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Bit off a weird one

Woodywoodpecker

Woodywoodpecker

Well-Known Member
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Type 1
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She/Her
Bit off a weird one tonight. Libre alarm went off 4.7 done a finger prick right hand 15.7 thought that can’t be right, so did other hand 4.7 Libre then 2.9. Didn’t read wrong as my niece was here we couldn’t believe it. Anyone else ever experienced this or just me
 
Sounds like perhaps you had a bit of contamination on your fingers or you got a very rogue test strip. I assume your levels are dropping if Libre is now reporting them at 2.9. Hopefully you have had some carbs to nudge it up a bit.
 
Test another couple of times and if it's miles out rip it off and start again - go on Abbott website, fill in the online form and they will always replace it (even with one or two days to go) - mine usually go the other way though so seems unusual
 
mashedupmatt said:
Test another couple of times and if it's miles out rip it off and start again - go on Abbott website, fill in the online form and they will always replace it (even with one or two days to go) - mine usually go the other way though so seems unusual
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Thank you
 
Sounds like the 15.7 was just a rogue reading @Woodywoodpecker ?

Meter manufacturers always say that if a reading doesn’t seem likely you should recheck with another strip. And follow instructions about washing hands etc.

Were the 4.7 and 2.9 really close together time-wise?
 
@mashedupmatt I understood it to be the first test strip that was a mile out at 15.7 and the Libre and second test strip agreed on 4.7 but levels were obviously dropping a bit hence the low alarm going off and continuing to drop which will be why the Libre then gave a 2.9, so I wouldn't say the Libre has an issue. It seems like it is working pretty well.

@Woodywoodpecker Fatty meals are often slow to release their glucose and some people split their dose for them (inject some before the meal and the rest an hour or two later) to prevent dropping low during or just after the meal.
 
I rarely wash my hands before testing and I had an odd high one once and when I thought back I had been chopping onions earlier. You wouldn't think onion juice would be particularly high in glucose but compared to blood it probably is. You can get contamination from the most unlikely sources.
 
rebrascora said:
@mashedupmatt I understood it to be the first test strip that was a mile out at 15.7 and the Libre and second test strip agreed on 4.7 but levels were obviously dropping a bit hence the low alarm going off and continuing to drop which will be why the Libre then gave a 2.9, so I wouldn't say the Libre has an issue. It seems like it is working pretty well.

@Woodywoodpecker Fatty meals are often slow to release their glucose and some people split their dose for them (inject some before the meal and the rest an hour or two later) to prevent dropping low during or just after the meal.
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Thank you was as about an hour and a half after eating, but might be worth trying that next time. Don’t have one very often, but in past have taken 6 units and been ok
 
Woodywoodpecker said:
had a chippy tea tonight must have taken to much insulin
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I find it helps with a chippy treat to split the insulin dose. I have a bit more than half up front, then the rest an hour or two later. Helps to spread the action of the insulin to match the slower/longer absorption of the meal.

How did things go overnight… did your levels keep rising and rising later on?
 
rebrascora said:
I rarely wash my hands before testing and I had an odd high one once and when I thought back I had been chopping onions earlier. You wouldn't think onion juice would be particularly high in glucose but compared to blood it probably is. You can get contamination from the most unlikely sources.
Click to expand...

rebrascora said:
I rarely wash my hands before testing and I had an odd high one once and when I thought back I had been chopping onions earlier. You wouldn't think onion juice would be particularly high in glucose but compared to blood it probably is. You can get contamination from the most unlikely sources.
Click to expand...

everydayupsanddowns said:
I find it helps with a chippy treat to split the insulin dose. I have a bit more than half up front, then the rest an hour or two later. Helps to spread the action of the insulin to match the slower/longer absorption of the meal.

How did things go overnight… did your levels keep rising and rising later on?
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Thank you will try this next time, if there’s a next time bit put off now. Yes think I was up about 12 later on, just thought stuff it and went to sleep
 
helli said:
When I was first diagnose, I was advised that newspaper print contains glucose so to wash my hands after reading the paper.
It's not a problem for me now because I read the news online but I guess it could still be an issue for the traditionalists.
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Would never have thought paper would have glucose on it, learn something new everyday. It was my thumb I tested, was told today not to use thumb
 
Woodywoodpecker said:
It was my thumb I tested, was told today not to use thumb
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I wonder why that is.
I rarely use my thumb because it is a bit awkward but I think of it as my "backup" if a finger is out of action. For example, when I trapped my finger in the car door and lost my finger nail, I didn't want to go anywhere near it with a lancet device. But my thumb was fine instead.
 
was telling a lassie at work about my high reading, she’s type 2 and said your not ment to use thumb just index ones
 
Woodywoodpecker said:
was telling a lassie at work about my high reading, she’s type 2 and said your not ment to use thumb just index ones
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There used to be a fear of using certain fingers because you might damage your finger pads which are need to read braille when you lose your eye sight due to badly managed diabetes.
I think this is an old wives' tale which may be rolled out every now and then to scare people but my finger pads are fine after finger pricking for 20 years sometimes 10 times a day and my eyesight is fine because I manage my diabetes by keeping an eye on my BG.
I have not heard any reason to avoid thumbs.
So I am an equal opportunity finger pricker who thinks of my thumbs as "occasional workers" :D
 
Woodywoodpecker said:
was telling a lassie at work about my high reading, she’s type 2 and said your not ment to use thumb just index ones
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Why would you just use your index finger when you have plenty of other fingers? I would have thought that that would be the one you would need for Braille, so best avoided, just in case.
Personally I use my ring and little fingers mostly because the skin is softer and they are usually the least dirty when I am working up at the stables or in the garden or paddocks and don't have any washing facilities easily available.
I would ask this woman why she just uses her index finger? My bet is that she was told to by a practice nurse but not given a reason. Will be interested if she does have an explanation though.
 
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