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Three meters - three different readings.

ChrisQuinn

Member
Messages
8
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I now have three meters - my trusty old Accuchek Active, which I have had for years, a new Accuchek Aviva which I bought about 6 weeks ago when I started on Victoza, and a new Bayer Contour Next USB which I got as a freebie through Facebook.

I decided, out of curiosity to try all three at the same time to see how they compare. At 9.00 this morning , before eating, I used all three meters on blood from the same fingerprick within 30 seconds of each other and the readings were as follows:

  1. Accuchek Active - 9.8
  2. Accuchek Aviva - 10.8
  3. Bayer Contour - 11.7
Why the differences? Which one should I use?
 
I think they are only meant to be accurate to about 20% (or something similar) so these are not unexpected results - it's just how it is with blood glucose testing...
 
ie a reading of 9.8 could represent blood glucose between 8.1 and 12.3, 10.8 between 9 and 13.5 and 11.7 between 9.8 and 14.6 or thereabouts.
 
@ChrisQuinn,
As like me, you are a T2(not on Insulin) I wouldn't worry about the comparative inaccuracies of the meters, rather work with one meter and use the tests to watch for trends in BG i.e a progressive increase in BG or repeated high BG after "Auntie Joan's meat pie"
 
Well, I would find that disturbing -- could be batteries, could be the strip, the lancet-- who knows;
Because of uncertainty, if you repeat this experiment and find the same variations, I would chose the
meter with the lowest number.
 
I get different readings from different fingers on the same hand too!
 
You will most likely get a different reading even using the same meter and same finger. You can also get a different reading from the left hand to the right hand. If in doubt try it with same meter and use the lower reading. I use a Glocomen LX plus and my right hand generally gives a lower reading than my right hand. Just hose the meter you feel comfortable with and stick to that one.
 
Aguila said:
get different readings from different fingers on the same hand too!
Click to expand...
All these testing mean finger pricking how do people cope with them. You must run out of fingers and being extremities are they not also liable to slow healing because of poor blood supply to finger ends
 
lucy jordan said:
All these testing mean finger pricking how do people cope with them. You must run out of fingers and being extremities are they not also liable to slow healing because of poor blood supply to finger ends
Click to expand...
I was told not to inject on the thumb due to giving wrong numbers on BG.The index finger is not to be used too due to getting pain.
So I just use ring finger & little finger& adjust the pen to prick.I found my fingers get cramps off & on & it's very painful.
 
misswhiplash said:
I think they are only meant to be accurate to about 20% (or something similar) so these are not unexpected results - it's just how it is with blood glucose testing...
Click to expand...
you are correct.I did the same with my two machines.First with freestyle freedom lite & then with veriQ gave 2 different figures,one is lower one is higher so i am using the one that gives me the accurate numbers.
Thank you for this info.
 

I've never heard that before. I use all my fingers/thumbs in rotation. You can also use the fleshy mound at the base of the thumb and the forearm. Search on google and youtube for 'alternative test sites' and you will find videoes that show you how to do it. (There might also be info somewhere on this website if you look around.)
 
Amethyst 8 said:
you are correct.I did the same with my two machines.First with freestyle freedom lite & then with veriQ gave 2 different figures,one is lower one is higher so i am using the one that gives me the accurate numbers.
Thank you for this info.
Click to expand...
How do you know which one is the accurate one?
 
Aguila said:
I get different readings from different fingers on the same hand too!
Click to expand...
That's normal. Your blood is not completely homogenous.
 
I use the Freestyle Libre and do a control test every day or do (two blood tests with the Libre and Accucheck Mobile).

Generally there is a 20% range in the blood data, which seems to change with time and batch of the strips.
 
Its hard to say which is correct. But i am willing to bet if you did 3 tests in a row with each of the 3 meters you would still get 9 different results, and if you averaged each of the 3 tests of a single meter together, all of the averages would tell you which is the most accurate.

Would you want to preform this exercise? Probably not. So what should you do ? Nothing. Just pick which ever meter you prefer and know it has an error range.
 
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