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Reliability of Testing Kits?

D

Danny72

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi,

Since being diagnosed with T2 around 6 months ago, I have been testing myself at home just to keep an eye on levels. I was told I didn't need to but I do it anyway. I was diagnosed due to an initial reading of 119 hba1c but in January the second blood test showed it went down to 51 which the Dr was very happy with.

I bought one kit myself, it's the Kinetik testing kit, and I was later given one by my Dr which is called Tee2. I usually use the Kinetik tester since it was the one I had from the beginning and stuck with, but I occasionally use the Tee2 because I prefer it. However, I can't seem to understand why the Kinetik readings are always higher than the Tee2 by 1 or 2 points. The last reading on the Kinetik earlier was 8.7 but the Tee2 shows it as 6.4. Yesterday the Tee2 was giving me readings between 5.4 - 5.9 whereas the Kinetik was between 6.4 - 8.1

I can't seem to understand why this happens or which one to actually believe or to go with especially since I cannot get the strips on prescription (I only got 1 pack of 50 once and that was it) so I don't want to buy for both sets.

I am thinking that since the Tee2 was given by my GP and the Kinetik one I randomly chose, I feel like the Tee2 may be the better one for me to go with since it came from the GP? Does anybody have these types of inconsistencies with readings? Which testing kit is most reliable if there's such a thing?

Thank you very much,
Danny
 
Hi @Danny72 meters are allowed a discrepancy/tolerance of 15% of what the BG readings actually are. My advice.....stick to using 1 meter else you will get very confused very quickly
 
porl69 said:
Hi @Danny72 meters are allowed a discrepancy/tolerance of 15% of what the BG readings actually are. My advice.....stick to using 1 meter else you will get very confused very quickly
Click to expand...

Hi porl69, thank you for your reply. Yes I was going to stick with one of them but I am not sure which one yet. I was hoping to get some feedback from people with regards to kits they use and if anybody uses the kits I do so to make the choice a bit easier.
 
Danny72 said:
Hi porl69, thank you for your reply. Yes I was going to stick with one of them but I am not sure which one yet. I was hoping to get some feedback from people with regards to kits they use and if anybody uses the kits I do so to make the choice a bit easier.
Click to expand...

Ah right I got you. Having seen a fair few posts on here, I do believe that a lot of people use the Tee2 because of the price on the test strips
 
porl69 said:
Ah right I got you. Having seen a fair few posts on here, I do believe that a lot of people use the Tee2 because of the price on the test strips
Click to expand...

Thank you for that :) I have ordered strips for both anyway but going forward I will stick with the Tee2. Thank you for your help :)
 
Danny72 said:
Hi porl69, thank you for your reply. Yes I was going to stick with one of them but I am not sure which one yet. I was hoping to get some feedback from people with regards to kits they use and if anybody uses the kits I do so to make the choice a bit easier.
Click to expand...
Hi Danny,
I use the TEE2 and I'm happy with it. The testing strips (main cost) are about the cheapest, though those for the replacement (can't remember the name) for the SD CodeFree are about the same cost.
 
Just pick the meter you prefer... just because 1 reads higher than the other right now, that may change with the next pot of strip or even with the weather...

So it comes down to which meter you prefer, and which is most effective for you to get strops for

The main thing is to know that you are in the correct ballpark as far as readings go.

Obviously the lower your reading the more accurate the meter is
 
searley said:
Just pick the meter you prefer... just because 1 reads higher than the other right now, that may change with the next pot of strip or even with the weather...

So it comes down to which meter you prefer, and which is most effective for you to get strops for

The main thing is to know that you are in the correct ballpark as far as readings go.

Obviously the lower your reading the more accurate the meter is
Click to expand...

Thank you for your reply. I think that's the important thing that the readings are ok-ish. Since I was diagnosed 6 months ago I am still trying to learn more about it all. I think the readings seem OK although I think they should be lower maybe.
 
I am happy with the Tee2. I started out with the SD CodeFree but they had a couple of batches of dodgy strips. They replaced mine, but as I buy 200 at a time, I decided to go with the Tee2.
 
As a type two, the number isn't all that important - it is the change between starting to eat and two hours later that is the important thing - if you see less than two whole numbers you are not overdoing the carbs- the result should be a good Hba1c at the end of the year, with any luck.
I did think, when I saw 5.6mmol/l after each of my Christmas dinners several years ago, you've got this beaten - and that still seems to be the case.
Getting rid of clothes which are now too large, shoes which are too loose, galivanting around with morris and longsword sides, setting up Maypoles and generally having far too much fun are all clear indications that my blood glucose levels are right - coming home from dance practice and eating sausages and strawberries is all part of having reliable evidence of well being.
 
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