Problems Removing First Test Strips from a Vial

I am seeing people complain about their finger size and removing the first test strips from a vial. I believe most have this problem to a small or large degree depending on the size of your fingers. Some people are capable of using their small finger, but most of us probably are not able to use them.

What I did was to obtain a plastic tweezers that I have adapted for removing the test strips until I can comfortably remove them with my finger. No, I did not say a metal tweezers! If you wish to ruin several test strips (a dozen or so), go ahead and get a metal, but I won't recommend wasting money like this. Most pharmacies have or can order them and this is what I did.

Then I take a quarter inch wide rubber band and using glue, I attach to the inside and wrap it to the outside so that one leg of the tweezers has a rubber on three sides. Trim to remove excess on the ends of the rubber band. Then attach a short piece to the other leg on the inside only.

When the glue has dried, it is ready for use. I then use the leg with the rubber band on three side and use the outside to align with a test strip and use just enough pressure to raise one test strip above the rest and rotate the three sides to retain a grip on a test strip and bring the other leg against the other side of the test strip to fully remove the test strip. Occasionally in the process, two test strips will adhere together and you will need to start over on a different test strip. I also hold the vial of test strips at about 45 or 50 degrees to make it easier to raise a single test strip.

Often it is easier just to use the tweezers and insert it into the meter. Then set the tweezers aside, use the lancing device, and lance the finger for testing and after having enough blood, slide the meter with the test strip into the blood so that it can wick the blood into the test strip.

Note: It did take some practice to efficiently remove a single test strip and insert it into the meter, but practice was worth getting the test strip remove from the vial and into the meter.

This is neither FDA approved nor a recommendation by the test strip manufacturer, but it works for me and saves test strips being damaged and saves my fingers.