Worth A Try, Hold Off On Buying Stock
Written: Sep 18 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Easy To Use, Less Discomfort Initially
Cons: More expensive, Increased Soreness in Fingers.
The Bottom Line: More expensive FinePoint lancets work for their purpose. They do so with debatably less discomfort and ease of use.
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| nursefriendly's Full Review: One Touch Finepoint Lancets |
Writing this from the perspective of a Registered Nurse who checks blood sugar levels daily in the hospitals and nursing homes in around New Jersey.
We used FinePoint Lancets in our facility for two months, then decided to switch back to a cheaper alternative.
Will address a few points in this review:
1. Getting used to checking.
2. Does the Lancet brand make a difference?
3. Proper technique is a must.
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1. Getting used to checking.
Checking their sugar, is one of the most difficult psychological tasks a newly diagnosed diabetic has to overcome. It's a task that teenage diabetics often rebel against.
It's slightly uncomfortable, deals with blood which irks most people and if done incorrectly, can give inaccurate results.
We used FinePoint Lancets briefly (they must have been on sale from our distributor) and then just as quickly stopped using them.
Their benefit over lancets with a wider blade include a sharper and deeper cut.
Because the blade is thinner and sharper, there is less pain initially. After doing over 400 sugars in a month, we found you usually get enough blood the first time.
Also found that they were more expensive per hundred pack (you can buy them for $8.99) compared to the generic lancets offered by our glucometer manufacturer at $5.99.
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2. Does the Lancet brand make a difference?
Was the FinePoint brand better? Depends on the patient and personal preference.
For a newly diagnosed Diabetic, their skin is soft and supple and has not thickened/roughed from repeated sticks.
They may prefer less pain initially, and deal with the sore fingers afterwards from the sharper stick.
For a seasoned diabetic, the FinePoint brand may be better against their tougher to penetrate skin.
The issue of pain and soreness again is personal preference.
An important point to make here is that of site rotation. When testing sugar, it's best to rotate among all 10 available fingers, sticking them in order.
This will prevent or at least delay the thickening of the skin that will later make sampling difficult.
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3. Proper technique is a must.
Whether checking your sugar (or asking a family member to assist), be sure to follow the manufacturers instructions/recommendations.
Follow the instructions to the letter.
All glucometers come with control solutions. Test vials that will come out high or low if the machine is working properly.
Make it a point to test your glucometer at least every month (or as often as the manufacturer recommends) to make sure it's giving accurate readings.
If you're ever in doubt about a reading, repeat the test and see if you get the same value, see if the patient is symptomatic.
If the patient is showing symptoms of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), treat the symptoms as soon as you notice them.
Especially in hypoglycemia, when the blood sugar drops below 60/mg/dl, coma and brain damage can result if levels stay low.
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In summary, FinePoint lancets work for their purpose (breaking the skin to obtain a blood sample for glucose testing). They do so with debatably less discomfort and ease of use.
Are they superior to cheaper brands? Not enough to justify the extra expense in my opinion.
If you'd like to test them, buy a pack, but don't consider stock in the company till you've used them several weeks and can make an informed decision.
Andrew Lopez, BS RN
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Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
nursefriendly
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Member: Andrew Lopez, BS RN, Nursefriendly, Inc.
Location: Mantua, New Jersey
Reviews written: 66
Trusted by: 72 members
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