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Do you use Control Solution ? Advice plz....

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Tee G

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At risk of diabetes
Hi again. As some of you know, i have just started self testing (Standard Gluco Navii.) Im fine with it all and its all going well. But i read in the instructions about using a 'control solution' now and then.I fully understand when to do this. But im a bit confused - On the label on my test strip container its shows level 1 & 2 and ranges 124 -168 mg/dl 6.9 - 9.3 mmo/l and 204 - 276 11.3 - 15.3 respectively..... There are 2 bottles of control solution...blue level 2 and red level 3. Its not clear which one i use with the strips. Ive look online but cant find info to help me understand how it all works. (I am alone with my diabetes, no meds, training, no DN no Dr, other than next HB1Ac due in April).

How can i sort this out - as i want to be able to test my machine for accuracy if and when needed. Any one have experience?.
 
Sorry, never done in 20 years of testing! None of my 4 meters have supplied it in the initial box, suppose I could have got some from manufacturers if I had wanted .......
 
I only ever used them when a meter came with them and that's since 2000 possibly one mabe 2 meters in that time. The 2 control solutions are for checking the meters high and low levels are reading within the correct range. On the bottles it they show what your meter should show what range your meter should report when using the solution and you use both solutions, not on the same test strip..

My opinion is as you are new to this is to leave them alone as you have a lot to go on with as it is. Meters these days are a lot more accurate than they used to be and personally unless you suspect the meter is faulty there is no need to use them.

A lot of meter users would tend to have two meters, so if any problems one would just cross check against the other meter, even so doing two tests straight on top of each other you will still get slightly different results.
 
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Thanks for the info @pav. I wasnt sure to use the red or blue or both! It just wasn't clear. And i only got the solution after reading about it being used sometimes i.e. after opening new test strip box, dropping you Meter (which is did but from only about 5 inches onto the table, it slipped out of my hand!), or getting a reading you were not expecting etc etc and it occurred to me that maybe i should test it now and then, if im going to be that clumsy but honestly the level 2 and level 3 and all those ranges for each thing just confused the beejeebers out of me 😱
 
What you can do and what at a guess a lot of us have is to get a spare meter, a lot of manufactures will happily supply a free spare meter (ask for the same meter that you are using). If you got yours from the GP ask them first, if no luck ring the manufacture.

This gives us the ability to have a main meter and one to carry around with us when out. Over the past year ish I have broke several meters and even managed to lose one, having the spare allows you to carry on testing while a replacement is in the post.
 
I had my meter 7 weeks ago. I have never used the control solution - different meter so has just 1 bottle. From the info. Booklet I understood it to be used if you are getting readings you don't agree with. ? Not sure about that. Novice as you know. Good luck.
 
In all the years I’ve been testing I’ve used the control solution a couple of times. NowI am on insulin I have a spare meter just in case.
 
I think I've only tested my meter once in just over 3 years, its a different meter I've had for a few months now as mine needed replaced but I haven't used the solution on it, I don't think many do and tbh if you read some instructions it advises you use the solution EVERY time you open a new pot of strips 🙄 xx
 
Can’t say I’ve ever heard of it and certainly didn’t come with my meter.
 
SueEK said:
Can’t say I’ve ever heard of it and certainly didn’t come with my meter.
Click to expand...
You can generally contact your meter manufacturer should you require it xx
 
Kaylz said:
You can generally contact your meter manufacturer should you require it xx
Click to expand...
Thanks, when my strips run out I’m actually going to get the codefree meter as the strips are so much cheaper than the one I am using x
 
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