one touch versus freestyle.

[sue1959]

I have Freestyle Freedom lite which I've had since being diagnosed. Yesterday when I went to get more supplies my pharmasist asked if I'd like a new monitor so I was given a One Touch Ultra 2.
This morning I checked my fasting sugars on both of them and this is the problem. My old one gave me a reading of 8.1 and the one touch read 6.1. Which do I believe ( i know which I'd like to!) or am I doing something wrong i.e the new one needs calibrating! I know it's Christmas and I have had the odd thing I don't normally have but I haven't strayed too much and my old one had been giving me slightly higher readings than normal but I just put this down to the single glass of drink the night before.

 

[cugila]

These meters are different in that the One Touch Ultra uses the "plasma calibrated" system whereas the Freestyle Freedom Lite I believe uses whole blood results. This means that the UltraSmart readings are about 12% higher.

However as your readings seem to contradict this I would check both meters with the control solutions provided, high and low. If they are within tolerances then the readings are as accurate as that meter will give. If they are out then contact the manufacturers helpline. They will often replace meters if needed, they mostly have a lifetime warranty.

There are many previous posts regarding meter accuracy.....have a look at these links to a search I did on here.
search.php?st=0&sk=t&sd=d&keywords=meter+accuracy

My advice to anybody is don't expect 100% accuracy....it is just not possible. Stick to using ONE meter and don't compare meter readings, you will end up not believing ANY of them !

 

[Romola]

I think this is excellent advice.

Our meters are most useful when used to see how various foods and activities affect our bg levels, so that we can make individual choices that will help us.

You would need more than 1mm blood from your finger to get a truly accurate reading. As I understand it, you would get different readings from different sample sites as well as with different meters.

Meters are best used to reassure us that we are going on along the right lines; and to alert us to when we need to seek medical advice.

 

[sue1959]

Thank you both will stick with my old one!

 

[whatashock]

I have three Freestyle Lite machines. (one is a mini one)

Whenever I test myseld on the smaller unit, my levles are always different (normally lower)

Even stranger, is when I use the blood from the same finger at the same time, I can get two different results.

The freestlye lite unit does not have a testing soltuion, or calibration.

 

[sip]

The freestlye lite unit does not have a testing soltuion, or calibration.

I know this is a couple of months old, but...

There is a Control Solution available for free directly from Abbott -- the strip container even tells you what your control solution range is. Abbott usually send the solution within a couple of days of you requesting it. I've just done both my Freestyle Lite meters and the readings they give are within 0.10 of each other (eg one might read 5.3 the other will read 5.4)

 

[Vincentl]

Please help. The past few days my freestyle is showing lo but my one touch gives a reading of 8 I am quite traumatised by this. Any ideas on reasons and which do I trust. I appreciate the time lag factor and a 2.0 discrepancy between readings but I clearly have a problem with one of the meters. Am I alone?

 

[Omar51]

I use One touch Vario test strip and happy with the results!

 

[Omar51]

I use Onetouch Verio IQ meter and Onetouch test strip(strips are made in UK) and almost happy with the results. Many times I compared with the regular after 2 hrs meal lab test, it's within plus or minus 3 or 4 point range. I think I can happily live with that.