most accurate meter?

[the_anticarb]

I'm getting a little frustrated with my bayer contour, it thinks nothing of giving readings of 2 or so mmol out from each other at the same time, eg just now it said 12.3 I thought oh that's a bit high, tested again and it was 10.6. I know they are allowed to be 10% out but sometimes it is more than this eg 14.3 and 9.5 at the same time using the same finger prick. I can't afford to waste strips by testing twice each time and if I'm correction dosing, etc need to be able to rely on the validity of the result.

So I am thinking of getting a more accurate meter, which brands are known to be accurate? I have an aviva nano knocking around somewhere may switch to this, is it any good? I don't want to spend money on strips to test it, and it will be difficult to chop and change with the strips I get on prescription (which are currently for the contour) so I'd be grateful for any recommendations.

 

[simply_h]

Hello there,

I use the Aviva Nano and found it to be a little gem.

I have to buy my own Test strips, as the Doc's or Nurse will not give me any, as I am a type 2, so dont need them... etc.

Cheers

Simply_h.

 

[imalittlefishy]

I use an Aviva Accuchek Compact Plus, up until a few weeks ago I used an Aviva Nano (only changed because mine was getting worn out and my practice nurse mother had a spare compact plus lying around!) and I've found them both to be pretty accurate
xx

 

[donnellysdogs]

I have a pump with a combo meter with it, which is the same as the Accuchek Roche Arriva Expert, and like you I can find enormous variations (sometimes up to 4mmol!!!) doing a blood test straight away either on the same machine or on a different machine. Which can be a 30% difference....and after a stupid mistake at Christmas time, I ALWAYS wash my hands before doing a test to make sure that I haven't got anything on them that could cause these variations.

However, many people have advised on here NOT to retest on other machines or on the same machine again, as they machines are only giving us an approximate reading of what the whole of our blood is in our bodies...

This really worries me, as when my readings are 5-am I really less than that? The most inaccuracies I found were with readings above 8-this is when I could get a difference of 4 in my readings.

I have given up worrying, however......saying that if my bloods on my machine say I am above 9 then before I give myself an extra correctional bolus I will test again, as I have had too many differences in my higher readings to believe the machine... if my readings are lower than 5 I will have an extra small carb just in case.

It bothers me, because on higher levels, then I use an extra blood strip...which the NHS are paying for out of their pockets, and NOT the manufacturers of these machines. I find it so frustrating...