BG meters

[LucySW]

Yes exactly. I wonder what type 1s do.


I'm LADA - 55, BMI 23, moderately active. First diagnosed type 2 June 2014, then after positive GAD antibody test diagnosed type 1 two weeks later. Initial HbA1c 117/12.9%, fasting BS 17. After 6 weeks on LCHF, HbA1c down to 78 / 9.3% and dropping! Average fasting a.m. BS currently 6.6. Metformin 2g/day

 

[))Denise((]

If you are a Type 2 and testing foods, then as long as the meter is consistent, then the numbers don't matter. What you are looking at is the rise.

 

[noblehead]

It enables me to use the SD meter with some knowledge regarding what the readings mean. They are consistent, they are high, they are useful and they are cheap.

What do you compare them too? Sorry Squire I'm a bit lost.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

What do you compare them too? Sorry Squire I'm a bit lost.

Read the thread from the beginning.

 

[noblehead]

Read the thread from the beginning.

So the 50 strips are from 3 different meters and you compare the results, is that right?

 

[Squire Fulwood]

It is the OP that tests using three meters. When I did my tests it was to determine whether or not I could use the SD and not frighten DN into giving me more pills.

For a period of three weeks I tested each drop of blood with both meters and recorded the results. The SD was consistently high.

On another occasion another poster and myself took readings of control fluids of known value and compared the results. The SD held no surprises and continued to read high. Here is a bit of light reading on that.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/my-meter-readings.33985/

 

[LucySW]

Thanks for posting that Squire. It's (a) enlightening and (b) baffling !

I'd give up and pay for a meter rated by the SKUP tests, but the **** strips are so expensive. Ah well.


I'm LADA - 55, BMI 23, moderately active. First diagnosed type 2 June 2014, then after positive GAD antibody test diagnosed type 1 two weeks later. Initial HbA1c 117/12.9%, fasting BS 17. After 6 weeks on LCHF, HbA1c down to 78 / 9.3% and dropping! Average fasting a.m. BS currently 6.6. Metformin 2g/day

 

[lizdeluz]

This is all a bit worrying. I agree that meters aren't precision instruments ... But why aren't they, why can't they be so? I agree that the rise or fall is important, but if you want to adjust your insulin, you want to look at a range of accurate results, not approximations.

I was a bit surprised when my DSN tested my blood at clinic and got an 8.4 reading on her own meter. In the corridor, a minute later, I did my own test and my bg was 7.4.

 

[noblehead]

This is all a bit worrying. I agree that meters aren't precision instruments ... But why aren't they, why can't they be so? I agree that the rise or fall is important, but if you want to adjust your insulin, you want to look at a range of accurate results, not approximations.

The cost is likely a factor............ although no excuse.

 

[LucySW]

Erghh .. I've actually got a fourth meter, given by the DN, an Abbott Freestyle Precision Neo. (I just wanted one system with affordable strips, but I had to get these others because of timing.) I just tested that and the Contour XT on the same blood drop, and they more or less agreed. The Contour said 5.0, the Freestyle said 5.2.

What this tells me - that if the Contour is accurate (rated by SKUP), then the Abbott Freestyle also seems to be.

Gawd what a palaver. BTW I am stopping this multi-testing lark. I suppose we can use the control solutions with our SDs, decide to accept what our meters tell us, and learn their tendencies.

Given that we lack any other alternative.

Lucy


LADA, 55, BMI 23, moderately active. Diagnosed Type 1 in July 2014 after GAD antibody test. On LCHF and Metformin plus a bit of ex. HbA1c currently down from 117 /12.9% to 78 / 9.3% and dropping. Average fasting a.m. BS currently 6.6.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

Erghh .. I've actually got a fourth meter, given by the DN, an Abbott Freestyle Precision Neo. (I just wanted one system with affordable strips, but I had to get these others because of timing.) I just tested that and the Contour XT on the same blood drop, and they more or less agreed. The Contour said 5.0, the Freestyle said 5.2.

What this tells me - that if the Contour is accurate (rated by SKUP), then the Abbott Freestyle also seems to be.

For what it's worth I found my Freestyle lite to be accurate in that it tested an .05% solution as 2.8 mmol which is exactly what it should be. It lost it a bit in the high range but not by much. Being type 2 I am mostly interested in the lower range so ya boo sucks.

It was a better result than the other fellow in the thread got. His meter had a control solution of 6.7 and the low end of the stated tolerance was also 6.7 but his meter read 8.1

We're all going to die.

 

[LucySW]

Found an earlier thread from 2012 discussing this: http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/concerns-about-sd-codefree.28473/

 

[Brunneria]

I'm quite happy if my Codefree tests high - it motivates me.

When I first got it, I ran parallel tests with my old meter for a day or two. All the readings were within 0.5 of each other except the higher end ones. My old meter was reading mid 8s, and the Codefree was anywhere from 9.2 up to over 11.

As I say - excellent motivation to keep on the straight and narrow.

Of course, I'm not a type 1 or on insulin. It would be a very different story then!

 

[phoenix]

Erghh .. I've actually got a fourth meter, given by the DN, an Abbott Freestyle Precision Neo. (I just wanted one system with affordable strips, but I had to get these others because of timing.) I just tested that and the Contour XT on the same blood drop, and they more or less agreed. The Contour said 5.0, the Freestyle said 5.2.

What this tells me - that if the Contour is accurate (rated by SKUP), then the Abbott Freestyle also seems to be.

Gawd what a palaver. BTW I am stopping this multi-testing lark. I suppose we can use the control solutions with our SDs, decide to accept what our meters tell us, and learn their tendencies.


Given that we lack any other alternative.

Lucy


LADA, 55, BMI 23, moderately active. Diagnosed Type 1 in July 2014 after GAD antibody test. On LCHF and Metformin plus a bit of ex. HbA1c currently down from 117 /12.9% to 78 / 9.3% and dropping. Average fasting a.m. BS currently 6.6.

Lucy , if you have to buy your strips and want to continue to use the Abbott meter you might like to read this post by Hanadr, She buys strips direct from the company and has mentioned several times that she finds this scheme money saving and efficient, http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/which-bg-meter.53167/#post-485516

 

[barbarapreston]

Hi everyone I find these various threads interesting. 60 years ago when I was first diagnosed with Type 1,the only testing we had available was urine testing. Blood tests were taken at the clinic (attended every 2 weeks

 

[barbarapreston]

My last post was not complete,I touched the wrong button!!Sometimes the results weren't back by the next visit.I now use the accucheck nano and as long as the control readings are within range I am happy.My biggestproblem is weight gain since I was changed from2 injections to 5 a day.However cruising doesn't help although they do try to cater for diabetics.