Test monitor accuracy?

[Prem51]

Hi @Kalisun1 and welcome to the forum. The finger prick meter test only measure your blood glucose level at that moment. It isn't 100% accurate, and your levels might be influenced by other factors like stress and how recently you have eaten, so it can't be used to diagnose diabetes. It is only a rough guide to what your BG level is like at that moment.
The HbA1c blood test takes a blood sample which is sent to a lab for analysis. It measures the blood glucose level over the last 12 weeks which is the time sugars take to pass out from the blood, so it is the more accurate method of determining your long term BG levels.

 

[Kalisun1]

Hi @Kalisun1 and welcome to the forum. The finger prick meter test only measure your blood glucose level at that moment. It isn't 100% accurate, and your levels might be influenced by other factors like stress and how recently you have eaten, so it can't be used to diagnose diabetes. It is only a rough guide to what your BG level is like at that moment.
The HbA1c blood test takes a blood sample which is sent to a lab for analysis. It measures the blood glucose level over the last 12 weeks which is the time sugars take to pass out from the blood, so it is the more accurate method of determining your long term BG levels.

Thank you very much for this. Can the finger test give me a clue to what's going on now? I am stressed right now due to other things along with the worry. I will ask for more advance testing tomorrow. Ask them to take my blood for a hba1c. I had a finger test last year and it was normal. No symptoms appear until I noticed a boil on my back, then the symptoms u didn't have prior started. Frequent urination, dry throat though that comes from smoking mostly and does go away. I'm glad I found this site and did my research

 

[Prem51]

Well as I said the finger prick test only tells you what your blood glucose level is (roughly) at that moment, so even if it is high it might just be a temporary spike. If you do the finger prick test several times on different days and times and they are consistently high, then they might indicate problem with BG level. But you would only be diagnosed as diabetic if your HbA1c blood test shows a level of 48 or above.

 

[Kalisun1]

@Prem51 thanks. I called my doctor and she said they will do blood work that will be taken to the lab.

 

[Prem51]

@Kalisun1 Good man! It's only a full blood test that will enable to let your GP make an accurate diagnosis. I hope it comes back with a good result for you. Let us know when you get the results - should take about a week.

 

[TerryinDorset]

It's not 'finger blood' mind but venous blood using a Vacutainer + needle from your cubital fossa/inner elbow.
Remember Hancock's 'blimey that nearly an arm-full!

 

[Kalisun1]

@Prem51 I really appreciate that. Do I have to fast for the hbac1 test btw? I may go to the hospital(for this coughing issue which is another story) and ask to have those test run but idk how long it will take. Usually with hospitals, the test comes faster than with regular GP. This frequent urination and dry mouth is really scaring me.

 

[Prem51]

I was told to fast for the original HbA1c test last August, but not for the retest 3 months later. Your GP will tell you.
I wouldn't worry, there could be other reasons for your symptoms. Even if it did turn out to be high BG, it is a condition that can be controlled.

 

[Kalisun1]

I was told to fast for the original HbA1c test last August, but not for the retest 3 months later. Your GP will tell you.
I wouldn't worry, there could be other reasons for your symptoms. Even if it did turn out to be high BG, it is a condition that can be controlled.

Thanks. I participate in activities that cause urination immediately after, but never like this. I don't drink much either and still have this. Every second I need to urinate

 

[Oldvatr]

Thanks. I participate in activities that cause urination immediately after, but never like this. I don't drink much either and still have this. Every second I need to urinate

I had a Urinary Tract Infection (Candida albicans) that gave me these symptoms far worse than any I have had in 10 years of diabetes, and my readings go off scale at times. Again, a UTI can elevate bgl readings.

 

[Kalisun1]

I had a Urinary Tract Infection (Candida albicans) that gave me these symptoms far worse than any I have had in 10 years of diabetes, and my readings go off scale at times. Again, a UTI can elevate bgl readings.

I had a Urinary Tract Infection (Candida albicans) that gave me these symptoms far worse than any I have had in 10 years of diabetes, and my readings go off scale at times. Again, a UTI can elevate bgl readings.

Thank you. A little earlier, I started getting a tingly quick feeling in my fingers and some pain that radiates around my arms. Some sudden pain the gums. Ughh

 

[Oldvatr]

Thank you. A little earlier, I started getting a tingly quick feeling in my fingers and some pain that radiates around my arms. Some sudden pain the gums. Ughh

Can i suggest that you contact the 111 service if these persist. .Pains and tingling if caused by Diabetes do not appear suddenly and come on gradually over weeks or months. This may be heartburn or indigestion.

You mentioned a boil on your back, This may be another source of infection that could push your bgl up. Also, it may be pressing on a nerve to cause the tingling in the fingers.

 

[Mep]

Kallsun1 - I wasn't diagnosed on a meter test that's for sure.... it was the hbA1c test that came back at 8.2% at the time.... then the GAD and c-peptide tests were done to confirm what type of diabetes I had. The last time I had the GAD & c-peptide tests was in 2010, so they can be done at any time they're not sure.

 

[Pauly F]

Shock horror. I've been using a Accu-Chek Active monitor for 2 months & for the past 7 days got fasting values of 5.0 - 6.0 mmol. 2 hrs after lunch today I got 6.2. Two mins later I tried the AgaMatrix 'Jazz' that my diabetic nurse gave me recently & got 7.2mmol.
I'm confused now about which machine to use. After a few tests, it seems the AgaMatrix is giving numbers 1 higher than the Accu-Chek. I'd be interested in views about this anomaly. Which is the more accurate monitor?
By the way: I did a AgaMatrix Control Solution test which gave 7.2. I rang their customer care & was told this number means the Jazz is accurate.

My medical practice has just issued the AgaMatrix Jazz Wireless to replace the Nexus monitors previously issued. I have another couple of those monitors I have purchased myself - one at home, one in the car and one I carry. They all seem to be consistent with each other. If ever I feel I am bordering on a hypo, the Nexus monitors always confirm low readings. The AgaMatrix is consistently showing higher readings. I have just tested 5.2 and 5.4 on Nexus monitors, yet 7.2 on the AgaMatrix.

 

[Oldvatr]

The meters should meet the requirements of the ISO standard 2013
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/blood-glucose-meters/iso-accuracy-standards.html

Note that 2 meters on the same drop of blood can vary by twice the allowed error since you must assume worst case of one at max high and the other is at min low. so at hypo levels they can be 1.66 mmol/l different (UK). One of those meters is not meeting the ISO standard, but unfortuntely you cannot tell which one is wrong, Comparing the newcomer against the others in your posession will confirm a consensus but again is not proof if they are from a common supplier or model.

If the trend is consistent, then you can usually make allowance for that. In the case of hypo's it makes sense that the lowest one wins regardless.

I have been double metering for several years now since it allows me to detect misreads and bum samples, I assume you retested to confirm the offset error was endemic.

My SD Codefree was consitently 1.6 mmol/l higher than any other meter I compared against, and my new Navii from the same supplier is currently running 0,8 mmo;/l higher than my Caresense..

 

[EllieM]

My SD Codefree was consitently 1.6 mmol/l higher than any other meter I compared against, and my new Navii from the same supplier is currently running 0,8 mmo;/l higher than my Caresense..

Including at the lower end of the range? When I switched to a caresens from my freestyle lite I noticed it definitely tended to read a bit higher at levels of 10 or so, but mostly agreed at hypo levels (which makes sense if you go by a % rather than a fixed offset).

 

[Oldvatr]

Including at the lower end of the range? When I switched to a caresens from my freestyle lite I noticed it definitely tended to read a bit higher at levels of 10 or so, but mostly agreed at hypo levels (which makes sense if you go by a % rather than a fixed offset).

Yes, the offset also gave me results where the Carsense and my body both agreed that I should not drive, but the Codefree was reporting something like 5.4. I NEVER had a reading where the Codefree was lower than the Caresense or either of my Xceed's or my 2 NEO meters over the 5 or so years I have been parallel testing. My Navii currently has not given me lower reading, although on one occasion I did get them showing the same reading in the last two months. However, my bgl currently is running average around 6.1 mmol/l Thats on the Caresense set of readings, the Navii set is showing an average of 6.7.

So I am not near hypoland. But my 4 hr post prandial tonight was 4.1 on the Caresense and 5.3 on the Navii so a difference of 1.2 mmol/l DVLA advises don't drive under 5 so do I risk it? Or have a snack? I am on gliclazide, so it is somethin I need to be careful about.

 

[ultradad]

I was using a Vivacheck but after almost a year was not finding it reliable, a one point difference on different hands some days for no reason i could think of. As i was paying £24 for 100 strips and lancets i went and had myself a Gluco Navi which quite a few people have recommended and as you dont have to pay VAT on it if your from the uk worked out about 3 pounds more for a new meter, 100 strips and 100 lancets and free delivery. I am finding it alot more consistant with the readings

 

[Oldvatr]

I was using a Vivacheck but after almost a year was not finding it reliable, a one point difference on different hands some days for no reason i could think of. As i was paying £24 for 100 strips and lancets i went and had myself a Gluco Navi which quite a few people have recommended and as you dont have to pay VAT on it if your from the uk worked out about 3 pounds more for a new meter, 100 strips and 100 lancets and free delivery. I am finding it alot more consistant with the readings

I believe the Gluco Navii is manufactured by SD Biosensor, who also make the SD Codefree. My Navii (mentioned in my posts above) is the same meter. It is also suffering from misreads and seems to read high compared to my other meters. It also shows a bigger differenttial when measuring a post prandial reading at 2 hrs, so seems to be sensitive to something in my post meal bloods that my Caresense is not seeing. This is an effect I had with the SD Codefeee too, so it may be something that is endemic to the SD Biosensor technology.

Going back to my meal readings I reported last night, my Caresense and Navii had a 1.2 mmol//l difference at pre meal (fasting) but had a 3.5 mmol/l difference at 2 hrs post meal, and repeat tests at that time confirmed these were solid results, not a misread. This is a consistent pattern I am seeing regularly in both of the SD Biosensor meters compared to the Caresense

But the test strips are cheaper than most so I will live with these foibles.

 

[EllieM]

For what it's worth, the NZ government decided on the caresens brand as the mandated meters for NZ diabetics based on cost and accuracy. With a population of 5 million, we can't afford to pay for multiple meters.