Fighting as hard as I can

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Leadinglights said:
No real difference between those readings.
If you are self funding then those monitors do have some of the more expensive test strips.
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Thanks for reassuring reply. Again, I'm not so worried about cost. I'm more worried about accuracy of the readers. I pay 12 quid for 50 strips and 50 lancets. I'm looking up the others suggested here. (I think I test too much, average twice a day over the last year)
 
Ejuicey said:
Thanks for reassuring reply. Again, I'm not so worried about cost. I'm more worried about accuracy of the readers. I pay 12 quid for 50 strips and 50 lancets. I'm looking up the others suggested here. (I think I test too much, average twice a day over the last year)
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In the early days following diagnosis people often test many times a day to establish what meals and foods they can tolerate so can be using many strips a day which is why cost is important. They will test before they eat and after 2 hours and also do a fasting /morning reading and if they feel unwell. Later on then that will reduce to only testing new meals or foods and they will just check every so often to make sure they keep on track, whether that be every day or every week.
 
Leadinglights said:
In the early days following diagnosis people often test many times a day to establish what meals and foods they can tolerate so can be using many strips a day which is why cost is important. They will test before they eat and after 2 hours and also do a fasting /morning reading and if they feel unwell. Later on then that will reduce to only testing new meals or foods and they will just check every so often to make sure they keep on track, whether that be every day or every week.
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You make a lot of sense, it sounds like me., thanks for the reply
 
Ejuicey said:
I notice you've been reduced on metformin, same as me. Good luck
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Yes, over a year ago. I was told I could stop it completely to ‘see what happens’ last July, but I decided to stick with it.

I’m not entirely convinced 500mg has a huge effect, though!

Levels seem pretty good, generally low when fasting and I rarely see a reading over. 7.0, even when having something like a naan bread.
 
harbottle said:
Yes, over a year ago. I was told I could stop it completely to ‘see what happens’ last July, but I decided to stick with it.

I’m not entirely convinced 500mg has a huge effect, though!

Levels seem pretty good, generally low when fasting and I rarely see a reading over. 7.0, even when having something like a naan bread.
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That's excellent, and you're encouraging me. Thank you, and good luck
 
Ejuicey said:
4.6 on one, 5 on another.
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Ah...! The illusion of decimal point accuracy :D

There's a little table on the 'useful links' thread which I'll post below, which gives examples of results variance that falls within the % accuracy required under the ISO specification. The gaps can get quite wide - especially at higher levels!

And of course, 5% of the time BG meters can have duff strips that read anything at all 😱

BG meter accuracy
It can be quite disconcerting for members new to self monitoring of blood glucose to get different results from BG readings taken close together, even when carefully following manufacturers guidance (washing hands etc). All meters for sale in the UK should comply with the following ISO standards 95% of the time, which allows a degree of variation (and 5% of results can read anything at all). If in any doubt, or if a reading doesn’t match how you are feeling, you should check again with a fresh strip.

Permitted blood glucose meter variation, upper and lower bounds, from range of BG results


The secret really is to treat them as useful information... but recognise that the results are 'ish' rather than pinpoint accurate 🙂
 
Ejuicey said:
4.6 on one, 5 on another
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I have a OneTouch Reveal. A calibration solution is available. I presume it could be used to test any brand of strip and/or meter. I've never done it.
 
Transistor said:
I have a OneTouch Reveal. A calibration solution is available. I presume it could be used to test any brand of strip and/or meter. I've never done it.
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The test solution actually has quite a broad range for the test strips. If you look at your pot of test strips it will have a range or perhaps 2 or 3 ranges for test solutions.

My Caresens test strips have a low range which is 2.9 - 3.7, so the low control solution should read within that range and the high range is 11.1-15.1 so the high control solution should fall within that very broad range, which just reinforces the fact that they are not that accurate, when the known solution has to read between those values.

They used to recommend in the instruction manual that you tested a strip from each new pot that you opened and I used to do that, but haven't done it for years now.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Ah...! The illusion of decimal point accuracy :D

There's a little table on the 'useful links' thread which I'll post below, which gives examples of results variance that falls within the % accuracy required under the ISO specification. The gaps can get quite wide - especially at higher levels!

And of course, 5% of the time BG meters can have duff strips that read anything at all 😱

BG meter accuracy
It can be quite disconcerting for members new to self monitoring of blood glucose to get different results from BG readings taken close together, even when carefully following manufacturers guidance (washing hands etc). All meters for sale in the UK should comply with the following ISO standards 95% of the time, which allows a degree of variation (and 5% of results can read anything at all). If in any doubt, or if a reading doesn’t match how you are feeling, you should check again with a fresh strip.

Permitted blood glucose meter variation, upper and lower bounds, from range of BG results


The secret really is to treat them as useful information... but recognise that the results are 'ish' rather than pinpoint accurate 🙂
Click to expand...
Excellent post, thank you muchly
 
Now I’m on a pump, I do far fewer finger prick tests so I can no longer feel justified in changing lancets each St Swithin’s Day.
(Not sure if I should (or can be bothered to) actually work out how many years now would be equivalent to my former once a year though…..)
 
Barbie1 said:
Now I’m on a pump, I do far fewer finger prick tests so I can no longer feel justified in changing lancets each St Swithin’s Day.
(Not sure if I should (or can be bothered to) actually work out how many years now would be equivalent to my former once a year though…..)
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No No No! o_O
You can't break with tradition just because you rarely use it. These customs will die out if people don't adhere to them.
Lancets have to be changed on St Swithin's day. It is the only reason I look forward to it and it means I don't totally forget how to do the task....
 
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