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Meter readings in the cold?

C

chocoholic

Well-Known Member
Just wondered if anyone else has experienced meter reading problems in the recent cold weather. I went on my first healthwalk again last week and it was bloomin' freezing. Felt a bit wobbly towards the end of the walk and wanted to test my BG but a) I couldn't get any blood out of my fingers because they were too cold (even though I was gloved and otherwise resembled the Michelin man) and b) my meter woudn't work at all. I decided to play it safe and had a couple of fruit pastilles, as was pretty sure my levels had gone too low. I had to drive home and the walk leaders were concerned about me but I sat in the car with the heater on for ages until my meter worked again and my hands resembled that of a human being again. When I was able to test it was still only 4 something, so good job I'd had the fruit pastilles earlier on the walk. I did not like being unable to test my sugar level as I did not feel 'in control'. Has anyone else been in a position of a meter not working through cold/heat problems and does anyone have any ideas for avoiding it happening again,please?
 
Hello Chocoholic, haven't had any problems with my meter but my hands have been incredibly cold and even running them under them under a hot tap several times didn't seem to work

Ditto like you I felt a bit wobbly and took appropriate action

Anyone else had this problem ?
 
Never had that problem choccy
But welcome to Health Walking! I got very tired this morning doing the same thing. I've cut back to 20carbs per day. To try to get the weightloss moving again. It's great for BG. Fasting today 4.6. Went walking on 2 slices ham 0 carbs.
 
Hi Chocoholic
At below freezing most liquid crysal displays stop working - even if a number is displayed on the meter it won't change. But the test strips are even more sensitive to temperature than your meter, and I would gues that most meters have a temperature sensor that would stop them comming on (or show an error code) if the temperaure was too low, rather than let you get a wrong reading that could lead to errors in medication.

The answer must be to keep your meter and test strips in an inside breast pocket, close to your body under the multiple layers. Unfortunately there is no way of getting blood out of cold fingers - so does anyone know of any other suitably warm sites that could be or have been used?

Hi Hana
I also wonder if walking/exercise at low temperatures is more effective as you are of course burning significant energy just to keep warm?
 
I need to check my readings between tennis sets, & before I drive home. My meter gives a low temp error when I put the strip in. Best to keep it in an inside pocket.

Last week we played at -4°C but we still warmed up during the first set, & I took my racket glove off. The frosty astraturf wasn't slippery.
 
Hi witan
that's what I'm hoping. I managed to get up a LOOONG hill without stopping to get my breath once. I was the last to get up there, even behind the 80 year old, but that's the first time I've managed it like that. Wish the scales would show an improvement though.
 
If 20g CHO a day doesn't do it I don't know what we are going to do with you

Best of Luck - waiting for your good news...
 
I don't have inside pockets on any of my coats but my outside pocket was fleece-lined, so I thought it might be okay but I think the temperature was about minus 4 that day. I think the weather has been unusually cold, so hopefully this will be a rare occurrance but I did not realise that any LCD display thing could be affected by the cold, so thanks for that info. witan.
 
I often get this problem when I play golf at this time of year, infact it happened today. The simple solution is similar to what others have said. I put my meter into my trouser pocket 10 mins before I am going to test and don't have any problem in being able to get a reading.
 
Hi chocoholic,

yup, I get the same problem with my meter too. At this time of year it gets seriously freakin' cold on the bike. Stop to test the bs and I'm likely to get an error code (E-1 or E-3 I think). If I take the meter out of its jacket and put it under my armpit for 60 seconds, it scares it back into life again!

All the best,

fergus
 
I just had a private chuckle then.......remembering Basil Fawlty saying "have you ever seen my wife making toast" and then breathing heavily on an imaginary piece of bread on both sides! I'm surprised my hubby didn't suggest that to warm my meter up!
 
I also found my meter not working .... when I got near to the top of Mt Fuji in the summer. Had to guess what my readings were likely to be but managed to get safely back down only a little high, but better safe than sorry!
 
I went skiing last week, meter in rucksac wrapped up in bubble wrap pouch and fleece lined hood, only once did it decide to tell me it was too cold to work. I did have a suspicious reading of 1.8 one day though ( I was low but I was still able to ski so I couldn't have been that low!)
 
Can say i've ever had a problem with my ultrasmart in the cold.

I've often tested at the ice rink... it's very cold in there!

I do recall seeing a thermometer symbols on my compact plus once though. but i didn't get any errors and bad readings.
 
Don't forget that test strips have temperature limits too. My pot of Accu-check aviva strips say 2 - 32 degrees C. I assume that means both the temperature range I should store them at - which means they may not be accurate outside that range. I would guess both the end you put your blood on and the but with the bit you put in the meter will be affected.
They certainly aren't guaranteed to work if you've stored them outside that temp range.
 
I didn't realise temperature affected meters, but will make sure to keep it wrapped up from now on!


I sometimes have low readings like this but don't feel the symptoms, usually if I'm active, like doing a long walk or something - the lowest was 1.2, but I felt completely fine! Doubted the meter but sugared up anyway and was 5ish on retest, so it was right! Weird how I don't notice though, yet I notice higher low readings - if it's even 3.9 I'm shaking in a cold sweat! Maybe it's something to do with focusing on an activity that negates the symptoms?
 
Yes I experienced the same, the monitor did not work. I found putting it up under my arm for a while warmed it up then it was okay. I wonder if some monitors are better than others. Mine is optium Xceed.
 
Hi Chocoholic,

I had that exact same problem in the recent cold weather... my meter just wouldn't work. I did the same as you - waited for it to warm up, trusted my instincts and hey presto... all was ok.

I use a OneTouch Ultra by Lifescan.

Sam.

P.s. i have pretty skinny fingers and often have problems getting blood - one solution is to swing your arms like a windmill... soon gets the blood flowing.
 
Hello,

I too am Type 1 and do a lot of walking, sometimes in very cold weather, up here in Snowdonia. Surely if the coldness of your fingertips is a problem for testing purposes you could change to using a Freestyle meter. I've had one for many years (mine's a Freestyle Mini) because it can be used on one's forearm rather than on fingertips. Your forearm will be warmer than your fingers provided you dress up well enough. As for the meter itself, it's supplied in a case which has always kept it warm enough for me, especially if carried in one's jacket pocket. I promise you I'm not a shareholder in this firm -- it really has been my very best friend for years! Leipziger
 
P.s. i have pretty skinny fingers and often have problems getting blood - one solution is to swing your arms like a windmill... soon gets the blood flowing.
Click to expand...

Does it attract the men in white coats too though, Sam? :lol: Sorry, I jest. I am quite happy to try the windmill technique, if it means being able to do a test. If passers-by give me funny looks, so be it. :wink:
 
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