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Using test strips after their expiry date

ButtterflyLady

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,291
Location
New Zealand
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Acceptance of health treatment claims that are not adequately supported by evidence. I dislike it when people sell ineffective and even harmful alternative health products to exploit the desperation of people with chronic illness.
Hi folks

I haven't tested my BG for so long that my test strips have passed their expiry date (oops!). I will need to get a new script for them, and this could take up to a week. In the meantime, I am wondering if I should rely on the readings from these expired test strips or not.

I have test strips that expired in March 2015 and December 2014 respectively. I just tested my BG using a December 2014 expired strip and got the result of 6.7, which seems fine (I had a snack about an hour ago). Honestly I was expecting it to be higher, since I have let things go a bit lately.

I'm using a CareSens II meter, if that's any help.

Thanks.
 
don't know for sure -- my experience with my glucomens meter and test strips would say not to.
I left a tub of strips open on the kitchen counter for about an hour a few weeks ago and using a strip got a reading that suggested i was nowhere near hypo (7.2) when I could feel hypo symptoms
i used a spare optium meter and some strips i had left from that ( i was in the midst of changing over to the new glucomens so had both )
and the optium read me out at 3.4 ( which was how i felt)

i think it is a risk to use out of date strips personally ( just my opinion )
 
You make a good point. Fortunately it doesn't matter too much if my readings are out, being T2, but for a T1, it's a serious issue.
 
hi CatLadyNZ
type does not matter
good control is essential for us all

all the best !
 
himtoo said:
hi CatLadyNZ
type does not matter
good control is essential for us all

all the best !
Click to expand...
Yes, that's true. I'm pretty happy with my control at the moment, since my HbA1c has been in the low 40s/high 30s for some time. I think it is creeping up though, which is why I'm going to self-monitor for a while and cut back on carbs.

I tested before dinner and 2 hours after, and the results were 5.7 then 5.2, so now I know my test strips have definitely gone crazy, lol. I will wait until I get fresh ones before testing again.

Thanks for your help
 
@CatLadyNZ, some bg meters won't accept out of date strips so your lucky (or unlucky) that your does
 
The main thing is to not open or leave open a tub of strips for too long. An un-opened tub should last well beyond the expiry date, ut obviously not guaranteed.
 
CatLadyNZ said:
Hi folks

Honestly I was expecting it to be higher, since I have let things go a bit lately.
Click to expand...

Your blood glucose may have been higher if the test strips are now reading low because they are out of date.

However, FWIW, I used some out of date Accu-Chek Aviva test strips recently and got broadly similar results to in date test strips.

If memory serves, test meters are only required to be within 20% of the actual value to be considered "accurate".

Regards,

Mike
 
Good to know, thanks for that.
 
Daibell said:
The main thing is to not open or leave open a tub of strips for too long. An un-opened tub should last well beyond the expiry date, ut obviously not guaranteed.
Click to expand...
Thanks, that's interesting. I have an unopened tub that only expired in March this year, so maybe they will be more reliable than these ones that have been opened a long time ago.
 
When the meter I had from my surgery gave me readings that I was sure weren't right I used my husband's, together with his expired strips. They gave readings that seemed more reasonable and I then got some new strips and used them and they gave the same sort of readings. However I now have a new machine and the readings on that are different again (even using the new test strips) so in my opinion no two meters give the same readings and although the test strips probably work I wouldn't want to rely on them.
 
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