Big variations in testing BG levels

Im not sure these monitors are accurate.I got three different readings with a different finger in five minuits,this was after a reading of 11.5 which I didnt think was right,the next was 6.8 then 5.9 I havent trusted it since.Its a Accu Check Mobile ,I have had it a month.I am new to this,but the man in Boots The Chemist told me home testing wasnt all that accurate.

Welcome to the lucky dip. Meter is +/- 20%
Dirty finger
Different finger
Same finger different drop and the list goes on

A few tips on meters and testing. Meters have an allowable official tolerance range which varies in different countries but is usually somewhere between 10% and 20%. In practice 20% means a test result of 7 on your meter could actually be anywhere between 5.6 and 8.4. In reality the deviation is rarely that great.

Much more important to me is repeatability. Although two meters may have results that vary within that range, two tests by the same meter should not be so different. I have used several meters over the years and usually compared the old with the new when I changed over. When comparing them simultaneously the worst difference I have seen is a full mmol, when one meter was consistently higher than the other. But the worst meter for my purposes was one which varied less but was sometimes higher and sometimes lower.

As a T2 I use my meter to see trends; absolute numbers are rarely of much interest to me. For example, if identical meals send me at one hour to 9 one day, 10 the next and 8 the third day, I know that's too bloody high and I need to change some carb portion sizes. I'm very happy if I do that and the next three results are 6.5, 8 and 7. I give more detail on that here: Test, Review, Adjust

If I see a result which is unexpectedly high or low I always re-test after washing my hands. More often than not a surprisingly high reading is caused by site contamination. It only takes a tiny trace of sticky food, fruit juice or similar to cause a false high. I suspect that was the case with your 11.5 Patricia. The 6.8 and 5.9 were within tolerance.

Thank you Alan for your advice,but I do always wash my hands,I havent had another 11

It's amazing what can affect even results done by having blood drawn.

Two weeks ago I had blood drawn after a 16 hours fast. The result was 5.

Just this last week I had a glucose fasting test and the result was 5.6. The fasting period for that for 13 hours.

Whilst everyone tells me the length of fast doesn't matter I think that it may have an effect.

With my monitor for the first time last Saturday I was getting readings between 6.6 and 6.8 2 hours after breakfast for Special Kay, two slices of high grain content and an apple.

Whilst one evening 2 hours after a pasta meal I had a reading of 5.2 or 5.3.

All your readings are good William,I could never have so many carbs for breakfast ,I never know what to have for breakfast,I cant face bacon eggs ect in a morning,I Make my own musili with nuts and dry fruiy,but gets a bit boreing.

WilliamEE said:

With my monitor for the first time last Saturday I was getting readings between 6.6 and 6.8 2 hours after breakfast for Special Kay, two slices of high grain content and an apple.

Whilst one evening 2 hours after a pasta meal I had a reading of 5.2 or 5.3.

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Try a few tests one hour after your meals.

Patricia21 said:

All your readings are good William,I could never have so many carbs for breakfast ,I never know what to have for breakfast,I cant face bacon eggs ect in a morning,I Make my own musili with nuts and dry fruiy,but gets a bit boreing.

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How about some plain Greek Yoguart with strawberries or berries.

I also eat about 8 prunes to help keep myself regular and about one dozen amonds & walnut to nibble while I walk to work.

My bad habit was that when I arrived at work I would head straight for the vending machine and buy a pack of crisps and a Coke Zero before settling down to go through my emails.

That habit has not stopped.