Lancet finger blood test

[emilylouisex1]

Is it normal for a lancet finger blood kit to leave a cut and cause throbbing finger? I'm worried I may have struck a nerve, it's very blue/bruisey around the little cut the needle made, is that normal? I work from home and even typing it hurting, I did the test about 4 hours ago now

You need to get on with things really. My 7 year old has these finger pricks several times a day and they do make fingers sore but unfortunately there’s nothing to be done but get on with things.

It will be fine tomorrow

I do put a bandaid over mine for the first day or few hours.

Thanks, I know it's not anything major but I do have a bit of anxiety recently and I've not done one of these test kits before x

Thank you, I definitely did press a bit hard as I didn't know when it was gonna pop out lol, it said to press down until release so I did

You’re not supposed to do it on the pad of the finger like that

? Where are you meant to do it? I have had to start doing lancet tests for T2 and I have been doing it on the finger pads (middle and ring) although I don’t find it hurts much. Am I doing it wrong?

I had to do mine a few times recently. You’re pressing too hard. I just made sure I was hydrated and my hands were warm gentle pressure at side of your finger. Why do you need to do. Blood glucose for thyroid? I have a thyroid issues doesn’t affect bm. Hope all ok, your finger will be fine just I think you’ve been a bit rough doing it.

It is for my TSH and t3 and t4 - tsh is always raised but because it's not over 10 they say it's borderline and just needs monitoring, but im symptomatic you see, so I just want to check my levels myself to try and see what's happening

They aren’t nice but unfortunately some people have to do them several times a day for forever.

I understand your anxiety and hope it gets better for you soon.

If you have to test again try where this blue mark is.

Has your doctor told you to do these tests at home, what are you going to do with the results and how often are you doing them.

No, they haven't. They said next test will be in 6 months (I know this isn't protocol as before they did it every 3) - my mother has thyroid and she told me to get the test kit to check the t3 and t4 due to my symptoms, I was going to go back to my doctor with the results if it was raised higher than the before test

@emilylouisex1 so your self testing for an issue you don't have?

No...if you read my posts, I do have an under active thyroid. It's just not above 10...so within guidelines, they don't 'have to' prescribe meds - highest it has been is 6. Recent was 4.67. Because it is not going over 10 the doctors want to keep an eye however I have symptoms. So I'm trying to push for them to listen to me with my mothers advice that she has this and even if it's only a little over she has the most intense symptoms! I'm trying to advocate for myself.

@emilylouisex1 do you not think kindly this is an anxiety issue rather than a thyroid issue. Looking at your levels I mean?

See this is the thing, I've spoken to my mum who said she gets symptoms even if it's a bit over, I've also spoken to others with thyroid who say the same thing, I've never experienced a temp with anxiety before but maybe 🤷🏻‍♀️

You poor thing!! TSH of 10 is insane not to be diagnosed. Normal is around 1.0. The 'normal range' is ridiculous, lots of people are suffering unnecessarily whilst they wait for their TSH to reach that point. I was diagnosed in 2016 with a TSH of 4.95. I did tell the GP that my mother had Graves' disease (overactive thyroid) and I went to my GP with my Medichecks results, a full thyroid panel including antibodies (both types raised a lot). I was feeling so terrible, so tired I had wondered if I had cancer or something till I did those tests.

Anxiety is also part and parcel of this, Hashi's is the gift that keeps on giving! Please go back to your GP and push for medication. I would be interested to see what your lab results are.

@CrunchyCarrot

Thank you!! My gut is telling me something is certainly off, I do have anxiety but not to this extent, I even told my doctor before he put me on citalopram that this is not normal for me and no triggers! 'It's not your thyroid it's not high enough, it wouldn't be causing this'

Yes I'm afraid it is your thyroid. Anxiety is a very common symptom. There are dozens of symptoms of hypothyroidism. Have you looked at a checklist? See this one:

https://www.tpauk.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Self-notes-about-your-Hypothyroid-symptoms.pdf

I'm diabetic looks like you've used a blunt needle.

@CrunchyCarrot you don't know that. She is doing the right thing seeing the doctor with extra bloods. Can I draw your attention to the actual post though?

It was a brand new lancet in a box so I doubt that it was blunt

I had GD so had to test 4 times a day.

Make sure your hands are warm it makes it easier to get blood flow.
I was advised to prick the side of my finger pad rather than dead centre, less painful when you're then picking things up afterwards, alternate which side so you don't keep making holes in the same spot and give it time to heal up.

Yes they can I hate them so have forked out for a blood glucose sensor which is a revelation

Can I just point out that the lancets used for this type of finger prick blood test are different (and much larger) than those used for diabetic tests?

Also @Stomacharmeleon I have replied initially to OP's first post. The discussion has moved on from that?

Of course OP is doing the right thing seeing her GP with the blood tests - it's what I did, too. However if you knew anything at all about diagnosis of thyroid disease you would know that getting a diagnosis can be very difficult due to the so-called 'normal' ranges for TSH. I have had thyroid disease for many years and have spent a lot of time talking to other thyroid patients online and there are many, many people whose symptoms are dismissed and they're expected to just put up with clear hypothyroid symptoms because because their labs are allegedly 'normal'. Don't take my word for it. Check out the Health Unlocked forum where hundreds of thyroid patients post for help with their results. Honestly I was horrified when I first realised this.