Sinocare Safe-Accu 2 - is it accurate?

[T2&confused]

Hello! I have very recently been diagnosed as T2 and bought a Sinocare Safe-Accu 2 monitor. I’ve been getting some very strange results and I wondered if anybody has any experience of this monitor and knows how accurate it is please? Thank you

 

[Deleted member 527103]

Maybe if you share your “very strange results”, the forum members can comment.
All meters sold in the UK must comply with the same safety (accuracy) standards.

You can acquire a test solution to check the accuracy.
Alternatively, get someone who definitely does not have diabetes to do a test.

Although we read about the challenges for some one with diabetes to manage sugar (and all carbs), we soon realise the many things which can affect our blood sugars which are less well published.

 

[T2&confused]

Maybe if you share your “very strange results”, the forum members can comment.
All meters sold in the UK must comply with the same safety (accuracy) standards.

You can acquire a test solution to check the accuracy.
Alternatively, get someone who definitely does not have diabetes to do a test.

Although we read about the challenges for some one with diabetes to manage sugar (and all carbs), we soon realise the many things which can affect our blood sugars which are less well published.

Thank you, that’s good to know.

So I got diagnosed as T2 4-6 weeks ago with a hba1c of 113, which came as a complete shock.

I’ve bought the blood glucose monitor I mentioned above and have been testing when I wake up, before meals and 2 hours after meals and I’m getting a lot of ‘Lo’ readings, which when I read the user manual means less than 1.1mmol/L and says I should contact a healthcare professional immediately (I’ve tried to discuss my readings with my GP before but they just tell me I don’t need to test).

I don’t understand why a) my blood glucose would be so low when my hba1c is so high, and b) why assuming the readings are accurate I’m not feeling ill with such low sugar levels.

I’ve tested immediately after eating and I get readings of 5-6mmol/L so I do know the monitor isn’t just giving a lo reading all the time.

I’d be so grateful for any advice because I’m getting quite anxious about what it all means.

Thanks for reading!

 

[Riva_Roxaban]

Hello! I have very recently been diagnosed as T2 and bought a Sinocare Safe-Accu 2 monitor. I’ve been getting some very strange results and I wondered if anybody has any experience of this monitor and knows how accurate it is please? Thank you

It's not listed on the NDSS test strip order form that is recognised as a device to qualify for subsidised test strips in Australia. So it does not look like it was a good purchase to make.

https://www.ndss.com.au/wp-content/uploads/order-forms/blood-glucose-testing-strips-order-form.pdf

 

[catinahat]

All meters are manufactured to the same accuracy standard of plus/minus 15%, the NHS ones are exactly the same. The few times my meter has given false low readings was because I hadn't dried my hands well enough after washing. Any moisture on your fingers can dilute the sample, if you are using alcohol wipes make sure all the alcohol has evaporated before taking the sample.
Here's a list of frequently asked questions for your meter, it may help https://en.sinocare.com/a/faq

 

[T2&confused]

All meters are manufactured to the same accuracy standard of plus/minus 15%, the NHS ones are exactly the same. The few times my meter has given false low readings was because I hadn't dried my hands well enough after washing. Any moisture on your fingers can dilute the sample, if you are using alcohol wipes make sure all the alcohol has evaporated before taking the sample.
Here's a list of frequently asked questions for your meter, it may help

That’s really helpful, thank you very much for the link. I’ve been using hand wash before testing, is that ok or could it affect results? I think my hands have been dry but I’ll make absolutely sure from now on - thank you!

 

[jessj]

Hi! I borrowed a meter to start with, the Sinocare Accu 2 it aided me to get down from 91 to 43. Then I asked the surgery if I could have one, as I found it helped an awful lot. They agreed because of my second test result & got given a Nexus Mini Ultra. I ran them side by side for a week or so, to see what was what & found the Sinocare was sometimes the same or at least within .5 but higher, only once or twice lower. It's the one I would have got had my surgery not been so good.
Good luck in your journey.

ETA Make sure you don't have soap residue on your fingers too, as that can give you a high shock.

 

[Widgets]

I use a Sinocare and it seems to be as good as any. It gives a 'Lo' reading if you don't get enough blood into the test area of the strip. Make sure you have a big enough drop of blood and dip the end of the strip into it - I visualise the strip as two layers sandwiched together and the blood has to fill the gap between them. Sometimes even if it looks like the well has filled up it doesn't quite and so the meter reads 'Lo'.

It doesn't need a huge flood of the red stuff, but it does need to be a proper drop (as they almost certainly don't say in Devon)

 

[catinahat]

"I’ve been using hand wash before testing, is that ok or could it affect results? "

Yes hand wash should be fine just make sure it's all rinsed off before you test.
Another thought just occurred to me, when I first used a meter I had trouble getting the drop of blood onto the strip. I wasted lots of them until I realised that the best way was to offer the meter and strip up to the blood and just let it suck it up like a little vampire.

 

[T2&confused]

I use a Sinocare and it seems to be as good as any. It gives a 'Lo' reading if you don't get enough blood into the test area of the strip. Make sure you have a big enough drop of blood and dip the end of the strip into it - I visualise the strip as two layers sandwiched together and the blood has to fill the gap between them. Sometimes even if it looks like the well has filled up it doesn't quite and so the meter reads 'Lo'.

It doesn't need a huge flood of the red stuff, but it does need to be a proper drop (as they almost certainly don't say in Devon)

That is super helpful, thank you!! I’ve been aware that I was struggling to get a lot of blood but was assuming that because it did the test it must have been enough! I’ll look into how to get more blood from the lancet - thank you so much!!

 

[T2&confused]

Hi! I borrowed a meter to start with, the Sinocare Accu 2 it aided me to get down from 91 to 43. Then I asked the surgery if I could have one, as I found it helped an awful lot. They agreed because of my second test result & got given a Nexus Mini Ultra. I ran them side by side for a week or so, to see what was what & found the Sinocare was sometimes the same or at least within .5 but higher, only once or twice lower. It's the one I would have got had my surgery not been so good.
Good luck in your journey.

ETA Make sure you don't have soap residue on your fingers too, as that can give you a high shock.

That’s really reassuring - thank you! My GP and diabetic nurse are adamant I can’t get a monitor on the NHS, it seems to be very inconsistent from what I’ve read on here.

 

[jessj]

You're welcome, @T2&confused !

According to the guys & gals on here, I was very lucky as a T2 to be given a meter & prescribed strips. I am grateful that's for sure.

 

[Widgets]

That is super helpful, thank you!! I’ve been aware that I was struggling to get a lot of blood but was assuming that because it did the test it must have been enough! I’ll look into how to get more blood from the lancet - thank you so much!!

Dial the number up on the lancet. Make sure your hands are warm. Do a bit of moving around to get your pulse rate up a bit.

And it hurts a lot less if you aim for the side of your finger lower down, towards the bottom of the nail, rather than going for your finger tips - fewer nerve endings down there.

 

[Geordie_P]

I used to get 'lo' when I first started using my Accucheck, because I was putting blood 'on' the strip. Once I realised you dip it like a straw into the little blood bubble, and it sucks it up from there, I was ok. I'm not saying that's your issue, but it might be worth trying a different sampling angle.

 

[T2&confused]

Dial the number up on the lancet. Make sure your hands are warm. Do a bit of moving around to get your pulse rate up a bit.

And it hurts a lot less if you aim for the side of your finger lower down, towards the bottom of the nail, rather than going for your finger tips - fewer nerve endings down there.

Thank you for all your help. I’m feeling so much more positive about everything now that I’m getting proper readings so thank you very much

 

[T2&confused]

I used to get 'lo' when I first started using my Accucheck, because I was putting blood 'on' the strip. Once I realised you dip it like a straw into the little blood bubble, and it sucks it up from there, I was ok. I'm not saying that's your issue, but it might be worth trying a different sampling angle.

That’s great, thank you, I’ll definitely give that a try

 

[Flappo]

bought two now , both utterly useless , waste of time and money will wait to go to dr