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Cold hands affecting BG readings

C

col101

Well-Known Member
Messages
358
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I've noticed with the onset of colder weather that my BG readings seem low when my hands are very cold. So experimented today and got a reading of 4.1 with cold hands, warmed them up in water then got 5.9. Happen to be trialing a Libre which showed 6.6 throughout so to me this shows that the cold hands are affecting the reading. I can understand whu cold hands might maker it harder to get a decent drop of blood to test but not why the BG is affected. Wonder if anyone has similar eperiences or any thoughts please? Thanks
 

I'm no expert but I would hazard a guess that the Libre machine is more accurate as it gave the same reading for both warm and cold hands. 12 years ago I used to be a nurse and done many blood sugars a day, never had any problem's with cold hands giving different reading but many where cold hands didn't want to give up any blood as you say. I would suggest that maybe your older meter needs re calibrating or maybe if its battery operated it may need changing. Just an idea.
Maggie
 
Me too! I think it would be a mix of two factors:
the blood itself changed
or the meter and stripe chemical reactions do not work properly under cold temperatures.
 
That's some interesting thoughts thank you both. Think I'll play with my spare meter and warm my hand when I need to drive!
 
Was it your cold hands or the cold meter? A quick Google search found this research (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7600750) which showed "The main errors were: (1) cold temperatures lowered the result so that euglycaemic levels erroneously read in the hypoglycaemic range and hyperglycaemic levels gave a better than actual result and (2) hot temperatures increased the result whereby hypoglycaemic levels falsely gave a euglycaemic result. "
 

There's more to it than that. Capillary BG readings are still the accepted "gold standard" for measuring blood glucose. Did you ensure to take the proper precautions before measuring yourself? This means washing your fingers with soap and water and not wiping with an alcohol swab, milking the blood drop correctly and not squeezing and using 2nd drop of blood if possible, rather than the first.
Your Freestyle Libre doesn't measure Capillary blood glucose and by design measures Interstitial glucose and there is therefore a lag or delay of 10 to 20 minutes before it's readings can catch up with your capillary BG reading. Also, though it's not openly stated, the Freestyle Libre is subject to innacuracy if it is not used indoors under steady temperature conditions.
 
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Yes, I always wash my hands first and test as I've been taught. I realise the limitations of the libre but notice than when I thoroughly warm my hand and retest the trading of much closer to the libre which is what I would expect from experience with it. I'm using a freestyle neo but hasn't access to a different make so will compare that next time I get really cold hands.
 
Recent reports show that the Libre interstitial delay is 5-6 minutes not the frequently suggested 10-15 minutes. With a level trend arrow it is less than 5 minutes.
Much more information here http://type1tennis.blogspot.be/search/label/Freestyle Libre , also info. on BG meter errors with temperature.
And BG meter accuracy http://type1tennis.blogspot.be/2015/08/meter-vs-meter-or-quick-shot-down-of.html
 
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Thank you that's done really interesting reading. Hadn't thought much about the algorithm that Abbott use but clearly will impact on the values displayed wonder if it's published anywhere?
 
I guess that shows the need to check with a finger portico test before reacting to a libre reading. Although I gather Abbott are pushing the libre as a replacement for bg testing or at least a reduction in it.
 
In some ways the finger prick blood test is less reliable than Libre. If the Libre sensor has been found to accurately track BG it can be better than a blood test, it has the history and trends to help both for its own estimation and ours. One issue is the first 24hrs of the Libre. It is known to vary, usually low. However if the previous Libre is left attached, it can give accurate readings to glimp for at least 12 hours after its official expiry.
 
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