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Glucose Meters and the cold

M

MikeScar

Member
Just a timely reminder, with colder weather forecast in the UK, to avoid keeping your blood glucose meter in a cold area. I have in the past had the E-1 error code amongst others on my FreeStyle Optium Neo meter due to this. My preferred storage location is in the kitchen for access to the fridge. Nothing worse than wasting a blood sample due to unwelcome error readings. Incidentally my kitchen area is purely functional with no heating but is double glazed.
 

Blimey cold kitchen. I have had the too cold to measure reading from leaving my meter in cold spots.

I’ve also been so cold that the blood from a finger prick is too cold and shy to do what I want it to do

Stay warm eh?
 

Before testing I wash my hands with soap, very warm water and completely dry with a clean towel, after that no problem with testing. I have no issue with storing meters, because it doesn’t snow in Santa Cruz California.
 
My monitor is placed in between a woolly jumper so that in the morning I can just grab and go. My house is like the Baltics this time of year and whereas before, I would just leave it in the bathroom I would then get the error code. I think my monitor likes to be warm lol
 
Omar51 said:
Before testing I wash my hands with soap, very warm water and completely dry with a clean towel, after that no problem with testing. I have no issue with storing meters, because it doesn’t snow in Santa Cruz California.
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Thanks, the error used to appear after taking the sample but before its analysis, at the point the meter turns on by inserted the test strip. I guess the sun shines every day out your way, North East coast of England not so generous.
 
Different meters have different low temperature thresholds. I don't remember which meter it was I used some years back, but it had a minimum use temperature of 8 °C if I remember correctly. No problem warming the thing up under my arm for a minute or two before testing at night in winter, but still annoying.
So now I use a Contour Next One which apparently works down to 5 °C, and I only have to warm it up very occasionally. If you compare different meters online you'll find the min and max temps.
OrsonKartt said:
I’ve also been so cold that the blood from a finger prick is too cold and shy to do what I want it to do
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As in blood won't come out or won't read?
I regularly swim outside, current water temperature is 2 °C and I can assure you my hands are not much warmer right after a swim, but my meter works just fine. (Libre will need time to warm up though, it starts giving a 'sensor too cold' message once the water temp drops below 10 °C.)
 

- I meant shy blood not cold meter. I have had a cold meter once but cold blood, unfortunately much more often. In fact today.
Brrrrrr.
 
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