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Meter discrepancies

D

Darrell

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I was today bravely carrying out an experiment involving my blood sugar and two buttered crumpets

I tested myself before this important medical experiment and I was 5.1 on my tester.

I bravely ate the medical specimens and waited for the suggested 2 hours before testing again.

The results said 7.8, not good. This seemed surprisingly high, previous brave experiments involving other more dangerous specimens barely reached such levels, so I decided to test again, straight away.

My next test on a different finger gave 6.1, another immediate test on my other hand gave 6.8.

What is going on?
 
Hi Darrell

I noticed the same variations on 2 meters I had a few months back. I was checking them both as they had started issuing the strips with codeless chips. I bought another brand as I thought it might be a problem but got similar results - anything up to 2.5 mmol/l variation in 3 successive tests on the same meter from the same drop of blood. With clean hands obviously.

I have come to the conclusion that I have strange blood. ;)

Robert
 
Meters are only expected to be within 20%. If it goes outside that, I'd recommend using the test solution.
Hana
 
Darrell said:
I was today bravely carrying out an experiment involving my blood sugar and two buttered crumpets

I tested myself before this important medical experiment and I was 5.1 on my tester.

I bravely ate the medical specimens and waited for the suggested 2 hours before testing again.

The results said 7.8, not good. This seemed surprisingly high, previous brave experiments involving other more dangerous specimens barely reached such levels, so I decided to test again, straight away.

My next test on a different finger gave 6.1, another immediate test on my other hand gave 6.8.

What is going on?
Click to expand...

Well done for the braveness! Like it.
You o seem toget terrible varations between meters. Iphoned bayer on this as I had 2 of their meters and got a rubbish answer.
Truth is, they are inherently innacurate Up to 15% in tests, even though my manufacturer says 4%. Add to that, the way we test isn great.
If you don't wash your hands, you can get contamination on the skin mixing with the blood.
If you don't dry your hands thoroughly, you can get tiny amounts of water mixed with the blood.
I you squeeze too near the puncture to gat blood, you introduce other fluids from the surrounding tissue which contaminates.
If you wait too long (just a second or two) before testing after blood appears, it starts to decay.

No win really!
 
Thanks for the answers.

So can I eat crumpets or must I bravely re-run the experiment?

(I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that crumpets were not mentally high in carbs)

I am going to buy some alcohol strips today, then I know the area is clear.
 
Grazer said:
Darrell said:
I am going to buy some alcohol strips today, then I know the area is clear.
Click to expand...

I just drink it. Then I can eat crumpets or whatever I like. :clap:
Click to expand...
Oh, don't worry about that. I have done many brave experiments discovering the effects of alcohol (bravely choosing a strong spirit, brandy) on diabetes.

The conclusion these brave experiments gave me is that alcohol wins.

I then had a choice, to make myself slowly become very ill by imbibing too much alcohol or slowly become very ill by not keeping my blood sugars low.

Like the true champion it is, alcohol won once more.
 
Darrell said:
Does anyone else notice that their blood seems a lot thinner when their blood sugars are up?
Click to expand...

I can't say I've noticed, however I do know if your dehydrated then blood can become thicker.
 
Darrell wrote:
I am going to buy some alcohol strips today, then I know the area is clear.
Click to expand...

Hate to tell you Alcohol also effects the BG reading!

Darrell wrote:
Does anyone else notice that their blood seems a lot thinner when their blood sugars are up?
Click to expand...

The higher the blood glucose the thicker the blood! Not the other way around..
 
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