Is my metre shot? (How much variation in readings)

[Glink]

I've been testing and getting widely varying readings within just a few minutes. Like 9.2 and 5.9. Is this within the margin or error, is it possible to actually change that much whilst just sitting there testing, or is my metre a goner?

 

[andcol]

I produced a tolerance graph some years back for people to understand the allowable variance. Remember that only 95% of readings have to fall within the tolerance so you can still get outliers

Looking at the graph and 9.2 and 5.9 seem to be outside of the tolerances. However if 9.2 was at the top of the tolerance then you would have a real value of 8 and 5.9 and the lower end of the tolerance is 7

Did you take these readings at the same time. The body can reduce your BG level by 1 mmol fairly rapidly so you could have just been unlucky you caught two extremes

 

[Deleted Account]

Were the 5.9 and 9.2 taken at the same time on the same finger?
As well as the fault tolerance of the meter @andcol mentions, there can be times when your BG is changing fasting (e.g. after eating something with a high GI) and times when you have something on your finger which could contaminate your reading.

 

[Glink]

Same clean finger, within minutes. Happened yesterday at 2 different times in the day.
Morning fasting I got 9.2, then 7.4 then 5.9.
Before supper I had a similar thing happen. I think 9.2 and then 6.7. And this morning 8.2 and then lower a minute later.
I only tested multiple times in a row b/c the initial tests were higher than I expected.
I think maybe I need a new metre, but could it be that I'm just having some sort of quick drop at the same time I'm measuring? I do tend to test higher when I first wake and then lower once I'm up and moving around.

 

[andcol]

no it is likely to be tolerance variation probably related to blood drop size. It could also be your test strips have you tried a new pot