# Err....



## Chris A (Jun 17, 2022)

So it these fingers you prick


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## Lucyr (Jun 17, 2022)

I’m not sure what the question is as the photo shows all your fingers, and you can prick any finger.


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## Chris A (Jun 18, 2022)

Lucyr said:


> I’m not sure what the question is as the photo shows all your fingers, and you can prick any finger.


I was told no thumb forefinger and little finger use occasionally?
Different advice between diabetes nurse dietician and hospital


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## helli (Jun 18, 2022)

Chris A said:


> I was told no thumb forefinger and little finger use occasionally?
> Different advice between diabetes nurse dietician and hospital


I use my forefinger regularly as see my thumb as my “back up digit”.
Before I had a Libre, I would split my day into 4 (breakfast to lunch, lunch to dinner, dinner to bed, bed to breakfast) and use a different finger for my jabs depending upon to the portion of the day. I would also alternate hands every other day.
This meant that I used all eight fingers pretty evenly and, if I had a problem with a finger (one finger was slammed in a car door once), I would substitute it for my thumb.
I followEd this strategy for at least 10 years with no problems.


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## silentsquirrel (Jun 18, 2022)

I think the "don't use your forefinger or thumb" dates back a *very* long way, to when the probability of going blind was much, much higher, and no tech to help if this happened, so you needed to retain as much sensitivity as possible in these digits to make Braille easier!


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## Leadinglights (Jun 18, 2022)

It may be because the little finger is less 'fleshy' and the forefinger and thumb may have tougher skin as they are used more. but the modern lancets are so small and sharp they should present no issues with any finger.


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## Chris A (Jun 18, 2022)

Thanks for your reply can only use one hand to jab ATM so extra digits will help.


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## trophywench (Jun 18, 2022)

Plus - you are bodging the parts of your fingertips at either side of your nails, rather than the much more sensitive pads of your fingers.  I find my little fingers and ring fingers very reliable, middle ones used to be good but a bit hard now frankly.  Never used a thumb or index finger ever - yet!  from sewing and accidentally pricking all of em from time to time though - those ones always bled like stink when I did that so not ideal when you're at your desk trying to keep other people's document's clean as well as check your BG.  Might risk the side of a thumb over this weekend ....


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## rebrascora (Jun 18, 2022)

I love that you have painted the appropriate fingernails blue but feel they should probably be blood red instead!

Personally I find my ring finger and little finger of my let hand easiest to obtain blood and test and they are usually the cleanest of my fingers when I am working up at the stables with no washing facilities, so a good choice on that score too.

You will find what is most convenient to you but I would encourage you to experiment rather than be limited by nurse's rules or guidelines. I believe the forefinger issue was to retain sensitivity for braille in case you lost your sight as @silentsquirrel mentioned. I cannot see any important reason why you can't use any finger or thumb though if it is more convenient to you. Generally the sides of the pad are less sensitive than the pad itself so less painful to lance and if heaven forbid you needed to read braille at a later date I believe you would use the pad, so sensitivity should not be affected if you had been pricking the sides, but I think Braille much as I am sure it was a blessing for many over the years, may well have had it's day. 
.


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## Chris A (Jun 18, 2022)

I'll get used to it was showing my eldest how to test your blood sugar went to sneeze to get some and it flew out my son David whah dad it's like a tarantino movie .

Still worse things than diabetes .


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