Excuse me, I have a problem

[missmiah]

So... Have discovered the biggest flaw in the whole "Let's monitor your blood sugar and diet and exercise and not be all with the sick of wonky blood sugaryness, kay?". It seems there are needles involved.

Needles rate slightly below eight-legged fuzzy things with fangs on the scale O'Crap Miah Is Seriously Not Down With. Spiders, of course, being the high end of the scale and oatmeal being the lower end.

I find it ironic that part of my fear of the pokey things stems from going to the doctor and being poked in the finger. By the very thing I'm expected to shove into my finger three times a day! Also, the last time I had blood drawn the bastages left a six inch bruise that still hasn't faded and swelling that made me lose feeling in my hand for a day and a half. So, pardon me for being a bit apprehensive.

I've successfully managed to make myself bleed twice. The first being a complete accident involving a loaded and cocked lancet and the cat. I've gotten to the point where I'm denying myself food until I get my blood sugar level - except I get too hungry after four or five hours and have to eat. And yes, on several occasions I have sat in the bathroom for hours attempting to do this.

I am totally willing to take the yucky pills, watch my diet, exercise even (I'm trying to talk DH into letting me get a treadmill instead of a dog or another cat). But not the pokey stuff. No bleeding.

My Own Blood rating just a slot or two below needles on the Not Down With scale (between heights and spinach).

Part of the problem, I think, is the noise. And the lack of control. And the fact that I bloody well saw the damn needle as it springs out of the little whatsit. I'm pretty much not happy with the entire thing.

In other news, I have to drive to OKC to meet with a specialist to discuss this upcoming colonoscopy of doom. And still don't have the results back from the ultrasound.

Is there a way to test blood sugar without the needles? Anybody? Cause I've been warned that undo stress can cause problems with the blood sugar and if staring at a needle for four hours until I feel the urge to hurl and my hands start to shake isn't stressful... well, then I guess I'm insane.

ETA: I'm guessing this intense need to sleep, All The Time, is probably not a good thing? That and the waking up tired?

Also, I'm sorry if it seems like I've been ignoring people lately. I know I haven't been around to RP. But between sleeping a lot and spending the rest of my free time sitting on the toilet lid trying to con myself into hitting the stupid little button on the lancet, I haven't actually had time to do anything other than kiss DH on the cheek for waking me up to eat. Sorry.

Comments

[beeform]

Awww! Sorry you're having such a hard time! *hugs*

I still have your rower thiny-bob (which I used all of three times, maybe *groan*), if you ever want it back. Sig and I could probably meet you half way if you don't want to drive all the way back up here.

[missmiah.livejournal.com]

Well, you used it three times more than I did. :) Please, if you don't mind keeping it, feel free to use it as a coat rack.

I want a treadmill that I can put in front of the tv and walk my way through Clean Sweep or While You Were Out.

[beeform]

I *totally* don't mind keeping it, and it may yet get used... I just didn't want to hang on to it if you thought you'd get use out of it. :-)

Working out while in front of the tv=good idea!

[kauricat.livejournal.com]

OhHowAwful! Ick. I totally know what you're talking about re: making oneself stick one's own finger. I had to take an "F" on that particular lab in high school Biology because I Could Not Do It. Neither could I let the teacher stick me. I could feel him tensing just before he would try to jab me and I think I nearly caused him to jab himself. Eventually he gave up and I got an F for that lab. Luckily the other labs I did were high enough that it didn't really matter...I still don't think I should have had to take a failing grade just because I wouldn't cause myself injury. Rarg.

ANYWAY: There has got to be a better way to test blood sugar. I'm sure all methods involve some sort of jabbiness, but perhaps a quicker or stealthier jab would help, along with NOT poking the fingers, which are used All The Time.

I will check with Mom the RN and see what she says. She was suspected of having type 2 diabetes several years ago and did the whole blood-testing thing for a bit. I think that might have been the only time in her LIFE that she was thankful to have MS (which makes her fingers numb).

Meantime, just play really rough with the cats when it's time for a sticking and use THAT blood instead.

[missmiah.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[kauricat.livejournal.com]

Okay, here's what Ms RN said: If you've already purchased your glucometer and can't get a different one, you might try adjusting the depth of the jab so that it's not quite as invasive (not sure if yours adjusts or not) and try doing the poke on the side of the finger instead of right on the tip/pad. At least that way you're less likely to bump your hurt fingers right on the place you poked.

If a different glucometer is an option, there are newer glucometers that can use a smaller sample for testing. These are the kind that do a tiny poke/scratch on the forearm and a lot of people apparently find that easier to deal with than the finger-sticks. Mom never got to use one of these, so I can't tell you if they work as well as they seem to on the informercials.

I hope you find something that works for you.

[scatteredlogic.livejournal.com]

I'm including a link here that you might want to check out:

http://www.joslin.harvard.edu/education/library/test_wo_stick.shtml

My mom is diabetic and when she was in the hospital recently for knee surgery, they checked her blood sugar very, very regularly. So regularly, in fact, that her fingers were sore even when they alternated figners. They finally began using the second product described in the article - using her forearm and she said that it hurt less than the finger option.

The first method, which uses a laser to break the skin, is very expensive, but there isn't a needle.

Good luck, I know from watching my mom how tough all this is.

[missmiah.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link. I'll have to look into it if this next One-On-One visit doesn't have better results.

[wendynat.livejournal.com]

{{hugs}}

It does suck, but I promise you you'll get used to it. "Milk" your finger first - preferably your index finger. Get it good and red. Then poke the hole in the SIDE of your finger - close to the first joint, where the skin is thicker - never on the pads. The pads hurt like the dickens, and I have no idea why doc offices use the pads. It's insane.

They do have monitors that need a very very small amount of blood and don't use test strips - they sell them at most drug stores. These you can use on your forearm, etc - there is still a needle involved but it hurts much less than on your fingers, where there is a concentration of nerves, and is a thinner needle because the monitor requires less blood to work.

My hubby is a Type 2 diabetic. When I was pregnant, I developed gestational diabetes. It was diet controlled at first, but as the placenta grew I became more resistant (i.e. numbers over 300 in the AM after not eating for 12 hours). I ended up having to go on insulin, four shots a day in the tummy (absorbs best through the stomach and hurts much less than in the thigh). And even the hypodermics I got used to. Now I feel all macho when I go to get flu shot or sommat at work and the big men are whimpering while I barely feel it - hee! Now I'm back to being nothing, but I'm aware I'm a ticking timebomb as far as statistics go, so they check my hemoglobin numbers during checkups and I randomly check my blood sugars at home.

I've gotten to the point where I'm denying myself food until I get my blood sugar level - except I get too hungry after four or five hours and have to eat. And yes, on several occasions I have sat in the bathroom for hours attempting to do this.
Do NOT avoid eating, babe! The goal in controlling diabetes is to maintain a relatively even blood sugar level in your system, without severe spikes and dips. If you fast and then eat a regular meal, it can cause a huge spike. It's better to eat a reasonable meal or snack without knowing your exact blood sugar numbers than to fast because you can't do the needle pop.

I don't know if you've had to sit through the nutrition "welcome to diabetes!" class yet, but just a warning... for some folks, tomatoes can trigger blood sugar spikes (one of those peeps was me, of course), and milk definitely does (lactose). Peas act as a starch, so opt for another veggie unless you love the little balls of evil.

{{hugs}} again. It does get better, I promise!!

[missmiah.livejournal.com]

"Milk" your finger first - preferably your index finger. Get it good and red. Then poke the hole in the SIDE of your finger - close to the first joint, where the skin is thicker - never on the pads. The pads hurt like the dickens, and I have no idea why doc offices use the pads. It's insane.

That's great advice. Thank you. And it is insane to poke the part that's most likely to hurt.