Failed!

[Agitator23]

My first attempt at Monitor My Health test. Followed the instructions and had to prick two fingers. Still not enough blood! Got to 400 mark on tube (600 needed) and gave up... All I've got to show for it are two bruised finger tips 😞 Blood flow very slow and stopped abruptly. I did all the things they said on leaflet.Anyone else had this problem?

[SovietSong]

I used to have the same problem but I found drinking plenty of water on waking and almost milking the blood gently from the wrist down made massive difference.Before I was just squeezing the finger tip and getting very frustrated lol.

[Agitator23 in reply to SovietSong]

Thank you for your advice 😊

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Send it off anyway

They may get some results

and will send a replacement kit for any tests that failed

Next time

Make sure you drink plenty of water day before

Get everything ready before test including a bowl of hot water

Exercise for 10-15 minutes before test

Dip hand in hot water after exercise

Dry off hand.

Windmill arm

Standing up ……prick finger about 1/2 way down finger nail…..at the side

You only need 6-10 drops blood

They usually give you three finger prickers

[Agitator23 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks for all those tips. I've sealed it up to send off now and see what happens. Luckily, I didn't throw it away in a huff! I suppose practice makes perfect - as in everything. All the advice on here is invaluable.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Agitator23]

I have done many over the years …..but even now ….sometimes it’s more difficult to get blood flowing well

I find being hydrated, warm and exercise beforehand crucial

[tattybogle]

Exercise makes a big difference and drinking LOTS of extra water the day before , last time i had cycled to GP and back for NHS blood test and then did the fingerprick as soon as i got home , just one prick~ filled tube to overflowing no problem.

this time i just went up and down the stairs a couple of times thinking 'that'll do' and hadn't had extra water the day before , ...it took three pricks and was a real struggle to get enough blood out as it kept stopping.

also:

Find a stool or something (an adjustable ironing board is good) of the right height to put the tube on, so that your arm is hanging straight down when collecting blood .

Try to give a SLIGHT twist to the lancet when it goes into the finger . to make a bigger hole.

Make the bowl of water hot enough to make your hand go a red . include the wrist and forearm.

( oh , and double check what day it is ... i accidentally did mine yesterday morning thinking it was monday already .. what a muppet .... have posted it anyway and crossed my fingers that it gets there before it's too old to use) .

[Anthea55 in reply to tattybogle]

It's that 'SLIGHT twist' which makes all the difference for me.

[Bertiepuss]

I always had a problem until I did the hand in a bowl of very hot water for 5 minutes, yes a whole 5 minutes until my whole hand is red. Now it flows out very nicely without having to push the finger very much at all which results in less bruising too. Plus, I don't feel anywhere near as stressed about the whole ordeal anymore!

[Agitator23]

Thank you so much everyone! To be honest I was feeling a bit of a failure until I realised through your input that there's actually a lot more I can do to help 😊

[SarahJane1471]

NB please don’t make the mistake I made of “windmilling” my arm AFTER pricking finger and splattering newly painted walls with blood 🤣

[Agitator23 in reply to SarahJane1471]

Thank you for the warning ⚠️ 😂

[Bertiepuss in reply to SarahJane1471]

🤣🤣🤣 You read the instructions 3 times, felt confident you'd memorised all the steps in the right order, began the test...only to find you'd managed to recreate a scene from a horror movie 😁 Did any actually get any in the vial?

[Agitator23 in reply to Bertiepuss]

It did look a bit of a crime scene tbh 😁 A few drops made it into the vial. I reckon it'll be rejected, though. We'll see...

[SarahJane1471 in reply to Bertiepuss]

All over newly painted Farrow and Ball paint 🤦‍♀️