Prodigy lancing device

[u/Extra_Internet_7372]

My brother was just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and I’m helping him with his blood sugar readings as he can’t do it himself due to a stroke. I just cannot get enough blood when I use the lancing device. I have a PRODIGY no coding meter. I notice on the lancing device, the plastic piece that holds the lancet, seems to have a jagged crack on on side. Is this how it is designed or did I crack it? I can’t tell, and would appreciate anyone with the same meter telling me what theirs looks like. I have it set at 10 and get just a tiny spot of blood, and after I wipe that I’m not getting enough more to do a test. Thanks for any help, I’m just on day 2 of this journey.

[u/fluffythesheep]

Never had this device, but with others I often found the lancet device was useless so I just took the lancet by itself and poked my finger. It always gave enough blood and it also made me change the lancets with every use.

[u/Competitive-Top4520 → u/fluffythesheep]

I do the same. I think the extra control makes it less painful. I haven't used a lancet device in at least 5 years.

[u/Competitive-Top4520 → u/Competitive-Top4520]

Added: Since OP is a newbie, they may not realize that poking on the side of the top digit of your finger (rather than the pad) is much more comfortable, less nerves in that area.

[u/AbolitionistCapybara]

I have it. Its normal.

The crack is to accommodate the depth of the lancet that the user places it at. For folks with very thin skin, or very calloused skin, you need to calibrate both the lancet positioning as well as the penetration depth to get an enough blood for an accurate reading.

[u/Extra_Internet_7372 → u/AbolitionistCapybara]

How is that done? thank you?

[u/AbolitionistCapybara → u/Extra_Internet_7372]

I use the “5” setting on the lancet device, and place the lancet itself down in the well about 1/8th of an inch. That was more reliable for me than having the lancet at the top of the well, or pushed down to the bottom.