Alcohol Wipes

[BrendaK]

This topic came up on another thread, but I'd like some more opinions on this. We use alcohol wipes for Carson's fingers when we aren't able to wash hands before a blood sugar check. We always make sure his finger is wiped and dried before we check.

Some people have said that using an alcohol wipe can really skew the blood sugar reading and make it much higher than it is. I had no idea that could happen!! Have many other people had that experience?

We don't use antibacterial wipes or purell or any of that because it stays on your hands. But I thought alcohol would be fine.

Now I'm getting parinoid -- because we use those wipes a lot!!

So what are the options besides soap and water? What do you do if you're in the car or at the park where there is no soap and water available?

[sammysmom]

I always carry baby wipes with me...if we are out and about, I have those individually wrapped "wet ones''. I think that the alcohol wipes are fine as long as you dry the finger before you poke.

shannon

[Jeff]

Alcohol wipes are not recommended because they dry out the skin. If you don't have access to soap and water, try the sanitizing gels.

[rmccully2000]

I don't know how true this is, maybe someone can verify?

I heard that alcohol wipes also do not remove any sugar that may be on the hands. It only moves it around.

Baby wipes or antibacterial wipes do better at removing any leftover sugar if you can't wash your hands.

So, I keep the individually wrapped wipes in his kit at school in case they are not near a bathroom when he needs to test.

Becky, Mom to Mason, 7 Dexcom, Iport

[Illinifan]

Zach washes his hands before he checks his blood sugar when he is awake.

However, since he wears contacts, I know he washes his hands before he goes to bed. We don't try to clean his hands during checks at night.

[sammysmom]

I did hear that the alcohol just moves the residue around. We also use wipes at school.

shannon

[Mama Belle]

So what are the options besides soap and water? What do you do if you're in the car or at the park where there is no soap and water available?

I check a toe. Whenever she can't wash her hands we use a toe.

[payam7777777]

alcohol wipes for Carson's fingers

alcoho wipes are known to dry the skin an cause problems. we use a piece of wet kleenex followed by a dry one. please dont use alcohol wipes. And why do you not use thumb base instead of fingertips?

[Boo]

I feel bad since it was probably my post on the other thread that started this.:o I was just mentioning it to Tessa's mom since it was something that we have noticed (the generally higher readings when my son uses alcohol wipes). In her case, however, though her daugther has yet to be diagnosed, she also had sugar in her urine which would support the high number.

For the record, we do occasionally use alcohol wipes in situations when he can't wash his hands. I'd be more inclined to keep an eye on those readings and to double check high and low ones before treating them. With so many years ahead of them, we need to try to keep those fingertips in the best possible shape, while still getting accurate readings.

I really didn't mean to give anybody one MORE thing to worry about! :p

[A&Ds Mommy]

If we are out and about I just use a wipe (luckily I have a bunch since I have an 8 month old :) ). When at home we just use a wet paper towel if I know he has only been playing around the house.

[Abby-Dabby-Doo]

We recently asked the alcohol wipe question at the Endo's office... IF you have to use the alcohol wipes, with no other choice, the first blood drop is wiped away by a clean cloth or tissue, and squeeze again for the next drop of blood to test with. We were told the alcohol does mess with the numbers.

Lanae
Mother to
Tyler (15)
Abby (6) dxd 1-20-07

[BrendaK]

We recently asked the alcohol wipe question at the Endo's office... IF you have to use the alcohol wipes, with no other choice, the first blood drop is wiped away by a clean cloth or tissue, and squeeze again for the next drop of blood to test with. We were told the alcohol does mess with the numbers.

Lanae
Mother to
Tyler (15)
Abby (6) dxd 1-20-07


Thanks, that is what I was wanting to know. I do know that alcohol is drying to the skin and we don't use it every time by any means. They are just easier for me to carry in my purse than a pack of baby wipes. The wipes seem to always get left open and then the entire case of them dries out. I like the alcohol wipes because they're individually wrapped.

I have always felt that the chemicals in the baby wipes and "wet ones" also mess with the numbers, so I thought alcohol would be safer in not messing with the numbers. We had a lot of problems when we've used baby wipes before with false high numbers. I'm glad to know that the alcohol can also mess with the numbers. Didn't have a clue on that.

I would also think that the alcohol in a hand gel like Purell would also dry out the skin. But probably not as much as a straight alcohol wipe.

Bath and Body Works hand soaps and gels have some kind of sugar in them and have also cause false highs with us. (I can't remember the exact ingredient, but it was sucrose or something like that.)

Interesting thread. The issue for me is not the drying of the skin -- I know that occurs and we don't use wipes even half of the time -- probably less than 20% of the time. The rest of the time we use plain old soap and water. The wipes are only for the car and when we're away from a sink The issue I was wondering about was the alcohol causing false readings.

[Chase's mom]

Great we have always used alchol wipes:eek: I was never told not to. We did try and use baby wipes a couple of times and they were softer but yet to hard to carry around.

[deafmack]

I was told not to use the alchohol wipes because of the problem of them screwing the blood sugar results. Also let you know that alchohol dries the skin out and makes test sting. I was told to rinse my hands in warm water and wash with a cleanser and dry thoroughly. if I am not near water I can use some of the water from my water bottle and then dry my hands thoroughly.
I had a friend who used alchohol wipes when he was first diagnosed and his fingers became all cracked and dried up. Also alchohol does not sterilize like we have been taught to believe.