When would you change your meter?

[mo53]

Hello. I use a SD code free meter. I'm type 2. I keep getting random results. For example yesterday I tested 8.9 . I rewashed hands repeated 6.5. Later in day. I tested again a result in the 8s without a pause I retested and 5.8! I know it is easier to blame the meter than look for another cause but I just wondered:

• Is this a reason to get a new meter
• Why do people decide to change their meter
• I've had this meter for 2 years but surely that's not the end of it's working life

I always have problems with my morning blood sugar and maybe I'm grasping at straws looking at the meter. I'm sorry if this seems like nothing compared to the questions that others have. Thank you

 

[himtoo]

Hey @mo53
First thought was washing hands -- you've done that
my second thought is has the batch of strips been exposed to air ( IE lid of container left open)
( that can affect results if left open for even as little as 1/2 an hour )

third -- i have changed meters based on your sort of description - your meter is a crucial part of your D management so for the price of the new Adele CD - i would invest in the new meter
( wouldn't buy the Adele CD though )

 

[mo53]

Thank you @himtoo . I really appreciate you answering my question. It is the randomness of results that confuses me. It leads to me just doubting all the results .

 

[himtoo]

i have had meters that lasted 5 or 6 years and 1 or 2 that I ditched after less than 6 months ( the freestyle NEO being the worst meter I ever had)
your topic allows me to expand on the importance of testing

 

[Mrsass]

Hey @mo53
First thought was washing hands -- you've done that
my second thought is has the batch of strips been exposed to air ( IE lid of container left open)
( that can affect results if left open for even as little as 1/2 an hour )

third -- i have changed meters based on your sort of description - your meter is a crucial part of your D management so for the price of the new Adele CD - i would invest in the new meter
( wouldn't buy the Adele CD though )

I never knew that about leaving the lid open on the strips!! My bg monitor I keep upstairs always has the lid open on the strips!!! ohhhhh dearrrr

 

[himtoo]

I never knew that about leaving the lid open on the strips!! My bg monitor I keep upstairs always has the lid open on the strips!!! ohhhhh dearrrr

best bet is to have a read of the small print in the instruction leaflet that comes with every tub of strips-- I did this a few years ago when I was bored ( i mean seriously bored ) one day.

so was really an accident i found out

 

[Mrsass]

Ohhh @himtoo I don't think I'll ever be THAT bored but I shall start closing my lid!

 

[lovinglife]

Maybe just a low battery - my meter is ready for a new battery and been getting random results - it's about 2 years old so depending on how often you use it it may be just something as simple as that (I have a spare meter I nicked of my dad until I get my battery)

 

[ally1]

I use the sd codefree meter for the last 20 months. The batch of test strips I have at the moment are showing high readings.

 

[mo53]

@lovinglife thank you. That's a really good thought. I will investigate that one.

 

[britishpub]

I made the rookie error of buying an SD Codefree with loads of strips.

I kept getting bonkers readings, and later found out that all the strips I'd been sold were part of a dodgy batch.

Got a refund and went elsewhere.

 

[mo53]

That's interesting @britishpub what meter did you end up with? Do you like it?

 

[britishpub]

I had a free Accu-Check Mobile in the cupboard so started using that when the Codefree proved to be next to useless. I stuck with that since then, but as I probably only test 10-12 times a week the cost of strips/cassettes isn't onerous. I can understand why much more regular testers who self fund would stick with the Codefree even if they experience issues.

 

[mo53]

Thanks @britishpub I'm seriously thinking of changing but I will try battery change first.

 

[AndBreathe]

Thanks @britishpub I'm seriously thinking of changing but I will try battery change first.

Before throwing the baby out with the bath water, once you have tried the new battery (should things still be erratic), have you considered contacting Homehealth to tell them what's been happening? Sometimes a batch of strips can be erratic for reasons nobody can fathom, but my experience of Homehealth is they are always keen to help if there is a concern.

What batch number are your strips from, and how long have you been using that batch, and as importantly, that pot? If the readings you feel are wonky are since you started on a new pot, or even batch, it could point the finger more at the consumables than the meter.

 

[mo53]

Thank you @AndBreathe things have always been a bit erratic but more so since I started this pot.

 

[RuffsTheShake]

i have had meters that lasted 5 or 6 years and 1 or 2 that I ditched after less than 6 months ( the freestyle NEO being the worst meter I ever had)
your topic allows me to expand on the importance of testing

Haha I love my little neo but I have only had it 6 months... What was wrong with yours?

 

[himtoo]

Haha I love my little neo but I have only had it 6 months... What was wrong with yours?

the first one started giving weird readings - so a test at 3.2 followed by another test 1 minute later at 14.7 -- and yes i had washed hands and strips were a good batch.

so phoned DSN who sent me out a second one -- this one just crashed after about 5 months -- went completely dead -- changing battery did nothing -- so paid a visit to DSN - took the pair of meters back and said i needed something more reliable.

that was when I got the glucomen LX plus ( which has been fine and I still use it as my ketone meter )

 

[Sirmione]

Nothing wrong with the SD Codefree having actually tested both of mine against control solution I find they give the most accurate results of all the meters I have tested. Incidentally both SD always read within 0.1 of each other.
I have a tried a Neo but the readings are well out against test solution.
My Bayer meters are also very good but too expensive too run.

 

[BooJewels]

If I may ask a supplementary question:

I've just added an SD Codefree to the CareSens meter I was using and get some strips for on prescription. I'm currently modifying my insulin regime and feel that frequent testing is important and to be honest, I don't trust myself to remain motivated with diet if I knew I wouldn't be testing after a particular meal - so for me, testing is personally motivational, as well as the obvious. I get 100 strips a month for the CareSens and asked for an increase and was refused. I'd been supplementing the difference out of my own pocket, but at over 12 quid a box, it was getting expensive.

The SD seems a nifty little meter and very easy to use, so I'm pretty impressed so far, considering its modest cost. The idea was to supplement my NHS funded strips with the SD - maybe one upstairs and one down. So my plan was to use the same drop of blood to test on both meters simultaneously for a number of tests, to see how they compare. The SD is always lower than the CareSens, sometimes by as much as 1mmol - usually around 0.7. I've tried testing the same drop with the SD with 2 strips and always get the same number, suggesting that it is quite consistent.

How do other people manage discrepancies if using more than 1 meter? I was thinking that I might add 0.3 to the SD numbers and knock 0.3 off the CareSens readings, when adding them to my app, to try and mitigate some of the differences. I suspect the CareSens maybe does read a bit high as recent HbA1cs have been lower than my app was predicting.

I can't really afford to self-fund the SD for all my reading, but using both would seem to be a good compromise in the circumstances. Does anyone know which brands of meter have strips funded by the NHS - or does the PCT decide which ones to fund locally?