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Glucomen LX test strip failure

ElyDave

ElyDave

Well-Known Member
Anyone else experiencing issues with Glucomen LX strips?

Only way I can describe it is the capillary action is not working, so no blood being sucked onto the testing part of the strip. Opened a new box this morning, and 8 have failed like this so far.

With that and several sub-4 readings today needing food and a recheck, the pot's almost empty already

Teh affected lot number if you want to cross check is 3213303249
 
I get that problem occasionally with the Accu Chek Compact Plus. I can sit the strip in a lake of blood and it just does not suck it up. It's less than one in fifty tests though and I don't think I've ever seen a particular batch have that problem more than the usual average.
 
I'll give them a call tomorrow, so far I'm up to 18 from one pot of strips. Very unusual and worth calling I think.
 
I thought there had been a recall on certain batches of GlucoMen strips. Some sort of manufacturing problem.

In fact... yes here we are:
http://www.recalluk.com/recalls/pro...or-blood-glucose-test-strips-recall-2013.aspx

My GP tried to put me on a GlucoMen meter but it was just way too bulky and it's results were inconsistent when I trialled it. After a follow up visit with the practice nurse they gave me an AgaMatrix Wavesense Jazz and I have been pretty happy with that.
 
Wavesense Jazz is a nice little meter. I only changed as it couldn't test for ketones. The Glucomen is OK but is is pretty bulky. I've had no problem with test strips though. Keep us updated Dave.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Spiker said:
Wow, never heard of that one!
Click to expand...
I hadn't either but I must admit it has been a good little meter.

The switch was because our local health authority managed to negotiate a multi-year contract to get the strips at really good prices it seems.
 
mo1905 said:
Wavesense Jazz is a nice little meter. I only changed as it couldn't test for ketones. The Glucomen is OK but is is pretty bulky. I've had no problem with test strips though. Keep us updated Dave.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
Click to expand...
Yes I still have a separate meter for testing of ketones but to be honest I am ill so rarely (bet I just jinxed it now) that I hardly ever need that one.
I'm all for helping out and saving them money as long as they are ready to work with me and take on board what I have to say. In this case they did and the final result was an ok one.
 
AndyS said:
I thought there had been a recall on certain batches of GlucoMen strips. Some sort of manufacturing problem.

In fact... yes here we are:
http://www.recalluk.com/recalls/pro...or-blood-glucose-test-strips-recall-2013.aspx

My GP tried to put me on a GlucoMen meter but it was just way too bulky and it's results were inconsistent when I trialled it. After a follow up visit with the practice nurse they gave me an AgaMatrix Wavesense Jazz and I have been pretty happy with that.
Click to expand...
I did see that at the time, will recheck that I don't have any affected batches.

Going off topic though, how do you know the Glucoment was inconsistent? Vs what?

The standard for these meters is +/- 20%, so checking vs another meter is not going to tell you much. I've had similar issues with the Roche AccuChek mobile, in that it tends to read lower than the Glucomen, but within range for it's test solution, so does the Glucoment. I've stuck with the glucomen as it tends to reflect how I feel fairly accurately in terms of the highs/lows
 
ElyDave said:
I did see that at the time, will recheck that I don't have any affected batches.

Going off topic though, how do you know the Glucoment was inconsistent? Vs what?

The standard for these meters is +/- 20%, so checking vs another meter is not going to tell you much. I've had similar issues with the Roche AccuChek mobile, in that it tends to read lower than the Glucomen, but within range for it's test solution, so does the Glucoment. I've stuck with the glucomen as it tends to reflect how I feel fairly accurately in terms of the highs/lows
Click to expand...

When they tried to "force" me onto it I kicked up a bit of a fuss and got them to agree that I could trial it first.
First off the size was just way to inconvenient but I tested every time with an Optium Exceed which I had at the time. The Optium was pretty consistent but I saw a variance of +-2mmol/l on the same blood sample (at around 5-6mmol) with different strips. Even the test solution was inconsistent to that level.

For me +-2 is more or less +-1UI and since I want to keep as accurate as possible it just was not acceptable, I did point out to them that I felt it also fell outside of the required 20% error margin too.
 
ElyDave said:
Anyone else experiencing issues with Glucomen LX strips?

Only way I can describe it is the capillary action is not working, so no blood being sucked onto the testing part of the strip. Opened a new box this morning, and 8 have failed like this so far.

With that and several sub-4 readings today needing food and a recheck, the pot's almost empty already

Teh affected lot number if you want to cross check is 3213303249
Click to expand...
 
I'm Type 2 but was issued with an Accucheck Aviva and a Glucomen LX Plus monitor to check for ketones. I've wasted a good few LX strips and I think the secret is you need a LOT of blood to make sure it goes up the 3 dots to reach the meter. Keep trying or speak to your diabetes nurse specialist. Good luck mate !
 
eddie1968 said:
I'm Type 2 but was issued with an Accucheck Aviva and a Glucomen LX Plus monitor to check for ketones. I've wasted a good few LX strips and I think the secret is you need a LOT of blood to make sure it goes up the 3 dots to reach the meter. Keep trying or speak to your diabetes nurse specialist. Good luck mate !
Click to expand...

That's with the ketone strips, they need much more blood. The glucose strips need a very small sample.
 
ElyDave said:
Teh affected lot number if you want to cross check is 3213303249
Click to expand...

Oh! I actually just looked at one of my vials and they have that lot number! With exp 2015-10-31. I already used at least one of those vials and it worked fine for me and the new one I'm using it also fine. Maybe you were just (un)lucky to get a messed up vial?
 
PaulinaB said:
Oh! I actually just looked at one of my vials and they have that lot number! With exp 2015-10-31. I already used at least one of those vials and it worked fine for me and the new one I'm using it also fine. Maybe you were just (un)lucky to get a messed up vial?
Click to expand...
yep, that's the ones. I've got 4 pots of those but only problem pot so far. Spoke to Glucomen today and I'll be sending the remainder back.
 
Just to add to the conversation the hospital have just recently move me onto the Glucomen - before I was on the Freestye insulinx (the one with the butterflies on the strips and many a recall!! but mine was all sorted out!). I'm not sure whether it is just bedding in time with the Glucomen and 'cos I wear a CGM but for me it feels further out from the CGM then the freestyle was- and so I often retest with the glucomen and from 2 different fingers yet at the same time I can get 2 readings out by 1mmol to .5 mmol on just the glucomen meter...and that is when my sugar level is in a good range so right on that 20% out mark...and if I compare it to my CGM it is often at that 20% range difference or slightly more - normally after 2 fingerpricks then one will be within the 20% range - I trust my CGM as how I feel and the CGM is seem to be generally consistent and I've had it longer and it worked well with the freestyle machine. So either psychological and blood machines need to earn my trust, or it's not as accurate as my previous machine or my feelings and my CGM are fairly inaccurate! If nothing else it tells you that no one system is perfect!!
 
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