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MAD READINGS!!!!! TECH SUPPORT NEEDDED!

N

Nike69

Well-Known Member
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Hi, Has anyone else experienced getting two very different readings within seconds of each other? If yes, why do you think it happened. This morning I did 19.8, did it 30 seconds later on my other hand and it was 15.6. I did a test on the meter and it was 5.9 so okay. After breakfast reading was 18.6, I was prepared this time and did it again 20 seconds later on my other hand and it was 12.6!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am pretty sure my hands were clean and product free. I may have "handled" the strips so am going to hold them with tweezers next time. I may have also touched my skin with the strips as I was super careful on the second readings not to touch my skin. CRACKERS!
 
Were your hands still slightly damp perhaps? Perhaps this could have diluted your sample(s). Maybe one finger was dry, while the other one was slightly damp?
Other things that can throw readings are soap residue, moisturiser etc - but you say your hands were product free. Apparently if you squeeze really hard/really close, this can have an impact on the reading too, but if I remember correctly, it is only a fairly small difference. I don't know...it's crazy isn't it?
 
I've had this happen to me, and you know, I think the only way to retain sanity is to NOT test twice! However, I'm a type 2 on metformin, I don't know what I would do if I was using insulin and really needs to know exact results. But no, you're not alone, and other than all the obvious things you've mentioned, I honestly don't know if there's Anything we can do about it!
 
Yes it happens. Firstly, taking blood from different fingers will give different results, secondly if your finger touches the strip rather than the blood, on my meter ar least, will cause a very high reading, thirdly there are several ways you can contaminate the blood sample and fourthly the drop of blood contains more than just capillary blood. It has other fluids in indetermnate proportions. It's a wonder finger prickers work at all. I used to wonder why my meter wuld sometimes say insufficient blood, please retest when there appeared to be a sizeable drop. I then read that the platelets, which cause the blood to clot, are not evenly distributed in the blood plasma and they also differ in size soif you get a big clump of platelets in a blood drop, the meter doesn't recognise them.

250px-Giant_platelets.JPG


There is small purple platelet towards the upper left and two giant clumps. The other things are red blood cells and the background material is plasma. 'Stuff' is not evenly distributed.
 
I know this sometimes does my head in as well. Now and then I will get either a high or low reading, test again and get a different result. For instance just today I took a reading on my contour meter which said 8.4 before lunch. This is high for me so I did it again and it said 8.2, not much difference. However I am also am in the process of changing over to a Freestyle Insulinx meter so I tested on that and got a 4.9! As I take insulin to correct high readings its pretty crucial that I get a correct reading so which one do I accept as correct.

I should say that when I have compared tests on the two meters usually they are pretty close but sometimes there a mile apart.

Very frustrating.
 
The MyLife Pura is supposedly the most accurate. The carry case let's it down though.
 
WOW!!!!!!!!!!! Brilliant information. WHat a nightmare for those on insulin. I can not believe how badly managed Diabetes is. The testing, the kit issued, the quality of meds.......... We need to really look after ourselves and support each other. Thanks for the link to the web article about meters. Just so happy to have these forums.
 
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