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

Glink

Well-Known Member
Messages
252
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
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

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
3,176
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
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
upload_2018-5-17_6-6-14.png

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
 
D

Deleted Account

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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

Well-Known Member
Messages
252
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
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

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
3,176
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
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