# Finger prick spraying blood?



## Pigeon (May 18, 2009)

Hi there, I did a finger prick at the weekend and it sprayed a fine jet of blood ring into the air - and right across the clean white bedsheets in the B+B I was staying at! 

Has this happened often to anyone else, and do you know what causes it? I'd never had it happen before (in 2 years of testing - not much experience compared to many people, obviously!) and I have used that finger a lot!


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## Anthony Neve (May 18, 2009)

once when i was a kid at the clinic. she said i was the second person that day to spray blood up the wall   Give that finger a rest (sometimes its easy to have a favourite). But more importantly make sure you use a new lancet everytime. that way itl be a sharp as possible, clean and hurt less. (should make a cleaner prick too).


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## insulinaddict09 (May 18, 2009)

Wow... no thank god!! i'd probably faint


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## Freddie99 (May 18, 2009)

I get that but very rarely. It's quite amusing when it does happen. Last time it happened to me I got a face full of blood and some nice spray patterns on my shirt!


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## Northerner (May 18, 2009)

Goodness! I've not heard of that happening before - I always have to coax and cajole the stuff to come out!


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## katie (May 18, 2009)

This has never happened to me, but sounds quite amusing hehe


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## aymes (May 18, 2009)

I've only really had something like that if I'm testing during exercise when my heart rate's up so the blood's pumping really fast.


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## Northerner (May 18, 2009)

aymes said:


> I've only really had something like that if I'm testing during exercise when my heart rate's up so the blood's pumping really fast.



Yes, I've had that after a run, where I don't have to squeeze at all, the blood is very red! Problem that I find then is that it often smears as I'm trying to get a drop on the test strip. It doesn't spurt, but it takes a while to stop!


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## aymes (May 18, 2009)

Northerner said:


> Yes, I've had that after a run, where I don't have to squeeze at all, the blood is very red! Problem that I find then is that it often smears as I'm trying to get a drop on the test strip. It doesn't spurt, but it takes a while to stop!



It's very annoying, if I'm testing mid-run I really want it to be quick and easy and it's just more difficult!


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## Steff (May 18, 2009)

wow never heard of that like northener i have to coax and milk the blood most times i test


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## litto-miss-loz (May 18, 2009)

steff09 said:


> wow never heard of that like northener i have to coax and milk the blood most times i test



Im the same, its never happened to me. Im always havin to squeeze my fingers.
When the nurses were checking my sugars in hospital I had to give my fingers a good old squeeze as they couldnt get any blood. was quite funny


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## Steff (May 18, 2009)

lol i bet i seem to get the most blood out my little finger


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## Hazel (May 18, 2009)

I get this situation often - I always put it down to injecting direct into the vein.

Yet on other occasions, as described, I have to massage the finger to get blood out.

Diabetes is funny old thing!!!


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## litto-miss-loz (May 18, 2009)

steff09 said:


> lol i bet i seem to get the most blood out my little finger



Im the same, my pinky does the most work hehe


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## Steff (May 18, 2009)

weird aint it the littilist  finger and you get the most blood, i'm wondering how long it will be before i have to move on to other test sites like thigh etc etc


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## litto-miss-loz (May 18, 2009)

steff09 said:


> weird aint it the littilist  finger and you get the most blood, i'm wondering how long it will be before i have to move on to other test sites like thigh etc etc




Yeah I have never really thought about that.


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## katie (May 18, 2009)

lol same here, the little finger always works


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## litto-miss-loz (May 18, 2009)

haha yip dont under estimate thee weee pinky hehe


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## Northerner (May 19, 2009)

steff09 said:


> weird aint it the littilist  finger and you get the most blood, i'm wondering how long it will be before i have to move on to other test sites like thigh etc etc



I use the little finger and the one next to it. I use the ones on one hand until they become too sore, alternating fingers, then use the other hand - this gives them some time to recover so I can continue to use them - although they never _quite_ get enough recovery time!


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## katie (May 19, 2009)

Northerner said:


> I use the little finger and the one next to it. I use the ones on one hand until they become too sore, alternating fingers, then use the other hand - this gives them some time to recover so I can continue to use them - although they never _quite_ get enough recovery time!



why dont you use the others northe?


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## Northerner (May 19, 2009)

katie said:


> why dont you use the others northe?



I'm saving them for next year! Actually, it makes the others too sore for playing guitar


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## katie (May 19, 2009)

Northerner said:


> I'm saving them for next year! Actually, it makes the others too sore for playing guitar



aww poor fingers! what about your thumb??


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## Northerner (May 19, 2009)

katie said:


> aww poor fingers! what about your thumb??



I was told not to use my thumbs - can't remember why!


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## katie (May 19, 2009)

hmm i use mine!


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## tracey w (May 19, 2009)

Northerner said:


> I was told not to use my thumbs - can't remember why!



on diagnosis i was told never to use thumbs or fore fingers (is that what they are called?), as you will need these to grip etc and if you were to get neuropathy in the fingers you would not feel the damage, and therefore not be able to grip if they became damaged. Or summat


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## litto-miss-loz (May 19, 2009)

yeah i got told not to do it in my thumbs or index fingers.. they never said a reason but that must be it.


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## Northerner (May 19, 2009)

tracey w said:


> on diagnosis i was told never to use thumbs or fore fingers (is that what they are called?), as you will need these to grip etc and if you were to get neuropathy in the fingers you would not feel the damage, and therefore not be able to grip if they became damaged. Or summat



Ah yes! That sounds familiar!


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## Steff (May 19, 2009)

yep im another one whow as told avoid thumbs no reason given


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## mikep1979 (May 20, 2009)

ditto over thumbs lol


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## katie (May 20, 2009)

I thought that if you used the side of any fingers, it would only damage the side of them and so your feeling would be ok on the main bit


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## mikep1979 (May 20, 2009)

katie said:


> I thought that if you used the side of any fingers, it would only damage the side of them and so your feeling would be ok on the main bit



seems logical, but as i was told not to use thumb i just dont use it lol. tend to favour one finger anyway when i know i shouldnt lol


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## Steff (May 20, 2009)

mikep1979 said:


> seems logical, but as i was told not to use thumb i just dont use it lol. tend to favour one finger anyway when i know i shouldnt lol



and me my 3rd finger  is my fave i got told off tho so i change fingers when oh's around


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## mikep1979 (May 20, 2009)

steff09 said:


> and me my 3rd finger  is my fave i got told off tho so i change fingers when oh's around



lol nope its the index finger for me.


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## sofaraway (May 20, 2009)

I like my little fingers best, they always give a nice drop of blood and never let me down

never had the spraying thing happen to me yet


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## Pigeon (May 20, 2009)

Thanks for all the tips, it's interesting to hear the spectacular blood spraying has happened to a few other people too! I had used that lancet a few times, so I've been trying to change them more often since.

Oh, and I never use my index fingers either, not because I was told not to but because I found it hurts more - e.g. when typing afterwards or picking things up.


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