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low bg reading- is it my meter?

Guna108

Well-Known Member
Messages
179
Location
UK
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi. I have been following a Newcastle type diet for 5 weeks now- 600 cals a day. For the last few days my feet and calves have felt really tingly and so have my hands. I checked my bg just now and my meter showed 2.2 mmol/L . I don't know if this reading is even possible as a correct reading. I have just eaten some green veg and paneer and will test in 2 hours to see . Could it be an accurate reading and if so is that what is causing the sudden increase in tingling in my hands.legs and feet? I'm still quite new to this and just would like to know what it might be. It's my school's end of term play tonight, so I don't want to faint in front of the kids
 
Did you wash your hands and do another test, that is a bit low.
 
xfieldok said:
Did you wash your hands and do another test, that is a bit low.
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I washed my hands before doing the first test,but didn't do another after. I was planning on doing it 2 hours after eating (which will be in 35 mins now).
 
Our meters are not always accurate or correct. Sometimes, they have a funny turn.
The advice is, always, if you see a reading you don't expect, wash your hands and try again.

Other things to consider, if you get a few unexpected readings, are
- are your strips in date?
- does your meter need calibrating?
- do you have a friend of family member with a meter you can check yours against

If you still find you get some low readings, I would discuss this with your doctor and, perhaps, read about reactive hypoglycaemia (RH)
 
Thanks for your replies. I just checked it again (2 hours after eating) and it was 5.6, so I guess it must have been a false reading earlier.
 
Guna108 said:
Thanks for your replies. I just checked it again (2 hours after eating) and it was 5.6, so I guess it must have been a false reading earlier.
Click to expand...

Hi Guna, that's not how it works. You would only have known if it was a false reading by testing immediately after the first reading (after washing hands etc). 2 hours later tells you nothing about whether the first test was false or not. The second test simply tells you how the food you ate two hours previously has affected you. x
 
Another thing that can affect your readings is storing your meter or strips where it’s too hot, keep them in the shade especially in this recent hot weather.
 
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