My old Accu-Chek Aviva Test Strips

[oldnevada]

Hi!

My MD told me my Hb1Ac was good last blood work (4 months ago?) and told me I didn't need to test my blood any longer.
I'm wondering the wisdom behind that. So, I started testing again but my test strips are nine months old.

I just had a small coffee with two tsps of sugar in it and some low fat cream and my BG is 9.0. I took my Metformin and my Saxagliptin (Onglyza) prior.

I'm following the Low Carb food plan, (averaging ~ 130 g carbs/day) on it for four days now, but I've been counting calories on MFP for a very long time with no appreciable weight loss, though my waist hip ratio is 0.94, built like a half back, which is supposed to be good. I jog 4-5km intermittently, 3x week, then stop, pick up again a couple of weeks later. and stuff, do planks in the morning, etc.

So, are these old, opened test strips giving me a false reading? I have two unopened tubs of strips left.

The wise thing I guess is to go to the pharmacy and get new strips. I'm agoraphobic and recluse with PTSD so I'm going to have to force myself to go.

 

[Deleted Account]

I don't know the typical lifespan of test strips but if the test strips are unopened, the box (or tub) should have a best before date on it.
My current strips have a date of January 2020 on them. This is less than 9 months.

 

[Bittern]

Having coffee with 2 tsps of sugar would send my blood sugars far beyond 9!

 

[oldnevada]

Thanks folks. I just opened a fresh, but old tub of strips and retook my BG and my BG dropped down to 7.3 mmol/L (from 9.x.) I'll go to the pharmacy and ask for fresh strips. Appreciate...!

 

[HSSS]

Order them online if getting out proves too problematic. And maybe consider ordering something like erythritol or xylitol or stevia to replace those sugars . 130g of carbs a day whilst lower than typical is still a fair few for a type 2.

Surely as saxagliptan actively lowers glucose (at least I think it does) you should still be testing in case of hypo and before driving?

 

[oldnevada]

Having coffee with 2 tsps of sugar would send my blood sugars far beyond 9!

Thanks for that Bittern. Looks like I'm going to be cutting back to 1tsp of sugar or none in my coffee from now on.

 

[oldnevada]

Order them online if getting out proves too problematic. And maybe consider ordering something like erythritol or xylitol or stevia to replace those sugars . 130g of carbs a day whilst lower than typical is still a fair few for a type 2.

Surely as saxagliptan actively lowers glucose (at least I think it does) you should still be testing in case of hypo and before driving?

Thanks! Yeah, since I've come off of the glyburide I've completely stopped having hypos. It was the hypo awareness programme that put me on to monitoring them. When I showed my GP he took me off the glyburide straight away.

My carbs per day according to the low carb programme I've started following is around 80/day. It concurred with my MFP tabulation. It's rare I've been going about 100g/carb/day.

 

[HSSS]

Thanks! Yeah, since I've come off of the glyburide I've completely stopped having hypos. It was the hypo awareness programme that put me on to monitoring them. When I showed my GP he took me off the glyburide straight away.

But you are still on a med that potentially can cause hypos. So you should still be monitoring for this reason. Your original post posed the question. It’s good that you are now using something that works better for you and means you hypo less but it could still happen though and that’s the point I’m making about why you should be testing.

Lowering carbs further “may” eliminate the need for Saxagliptin if you’d want that. But whilst lowering the carbs you need to test carefully in case the meds become “too strong” or “more than is then needed” and cause low figures or hypos. They work against the carbs and without as many carbs being eaten the meds could need lowering or stopping. Discuss it with your dr.

 

[oldnevada]

But you are still on a med that potentially can cause hypos. So you should still be monitoring for this reason. Your original post posed the question. It’s good that you are now using something that works better for you and means you hypo less but it could still happen though and that’s the point I’m making about why you should be testing.

Lowering carbs further “may” eliminate the need for Saxagliptin if you’d want that. But whilst lowering the carbs you need to test carefully in case the meds become “too strong” or “more than is then needed” and cause low figures or hypos. They work against the carbs and without as many carbs being eaten the meds could need lowering or stopping. Discuss it with your dr.

Understood. That very well may happen again as I continue on the low carb programme. Yeah, Glyburide and associated hypos are hard on the heart/cardiovascular system, and I like to try and keep up my aerobics, for sure. Whilst jogging last summer I had a VO2 max of 33 and I'm 66yrs old. Hypos could prove again to be a problem. Thanks!

 

[HSSS]

Understood. That very well may happen again as I continue on the low carb programme. Yeah, Glyburide and associated hypos are hard on the heart/cardiovascular system, and I like to try and keep up my aerobics, for sure. Whilst jogging last summer I had a VO2 max of 33 and I'm 66yrs old. Hypos could prove again to be a problem. Thanks!
View attachment 32566

I’m not sure you’re getting my point. As a matter of your safety the dr should be prescribing test strips whilst on glucose lowering meds. Especially if you are lowering carbs so you can see if meds need adjusting before you suffer hypos. It is also a matter of safety that you do not drive when dropping too low. I am assuming you are not in the uk where it is law you must test before driving on such meds and a condition of insurance as such. I am assuming similar laws may apply in other countries. You need to go back to the dr and get, in date, strips enough to keep you and other road users safe.

 

[enb54]

Hi!

My MD told me my Hb1Ac was good last blood work (4 months ago?) and told me I didn't need to test my blood any longer.
I'm wondering the wisdom behind that. So, I started testing again but my test strips are nine months old.

As the test strips apparently contain an enzyme/chemical mixture that reacts with blood glucose to produce an electrical signal which can be decoded by the monitor, one should likely pay attention to the "best before" date for best accuracy. Having said that though, the exact expiry date likely varies because of storage temperature and humidity (when the strips container is opened) plus the length of time the storage container is open. For a general description of how the strips generally are made have a peek at http://www.diabetesforecast.org/2012/jul/anatomy-of-a-test-strip.html and for a .pdf picture of what is in a test strip go to http://main.diabetes.org/dforg/pdfs/archive/2012-07-anatomy-of-a-test-strip.pdf .

 

[oldnevada]

I’m not sure you’re getting my point. As a matter of your safety the dr should be prescribing test strips whilst on glucose lowering meds. Especially if you are lowering carbs so you can see if meds need adjusting before you suffer hypos. It is also a matter of safety that you do not drive when dropping too low. I am assuming you are not in the uk where it is law you must test before driving on such meds and a condition of insurance as such. I am assuming similar laws may apply in other countries. You need to go back to the dr and get, in date, strips enough to keep you and other road users safe.

Thanks, I have a prescription for test strips. BG was normal before lunch with the fresh opened tub of strips.

 

[oldnevada]

As the test strips apparently contain an enzyme/chemical mixture that reacts with blood glucose to produce an electrical signal which can be decoded by the monitor, one should likely pay attention to the "best before" date for best accuracy. Having said that though, the exact expiry date likely varies because of storage temperature and humidity (when the strips container is opened) plus the length of time the storage container is open. For a general description of how the strips generally are made have a peek at http://www.diabetesforecast.org/2012/jul/anatomy-of-a-test-strip.html and for a .pdf picture of what is in a test strip go to http://main.diabetes.org/dforg/pdfs/archive/2012-07-anatomy-of-a-test-strip.pdf .

Great info! thanks for the link!! enb54

 

[oldnevada]

My pharmacist concurred with my GP on the Onglyza and my stable HbA1c's. But thought it was good to keep some DEX with me when I'm out jogging or doing aerobic fitness. AND testing my BG. I got fresh test strips today.

 

[1spuds]

My sugars were great.Figured I had it whipped and stopped testing and stopped recording meals.My weight went up,a year later my A1C was my worst ever.

So for me,testing and being constantly aware are critical to control.

I dont get free strips so I order online,I get 300 strips for 37 dollars,money very well spent.I use genUltimate and order in USA from walmart.com.So good deals are out there.Believe me Im thrifty,not cheap,thrifty.

 

[1spuds]

Thanks for that Bittern. Looks like I'm going to be cutting back to 1tsp of sugar or none in my coffee from now on.

I absolutely dont add any sugar to anything I ingest.I'd much prefer doing without and seeing wonderful sugars vrs anything else.For me it isnt about what I want,its what is best for my body that trumps all.

Example,I LOVE bread.I bake breads to die for,grind my own wheat,yada yada.But bread will harm me,so its totally out.Bummer,life stinks,etc.But I want to live,have my feet,have my eyesight,kidneys....those areas trump dietary likes for me.

There is still more than enough good,yummy stuff to eat.

 

[enb54]

I dont get free strips so I order online,I get 300 strips for 37 dollars,money very well spent.I use genUltimate and order in USA from walmart.com.So good deals are out there.Believe me Im thrifty,not cheap,thrifty.

That is a great price for test strips, but I have a Contour Next and 100 test strips are about $80 CDN in Alberta. They are about the same in US dollars at Walmart in Kalispell (Montana), but since I have private health insurance I get them for considerably less. If I didn't have insurance I'd be getting a different brand blood glucose meter here and buying boatloads of strips in Kalispell...

 

[oldnevada]

I absolutely dont add any sugar to anything I ingest.I'd much prefer doing without and seeing wonderful sugars vrs anything else.For me it isnt about what I want,its what is best for my body that trumps all.

Example,I LOVE bread.I bake breads to die for,grind my own wheat,yada yada.But bread will harm me,so its totally out.Bummer,life stinks,etc.But I want to live,have my feet,have my eyesight,kidneys....those areas trump dietary likes for me.

There is still more than enough good,yummy stuff to eat.

That's how I became so enormous. When I was married I baked bread for us. After my divorce, I kept on baking. Now I look at baked goods and cringe. If I want piece of toast, I feel like I'm filling up my car with gas, and cringe still.