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Weird meter readings

lucylocket61

lucylocket61

Expert
Messages
6,394
Location
Wrexham
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I have been using my SD Codefree meter for a couple of years. It's my third one in a decade. It's been fine all the way along

The past couple months or so I have been having very high (for me) readings. Eg a 6 point difference between before and after readings. My meals haven't changed, so I assumed my diabetes is now out of control.

However, I am now wondering if it might be my meter. The test strips are in date and part of the same batch as before my reading went high.

I don't always go high, today, I had my usual tuna salad, and there was less than a point difference in before and after.

Any ideas? I don't want to take meds if it could be my meter. My hba1c hasn't changed for over a year. If I was often going into the teens, wouldn't that show on my hba1c last month?
 
I binned off my SD Codefree due to inaccurate readings. Different batches of sticks could vary by +/- 1.5mmol/L.
I measured 6.1 on a fasting reading 5 mins after the lab draw that came back as 4.7
The control solution is no good too due to large range.
I believe most pharmacys have a meter to hand to take a reading, you could call in & ask them
 
You could get a test solution (usually available from the manufacturer because it is specific to the meter).
Or you could test someone you know does not have diabetes.
 
It might be worth you getting hold of another meter and a batch of strips to compare, or if you haven’t already taken advantage of the 2 week free Libre trial, now might be a good time.
 
I must admit I fell out of love with my SD Code free, and converted to the Caresens Dual. My Code Free started to give inconsistent readings after about 18 months use especially between different batches of strips. Maybe it might be worth trying Home Health’s newer Gluco Navii which seems to get good reviews
 
lucylocket61 said:
My hba1c hasn't changed for over a year. If I was often going into the teens, wouldn't that show on my hba1c last month?
Click to expand...
It would, yes, if it happens often enough and if it stays high for a while.
I'm with @Goonergal on taking the Libre free trial.
Although the Libre is a little less accurate than blood for most, it will show you very informative patterns.
 
I can't bear the thought of a Libre in me. I just can't. Sorry. The Navil looks possibly interesting. @Rachox , are there any discount codes for it please!
 
lucylocket61 said:
I can't bear the thought of a Libre in me. I just can't. Sorry. The Navil looks possibly interesting. @Rachox , are there any discount codes for it please!
Click to expand...

This one worked for me, although I needed to ring them as initially it wouldn’t work. They were helpful on the phone:

If you use this link and select the meter plus 5 packs of strips and then add the code dcuk (all lower case) at check-out, you’ll get the meter free.

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/

Total for 5 packs + meter should be £31.76 - you can select free postage too. Their check out isn’t the most obvious so you need to look for the box and check the discount has been applied.
 
lucylocket61 said:
I can't bear the thought of a Libre in me. I just can't. Sorry.
Click to expand...
Don't be sorry! It's alright to not feel well with the thought of something in your arm, no matter how much others say it doesn't bother them. We're not you!
And yes, getting another meter and testing against it sounds like a sound approach as well. :)
 
Goonergal said:
This one worked for me, although I needed to ring them as initially it wouldn’t work. They were helpful on the phone:

If you use this link and select the meter plus 5 packs of strips and then add the code dcuk (all lower case) at check-out, you’ll get the meter free.

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/

Total for 5 packs + meter should be £31.76 - you can select free postage too. Their check out isn’t the most obvious so you need to look for the box and check the discount has been applied.
Click to expand...
thank you, I have ordered this.
 
To me, it makes sense to be very very sure of my readings before taking meds. I dont mind taking them if I have too, but not until I have to.
 
lucylocket61 said:
I can't bear the thought of a Libre in me. I just can't. Sorry. The Navil looks possibly interesting. @Rachox , are there any discount codes for it please!
Click to expand...

Lucy, this is what I have:

"....20% off 5 packs of strips = navii5

25% off 5 packs of strips = navii10

Free meter with purchase of 2 packs of strips (from this link) = dcuk...."

As that is copied from an email, the embedded link is: https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/

As I understand it, the code is "dcuk".

I hope that helps.
 
One thing I noticed with my meter is that readings start to seem weird just before the battery dies. Just a thought have you checked your battery?.
 
DCB 2 said:
One thing I noticed with my meter is that readings start to seem weird just before the battery dies. Just a thought have you checked your battery?.
Click to expand...
Brilliant idea. I changed my battery three days ago and its working properly now.
 
No problem glad to help ...... Just for everyone's information glucose calculate blood sugar by running a current through a sample creating a signal which is measured. If the battery starts dying the signal is unpredictable...... If I start get wonky readings, it is an industry term' I always check the battery first .......
 
DCB 2 said:
No problem glad to help ...... Just for everyone's information glucose calculate blood sugar by running a current through a sample creating a signal which is measured. If the battery starts dying the signal is unpredictable...... If I start get wonky readings, it is an industry term' I always check the battery first .......
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing that really useful informational titbit. (Now I'm off to post in another thread where a forumite was complaining about the same thing. :))
 
Rachox said:
I must admit I fell out of love with my SD Code free, and converted to the Caresens Dual. My Code Free started to give inconsistent readings after about 18 months use especially between different batches of strips. Maybe it might be worth trying Home Health’s newer Gluco Navii which seems to get good reviews
Click to expand...
I have just swapped from Codefree to the Navii and am still getting bum shows. The Codefree consistently used to read between 1.4 and 1.8 mmol; higher than the Caresense Dual on the same oilwell. I also noted that the difference between it and the Caresense Dual meter increased after a meal, so the Codefree is reacting to something in my blood that increases due to the meal and which is not glucose. The Navii does exactly the same, but the offset difference on the fasting level is only averaging 0,8 mmol.l so far in the month I have done comparing all three meters at the same Last chance Saloon. The navii does sem to be slightly better behaved, but has given me misreads of the order of 4 mmol;l difference post meal. Not impressed. I rely more on the Caresense since it is more repeatable and not so jumpy.

Edit to add:
I have done parallel testing with the Codefree for several years now, and I have compared it to 2 Abbott XCEED meters, an Abbott NEO meter, and Accuchek and the Caresense. In EVERY case, the Codefree showed the fixed offset problem and never read lower than the other meters. Not only that, but the Caresense I use now tracked very well against those other meters usually within 1mmo/l on all readings. So I consider that the SD Biosense manufactured meters (Codefree and Navii) are calibrated to a different standard. They say they are plasma calibrated, but act like they are whole blood calibrated. PS I have actually had 2 Codefrees since one broke, and they both had the same problems.
 
Last edited:
lucylocket61 said:
I have been using my SD Codefree meter for a couple of years. It's my third one in a decade. It's been fine all the way along

The past couple months or so I have been having very high (for me) readings. Eg a 6 point difference between before and after readings. My meals haven't changed, so I assumed my diabetes is now out of control.

However, I am now wondering if it might be my meter. The test strips are in date and part of the same batch as before my reading went high.

I don't always go high, today, I had my usual tuna salad, and there was less than a point difference in before and after.

Any ideas? I don't want to take meds if it could be my meter. My hba1c hasn't changed for over a year. If I was often going into the teens, wouldn't that show on my hba1c last month?
Click to expand...
It may be your meter. The strips use gold finger contacts, and the socket in the meter may be suffering corrosion or wear and may be giving poor connectivity. Ask if it can be replaced since you do not have confidence in it now.
 
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