Issue with blood glucose meter

[dom08]

Hi guys. I'm 21, and have recently been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (which is rubbish by the way ) I'm taking 3 x novarapid insulin (one with each meal), and 1 x solastar lantus on the evening.

Regarding the meter: I'm using an Optium Xceed, and think I'm doing the tests ok. The only issue I've had is that occasionally it has given me unexpected results (some higher than I thought it would be, some lower) so I've re-tested straight afterwards and it has been different by 3 or 4 points either way - e.g. this morning I tested and it was 3.6, but I felt fine, so re-tested and it was 6.7 :?

I've made sure the meter is calibrated to the strips I'm using, and I've followed the instructions given. Is there anything I could be doing wrong when testing that would throw the readings off?

Thanks,
Dominic.

 

[cugila]

Hi Dom
I don't know about the meter you use but inthe handbook it should give you a figure which allows some variance. However yours sound a bit out.
(quote)
the meter is calibrated to the strips I'm using
Have you checked that the use by date has not past. If they are still within date, have you tried a control solution test ( you should have had some with the meter ?) If you haven't got any contact the manufacturers and they will send you some free of charge.
Hope this might help.
Ken

 

[dom08]

Thanks for the reply Ken

I've just checked the strips, and they are within the use-by date. I saw the control solution test mentioned in the manual, but I didn't recieve anything like that with my meter. The website for it is happy to send out free batteries and software and things, so I think I'll try them and see if I can get some solution to test the meter with.

Thanks again,
Dominic,

 

[cugila]

That's good. There shouldn't be a problem but I suggest you appraise them of the reason why you need to test your meter readings. They are usually only to pleased to send you a replacement if needed
Ken

 

[RPNKW]

There are variations in readings. I did a recent post on mine. Capillary testing is not an exact science, best wait for a HbA1C test to see how much glucose has stuck to your red cells in the past 120 or so days.

Things can afect the meter, eg when I ate cherries last year I got a freaky 24 reading, I did 4 "Control " readings after washing my hands and it was fine.The juice affected the strip.

If you get a reading that you think is FUBAR don't just do one , do 2 or 3 and you will usually get a better picture and talk to the Specialist Nurse assigned to you.

By the way why do you think your diagnosis is rubbish?. I say this not as a critic but I was told I was type 1 on insulin for life and in November my Nurse said that I may be able to get by via reduced insulin and metformin. After then I had multiple (Non diabetic)crises and have still to go for various tests but their does seem to be a grey area here depending on how your diabetes came about.Also diabetes isn't just about blood sugar, it is linked to cardio-vascular issues and many other things including the health re your kidneys and eyes and nerves.Stress is also an issue.

I have got used to using insulin now and although being diabetic type 1 is a pain in the posterior it can be lived with even though you don't quite feel you are yourself for a while after you get the news. I'd like to think my diagnosis was rubish but after my recent posts re higher blood sugars after a week of hard hiking I am not so sure. There are very good people on this forum with more experience than me who will help more.

RPNKW

 

[dom08]

That's good. There shouldn't be a problem but I suggest you appraise them of the reason why you need to test your meter readings. They are usually only to pleased to send you a replacement if needed
Ken

I'll get on that straight away. Thanks again Ken

By the way why do you think your diagnosis is rubbish?.

I was being silly when I said that I didn't mean the actual diagnosis was rubbish; I just meant the routine of it - having to inject all the time and watch my diet etc. Once I'm used to it, it wont be so bad I suppose

Thanks again guys.

 

[RPNKW]

Thanks for the reply and believe you me I know how you feel but the shots aren't for me the problem it's the endless getting prescriptions, being told by pharmacists "Weve got this but not this" and having various medical people probe you. But we get a better deal here in the uk than people with asthma who generally just get given inhalers and could die a lot quicker from the acute effects of their problems than the long term but equally horrendous complications of what we suffer. Don,t worry, I was not even remotely having a pop but
from my own experience , whatever you were told in the hospital is not the final deal and if you are running the sugars you say you are you are doing fine in my eyes, take care.

RPNKW

 

[lilibet]

Dom
I have the optium and theres a 10% margin of error though that wouldnt explain the 3 to 6 range
Abbot are ok at sending stuff, including PC software to log your readings

Another think id say re the optium is if the blood sample isnt big enough it can give you an artifically low reading.Like you, If I get a low reading and didnt feel like i was hypo , i always recheck

I believe low blood pressue also contributes, as I found out one night when I woke up and tested out of curiosity and nearly passed out when i was in the 2's. Only to retest, and be in the 6's

 

[SilverAndEbony]

Hi RPNKW,

just a quick question about your prescriptions ...
Do you use the same pharmacy all the same time? I mean, for you repeat prescriptions. My other half is a pharmacist, and he says that they routinely order in supplies to cover the repeats they know are coming up. Especially meds like insulin. He has also said that they try to make sure there is at least enough medication for the 'regular' patient to have enough until the supply arrives should they be running 'low'.
It's one of the many reasons the it's very useful for US to use one pharmacy for our repeat prescriptions. We're 'in their system' so they know all about us. Which is good for instance, if ther are any drug interactions that may be a problem with any of our meds. I take lots of different medications, with lots of scope for problems. My pharmacy has been dispensing my meds for years, and has got to know me, my medical history and the meds I take.