The best thing you can do is try to get warmed up just before using the lancet to prick your finger. To help your blood flow:
do some simple exercises, and move your arms and hands about
have a warm bath or shower
hold a mug with a hot drink inside.
If you are still struggling, make sure when taking the test you:
stand up, keep your arm straight with your hand below your waist
push the lancet firmly against your finger. Using one lancet to make the tiny cut deep enough is likely to be less painful than having to use all three
when massaging down your finger, don’t squeeze too hard as this can cause your blood to clot, as it would if you were trying to stop a cut from bleeding while holding it high and squeezing. Push firmly but not painfully, as if you were massaging a sore muscle
avoid using the lancet too close to your fingernail, as the blood can drop behind the nail and get stuck, this makes it harder to drip your blood into the tube. Some people prefer to prick the outside edge of their finger tip so it is easier to see the drops and aim into the tube.
If you want support or advice from our clinical team, or if you have used all 3 lancets and need more, you can reply to one of our text messages.