Second Question - lancing device - any particular?

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kallima_butterfly

kallima_butterfly

Member Since 2015
I seem to come across the One Touch Penlet Plus by Lifescan as the perfered lancing device and the One Touch Fine Point Lancets by LifeScan for the lanclets (purple) . I heard the ultra soft are too soft. DOes any one have any thoughts or advise on which one they use?
 
I do not know what the One Touch Penlet Plus is. I like (have six of them) of the larger pen shown in the second image of the following
http://sixuntilme.com/2008/05/medtronic_ultralink.html
I use the clear cap which on humans is used for alternate site testing. I have used the smaller pen but it did not work as well, harder getting blood. The purple lancets are larger diameter and thus it is easier getting blood.
 
Try whichever lancet pen you have. It basically just holds the lancet for you so any lancet pen will work. It does make a noises when it releases, so you may want to practice clicking the lancet pen off and on near your cats ear, to get her used to the sound.

I find the pen harder to aim on that tiny edge of the cats ear. Try it both ways, with the pen and freehanding to see which you like better. If you freehand, you back up the lancet with a firm surface, like a bit of tissue on your finger. Free handing, you angle the lancet about 45 degrees. With the lancet pen, you hold it flat against the cats ear, right at the edge.
 
Would you please add your name and your cat's name into your signature? It would be helpful for us to be able to see that as well as the insulin you are using "at a glance" so to speak. Sure do hope you will consider doing this.

I always prefer to address someone by their name. :)

Keep those questions coming. There can be lots to learn, so we try to help you along as we were helped in the beginning. Pay it Forward is so common on this message board and it's one reason I'm still around helping other new people, even though my cat Wink no longer needs insulin. The help I received on this board helped him to become diet controlled. Not every cat can achieve that remission status, but we try to get your kitty feeling better first and acting like his/her old self again.

This New Member Shopping List is out in a Google doc and lists some of the supplies new members may want to get. Print out a copy to take with you on your shopping expedition. Hope it helps you.:joyful:
 
kallima_butterfly said:
I seem to come across the One Touch Penlet Plus by Lifescan as the perfered lancing device and the One Touch Fine Point Lancets by LifeScan for the lanclets (purple) . I heard the ultra soft are too soft. DOes any one have any thoughts or advise on which one they use?
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Hi,

I've only ever used the One Touch Ultrasoft lancets. And for years I just used the One Touch penlet thingy that comes with the 'Ultra 2' meter.
A while back though I treated myself to a new lancing device (yep, I really know how to live...:rolleyes: ). The new one is the 'Autolet Impression' lancing device, and I really like it.

Eliz
 
Deb & Wink said:
Would you please add your name and your cat's name into your signature? It would be helpful for us to be able to see that as well as the insulin you are using "at a glance" so to speak. Sure do hope you will consider doing this.
Click to expand...

Lol...we must have like minds Deb because this morning that the first thing I did after seeing what many have done before I read your post! :cool:. Wish I could change my member name to reflect what most of you have done. Thank you for all the support. My boss thinks Im crazy to be doing this but he's family:smuggrin:
 
Thanks for the new member shopping list Deb...taking it with me today! Question: What is the antibacterial ointment for? The ear pricks?
 
Yes, the antibacterial ointment with pain relief is for the ear pricks. You want the kind that is not a cream, preferably the gel kind, as the cream version is reported to let the blood drop soak into the fur. By putting a dab of ointment on the ear a few minutes before you prick, you are numbing the ear a bit and taking some of the sting out of the poke. By putting the ointment w/pain relief on after the poke, you are helping the ear to heal up quicker.

To see how the numbing action works, poke yourself with a fresh lancet and then put the antibacterial ointment on after. It really does take the sting out of the poke spot! I've used it myself several times, after accidentally poking myself with either the lancet or the insulin syringe. :rolleyes: I think most of us diabetic cat caregivers have poked ourselves sometime or other while doing this sugardance.

Just a tiny amount of ointment is needed, so wipe off any excess with a tissue or paper towel piece so your kitty doesn't get it on any other part of his body.
 
Yes, it helps them heal better and reduces the annoyance of testing.
Practice on yourself a few times to get a feel for it.
 
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I have a ton of different lancing devices but the only one I use now is the AccuChek FastClix. It holds 6 lancets at a time, it works like a click-pen, it has the quietest click, and I haven't accidentally pierced Mikey's ear or myself since I got used to using it (about 2 years ago). I also re-use my lancets (which this makes easy to do with less chance of cross-contamination) so even with the higher price of the lancets, it ends up being cheaper in the long run.
 
KPassa said:
I have a ton of different lancing devices but the only one I use now is the AccuChek FastClix. It holds 6 lancets at a time, it works like a click-pen, it has the quietest click, and I haven't accidentally pierced Mikey's ear or myself since I got used to using it (about 2 years ago). I also re-use my lancets (which this makes easy to do with less chance of cross-contamination) so even with the higher price of the lancets, it ends up being cheaper in the long run.
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This is the one I use too, but even on setting 4 I can get NO blood at all out of my poor Dweezil's ear!!!!
 
Would you tell us about your testing technique and we will try to see where you might be able to make some changes to get those successful blood tests.

Warming the ear first, or rubbing it to get the blood circulating?
Aiming for the sweet spot?
sweet spot diagram.jpg


Using larger gauge lancets 26-28 gauge?
Milking the ear?
 
I can't work out which gauge we've got. I can't find it anywhere on the box of lancets.

I have tried the sweet spot three times and actually, it produced NO blood at all whereas at least the further inside bits of the inner ear got a TINY bit of blood. That includes milking too, though by that stage, any further in depth touching of Dweezil's ear is very difficult as he is jerking around and meowing loudly.

His ears tend to be warm when we have done the tests. Only once were they cool and we tried rubbing them first (which he didn't mind, but got sick of fairly quickly) to warm them up.
 
The ointment helps reduce the annoyance of testing when a dab is applied, let set a minute, then wiped off. It also helps the blood bead up so you can get the droplet. And, it helps it heal.
 
monty_dweezil said:
This is the one I use too, but even on setting 4 I can get NO blood at all out of my poor Dweezil's ear!!!!
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I believe they're 28 gauge lancets. For about the first month or so of testing Mikey, I had to have the lancet device set to 6 and then slowly worked my way down from there as I got better at it and as Mikey's ears started bleeding better. Now, it's set to 1 and I can get blood from both Mikey's ear and Henry's (non-diabetic who I only test every once in a while).

You want to make sure the lancing devices is flat against the ear and have something firm to back up the hole. I use my finger for backing so I can feel the hole where the lancet comes out. Since the hole is off-center, what I do is align the bottom of the lancing device so the hole is on the side that I will press against the tip of the ear. I aim the barrel of the device halfway onto the ear and slide it as close to the edge as possible, until I feel the upraised hole reach the inside edge of the ear. Then I click, wait a second for the blood to start welling up, gently roll my finger from the middle towards the tip of his ear to "milk" it, grab my meter with my other hand, and scoop up the blood drop. If I don't see the blood start to well up or it's not enough, then I poke a second (or third) time. And remember, if you're not getting blood, it's "three strikes, you're out." Give both of yourselves a break and try again in 15 minutes to a half hour.
 
Hmmm. My pen only goes up to 5. I've always been scared to try that setting.

I checked the freehand lancet box and they say 20g. Does this mean that's their size? 20?

When i use the pen i always hold it flat against the ear. No angle.

When i've used the needle i've had it at more of an angle.
 
monty_dweezil said:
Hmmm. My pen only goes up to 5. I've always been scared to try that setting..
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Yes, some lancet pens only have a setting up to 5.

I checked the freehand lancet box and they say 20g. Does this mean that's their size? 20?.
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Yes, 20 means that is the size. Pretty big pin in that lancet for poking. It should allow you to get the blood more easily. Wow! I didn't even know they made lancets with that large of a gauge. Perhaps its's something only found in Australia.

When i use the pen i always hold it flat against the ear. No angle..
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Good job! Flat on the ear when using the pen is the right way.

When i've used the needle i've had it at more of an angle.
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Yes, when using the needle or freehanding the lancet, about a 45 degree angle works bettr.
 
monty_dweezil said:
Hmmm. My pen only goes up to 5. I've always been scared to try that setting.
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It's the notch right past the 5, which I guess is actually 5.5. That's the "deepest" setting and I only needed to use it the first day or so. Then I brought it down to 5 for probably about a week, then 4.5 for another week, etc.... Every few days, I'd try to get blood with a lower setting. If I was successful then it would stay there; if not, I'd return it back to the previous position.

If you're nervous, try turning it up to 4.5 first and see if it's easier. If not, move it up to 5.
 
Ok, will do!!!

I have tried 4 a few times, but just nothing. All there is after the punch / prick is a tiny pink dot. SO tiny. No blood at all, even when milking.
 
Have you tried 2 pokes right next to each other? It does sound like you are getting a teeny tiny bit of blood, but not big enough to test with. Sometimes, two pokes next to each other will get you 2 tiny drops that form together to make a bigger blood droplet.

Are you using something firm against the ear to backup the lancet pen? Some people use a pill bottle lid to poke against.

Have you taken a flashlight and shown that light through the ear? When you do that, you can often see where the vein runs and aim off to the ear edge side of the vein. If your absolutely need to get blood, aim directly for that vein.
 
Try a different ear if you haven't already. Sometimes one works better then the other. Also I know sometimes when I wasn't successful I realized that I was just to close to the edge. Try moving the lancet back in a little. Another thing that helped me was to fold a Kleenex in about a 2" square and hold it on the opposite side of the ear you are pricking. This gives the ear some stability you something to poke against. I found that really helpful. Keep us posted and let us know how you make out. Good luck!

Marcy I looked up your lancet and I think you are going to like it! I had one similar and what I liked about it was the size. It's really just a holder and just a personal preference but I think you'll like it!
 
monty_dweezil said:
Ok, will do!!!

I have tried 4 a few times, but just nothing. All there is after the punch / prick is a tiny pink dot. SO tiny. No blood at all, even when milking.
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Another issue I just thought of is that you might actually have it set too high and it's poking through the ear (there is usually less blood when that happens). I also ran into that issue a few times (one of the ways I knew I had to lower the device setting again). Try it at 3.5 and 4.5 and see if there's a difference, even if it's just in Dweezil's demeanor. ;)
 
Thank you for all that advice! I'm going to try shining the torch. I use a makeup pad thingo to stabilise the ear from behind.

Poor Dweezy's demeanor is tense but still until he feels we're near his ear and then he jerks back. The reaction is the same whether we've actually pricked his ear or not. Lol
 
Any better luck with the home testing?

monty_dweezil said:
Thank you for all that advice! I'm going to try shining the torch. I use a makeup pad thingo to stabilise the ear from behind.

Poor Dweezy's demeanor is tense but still until he feels we're near his ear and then he jerks back. The reaction is the same whether we've actually pricked his ear or not. Lol
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Oh yes! I barely get close to Wink's ear and he starts to complain that the poke hurt and we haven't done anything yet!
 
jan and Hep and sara (GA) said:
Marcy I looked up your lancet and I think you are going to like it! I had one similar and what I liked about it was the size. It's really just a holder and just a personal preference but I think you'll like it!
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Yep I did! Thanks. Started my first curve today. First poke gave nice blood bead immediately. Cat didn't even notice....he was just more impatient than anything!
 
kallima_butterfly said:
Yep I did! Thanks. Started my first curve today. First poke gave nice blood bead immediately. Cat didn't even notice....he was just more impatient than anything!
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Another member of the Vampire Club! Congratulations on getting that test in.
vampire smiley small.jpg


Some times it will be easier than others to get blood. Remember, the 3 tries rule. 3 strikes and you're out. Come back in a few minutes to an hour to try testing again.

If you absolutely, positively have to get blood (e.g. your cat is acting weird and you are thinking hypoglycemia) then remember to aim directly for that vein.
 
@kallima_butterfly total noob here, but I use a 31g lancet and use it free hand. What I do is sort of wrap the cat's ear over a cotton ball, stabilize the area I'm going to poke between my thumb and index finger, and prick quickly with the other hand. It works great.
 
The 31g lancets have a smaller pin for pricking. Until the cats ears learn to bleed (angiogenesis), it can be difficult to get that blood drop. That's why we so often recommend getting those larger 26-28 gauge lancets. These are often labeled "For Alternate Site Testing" on the box. I still use the 28 gauge lancets when testing Wink.
 
Deb & Wink said:
The 31g lancets have a smaller pin for pricking. Until the cats ears learn to bleed (angiogenesis), it can be difficult to get that blood drop. That's why we so often recommend getting those larger 26-28 gauge lancets. These are often labeled "For Alternate Site Testing" on the box. I still use the 28 gauge lancets when testing Wink.
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I do ok with the 31g, so far...sometimes it's challenging, but after pricking myself with larger gauge lancets to make sure my glucometer was working :confused:, i decided she needed some smaller ones... i didn't intend to recommend a size for others :-/
 
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Oh my god, I pricked myself (on purpose) with the freehand lancets we've got, and OH MY GOD, OW OW OW OW OWWWWW! IT HURT SO MUCH!! And I am not a wimp. lol
 
Can you get some sort of triple antibiotic ointment with pain relief? We have things like Neosporin with Pain Relief here in the US and if you can find something similar in Australia you might want to pick up a tube. Dab it on the prick and it takes the sting away pretty quick. I've used it myself when I've accidentally poked myself with the insulin syringe or the lancet.

@Alex&Fayaway It's fine to use the smaller 30-31 gauge lancets if you are successfully getting blood. It's only when people report they are having difficulties getting a blood drop that we suggest looking for a larger gauge lancet like the 26-28 gauge ones. Dweezil is one of those kitties that is very reluctant to give up a drop of blood. I think he must be saving it for donating to some of those brush fire burn victims down under.

The main reason I still use the larger gauge lancets for Wink is because my eyesight isn't so good anymore. Even with all the lights turned on in the bathroom, a spotlight on Wink's ear, testing on the underside of his ear, my bifocals on, I sometimes think I should run and get my headband magnifier so I can see better. His long black fur and black skin edges on his fur makes finding that blood drop a challenge for me. Lucky for me right now, I only need to test Wink about once a week since he is still OTJ. That headband magnifier works great when I'm bird banding and need to read those minuscule numbers on some of the bird bands.
 
That's great Marcy! Good job! When I was new I remember someone say it will so routine it will become like pouring your morning coffee or something to that effect. It's such a good feeling to be in control of the situation. Also remember if your kitty is antsy for some reason when you get blood you can scoop that blood up onto your fingernail and then put the strip to that way.

Welcome to the Vampire Club! :)
 
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