That is not a bad reading (10.1) for the first test. My first reading was 27! There are many many variables that can affect your readings. If you have had food on your hands and you touch the slit where the blood goes, that can give a false high reading. If you are unwell, or feeling poorly, that will give a false reading as well. Don't take each reading individually, but log them onto a daily diary and see how they look after a few days or weeks. If you are cutting out the carbs, the numbers will go down. My first test of the day is now around 6.5 then drops to 5.0 throughout the day. Seeing that puts a smile on my face and keeps me focused on staying there. I also throw away any strip that returns an E error message as trying to use it again can also return a bad reading.