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Use of Control Solutions

Mr_Pot

Mr_Pot

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,573
Location
Berkshire
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Can you deduce anything from control solutions apart from the fact that your meter isn't actually broken? My new Tee2 has a solution which has a range of 5.9 to 8.9 which is +/- 20% of the centre point of 7.4. When I tried it, the reading was 8.4 does this mean my meter reads 1 mmol/L high?
 
I have no idea, I never use control solution, but my eyes caught hold of the +/- 20% bit.

In 2013 new, tighter accuracy standards (ISO: 15197:2013) were drawn up, requiring that 95% of blood glucose results should reach the following standard

  • Within ± 0.83 mmol/L of laboratory results at concentrations of under 5.6 mmol/L
    (Within ± 15 mg/dl of laboratory results at concentrations of under 100 mg/dL)
  • Within ± 20% of laboratory results at concentrations of 5.6 mmol/L (100 mg/dL) or more
The 2013 guidelines also now stipulate that 99% of readings must fall within zones A and B of the Consensus Error Grid for type 1 diabetes.
 
Hi Mr pot it's funny you should ask this question I wasn't to sure about this my self so I phoned my meter company and had a word pleasent lady told me to go by what's on the side of test strips tube if the numbers are within this range then meter should be fine not certain if all test strip tubes have this on but mine does? This may help hope so let us know .
 
Dairygrade said:
Hi Mr pot it's funny you should ask this question I wasn't to sure about this my self so I phoned my meter company and had a word pleasent lady told me to go by what's on the side of test strips tube if the numbers are within this range then meter should be fine not certain if all test strip tubes have this on but mine does? This may help hope so let us know .
Click to expand...
My test strips have the control range on the tub, which is where I got the above figures from. The control solution just says Control A on the bottle. Suppose my BG is actually 7.4 then the meter could read anywhere between 5.9 and 8.9 which is pretty useless for tight control.
 
Mr_Pot said:
My test strips have the control range on the tub, which is where I got the above figures from. The control solution just says Control A on the bottle. Suppose my BG is actually 7.4 then the meter could read anywhere between 5.9 and 8.9 which is pretty useless for tight control.
Click to expand...

I believe all it means is that as it was within the 5.9 to 8.9 range, the meter is working correctly within that range, and not broken. I'm afraid we all have to put up with these meter foibles, but its all we have at the moment.

I have seen on here and elsewhere that the TEE2 and the Codefree read much the same as each other, on average. As it is well known on this forum that the Codefree reads high, on average, I can only assume so does the TEE2.
 
Mr pot. I agree not to good for tight control but suppose it's best they can do? keep well.
 
I have both a code free and a new Tee2 and the Tee2 is reading over a point higher than the code free . I'm now liking my code free more !! I did do the test solution on the Tee2 and it was within range so will keep it as a back up
 
I have a Tee2 and a glucoRX Nexus. At lower levels they are fairly consistent, but for higher numbers the Tee2 reads much higher than the nexus. Both are in range according to their control solutions. I have put the Tee2 away -mainly because I find it difficult to read.
 
Hi, I have the one touch select plus an it reads within the range on the side of the bottle which is 5.4-7.3mmol/l,
I only control test if my readings move significantly.
 
Hi, I've just got the Tee2+ (new to Type2). I haven't ordered the control solution yet! Do I need to have the control solution, is it essential for calibrating the monitor or can I just crack on without? Thanks in advance once again. :)
 
Eddie65 said:
Hi, I've just got the Tee2+ (new to Type2). I haven't ordered the control solution yet! Do I need to have the control solution, is it essential for calibrating the monitor or can I just crack on without? Thanks in advance once again. :)
Click to expand...
There is no way of calibrating the monitor so just crack on. I haven't felt the need to use control solution since I started this thread 4 years ago.
 
Mr_Pot said:
Can you deduce anything from control solutions apart from the fact that your meter isn't actually broken? My new Tee2 has a solution which has a range of 5.9 to 8.9 which is +/- 20% of the centre point of 7.4. When I tried it, the reading was 8.4 does this mean my meter reads 1 mmol/L high?
Click to expand...
No it just mean your meter is working within its designed parameters you may find the next pot of strips you have may read differently as it may also do at differ t temperatures etc
 
searley said:
No it just mean your meter is working within its designed parameters you may find the next pot of strips you have may read differently as it may also do at differ t temperatures etc
Click to expand...
Just as well I didn't wait 4 years for an answer! :)
 
In the seven years I have been using various brands of meter from Acu-Chek, Abbott, Contour. I have never used control solution.

I have had one one meter, a Contour Next One that I could see was reading wrong against my Abbott Freedom Lite, so I binned it. The Contour Next meter I am using now is reading about the same as my Abbott.
 
I bought the Accu-Chek Mobile out of haste one day, it was the only one available in Boots.
Best machine I ever bought, been accurate to +/- 0.2 mmol/L of lab draws.
It's the one with the cassette instead of the strips.
Expensive though if you test multiple times a day, works out about 50p a test.

Found the Codefree was a turkey shoot depending on the batch of strips.
 
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