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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.
 
MikeScar said:
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.
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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?
 
MikeScar said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
MikeScar said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.)
 
Antje77 said:
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.

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.)
Click to expand...

- 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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