- Messages
- 4,435
- Location
- Suffolk, UK
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
- Dislikes
- Diet drinks - the artificial sweeteners taste vile.
Having to forswear foods I have loved all my life.
Trying to find low carb meals when eating out.
I know that there are warnings on the site about this, but I find I start believing my test strips especially when they give what looks like good news.
Between batches I seemed to have suddenly upped my BG levels (which may be true as there is a lot going on at the moment).
I have a FreeStyle Freedom Lite and they send you a free test solution kit on request to check out your meter.
I had the usual confusion because I couldn't find anything on the solution bottles to say what value they should be.
In fact, this information doesn't seem to be published anywhere.
After checking with Abbott I realised that the acceptable range for the test strips with test solution is printed on the individual box of strips.
Now comes the scary bit.
The box says:
High.................................13.8 - 20.7 mmol/L
Low...................................1.7 - 3.3 mmol/L
That is one heck of a range, especially the 'High'.
I take this to mean that (assuming that the correct reading is in the middle) the true values should be
High....................................17.25 mmol/L................max difference 3.45................percentage +/- 20%
Low......................................2.5 mmol/L....................max difference 0.8..................percentage +/- 32%
A bit more accuracy further up the scale, but still.......
If we assume +/- 20% (for the sake of argument) in the range 5 mmol/L to 10 mmol/L, then a true value would be within acceptable range of the test strips if it showed
5 mmo/L....................................4 - 6 mmol/L
6 mmol/L...................................4.8-7.2 mmol/L
7 mmol-L...................................5.6-8.4 mmol/L
8 mmol/L...................................6.4-9.6 mmol/L
9 mmol/L...................................7.2 - 10.8 mmol/L
10 mmol/L..................................8 - 12 mmol/L
Which makes sobering reading when you look at it.
I am assuming that most strips will test somewhere along the middle line, but batches would be 'in spec' which gave you a reading with quite a different message.
Just looking at the 7 mmol/L you could test at 5.6 (which would make you feel virtuous) or 8.4 (which wouldn't).
My test strip calibration readings were High 18.1 Low 2.7 which may suggest a slightly pessimistic view of my BG compared to standard.
Unfortunately I didn't test my last batch to see where in the range they fell.
So the message to me is that you can use a batch of strips to compare progress when using that batch, but unless you calibrate each time you start a new box of strips then you cannot compare with any great confidence between the batches.
I am trying to resist a spreadsheet which shows the maximum variation of each reading and the probable real value based on the calibration test.
I have to remember that these meters are just not that accurate.
Oh, last batch was High 13.8-20.7 Low 2.2-3.9.
High range the same but low range significantly different.
Cheers
LGC
Between batches I seemed to have suddenly upped my BG levels (which may be true as there is a lot going on at the moment).
I have a FreeStyle Freedom Lite and they send you a free test solution kit on request to check out your meter.
I had the usual confusion because I couldn't find anything on the solution bottles to say what value they should be.
In fact, this information doesn't seem to be published anywhere.
After checking with Abbott I realised that the acceptable range for the test strips with test solution is printed on the individual box of strips.
Now comes the scary bit.
The box says:
High.................................13.8 - 20.7 mmol/L
Low...................................1.7 - 3.3 mmol/L
That is one heck of a range, especially the 'High'.
I take this to mean that (assuming that the correct reading is in the middle) the true values should be
High....................................17.25 mmol/L................max difference 3.45................percentage +/- 20%
Low......................................2.5 mmol/L....................max difference 0.8..................percentage +/- 32%
A bit more accuracy further up the scale, but still.......
If we assume +/- 20% (for the sake of argument) in the range 5 mmol/L to 10 mmol/L, then a true value would be within acceptable range of the test strips if it showed
5 mmo/L....................................4 - 6 mmol/L
6 mmol/L...................................4.8-7.2 mmol/L
7 mmol-L...................................5.6-8.4 mmol/L
8 mmol/L...................................6.4-9.6 mmol/L
9 mmol/L...................................7.2 - 10.8 mmol/L
10 mmol/L..................................8 - 12 mmol/L
Which makes sobering reading when you look at it.
I am assuming that most strips will test somewhere along the middle line, but batches would be 'in spec' which gave you a reading with quite a different message.
Just looking at the 7 mmol/L you could test at 5.6 (which would make you feel virtuous) or 8.4 (which wouldn't).
My test strip calibration readings were High 18.1 Low 2.7 which may suggest a slightly pessimistic view of my BG compared to standard.
Unfortunately I didn't test my last batch to see where in the range they fell.
So the message to me is that you can use a batch of strips to compare progress when using that batch, but unless you calibrate each time you start a new box of strips then you cannot compare with any great confidence between the batches.
I am trying to resist a spreadsheet which shows the maximum variation of each reading and the probable real value based on the calibration test.
I have to remember that these meters are just not that accurate.
Oh, last batch was High 13.8-20.7 Low 2.2-3.9.
High range the same but low range significantly different.
Cheers
LGC
