Home blood test kits - how do you get the blood out of your finger!?

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AubergineParm@reddit

Some people just have less capillary action in their fingers. You can pay a small fee for a venous draw at home, that’s probably your best bet.

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No_North_8484@reddit (OP)

!answer - thanks, I had no idea. I'll try again with the advice from here, but it might be simpler to do this!

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Severe_Mastodon8072@reddit

Hot shower and some press ups immediately beforehand!

Just be prepared for then feeling like you have too much blood lol.

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No_North_8484@reddit (OP)

I did try a few sets of pullups and then doing the dishes and then soaking hand in hot water...... I think I might be a robot.

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Something I noticed after doing a few of these is that I wasn't always pushing the lancet in firmly enough. It would still click and break the skin but the blood would come out slowly. So I make a point now of "committing to it" and pushing nice and firmly.

There is another reason they recommend the sides and not the finger tips. Which is that if you prick the finger tips, you are going to tend to press on the wound a lot more as it heals over the next few days, which can be painful. Whereas you don't press things with the sides of your fingers in the same way.

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QueefInMyKisser@reddit

I tried to use one of those for an STD test but had a hell of a job getting enough blood out to fill the tube and when I sent it off they said they couldn’t get a result anyway so it was a total waste of effort.

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Broric@reddit

Side of your finger pad is the advice as less nerves so it hurts less. If you’re struggling just do the middle of the pad, it’ll hurt more but flow more too. Then squeeze it a bit.

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No_North_8484@reddit (OP)

Ah, thanks. Pain isn't the issue here. I was eyeing the kitchen knives this morning, so I'll try this approach next time before resorting to that!

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Broric@reddit

You can get finger prickers with longer lancets if you really need them (most diabetic ones are little plastic things than can be dialled up/down). The finger pad bleeds the easiest! Squeezing helps too. As does helping your blood pump (warm water, etc).

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lovemycat02@reddit

On the side of your finger? Should be the squishy part, directly opposite your fingernail (if that makes sense). You have to properly press the lancet down so that it deploys properly, no pussyfooting around. Then ‘milk’ your finger. Best way I can describe it.

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Brexit-Broke-Britain@reddit

The instructions on the ones I have used say to use the side of the finger.

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lovemycat02@reddit

You’re not gonna get nearly as good blood flow

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No_North_8484@reddit (OP)

Are you suggesting that the tip of the finger produces more blood than the side? (But it doesn't hurt as much, which is why they recommend it)?

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lovemycat02@reddit

There are more capillaries closer to the skin

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No_North_8484@reddit (OP)

Pain isn't the issue! I might try the nose if the finger tip doesn't provide 😄

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HirsuteHacker@reddit

You aren't but I should still work. Whenever you donate blood they'll take the sample for the iron test from the side of your finger, used to be the pad but that hurts more.

Just need to give it a good squeeze.

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djdavies82@reddit

Another good reason to do the side of the finger instead of the tip is that it doesn't hurt as much during/afterwards

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batgirlsmum@reddit

I have a very prominent vein in my wrist.

I’m not saying to use that one, but blood is blood. The sink can look like a murder scene. I have in the past managed to get a decent amount of blood from my fingers, but it’s inconsistent and unreliable.

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DarkmoonBlastoise@reddit

There's a difference between capillary blood and venous blood when it comes to testing it

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batgirlsmum@reddit

But would hormone and mineral/vitamin levels change?

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DarkmoonBlastoise@reddit

Levels will be different between the two samples. Venous is deoxygenated while capillary is a mix of aterial, venous and interstitial fluid

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ukbot-nicolabot@reddit

OP marked this as the best answer, given by /u/AubergineParm.

Some people just have less capillary action in their fingers. You can pay a small fee for a venous draw at home, that’s probably your best bet.

^(What is this?)

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ben_jamin_h@reddit

Type 1 diabetic here, used to use lancets 5 times a day before I got a continuous glucose monitor prescribed.

Prick your finger.

Hold your arm straight down by your side.

With your other hand, starting at your armpit, grab and squeeze, slide your hand down your arm all the way to the fingertip, then squeeze the fingertip.

Basically, milk your entire arm. You should be able to get a good few drops each time and you can keep going for a few squeezes to get multiple lots of blood.

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No_North_8484@reddit (OP)

Appreciated, thanks. All the written advice only mentions milking the hand, not the whole arm! Hopefully I'll have more luck.

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ben_jamin_h@reddit

Yeah, you gotta fill the hand first by milking the arm. Then you can milk the hand. Then, milk that finger!

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michalakos@reddit

I had to try on my other hand to get them to work (tried on the non dominant first). It flowed really well

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No_North_8484@reddit (OP)

That's interesting, thanks!

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damapplespider@reddit

Drink a lot of water today and then try tomorrow. When I used to fill a vial for the ONS during Covid, I struggled at first. By the end of the year, I was a dab hand at bleeding on demand.

I’d start hydrating the day before they were coming. This is what made the biggest difference. Then hand in a bowl of hottish water for a few minutes, dry it and then a deep jab towards the edge of the pad of my middle or ring finger. A bit of gravity helps too. Sit down and hold the vial low down so your hand is down at waist level.

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bethelns@reddit

Hydration at least a couple of hours before, then a pint of fluids 30 mins before as itll help your blood pressure.

I always used hand warmers and glove on my fingers for about 10 mins before doing the lancet.

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Fistmonger@reddit

I did a blood identification test recently and that came with a device that you pricked your finger with, yes it hurt and there was ample blood!

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imma2lils@reddit

Make sure you're hydrated and warm. Stand up to do it. Dangle your arm and hand down. Prick the side of your fingertip with the lancet. Allow first drop of blood to form and then slowly stroke your finger downwards, two knuckles above the tip of your finger.

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MrsSol@reddit

Massage your finger holding it below the heart, massage from your palm to the prick hole and you should get more flow

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tipsy-tortoise@reddit

Run your hand under water warmer than body temperature, helps capillaries fill. Then stand up with arms down so your hand is below the level of your heart. Then "milk" your finger from about the middle of it (middle knuckle). Should get you more blood. The first time i did one of these i also couldnt get much out, managed better doing this.

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Pristine_Health_2076@reddit

I had some of these tests once that seemed to me to require a ridiculous amount of blood out of a tiny stab hole in my finger.

I have really poor circulation in my hands, but this is what worked for me:

-making sure my hands were really warm (hold a hot water bottle, or maybe a hot mug) - my kit came with instructions to continuously push my finger that I was collecting the blood from, towards the finger tip. Basically grip all around your finger with a couple of fingers on your other hand and push and squeeze down.

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flangebody@reddit

Did you squeeze the finger? That worked for me, but it's a bit inconvenient because you have to use the other hand.

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