- Messages
- 4,432
- Location
- Suffolk, UK
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
- Dislikes
- Diet drinks - the artificial sweeteners taste vile.
Having to forswear foods I have loved all my life.
Trying to find low carb meals when eating out.
I've just started a new box of test strips (well two actually - just got a new one as old ones have run out, then found I had one I'd forgotten about in stock. I changed over to the older strips because they run out at the end of 20112 and the others run out half way through 2013).
First test on the new strips was unexpectedly high (9.0 on waking).
Retested before breakfast just under two hours later and after a cup of coffee. Still high (8.6).
Then changed strips, having just found the others, and tested again on another finger to see if the different strips made much difference.
I did notice that the lancet had been accidentally set to 2 instead of the usual 4 which explained why I had more difficulty than usual getting blood out of a stone^h^h^h^h finger.
Set lancet to 4, tested again and got a slightly lower reading (8.3). No problems getting blood.
So, just to be sure, I have asked for a test solution.
Looking in the handbook for my Freestyle Freedom Lite the test solution comes labelled with a range of values.
If the reading is within the range then the meter is considered O.K.
The range in the book is 2.2-3.9 mmol/L.
This does make me think!
Surely the test solution can be produced and measured more accurately than a range of 1.7 mmol/L?
Does the solution start at the top end and decay with time?
Or do the meters read +/- about 0.65 mmol/L and the solution is accurately in the middle of the stated range?
I've looked in the handbook but there is no indication of expected accuracy (e.g. +/- 0.1 mmol/L).
Assuming that they do read, say, +/- 0.5 mmol/L this does make you rething your results.
If your meter reads consistently high or low the results are comparable but may make you worry too much or be too complacent.
If the meter and strips together are only good for +/- 0.5mmol/L in a random manner then you could see up to 1.0 mmol/L difference between two reading when your BG is the same.
Probably not a massive issue as long as you are not calculating insulin doses, but it does make you wonder.
Cheers
LGC
First test on the new strips was unexpectedly high (9.0 on waking).
Retested before breakfast just under two hours later and after a cup of coffee. Still high (8.6).
Then changed strips, having just found the others, and tested again on another finger to see if the different strips made much difference.
I did notice that the lancet had been accidentally set to 2 instead of the usual 4 which explained why I had more difficulty than usual getting blood out of a stone^h^h^h^h finger.
Set lancet to 4, tested again and got a slightly lower reading (8.3). No problems getting blood.
So, just to be sure, I have asked for a test solution.
Looking in the handbook for my Freestyle Freedom Lite the test solution comes labelled with a range of values.
If the reading is within the range then the meter is considered O.K.
The range in the book is 2.2-3.9 mmol/L.
This does make me think!
Surely the test solution can be produced and measured more accurately than a range of 1.7 mmol/L?
Does the solution start at the top end and decay with time?
Or do the meters read +/- about 0.65 mmol/L and the solution is accurately in the middle of the stated range?
I've looked in the handbook but there is no indication of expected accuracy (e.g. +/- 0.1 mmol/L).
Assuming that they do read, say, +/- 0.5 mmol/L this does make you rething your results.
If your meter reads consistently high or low the results are comparable but may make you worry too much or be too complacent.
If the meter and strips together are only good for +/- 0.5mmol/L in a random manner then you could see up to 1.0 mmol/L difference between two reading when your BG is the same.
Probably not a massive issue as long as you are not calculating insulin doses, but it does make you wonder.
Cheers
LGC
