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Accuracy Of Different Blood Glucose Meters

The meter built into my pump controller and the one on my Libre scanner both use Abbott strips (different ones though), and they seem a lot more accurate than the cheap POS Gluco Rx Nexus I was issued by my GP - tests using all three with the same (big) drop of blood show the two Abbott ones pretty close to one another, while the Nexus can be 2mmol out. The Nexus can’t be downloaded either, the clinic had to manually scroll through readings rather than upload the meter to Diasend. I just use that one if the family want a test now, until the strips run out. I certainly wouldn’t dose insulin using its results.
 
@Bill_St you are totally correct. It’s very easy and slightly ridiculous to complain that something isn’t good enough, it’s a tad harder to manufacture something that’s better and still financially accessible. I don’t even think we need to know the figures, it’s the trends and how to influence them that matters and using the numbers to find out what’s pushed them up or down. My FBGs at 8 to 10 and my average at 8 is not where it needs to be and I’m working hard to get it down. If a food spikes me to 13 three hours after eating I need to avoid it. Whether those figures are 1 point out isn’t very relevant.
Edit - I forgot to say, this opinion is based on T2 experience.
 
Many people in this forum said to me, that the meters are inaccurate, i said, then why test,and i cannot remember the answers now, but i will say again, why test??. Do i go with my doc, and listen to him tell me i don't need to, or listen to people in this forum that are not doctors that says"meters are in correct" as is 3 monthly tests. Talk about confusing.However i do test for peace of mind.Knowing that it may be incorrect.
 
It’s not so much the absolute value that the meter gives, but the difference in numbers - before/after a meal, so you can see how much your BG changes that's the valuable information.
 

The choice is yours @Moggely but one thing is certain the doctor doesn’t know what foods have a big effect on your BG but even the worst meter will give you a very good idea of what does. Also I don’t think people are saying the meters are inconsistent they are just inaccurate which is a different thing.
I’m not totally sold on LCHF as a pemanent way for me. What I’m really confident about though is that the DN saying last week that my eight week drop from 126 to 67 was remarkable and amazing and was all down to advice not from doctors but from experienced people in this forum. Testing and more testing and low carbing is a great way to achieve an urgent drop in BG...... IMHO.
 
Mel dCP said:
It’s not so much the absolute value that the meter gives, but the difference in numbers - before/after a meal, so you can see how much your BG changes that's the valuable information.
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Absolutely true
 
Yes @Geoffno6 . I totally agree with you, as i said i do test, for peace of mind as it has to give you an idea at least. Good on you for your reduction as to LC it isn't for everyone i know, but it works for me so will stick to that.
 
For two years I have been using a Contour Next BG meter. I have had fairly predictable readings with this, but of course maybe not entirely accurate. With my recent higher than expected HbA1c result, I have been comparing my Contour with a Trueresult twist, using the same drop of blood. Of the 9 comparisons so far, 7 have been very close, within 0.3 of each other. One gave a 1.2 difference (Contour higher) and the other 0.5 difference ( Trueresult higher). Conclusion , HbA1c wrong???? Meters not accurate enough? Who knows?
 
Rustytypin said:
Meters not accurate enough? Who knows?
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Yesterday after an extra LC and low food day I tested with my Codefree at bedtime and was surprised and shocked to see 5.9. Retest with my TEE2: 5.3. Third retest with Codefree: 4.9. All three readings from the same drop of blood. My reaction was to feel that I was never going to know the truth, but inclined towards the TEE2: 5.3 reading. This morning my Codefree result was 5.1 ie within my normal range. I don't agree that it's better to keep to one meter. Sometimes when I get an unexpected result I test with the other meter and get confirmation with the same or a similar number. That forces me to accept an unwelcome high reading.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
How anyone manages to test 3 times with one drop of blood is beyond me! I can struggle to test once.
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Sometimes I go through all the fingers on my left hand without result, but at others I'm leaving generous smears of blood on light switches, duvet cover, bg log etc. You'd think I would have no problems getting enough out, as I am taking a full dose of Dabigatran (anti-coagulant) but it seems to have made no difference.
 

I WHOLLY agree!
 
ALubyk said:
I WHOLLY agree!
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The meters themselves are probably very accurate, 1% is typical for a simple electrical meter. The inaccuracy comes from the strips, which use the effect of the glucose in the blood on an enzyme to generate a small electric current, that the meter then reads. This chemical effect is just not constant so it would mean using a different technology to get more accurate results. So far nobody has invented anything that is affordable for general use.
 
I have been using the Caresens meter for about 6 years, results are always in close agreement with laboratory analysis from my health fund and hospital visits.
 
So the inaccuracies discussed above are between different meters. Should any one meter be totally consistent with itself or only within 15%? Ie one pinprick two tests one after another from same blood draw on the same meter should surely be pretty much identical in my mind. Mine can vary by 1.5mmol in this situation. It’s an accuchek mobile
 

No, a meter is not wholly consistent with itself. The strips vary, even from one cassette/tub/pack to another. Human error varies. Our blood rushes round our bodies like lightning so each prick may be different, there may be a different amount of glucose sucked up with each prick, even on the same drop of blood. Our red blood cells are minuscule, microscopic in fact, so there are many thousands in one drop of blood. However, they are all we have at the moment and 100% better than nothing at all.
 
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