read high enough for insulin then I will be using Lantus. Do you guys think I should free hand her stick to the ear or use the device? I think either way she is not going to be a happy camper.
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I've always free handed the poke. I put the lancet into the lancing device so there's something larger to hold. I have no experience using the spring mechanism. I like being able to see where I'm going to poke. Wrap the ear tautly around your finger and use a short, sharp jabbing motion along the outer edge of the ear in the region about a half inch from the tip. Many people put a cotton cosmetic round over their finger for protection and then fold it over the poked spot to apply firm pressure for 15 - 20 seconds afterward to prevent bruising.
 
I use the lancing device, and I believe it's set at 7. I will check tonight to be sure. It works well for me. I also use the Prime, but I've been poking her ears for 2 1/2 years, so they bleed pretty easily. Especially after warming them with a rice bag.
 
I don't use the device.... I just poke. Make sure to aim for the sweet spot.
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Thanks everyone for your tips and help. I tested her using the lancing device but actually just free handed by not pulling back the mechanism as Kris & Teaser said. It took 3 pokes before I actually got blood but then no problem! Summer was an absolute champ! She laid on her feeding table in her room and never even flinched! I am so proud of her!! Unfortunately her bg read at 292. Which it's better than it was at the vet. It read 365 one day and 345 the next at the vet. It had been over 5 hrs since her meal. I will be ready to test her first thing in the morning to see where she is at in the morning time. I think I may test her before bed too. I fed her right after at 7 so I will test her again around 10 tonight too. Whew! So glad I got the very first testing out of the way. I was talking to summer and singing to her and she was as cool as a cucumber! She is such a good girl! So please now tell me what the normal range I should be looking for? Around 50 -120?? And if it stays under 300, what then??
 
Debrajane61 said:
Thanks everyone for your tips and help. I tested her using the lancing device but actually just free handed by not pulling back the mechanism as Kris & Teaser said. It took 3 pokes before I actually got blood but then no problem! Summer was an absolute champ! She laid on her feeding table in her room and never even flinched! I am so proud of her!! Unfortunately her bg read at 292. Which it's better than it was at the vet. It read 365 one day and 345 the next at the vet. It had been over 5 hrs since her meal. I will be ready to test her first thing in the morning to see where she is at in the morning time. I think I may test her before bed too. I fed her right after at 7 so I will test her again around 10 tonight too. Whew! So glad I got the very first testing out of the way. I was talking to summer and singing to her and she was as cool as a cucumber! She is such a good girl! So please now tell me what the normal range I should be looking for? Around 50 -120?? And if it stays under 300, what then??
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Hurray for getting your first testing success accomplished! It's the best way to keep her safe. A BG of 292 isn't bad early in the game. It would be helpful if you could put up your signature, that light grey test you see under our posts. Go to the upper right corner where your name is and click on it. Click on "signature" in the next drop down menu and type in the text box that opens. Click on save when you're done. Include info like your kitty's age, date of diagnosis, insulin used, type of meter used as well as any other meds or health issues your kitty has.
 
Grats on first test!
The Prime does take a bigger sample than the Confirm/Micro meter's but also make sure you are using 26g or 28g lancets. I also use the device to hold the lancet but do not use the clicker function. Couple quick things, when you take the BG test before insulin shot is due, make sure she has not eaten food for 2 hours prior to that test time so the number is not food influenced. Second, if you start insulin and you should get a PS test of <200, you may want to skip the shot until you get some more data :)
 
Yong said:
Grats on first test!
The Prime does take a bigger sample than the Confirm/Micro meter's but also make sure you are using 26g or 28g lancets. I also use the device to hold the lancet but do not use the clicker function. Couple quick things, when you take the BG test before insulin shot is due, make sure she has not eaten food for 2 hours prior to that test time so the number is not food influenced. Second, if you start insulin and you should get a PS test of <200, you may want to skip the shot until you get some more data :)
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Thank you. I test before feeding and always make sure that it has been over 2 hrs since her last meal. I tested right before bed and before her last small meal and her bg read 204.
 
Ok so I tested summers bg this morning and it was 199. I feel like it may have been a little lower because as I walked in the room she knew what was up. And to top that off, I had everything ready and poked her ear and held the strip up to the blood and it drew up on to the strip but I noticed the tester had turned off!!! Ergh!! So I had to get a new strip,lancet and trying to stay calm at my mistake. But Summer was very good about it, bless her heart even when she had to get poked several times. Poor baby.
 
Summers Mom said:
Ok so I tested summers bg this morning and it was 199. I feel like it may have been a little lower because as I walked in the room she knew what was up. And to top that off, I had everything ready and poked her ear and held the strip up to the blood and it drew up on to the strip but I noticed the tester had turned off!!! Ergh!! So I had to get a new strip,lancet and trying to stay calm at my mistake. But Summer was very good about it, bless her heart even when she had to get poked several times. Poor baby.
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It does get easier. The days we have to test a lot because of low numbers, Zeke really lets us know he isn't happy about it, but he still is cooperative about it. Starting out, it took 2 of us to test him. He is so used to it now that we almost can do it while he is sleeping! But I won't do that, I make sure he knows I am about to poke so it doesn't startle him and make him scared of it.

Also, as you get more used to doing it you will be more relaxed which helps kitty be more relaxed. Your doing great!
 
Meridith and Zeke said:
It does get easier. The days we have to test a lot because of low numbers, Zeke really lets us know he isn't happy about it, but he still is cooperative about it. Starting out, it took 2 of us to test him. He is so used to it now that we almost can do it while he is sleeping! But I won't do that, I make sure he knows I am about to poke so it doesn't startle him and make him scared of it.

Also, as you get more used to doing it you will be more relaxed which helps kitty be more relaxed. Your doing great!
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Thank you!
 
Summers Mom said:
Ok so I tested summers bg this morning and it was 199. I feel like it may have been a little lower because as I walked in the room she knew what was up. And to top that off, I had everything ready and poked her ear and held the strip up to the blood and it drew up on to the strip but I noticed the tester had turned off!!! Ergh!! So I had to get a new strip,lancet and trying to stay calm at my mistake. But Summer was very good about it, bless her heart even when she had to get poked several times. Poor baby.
Click to expand...
Good job. What I do is put the strip in the meter but I don't push it all the way in until you finish the poke. When I start seeing the drop form I push it in all the way (with one hand).
 
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