[andrews]

Hi again,

I'm a little confused with my blood glucose reading earlier. At present, I use the Freedom Lite monitoring system with Freestyle test stripes.

The reason being that i tested my blood before food 7.2 and 30 mins after food found that my reading had dropped to 7.1.

With this, i tested by blood for a second time to find the reading 8.7. As an experiment for the third time i pricked a different finger and squeezed a good amount of blood to the surface.

This is where it gets strange, i tested the same blood on my finger 3 times with new test strips and 3 times i had different readings of 5.3, 7.9 and 6.9. Is this normal to have a varied reading or how do i get an accurate reading so i know where i am.

Thanks again.
Lee.

 

[diabetes86]

lean fingers?

meters have an accuracy of 20% so actual BG of 7.9 could be as low as 6.32 or as high as 9.48 on the meter

30 minutes after a meal might not be enough time to get the rise in BG. depends on what you ate.

 

[breezeonby]

Hi again,

I'm a little confused with my blood glucose reading earlier. At present, I use the Freedom Lite monitoring system with Freestyle test stripes.

The reason being that i tested my blood before food 7.2 and 30 mins after food found that my reading had dropped to 7.1.

With this, i tested by blood for a second time to find the reading 8.7. As an experiment for the third time i pricked a different finger and squeezed a good amount of blood to the surface.

This is where it gets strange, i tested the same blood on my finger 3 times with new test strips and 3 times i had different readings of 5.3, 7.9 and 6.9. Is this normal to have a varied reading or how do i get an accurate reading so i know where i am.

Thanks again.
Lee.

Most glucose meters can be off as much as 20%. So, you can get different readings. When I test, if I am within my normal range, I use this reading as accurate. If the reading is really out of range, either way too low or high, I test again and use my better judgement as to where my blood sugar might be. You might want to do a control solution test and make sure the batch of test strips are good. If I would get 3 different readings, I would just average those readings and use the average. I know this can be confusing and make you frustrated, but the meters can be off the 20% and still be considered as accurate.

 

[andrews]

Thanks.

So if the blood reading differ by 20%, how can you be sure your safe?

Kind regards

 

[Shanny]

I've done what Breeze describes, and just averaged all the numbers if I got such a wide spread. It's exasperating that the meters can be so far off - wish they'd tighten up the regulations just a bit!

If you find yourself, for some reason, dropping rapidly into deep "lows" territory (like 40 or 50), then it would become a serious issue. Those of us who aren't taking insulin have less risk here, but it IS a problem, and I don't know the solution.

 

[andrews]

Thanks again.

thought i was seeing things when the readings where all over the place.

Kind regards.
Lee

 

[breezeonby]

I had a similar experience with a blood sugar reading using the same finger for more than one test. I tested high at 169 and tested again within 30 seconds, the second readings was 129. And I use a premium meter and it is working just fine. I used the lower reading.

 

[jsntay]

When the nurse was teaching me how to check my bs, she instructed me to wipe the first drop of blood away, milk my finger again and use that drop to test. I did this at first but I usually dont now. Could this have an effect on readings?

 

[breezeonby]

When the nurse was teaching me how to check my bs, she instructed me to wipe the first drop of blood away, milk my finger again and use that drop to test. I did this at first but I usually dont now. Could this have an effect on readings?

That is a good question! I have had several health care professionals wipe the first drop away and squeeze for more, I don't know if they are just doing this because it is what they have been instructed to do or if it really makes a difference. One way to find out is to test drive it. You try first and let us know the results. I am not in the habit of doing that so it will take some time to get used to doing that.

 

[ShottleBop]

According to the National Federation for the Blind:

Many diabetics do not wipe off the first drop of blood after lancing. Years ago, the health community recommended the first drop of blood should be discarded, because it was believed impurities or contamination from rubbing alcohol could affect the test. If your hands are clean, there is no reason to remove the first drop, and if you use rubbing alcohol, there is still no good reason to remove the first drop of blood, because the difference between sample results is insignificant. Many health care teams who deal with diabetes do not wipe off the first sample, but some do. As I said earlier, if alcohol is used, you need to be sure the site is absolutely dry before lancing.

Ronald James, MD, says, "I think if your finger is clean, you don't need to wipe the first drop off."

Note also that folks who find it difficult to get enough blood for the test will find it that much harder if they wipe away the first drop!

 

[breezeonby]

Thanks so much for information. I always wash my hands before testing and I hardly ever use alcohol pads on my fingers. Alcohol will really dry out your fingertips. And as the article states, the second drop of blood can sometimes be more difficult and I know by practice that most times that I will have to re-lance to get more blood.

 

[Shanny]

Thanks, ShottleBop - I had never heard of wiping away the first drop until this. My thinking was along the lines that if I've just gone to all the trouble of washing my hands with warm soapy water, rinsing and then drying them on a clean towel, there sure should be nothing there to contaminate the sample.

 

[jsntay]

According to the National Federation for the Blind:

This would make sense now thinking about it. They never had me wash my hands before checking my bs on doc visits but used an alcohol swab for disinfection. I am surprised since washing hands in warm water seems to be the general recommendation since it stimulates blood flow to the fingertips.

 

[andrews]

Thanks for all your advice,i have now got a second meter as a spare.
Its clear now that testing with these meters are not accurate.

I have tested with both and both give different readings, i have also tested twice usuing both(4 in total) with different strips and had four different readings.

So unfortunately at best, use the meters as a general ball park reading so you have an idea where your at.

Thanks again.
Lee

 

[Guest]

Can't Meters Be As Much As 40% Off..!!?

If my thinking is correct.. doesn't a meter have a accuracy of 20% +- ? If that's the case, then couldn't the meter actually be off as much a 40 points?

Example:

True reading is 100
20% on - side = 80
20% on + side = 120

120 - 80 = 40

Just a thought, so my math may be wrong.

Breeze 2 User

 

[Shanny]

Next time you get lab work done, Lee, take you meters with you & test at the same time as the tech draws your blood. At least this'll give you an idea which one's closest to the the lab results are.

No, your math isn't wrong, B2U . . . a reading of 100, given the 20± leeway allowed for home meters, could be either 80 or 120 - a 40-point spread.

 

[Guest]

I can add my 2 cents with regards to freestyle lite strips .They are extremely inaccurate .I often get 3 different readings in one sitting .I have tried using same blood on 2 diffent strips and using different fingers for blood sample at the same time & i get vastly different readings.
They are fairly expensive in Canada and sometimes it feels liike wasting away money without getting the actual reading. I intend to change my meter soon.

 

[onaughmae]

I really like my meter. I take it with me when I go to the dr and always check it against the lab when they draw my blood. It is never more than 10 points off. I use the One Touch Ultralink.

 

[ValkyrieVixen]

My Freestyle Light meter was 25% off and when I called to ask for a replacement they told me it was within their paramaters. If I was insulin dependant that could be critical!
I got a new meter and it seems a bit better but it always reads higher than my Ultra One Touch Mini did and higher than the one at the doctors office. My insurance will only pay for items from Abbott Labs now so I'm stuck with it.