Meter accuracy

[Kristin251]

so another A1C at 5.1 (US). This is my fourth 6 month check.
Although 5.1 is good it doesn't match my meter. Doc wants me to get a new one.
Office check. Mine 83. Theirs 107. Do it again. Mine 83 theirs 99. I understand allowed meter error completely. Problem is my A1C is consistently higher than my meter averages so I do believe mine runs low.

Second problem. I have 1500 strips!!

So. Can I use my meter and strips until gone and just subtract about 15 points to get a more accurate result.
Ex. If my meter says 83 and theirs 103( average of the two readings) which does fall in line with my A1C ,
Can I try to use 70 as a more accurate number on my meter for my goal if I want it to be a real 85?

I, looking at reviews for a new one and my head is spinning. Strip prices are astronautical and the reviews are all over the place about accuracies testing one meter on another. So who really knows?
Of course I need to trust my meter and at the moment I'm not trusting anything.

Anyone have a meter that seems to match a1cs or that they feel is very accurate? And on the flip side, any younwould NOT recommend?

 

[Squire Fulwood]

You could go all posh and get the Libre. Sometimes it is not accurate, it depends on the sensor you are currently using but you can do hundreds of tests a day without pricking anything. This is very useful since it shows you how large and how long spikes are and if any occur that you might miss with a conventional meter. This is often the reason for disparity between your version of the Hba1c and that of the DN.

In the meantime you have little or nothing to lose by getting a TEE2. They are free, most of the accessories are free and the strips are similar in price to the SD. If you don't like it then throw it away.

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/

 

[Diakat]

There was an article on dline ages ago saying that different meters even read differently for different people so I think you just have to pick one and go with its values. Nothing will ever be 100%

 

[SockFiddler]

My CodeFree tests consistently high (compared to my other 2 meters) and I have loads of strips for that. Funnily enough, the meter whose readings I always trust is the TEE2, which - as @Squire Fulwood noted, is free from Spirit Healthcare and the strips are among the cheapest out there, too.

I like my CodeFree and - like you - I'm not happy to waste the investment I've made to the test strips. When I get time I'm going to call the manufacturer and explain the issue. Perhaps they'll give me replacement meter, perhaps they won't. It's in everyone's interest if they do, though - the money isn't made in the meters but in the lifetime of test strips people will buy after.

(Though a quick thing I'd note about having so many test strips... do be careful when you open a new pot to ensure they're still well within their expiry date. All strips will expire, and that process will also affect the readings)

 

[Squire Fulwood]

I tested some meters. There are threads on here about some of it. The most accurate meter I tested was the Abbott Freedom Freestyle Lite. If you worry about meter accuracy then you are going to bald and have nightmares.

If I talk to my DN I use the numbers from the meter she gave me which is the Freestyle Lite. If I cheat then I give her the readings from an SD and knock 1mmol off (in England). You can't tell the difference. If I should just give her the SD readings without doctoring them she will give me pills and we don't want that do we?

 

[badcat]

so another A1C at 5.1 (US). This is my fourth 6 month check.
Although 5.1 is good it doesn't match my meter. Doc wants me to get a new one.
Office check. Mine 83. Theirs 107. Do it again. Mine 83 theirs 99. I understand allowed meter error completely. Problem is my A1C is consistently higher than my meter averages so I do believe mine runs low.

Second problem. I have 1500 strips!!

So. Can I use my meter and strips until gone and just subtract about 15 points to get a more accurate result.
Ex. If my meter says 83 and theirs 103( average of the two readings) which does fall in line with my A1C ,
Can I try to use 70 as a more accurate number on my meter for my goal if I want it to be a real 85?

I, looking at reviews for a new one and my head is spinning. Strip prices are astronautical and the reviews are all over the place about accuracies testing one meter on another. So who really knows?
Of course I need to trust my meter and at the moment I'm not trusting anything.

Anyone have a meter that seems to match a1cs or that they feel is very accurate? And on the flip side, any younwould NOT recommend?

If it was me, Id make the adjustment and stick with the same meter at least until the strips are used up. Even if its running higher / lower than optimal in terms of synching with lab results, you can easily adjust for that in the way you suggest. Whatever its accuracy with the base level, it should still show the degree of any spiking you get between pre / post meal which is what I think is the most useful data

 

[Prem51]

In the meantime you have little or nothing to lose by getting a TEE2. They are free, most of the accessories are free and the strips are similar in price to the SD. If you don't like it then throw it away.

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/

@Kristin251 is in the USA, she might not be able to get the TEE2 there.

Edit: And well done on your HbA1c result @Kristin251, those avocados are working well for you!

 

[Squire Fulwood]

@Kristin251 is in the USA, she might not be able to get the TEE2 there.

I didn't know that. She did mention American but for some reason I thought she was still in UK. She can try the link, maybe they will post it.

 

[Bluetit1802]

so another A1C at 5.1 (US). This is my fourth 6 month check.
Although 5.1 is good it doesn't match my meter. Doc wants me to get a new one.
Office check. Mine 83. Theirs 107. Do it again. Mine 83 theirs 99. I understand allowed meter error completely. Problem is my A1C is consistently higher than my meter averages so I do believe mine runs low.

How long have you had the meter and is it (or the strips) calibrated to convert the whole capillary blood to plasma blood?
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/whole-blood-readings-to-plasma-converter.html

Most meters are calibrated now, and with some brands it is the strips that are calibrated. It may be worth investigating. http://www.diabetes.co.uk/whole-blood-readings-to-plasma-converter.html

Also, many of us have problems estimating HbA1c results from meter readings, even those of us like me that test zillions of times a day or/and use a Libre. It's all to do with our red blood cell life. The HbA1c assumes everyone's RBC live the same length of time, based on some averages or other, but of course we aren't all the same. If your RBC live longer than standard, your HbA1c will most likely be higher than expected simply because many of the cells are old and have more glucose stuck to them.. Similarly, if they live shorter lives, the HbA1c will be lower. https://chriskresser.com/why-hemoglobin-a1c-is-not-a-reliable-marker/

My HbA1c is always significantly higher than expected (by over half a percent using your measurements)

 

[therower]

Hi @Kristin251 . Have you used a testing solution to determine the accuracy of your current meter?
1500 strips is a lot to lose, have you considered buying a new like for like meter or a meter which will accept your strips you have at present? Meters are usually cheap.
As an aside all my meters I've used always give a higher number than my actual HbA1C.
Hope you get something sorted.

 

[Kristin251]

You could go all posh and get the Libre. Sometimes it is not accurate, it depends on the sensor you are currently using but you can do hundreds of tests a day without pricking anything. This is very useful since it shows you how large and how long spikes are and if any occur that you might miss with a conventional meter. This is often the reason for disparity between your version of the Hba1c and that of the DN.

In the meantime you have little or nothing to lose by getting a TEE2. They are free, most of the accessories are free and the strips are similar in price to the SD. If you don't like it then throw it away.

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/

I could try to go all posh lol and get the liber I would love to not prick for a bit!

Wonder if I can get it in the US! Probably not. You guys got all the cool stuff. ( other than Mexican and california avocados!)

Is the libre accurare? Can you give me a brief synopsis how it works?

My CodeFree tests consistently high (compared to my other 2 meters) and I have loads of strips for that. Funnily enough, the meter whose readings I always trust is the TEE2, which - as @Squire Fulwood noted, is free from Spirit Healthcare and the strips are among the cheapest out there, too.

I like my CodeFree and - like you - I'm not happy to waste the investment I've made to the test strips. When I get time I'm going to call the manufacturer and explain the issue. Perhaps they'll give me replacement meter, perhaps they won't. It's in everyone's interest if they do, though - the money isn't made in the meters but in the lifetime of test strips people will buy after.

(Though a quick thing I'd note about having so many test strips... do be careful when you open a new pot to ensure they're still well within their expiry date. All strips will expire, and that process will also affect the readings)

No tee2 here of course!! Maybe in 10 years!

My strips don't expire until late 2019. My meter is discontinued so I stocked up. I've used the same brand meter for 8+ years. Not the same meter. First one went in the loo. Hubby dehydrated it in my dehydrator. Haha. Next day bought two new ones so tested all three with same drop of blood. All 3 within 4 points. This is why I trusted it. It may be in accurate but it's consistently inaccurate. Obviously I tossed the loo meter.

Decision made so far is to use strips and drop my goal to 70-75. UNLESS someone has a good reason why I shouldn't.

On the other hand 5.1 is just fine. Seems odd it's been the same for 2 years.

I tested some meters. There are threads on here about some of it. The most accurate meter I tested was the Abbott Freedom Freestyle Lite. If you worry about meter accuracy then you are going to bald and have nightmares.

If I talk to my DN I use the numbers from the meter she gave me which is the Freestyle Lite. If I cheat then I give her the readings from an SD and knock 1mmol off (in England). You can't tell the difference. If I should just give her the SD readings without doctoring them she will give me pills and we don't want that do we?

I'd like to keep my hair and sleep well lol. I'll look up the Abbott but I'll betcha we don't have it.

I didn't know that. She did mention American but for some reason I thought she was still in UK. She can try the link, maybe they will post it.

How long have you had the meter and is it (or the strips) calibrated to convert the whole capillary blood to plasma blood?
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/whole-blood-readings-to-plasma-converter.html

Most meters are calibrated now, and with some brands it is the strips that are calibrated. It may be worth investigating. http://www.diabetes.co.uk/whole-blood-readings-to-plasma-converter.html

Also, many of us have problems estimating HbA1c results from meter readings, even those of us like me that test zillions of times a day or/and use a Libre. It's all to do with our red blood cell life. The HbA1c assumes everyone's RBC live the same length of time, based on some averages or other, but of course we aren't all the same. If your RBC live longer than standard, your HbA1c will most likely be higher than expected simply because many of the cells are old and have more glucose stuck to them.. Similarly, if they live shorter lives, the HbA1c will be lower. https://chriskresser.com/why-hemoglobin-a1c-is-not-a-reliable-marker/

My HbA1c is always significantly higher than expected (by over half a percent using your measurements)

I love Chris. Ive read his diabetic stuff and all makes sense. This life of red blood cells just throws more junk into the equation and trying to figure out what to do

Hi @Kristin251 . Have you used a testing solution to determine the accuracy of your current meter?
1500 strips is a lot to lose, have you considered buying a new like for like meter or a meter which will accept your strips you have at present? Meters are usually cheap.
As an aside all my meters I've used always give a higher number than my actual HbA1C.
Hope you get something sorted.

I have another new one in the box for back up. I think I've had about 6 in 8 years. I like new meters and new colors. Stupid I know.
So do you take into account your meter is usually higher

You've all been great. Thank you. I'm still going to have to get a new meter eventually. Im pretty much at the point I won't trust any

 

[Kristin251]

I tested some meters. There are threads on here about some of it. The most accurate meter I tested was the Abbott Freedom Freestyle Lite. If you worry about meter accuracy then you are going to bald and have nightmares.

If I talk to my DN I use the numbers from the meter she gave me which is the Freestyle Lite. If I cheat then I give her the readings from an SD and knock 1mmol off (in England). You can't tell the difference. If I should just give her the SD readings without doctoring them she will give me pills and we don't want that do we?

Ha!! We actually do have something cool. Strips look crazy expensive. About a dollar a strip! I'm going to ha e to think about it.

 

[Deleted member 308541]

Anyone have a meter that seems to match a1cs or that they feel is very accurate?

My Abbot Freestyle Lite seems to be around the mark on a three month (90 days) 5.6 mmol average with my last hba1c of 5.4 mmol.

It's close enough for me, although it's different blood tests methods of venous against capilleric (spelling) blood.

 

[Kristin251]

My Abbot Freestyle Lite seems to be around the mark on a three month (90 days) 5.6 mmol average with my last hba1c of 5.4 mmol.

It's close enough for me, although it's different blood tests methods of venous against capilleric (spelling) blood.

Thanks. That's two who recommend it. Those strips ....I'll need a s conf mortgage!!

Is it also freedom or are there other varieties of Abbott freestyle lite?

 

[GrantGam]

@Kristin251, what meter and strips do you have? Some brand makes have common strips across their range of meters. It might be a similar case with you?

1500 strips - wow! Craigslist is always an option if you feel you have to let them go, although you'll likely lose money vs that of what you paid RRP.

Can a factory reset of a meter reset any parameters? I've never actually looked into the technicalities of it - but I'd imagine if a meter fails a control solution test, it goes in the bucket.

 

[Deleted member 308541]

Is it also freedom or are there other varieties of Abbott freestyle lite?

It's a Freedom Lite, sorry I forgot to include that bit.

Those strips ....I'll need a s conf mortgage!!

Being a member of the NDSS here in Australia I get subsidised strips.

 

[Kristin251]

It's a Freedom Lite, sorry I forgot to include that bit.



Being a member of the NDSS here in Australia I get subsidised strips.

Ohhhhh. Lucky you. ! Here in the stinking US we don't get that !! That does it. I'm moving across the pond. But I'm bringing my avocados. I could make a fortune!

@Kristin251, what meter and strips do you have? Some brand makes have common strips across their range of meters. It might be a similar case with you?

1500 strips - wow! Craigslist is always an option if you feel you have to let them go, although you'll likely lose money vs that of what you paid RRP.

Can a factory reset of a meter reset any parameters? I've never actually looked into the technicalities of it - but I'd imagine if a meter fails a control solution test, it goes in the bucket.

nope. No Craig's list for me. Scary! I had an 'ah ha' moment that my DP could be causing the higher A1C. I rise from 80ish to 110-115 after 6 am. Then takes 2+ hours do bring it down so about 20% after 4 hours of higher for my day.
? This could be it. I seriously don't feel good when my meter is under 75. I feel low. Whose to say my docs meter isn't the weird one? His was 107 and 99. Mine was 83 both times.

5.1 is hardly anything to lose sleep over. Just didn't make sense. But figuring in DP it makes more sense. I'm just going to listen to my body

You all have been so awesome helping me work things out. No clue what I'd do without you though I do feel slightly ' seasoned'. Always something to learn here!!!

 

[Deleted member 308541]

Ohhhhh. Lucky you. ! Here in the stinking US we don't get that !! That does it. I'm moving across the pond. But I'm bringing my avocados. I could make a fortune!

Your going the via the wrong pond to Australia hop over the Pacific puddle, and there's no need to bring your Avo's either.

 

[Kristin251]

Your going the via the wrong pond to Australia hop over the Pacific puddle, and there's no need to bring your Avo's either.

Lol. Love you people!! Should I bring wine? Party on the patio?

 

[Deleted member 308541]

Lol. Love you people!! Should I bring wine? Party on the patio?

It's a bit untidy at the moment, got a tiler in to re-tile our shower and toilet, so it's full of cement powder and grout mix out there.

Plenty of wine here no need to bring.