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bg meters accuracy??????

N

neededthat

Well-Known Member
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46
Location
derby
its probably been covered before but i don't have much faith in the bg meters i had something to eat at around 2oclock and took the right amount of insulin plus alittle extra for a correction tested at 5oclock i had a reading of 18.2 :shock: . then tested again at 5:45 and i got a reading of 10.8. i have a couple of meters (i was given a few different meters by my diabetic nurse to see which one i prefered) and i have had simular conflicting readings with them all. the thing is if i had taken the 18.2 reading as correct and corrected i would be looking forward to a hypo :(
its so frustrating when you don't have much faith in the equipment used . always wash my hands dry them before i test. anyone have any ideas or had simular problems.
 
Hi
A few things that spring to mind.

If insulin is still working, then yes 45mins will give a drop in bg if you test that apart. Difference might not be as high as 8mmol but it depends on insulin profile and how you react to it.
Also, spikes are called that for a reason, they spike high as hell and then drop down. Would also look at ratios for food if you are spiking that high, along with diet maybe?

Meters will give different readings but in my experience, and with my meter, variance is only up to about 0.6 or so at most.

If you are worried, call the manufacturer and get test/ control solution
 
I have just been wondering the same thing! Before dinner today I felt a bit odd so I checked my glucose levels and it said 5.8, didn't believe it because I felt like I was having a hypo so checked again about 2 minutes later and it said 5.0, then about 10 minutes later I checked again and it said 4.5!? I hadn't eaten since about half 1 so I couldn't have been dropping that fast surely?

So I too understand your frustration in not being sure whether you can trust the equipment that plays quite a large part in keeping us alive!
 
I think most meters come with a little bottle of gel/fluid which you can use to 'test' your meter? The instruction manual should show you how :)
 
I've been told that by somebody else too but mine doesn't seem to have come with any such thing :? How odd. Anybody know if you can buy the little bottles of fluid separately?
 
All you need to do is phone the helpline of the company that made your meter and they will send you the control solutions free of charge.
 
I sometimes get what I would regard as a rogue reading. I usually go wash my hands again and re-test twice, once on each hand.

Only once have I found that the first reading was way out, I have been 0.8-1.0 out a few times, but generally the three readings are within 0.6

You should calibrate your device each time you open a new set of strips, after all, you are quite dependent on the results, so you need to have faith in the testing equipment and keep it calibrated.
 
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