What is the least painful blood glucose meter?
February 9, 2010 by Diabetes and Blood Glucose Tips
Filed under More Diabetes Answers
Can you answer Julia’s question about Diabetes?:
I am 30 weeks pregnant and I just found out I have gestational diabetes. This is my first time using a glucose meter and I have to check my blood 4 times a day. I am looking for the least painful meter. Any suggestions? - thanks.
Information On Type 2 Diabetes
I am 30 weeks pregnant and I just found out I have gestational diabetes. This is my first time using a glucose meter and I have to check my blood 4 times a day. I am looking for the least painful meter. Any suggestions? - thanks.
Information On Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes Feedback: I use Accu Chek with the Accu Chek Softclix. The Softclick has 11 settings (which determines how hard the needle pricks your finger). I use #3.
Diabetes Feedback: I couldn’t tell you the name of them, but you want a meter that lets you test a minimal amount of blood from anywhere on your body like your arms or legs. Getting blood from your fingers is the most painful, but if you do use your fingers you need to test on a different finger each time or else that one finger will get severely sore. Ask the pharmacist and they will tell you which one is the best.
Diabetes Feedback: The meter doesn’t cause any pain at all, it’s the little needle that you use to get the drop of blood. Get a meter that will let you draw blood from your forearm. There are fewer pain sensors there than in your fingertips. There are several meters out there that will let you do that. Stop by your pharmacy and ask. I use an Accu Check. They’re good.
I hope the diabetes goes away when your baby arrives. Those test strips are expensive.
Good luck with the baby.
Diabetes Feedback: Look for the one that takes the least amount of blood (I think it shows on the package.) Also, there is one that is so small you can easily carry it in your purse. I think we got it at CVS for $20, and the strips are interchangeable with the larger machine of the same brand. My mom is diabetic, so I understand. I think it is called One Touch Ultra.
Diabetes Feedback: I have the One Touch Ultra. It is adjustable as to how “deep” the “needle” goes when you poke your finger. Your ins. should cover the strips & meter for gestational diabetes. (OR check lifescan.com & you may be able to get a free meter.)
I will suggest you do major research on gestational diabetes before you agree to any “treatments” (insulin, induction, etc.) There is very conflicting evidence about this “disease” & it’s treatments causing more problems than it helps. Since you are aking about meters I guessing you did not have pre-pregnancy diabetes, so please research. Many other countries do not recommend routine screening fo it. Also, an interesting point- there is no “uniform” number that all doctors use as a “danger point.” It is also proven that glocuse tolerance naturally changes during pregnancy.
“Diabetes can be harmful during pregnancy. The most critical time for the baby is during the first trimester, though. This is when most birth defects occur. The glucose tolerance test is administered in the second trimester missing this critical period. If diabetes is a major concern it would be better to get tested for it before getting pregnant.”
I too was diagnoed with this & declined treatment for 2 reasons: med’s can have effects on baby & I did not want to be induced. One of the reasons they want to induce is because baby will have immature lungs, among other things. However most of these “complications” they say are from the diabetes are the same complications babies have from being born too early. therefor the complications are due to the pre-mature birth not the diabetes.
They told me that I would have a “big” baby- however I was measuring slighty smaller until they decided I had diabetes then for one appt. I was suddenly “bigger” than normal. subsequent appointments with another provider were all normal measurments. My “big” baby was 7 lbs.
Had I agreed to the induction at what they had as 37 weeks my baby would only have been 33 weeks old. Their dates were off. they can do a gestionational age after baby is born & mine was born 2 weeks after my due date however the gestational age was only 38 weeks when she was born. If I would hae agreed to the induction my baby would have been premature & had problems because the lungs would not have been developed.
Low blood sugar in baby can be fixed by breast feeding baby immediately after birth (which should be done anyway.)
Jaundice- any baby can get jaundice. Put baby in sunlight.
Diabetes Feedback: I have been a diabetic for 15 years and I prefer the Ascencia by Bayer. I have tried a few of the others but I prefer this one.