1st time using glucose meter

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Jenny65

Jenny65

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
It arrived today and the first test I pressed the wrong button on the lancet and the needle shot off, second one the blood went on the wrong bit, this time I followed the instructions exactly, but there was no actual number just a frowning face and LO appeared, looked this up and it says it can mean lower than 1.1mmol/ml I am sure that isnt correct and feel fine, can I ask if the number didnt appear and just the frown and LO could it be the sample of blood wasnt enough to register a correct reading?
 
Its the CORE glucose monitor im using
 
Jenny65 said:
could it be the sample of blood wasnt enough to register a correct reading?
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I guess so. I think most glucometers give a more specific error for that, but maybe this one doesn't. (I don't see an indication in the manual for it.)

Just in case, here's a generic video on how to do it (though I assume you've done it right, except perhaps for getting enough blood):

Presuming this is the right meter, the user manual suggests using a control solution for your first test: https://www.medigenix.co.uk/user/OKmeter Core User Guide.pdf

(I'm assuming that means the kit comes with the control solution. If it doesn't then that's not such a good suggestion!)
 
I did what she said in the youtube but I think my blood wasnt as much, I wonder if not enough blood gives a LO reading as that would make sense.
 
Also I am pretty certain my blood sugar isnt low. I had a very balanced day today, 1112 cal, 10.4g sat fat, 103g carbs, 4.7 sugar, 31.5 fibre, 95.8 protein, 3.62 salt 5 of my 5 a day - slightly under on my water though, only 3 glasses out of my normal 8
 
I got given a brand new GlucoRx Nexus meter and strips from Drs. I have to say it picks up on reasonably low blood spot. My others never did. So it does take a bit of getting used to. Suggestion you keep a logbook of readings and when they were taken so you have a better idea of where you are going with your efforts.
 
Moemoff said:
I have to say it picks up on reasonably low blood spot.
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My Accu-chek glucometer did, too, and it took me a couple of goes before I got used to my Freestyle reader which needs quite a bit more blood (also it took me a couple of goes to get the test strip in the right way).
 
@Jenny65 , if you washed your hands before pricking your finger, you could have had a wet finger when the blood came out, and diluted it.

I feel pretty confident if your bloods were low enough to accurately record a true reading of "lo", you would have been feeling more than a little "off".
 
My first meter (sinocare) used to say lo when I hadn’t applied the blood correctly.
 
I tried my Core meter for the first time yesterday too(it took me ages to get the battery in :rofl:). It worked fine. I massaged my finger until there was a reasonable blob of blood. The instructions do say not to smear the blood around, if that is any help. Although the instructions talked about control solution, I didn't find any in the kit.
 
Eva66 said:
I tried my Core meter for the first time yesterday too(it took me ages to get the battery in :rofl:). It worked fine. I massaged my finger until there was a reasonable blob of blood. The instructions do say not to smear the blood around, if that is any help. Although the instructions talked about control solution, I didn't find any in the kit.
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I had a reading on waking this morning. 8.4, which is a worry for a fasting level. I dont take any medication or insulin yet but bought a meter to see what happens before and after meals, I have now just eaten breakfast so will test again at 10am.

Anyone know if insomnia can cause issues with glucose, Since the menopause I sleep very little at night, get my head down about 3am and up at 6am, it got worse over lockdown, just wondering if you dont sleep will your levels rise? Last night I worked on a project for work until 1.45am and then couldnt sleep immediately, managed to doze off about 3 and was up at 5.58am. This is a typical pattern since working from home, I dont seem to switch off and if I know there is a report that needs doing I will continue to work on it all night..not good I know but its made me wonder if being awake most of the night for the last 2 years could have contributed to my diabetes diagnoses. I havent had my first appointment with the diabetes nurse, its next week on 11th August so will also ask her but I did think about this as my daughter said my cortisol levels would be affected by the little sleep I have.
 
Jenny65 said:
I had a reading on waking this morning. 8.4, which is a worry for a fasting level. I dont take any medication or insulin yet but bought a meter to see what happens before and after meals, I have now just eaten breakfast so will test again at 10am.

Anyone know if insomnia can cause issues with glucose, Since the menopause I sleep very little at night, get my head down about 3am and up at 6am, it got worse over lockdown, just wondering if you dont sleep will your levels rise? Last night I worked on a project for work until 1.45am and then couldnt sleep immediately, managed to doze off about 3 and was up at 5.58am. This is a typical pattern since working from home, I dont seem to switch off and if I know there is a report that needs doing I will continue to work on it all night..not good I know but its made me wonder if being awake most of the night for the last 2 years could have contributed to my diabetes diagnoses. I havent had my first appointment with the diabetes nurse, its next week on 11th August so will also ask her but I did think about this as my daughter said my cortisol levels would be affected by the little sleep I have.
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Don't get too hung up on it for a few days. There's likely to be a bit of extra tension around. It takes a bit of getting used to - sticking a lancet in your finger! I used to count down from 5 to press the button. :D

You're more interested in looking towards trends than actual single numbers, unless you ate something out of the ordinary.
Some people find their waking blood sugars are higher than they would expect, bearing in mind it's usually been several hours since they last ate.

Our bodies are very clever, in that they get on with a bit of prep for us getting up, before or around the time we wake; releasing some stored glucose, ready for that "get up and go".

Just take it steady for a few days. Note down the numbers, but don't get hung up on any given number. Should you encounter any VERY high numbers, wash and dry your hands and test again, just in case you have something on your fingers.

It'll be fine. you may find you still need to make a few tweaks to your way of eating, but this is how you get valuable insight into what works for YOU.
 
Can I just add to @AndBreathe's comment about not getting too hung up on single readings? Now you have figured out how to get readings it is a good idea to figure out what you are going to measure and how you are going to record the readings and put them to good use.

Can I suggest that to start with you forget about apps and the clever stuff and get a notebook and a pencil. Make a note of the time and the date you take a reading every time you take one. If you are testing the effect of a meal, then write down the before time and date, the after time and date and what you ate.

Do this for a month or so and see what patterns you can see. One good marker is the reading you get immediately you wake up. It tells you roughly where you are and over a week or two you can see whether it is trending upwards or downwards or staying about the same. If you are checking on the effect of food then test before eating and the same time afterwards. Don't expect the same meal to give you the same rise every time, it will not. What you are looking for is foods that give you particularly big rises reasoably consistently. Those are the things that are good to avoid.

Don't expect instant miraculous insights! Dogged determination is what gives you the real benefits from testing which when used with the right frame of mind will be by far the best tool in your toolbox for getting things under control.
 
not sure if your meter comes with an app, if it doesn't the mysugr app (free version) will let you put your bg in and other stuff to keep tabs on it. I think you can tag pre and post meal on readings and record what you ate and carb content. I do have pro version so not 100% on free version features
https://www.mysugr.com/en/
(has app store links on there)

(or do as docb suggests above and log it with pen and paper)
 
Thanks for your replies, I have just taken it again, 2 hours after having my breakfast and it is 11.1

So at 7am it was 8.4 and then I had breakfast just before 8 and its increased by almost 3, is that normal for a rise after eating and when should I next test it? @gll
 
Jenny65 said:
Thanks for your replies, I have just taken it again, 2 hours after having my breakfast and it is 11.1

So at 7am it was 8.4 and then I had breakfast just before 8 and its increased by almost 3, is that normal for a rise after eating and when should I next test it? @gll
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Some people find it important to do their morning reading as soon as they wake up before the even get out of bed and potter around as blood glucose can rise as soon as the do so, often referred to as foot on the floor syndrome.
If they are then testing the effect of their breakfast food then they would need to retest to get an accurate before food reading.
Your post breakfast reading is a bit high for comfort as you should be aiming for a 2 hour post meal reading of 8-8.5mmol/l.
If levels are generally higher than that then no more than a 2-3mmol/l increase from the meal after 2 hours is OK.
I would say that your breakfast was probably a bit too high carb for you to tolerate.
What did you have?

Just thinking that you might try tackling one meal at a time, so get breakfast sorted and then move to testing Dinner or whichever would be your meal most likely to have more carbs.
 
I had porridge and berries, I know its got carbs but I was told it would help as I have very high cholesterol too and not on any medication for it yet (waiting list for Lipid Clinic is 8 months)
 
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