Well why didn't I think of it before! Can anyone rec high street shop that sells alcohol wipes please? To use before pinprick?

[Jo5454]

HiI'm rather slow on the uptake these days, but after a failed iron profile pinprick, which I knew wouldn't work as blood was thick & not flowing,just had a thought!

Buy some alcohol wipes! Once I've used one supplied, feel have to plod on with test. Whereas with more wipes, after 1 pinprick if its not looking good, will not complete test, just try again next day! I have a fair few pinprick stabber things, presume they don't go.out of date? So can give it a good few tries.

Had so many failed iron panels last yr, but miraculously got 1 to work couple months back, only needed 1 pricked finger that day & blood flowed well, so that's obviously the answer with that test.

The thyroid ones thankfully seem to work, even if I've pricked 4 fingers. I follow everything the same.

If I tackle it with wipes a plenty I'm bound to hit on a good day eventually🤣

[helvella]

I suspect 12 is more than you want. That is, 12 packs of fifty wipes.

therange.co.uk/health-and-b...

But it might trigger your thoughts of other shops.

You do not have to use an alcohol wipe - see here where they recommend a non-alcohol wipe - but still needs to be antiseptic and sterile.

wetrainphlebotomists.com/co...

[Jo5454 in reply to helvella]

Thank you, I wouldng have thought of that kind of shop for them...Well let's hope I don't need that many, though its beginning to feel that way,lol!Will read on that site thank you. Was just trying to find local place so I could get on with rather than wait online...thank you

[Jo5454 in reply to helvella]

Hi, many thanks for that info, read the link, all very useful. Thought I'd give another go today, found 1 lonely alcohol wipe left from a past test, expires Nov. Followed everything, first finger blood looked runnier, but foolishly ignored that little voice in back of head that was saying its not coming out too quick & thought it'd work, albeit slower.3 fingers later, barely half the amount. So made Executive decision of not pricking a further 3, sent it off. Thinking I should've waited until after b12 jab nxt wk to see if that helped flow, too late now

But thanks very much am going to keep notes from that info...

[humanbean]

I have very thick blood too, most of the time. In my case I think it is because I have had slightly over the range platelets in a few tests.

What I've found helps me is starting to drink a lot of water the day before the pinprick needs to be done, and keeping it up until bedtime then having at least one glass of water in the morning too.

There was one time I was so successful in thinning my blood it took quite a while to get it to stop.

[Jo5454 in reply to humanbean]

Thank you...thats annoying for you too then. Mine was so thick this time it made blobs in top & didntbwant to go in, or travel down. Yes, that odd occasion last time could've filled 3 pots! Thank you, I drink plenty. I already drink 11 mugs a day minimum, on test days I have one at 5am. Then 6am and bit more at 7...so by the time I try to jiggle around a bit to Springsteen to warm up, it's waters swishing around in me no end! Fingers crossed for this week...

[Dahliasanddaisies]

I'd try your local chemist

[Tina_Maria]

Hold your hand in a bowl of good warm water before your test and drink 1-2 glasses of water as well, that helps with the blood flow.

Alcohol wipes can be quite expensive for what they are, I have isopropyl alcohol 70% at home for my first aid kit, and the spray can be used on a cotton pad to clean your finger tip too.

[Jo5454 in reply to Tina_Maria]

Thanks, yes I do that too with bowl of water, and have a cup at 5, then 6, then 7am before test, but seem to have thicker blood not wanting to move much more often that not!:)Thanks for tips about isopropyl alcohol & cotton pad, that's a good idea too!

[serenfach]

A bottle of Surgical spirits is cheap, bung it on some cotton wool and wipe. I use it on the animals and me, and I like the smell. It reminds me of my father who was a surgeon, not an alki!