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Low Sugar Reading

Drummersi

Drummersi

Member
So i know that sometimes you can get a high reading if maybe you haven't washed your hands properly or something like that.

But, can you get a false low reading?

The reason i ask is today, i did a BG test at 11:30, half an hour before my lunch. My sugar was 6.1 (i had a maccy d's egg mcmuffin this morning, so i know why i was up slightly).

Anyway, i thought i would leave it an hour before i had my lunch, assuming that my sugar would maybe drop into the low 5's in an hour.

I did NOT take my metformin during this time.

When i double checked my sugar an hour later i was 3.8. My BG has not been this low before.

I was pretty shocked at this reading and that i had dropped so far so fast. So it got me wondering, is possible to get a false low reading like this? Maybe if there isn't enough blood on the stick (surely it would error in this case) or something similar.

Any thoughts peeps?
 
Oh yes, false readings can be low or high. If any reading is not in the range you expect it is always worth a re-test. Your 6.1 or your 3.8 could have been a false reading.
 
As you say, it is possible to get a false high reading because you are reading the sugar content in whatever it is on your fingers as well as in your blood.
I do not believe it is possible to get a false low reading for the same reason (something on your fingers is unlikely to bring the reading down). However, our meters are not 100% accurate. As @Bluetit1802 mentions, if you get a reading which is unexpected, it is worthwhile repeating it. And, if the reading is unexpectedly high, it is worthwhile washing your hands before the repeat.

That said, it is possible to have a reading of 3.8. Some people find exercise, for example, could bring down their BG although some find otherwise and some types of exercise certainly push my BG up (don't try doing a scary, challenging climbing route if you are trying to reduce your BG).
 
Last edited by a moderator:
helensaramay said:
As you say, it is possible to get a false high reading because you are reading the sugar content in whatever it is on your fingers as well as in your blood.
I do not believe it is possible to get a false low reading for the same reason (something on your fingers is unlikely to bring the reading down). However, our meters are not 100% accurate. As @Bluetit1802 mentions, if you get a reading which is unexpected, it is worthwhile repeating it. And, if the reading is unexpectedly high, it is worthwhile washing your hands before the repeat.

That said, it is possible to have a reading of 3.8. Some people find exercise, for example, could bring down their BG although some find otherwise and some types of exercise certainly push my BG up (don't try doing a scary, challenging climbing route if you are trying to reduce your BG).
Click to expand...

Haha, the only exercise i got in that hour was tapping my feet under my desk whilst trying not to think about how hungry i was.

But i do take your point.
 
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