Why the variation in blood sugar readings?

[rosgrech]

I've just taken my blood prior to going to bed and got a reading of 13.0 , so took another - 14.1 :shock: and so took yet another which was 12.6. This is all within a couple of minutes. What's going on?

My dinner tonight consisted of grilled pork chop, one tiny potato, one equally tiny piece of sweet potato, carrots, zukes (zuccini) and broccoli with real veggie stock gravy from the meat juices. Followed by a small nectarine and a desertspoon of greek yoghurt. So not high with carbs although not without either but nothing out the ordinary.

 

[candyfloss]

Previously I have tested twice with the same meter, same area etc within minutes of each other but not had a significant difference, maybe o.1.
Also I have found very little difference with results between forearm and finger.
However I have had wider variations when using different meters at the same time.
e.g. 6.7 to 7.3 and 5.1 to 6.1
How old is your meter? Is this the first time you have noticed these differences? Were the test strips fresh and kept in their box? Just a few questions that come to mind.
Maybe if you could get hold of another meter somehow, do the same test, you might then be able to rule out any meter or test strip malfunction. In fact if you returned the meter to the manufacturers for testing you may find they will replace it for you plus a few strips for free. They dont like losing customers!

 

[theblokefromstoke]

Hi Rosgrech,

My dinner tonight consisted of grilled pork chop, one tiny potato, one equally tiny piece of sweet potato, carrots, zukes (zuccini) and broccoli with real veggie stock gravy from the meat juices. Followed by a small nectarine and a desertspoon of greek yoghurt

I have been diagnosed for 8 months and my readings were 26. Took me weeks to get down to 14 and a couple of months to be under control.

We are all different and things affect us all differently. However, I personally could not eat whatt you have listed. I cannot tolerate potato's at all, although i love them, nor sweet potato's. Brocoli is good so is the pork, carrots in very small portions are ok with me but necatarines arte a complete no no. They all send me into orbit.

Its all about trial and test and don't lose heart you will find your level soon.

Carl

 

[cugila]

I've just taken my blood prior to going to bed and got a reading of 13.0 , so took another - 14.1 :shock: and so took yet another which was 12.6. This is all within a couple of minutes. What's going on? .

What's going on..........is you have made the classic mistake of:
1. Taking more than one reading in quick succession.
2. Thinking that there is something wrong with the meter.

Meters are indicators, despite what some manufacturers try to make out. They are not 'precision instruments.' They are all made to EC tolerances which at present mean that they can vary by as much as ± 10%. Quite a range but all within tolerances.

The first test was 13. So ± 10% could give a reading of between 11.7 - 14.3.......pretty much the exact results you got. So nothing much wrong there then.

We always try to impress on people that by testing more than once unless there is an obvious discrepancy you will just get paranoid about readings and meter's in general. Stiick to one meter, one test and note the readings. That's all you need to do. We have had many, sometimes quite heated discussions on this Forum about meter accuracy and related subjects. If you want meters which are more accurate then tell the manufacturers, Be prepared for a massive hike in prices though.........they wouldn't be giving them away like they do the present ones !

I would be more concerned about why such a high level in the first place ? Look at what you ate and the portion size. Check out exactly what quantity of carbs you consumed and the time between eating and testing. I think therein will give you a clue......carbs affect your Bg levels and I too would baulk at what you ate. Some can manage such things, I certainly couldn't and testing is the thing that shows us what is happening, and what to do about it to get lower readings in the future.

So, it's test, test, test.......just not all at the same time........ :wink:

Ken

 

[noblehead]

Rosgrech,

As long as your bg monitor is coded correctly and you do a control solution check regularly (preferably when you start a new box of strips) I would just go with the first reading, but just remember also to make sure you have washed your hands beforehand as contaminated fingers can give a false reading.

Nigel

 

[bedshaped2000]

im with noblehead on this one. il put money that you had some sort of residue on your fingers from the nectarine. when im on the road and i test sometimes my bgs show very high readings simply because i couldnt wash my hands. 1hour after a packet of crisps normally 6.5. other day i was on a 7.8 got all paniky stopped at the services washed fingers thouroughly low and behold 6.3. got me all paniky though cos i been eating these for ages :lol:

 

[cugila]

Not so sure about that bedshaped. Whilst I agree contamination can affect readings and I can see where you are coming from .......

The Op had dinner much earlier than the post which was at 11.23pm last night. Now she said she had eaten the Nectarine after dinner so there would presumabley have been quite a gap afterwards where you would imagine that most if not all contamination would have gone after such a time. Most of the Women I know wash their hands every time they go anywhere near a kitchen....... :wink: Now if she actually ate the Nectarine and THEN tested I coud go along with that theory. Just a thought !

Ken
aka Poirot !

 

[bedshaped2000]

yep agreed sometimes ive tested and had shocking readings, washed me hands and voila. i am still paranoid even though i know what readings i get and what food i eat i still have to test to set my mind at rest. i think the controlling of diabetes is a lot easier than the mental side it does to you, my personal view before i get slaughtered

 

[cugila]

Yes....I totally agree. It is the mental side as you say, just coming to terms with the fact it's for life is traumatic for some. As for being slaughtered........nah ! Just tell it like it is. As for being paranoid.....I know ALL about that..........apparently.... :twisted: That from a so called friend elsewhere ?? :wink:

Ken

 

[bedshaped2000]

is 25 strips in a day paranoid? :lol:

 

[cugila]

Errr.........maybe just a tad ! :lol:

 

[noblehead]

is 25 strips in a day paranoid? :lol:

Just a little bedshaped! :shock:

In all seriousness, there are days where I can test 10 times a day, this is usually when I am out and about walking in the countryside or when driving long distances, but on the whole around 6-7 times. I wouldn't like to see your finger ends testing 25 a day!

Nigel

 

[rosgrech]

I would be more concerned about why such a high level in the first place ? Look at what you ate and the portion size. Check out exactly what quantity of carbs you consumed and the time between eating and testing. I think therein will give you a clue......carbs affect your Bg levels and I too would baulk at what you ate

Thank you everyone for your comments.

The only reason I took more than the usual one test was that I was surprised at the level. I had practically the same meal the night before (with a steak rather than a pork chop) and my before/after dinner reading was 7.2/8.5. Last night it was 7.3/13.0. Two hours after the nectarine and yoghurt, which was eaten within 20 minutes of the main course.

I have checked my carbs for that meal and the portion size too and the whole meal was approx 29 carbs.

I religiously wash and rinse my hands thoroughly before taking a test. Not always possible when away from home and I steer clear of gel handwashes with alcohol which give a high reading - but this was at home.

I realise that the amount of food sounds extraordinary but they were only small amounts of each vegetable (20g each at most and I DO measure).

I'm not getting paranoid about it all, I just found it odd that it was that high in the first place when it was a regular kind of meal for me which doesn't usually register that high.

I can tolerate a tiny new potato and a tiny piece of sweet potato whereas I have to steer virtually clear of bread and rice which shoot up my levels. It's a constant learning process.