I ordered a Blue Horizon test to check my thyroid as my doctor is unwilling to do further tests and it arrived on Saturday. I have just spent the last hour trying to get enough blood out my fingers to no avail. I have used all 3 lancets and only managed 3 drops of blood! I followed all of the instructions but the blood just wouldn't flow!
Help!
Do you think if I phone them and explain they might help?
Yes ring them. They are very helpful. They should resend another test
My last test I found the lancets no where near as good as previous ones (best ones were blue ones) apparently different lancets give different depth cuts, some designed just to give small drop blood others are to provide proper flow of blood.
I really struggled to get enough blood for last test, only managed it as I had a couple of spare Blue lancets from previous tests.
I wish I was clearer headed so could explain what i did properly... grrrr.... first yes phone them and they will send more lancets, secondly you need to prepare for next attempt. First time for me took three hours and a repeatedly sterilized needle ☹ Now done in a couple of minutes since reading up some great advice on here. Make sure you are warm, do some exercises to get the heart pumping beforehand. Gentle massage and squeeze the end of the finger if the blood stops will often get it flowing again. Make sure you drink lots of water the day before and first thing. I started Ginkgo after the problems I had first time also. Very foggy headed at the Mo so hope this made sense, someone more articulate will hopefully respond. Oh and when you use the lancet hold I in place for a few seconds afterwards
Hi there Sleepyjen
I was the same recently and Blue Horizon were very helpful. They asked me if my gp surgery wd do bloods but I preferred to get them privately . They sent me the new kit free of charge. Seem very professional and very quick service sending kit etc. Xxx
Did you drink plenty, keep warm and hold your hand down.... I have tried this method a couple of times, first time i got no where but second time i remembered to hold my arm straight and down and it was easy peasy.
Xx
Thank you everyone! I was in a bit of a panic this morning. I was trying for an hour!
I have phoned Blue Horizon and they were extremely helpful and said they'll send me another kit. Thank you for your tips. I don't think I was warm enough so will try jumping about a bit before the next one and follow all of your guidance
I've done a load of these finger pricks, here are my tips:
1) When you wake up, immediately drink a lot of water and then wait 30 minutes before doing the test.
2) Before the test, run your hand under warm water for a minute or two until your fingers turn red and fill with blood.
3) If you use an alcohol swab to clean your finger, make sure you dry your finger afterwards.
4) Always stand up while doing the test.
5) The harder you press the lancet into your finger, the more it will bleed. If you press too lightly, the wound will clot quite fast and you won't get much blood. I choose a very fleshy part of my finger so the lancet doesn't hurt as much.
We used to tell our medical students when they needed to stab themsrlves in practical classes to rotate the arm round quickly like a windmill as that improves the flow in the hands.
I had the same problem.Probably did not drink enough water .However as the first time I only just managed decided to pay £35 more and take kit to BMI hospital for nurse to take blood.
I thought it would be easy peasy as I am used to finger pricking for my diabetes testing - ha! Not so! I used all the lancets and 3 fingers - took me ages, until I finally got the best result from the tip of my left index finger which seemed to be easier to get the blood flowing, and also get to it at the right angle to drip into the vial. Good luck!
How much do these tests cost. How is that enough blood as when I have my blood taken at the Dr that take a tube full sometimes 2 or 3 tubes
Multiple tubes are very often taken because the samples need to have different things added to them before the actual test.
Wiki has an article on the vacuntainers so widely used, and their additives and top colours:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacut...
(The colours mentioned in that article may or may not be the same as used at your blood draw.)
It is also common for the tubes to have the amount of blood required to do the test removed and the rest kept. This allows re-testing, or addiitonal testing without needing to take further samples. (I think they don't keep them very long these days.) So the amount in the tube needs to be greater than is strictly needed for the actual test.
I had difficult too until I left the elastic band on my finger until it went very red. Then when I pricked the flow was much improved. Of course all the other advice, drinking, heating the hands and excercising are all important in aiding successful collection of the red stuff. Good luck.
I found it difficult to begin with. Make sure elastic band making your finger red. Have you hand low. I tried to do it will the sample bottle on the work surface and hardly anything came out. I used another lancet and kept my hand lower this time and lots came out. It's easier with someone helping.
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