Glucose Meter accuracy

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Vicsetter

Vicsetter

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
I use a contour USB for my day to day testing and a mylife pura by my bedside and when travelling in the car. I have recently been disturbed to see a large difference in the results between the 2 meters. The Pura consistently reports lower readings than the Contour, from the same blood supply or from different fingers at the same time. Contour reads 6.9, Pura reads 5.4, Just now, contour reads 9.4, Pura reads 7.4. I have tested both with their test solutions (I note that the Pura has a tighter range of readings). and they both report ok.
Now that a number of people are trying the contour and the pura, has anyone else noticed the different readings?
 
Just tested using blood from same finger:

OneTouch UltraEasy = 12.8

My Life Pura = 14.4

I am not sure which meter to use as my main now..:confused:
 
I had the same problem between my Freestyle Freedom Lite and Bayer Contour II. I understand there's a variance (how much was it again?) which in effect means there could be a difference of up to 2 points between meters. I chose to believe the Freestyle.
 
I was told there can be 15% variance in a meter reading..
 
I only use my freestlye and that never lies to me 😛
 
It really is easy to torture yourself in these ways! 🙂

The thing is, where do you stop? I remember being off work with a back injury and testing my sugar on 4 different fingers and getting straight on the phone to One touch ultra- the variation in my readings with the same metre on different fingers was HUGE!

Its easy to get carried away.....I wish I had the answer for you! 🙂
 
Just on a new tub of strips for both the Pura and Contour and the results and back to being very close to one another with the Pura being consistent with previous readings, so it look like it was that tub of Contour strips that were causing the problem.
 
The other day I tested using the same blood several times on my contour usb and my onetouch ultraeasy... pretty much every time my contour usb gave about 0.7 lower....

Got me thinking maybe this is contributing to my so called improved blood sugars... (ok, theyre still improved either way)...

I might do a few more tests tonight seeing that I have started new pots of strips for both....
 
Hmm this thread is interesting....if not somewhat concerning 😱

I never thought that different meters/strips etc would give you different readings. I don't think i would want to know to be honest and for that reason i shall stick with my meter and I feel its in tune with how i feel!

I use the Aviva Nano - nice and discreet and glows in the dark 😉

Bernie xx 🙂
 
getcarter76 said:
Hmm this thread is interesting....if not somewhat concerning 😱

I never thought that different meters/strips etc would give you different readings. I don't think i would want to know to be honest and for that reason i shall stick with my meter and I feel its in tune with how i feel!

I use the Aviva Nano - nice and discreet and glows in the dark 😉

Bernie xx 🙂
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I think the key thing is that your HbA1c reflects the kind of control you appear to have from your readings. I've got an Aviva (my main meter) and an Aviva Nano as back up - useful because they use the same strips, although you do have to have a coding chip in that matches the strips.

I remember reading somewhere that some meters test using blood plasma and some use whole blood - one is higher than the other - but can't for the life of me remember where I read it. I think they are supposed to be standardised now though - the information leaflet ought to say which your particular meter uses.
 
Hmmm- would the results be the same if you used the same meter for both tests? IE 2 x MyLife Pura etc...
 
Laura22 said:
Hmmm- would the results be the same if you used the same meter for both tests? IE 2 x MyLife Pura etc...
Click to expand...

There would still be a 10% margin for error either way, I would have thought, so the readings would probably not match completely.
 
I'm just going to have to wait for a hypo and see if they both report it, could be a long wait!:D They were reasonably in line yesterday. I really want to stick with the USB Contour but as I can't delete results I feel are wrong, it's no better than any other.

I'm trying to get my fasting to as close to 5 as I can, but whose 5 is the question, got 5.8,5.5,4.7,4.9,5.0 on the Pura last 5 days and 6.1,5.5,4.6,5.0,5.1 on the Contour which I'm happy with either meter but 3 nights ago before dinner I got a 5.6 on the Contour and 4.1 on the Pura. A 4.1 before dinner would normally lead me to have a few more carbs. Woke up next day with the 4.7 so reduce my levemir.
The weight seems to be coming down as well, that's 2kg since March, not massive but a step in the right direction (is this really all due to those Rosuvastatins, looks like it), pretty good as I'm now eating bread again.

P.S. I like the strips on the Pura, sure they are big but if you drop then on a smooth surface you can pick them up, the tiny Contour ones are a nightmare.
 
I love the Nano!!!😎
We have contour link, compact and Nano. im a bit of a freak for meters as soon as I see one on sale I buy it.
Harrisons bloods range from finger to finger to toes, I very rarely get the same reading twice (but have never tried using the same blood). Opposite hands range about 2 bsl. So I suppose if opposite hands can range then so can meters. It's the same for the continous monitor system that is normally around 2 bsl different to the meter??
 
Just tried same blood off same finger off same meter!!!!

I've just tried the same finger, same blood on my Contour Link. Results...18:35 5.1 18:35 4.6 18:34 5.4 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!Scarey!!!!!!!!! Then 18:56 contour link 3.1 18:56 Avia nano 2.7 same finger, same blood!!!!!!!!
 
simone3112 said:
I've just tried the same finger, same blood on my Contour Link. Results...18:35 5.1 18:35 4.6 18:34 5.4 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!Scarey!!!!!!!!! Then 18:56 contour link 3.1 18:56 Avia nano 2.7 same finger, same blood!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Then just done it again as now i've suspended his pump. opposite way round 19:18 contour 5.2 19:18 Avia 7.1 same finger, same blood!!!!:confused:
 
I think that stacks up 10-20% inaccurate.
I can live with that but sometimes one meter reads higher and another time it reads lower, example: before lunch Pura 5.1, USB 4.7 Pura first(10% out), before dinner USB 6.8t, Pura 5.3 USB first(>20% out and the other way round). However I did the testing from the same puncture hole and swapped the meters round. Just done it again, Pura 5.1, USB 5.9, Pura first. I was told that the first blood from a puncture may be 'stale' and you should wipe and use a second drop, so I shall experiment further.

The 18:56 readings indicate a hypo, was that true?
 
Vicsetter said:
I think that stacks up 10-20% inaccurate.
I can live with that but sometimes one meter reads higher and another time it reads lower, example: before lunch Pura 5.1, USB 4.7 Pura first(10% out), before dinner USB 6.8t, Pura 5.3 USB first(>20% out and the other way round). However I did the testing from the same puncture hole and swapped the meters round. Just done it again, Pura 5.1, USB 5.9, Pura first. I was told that the first blood from a puncture may be 'stale' and you should wipe and use a second drop, so I shall experiment further.

The 18:56 readings indicate a hypo, was that true?
Click to expand...

Yes he's hypo'd all day. Something is going wrong. He was 5.1 before tea gave him 17:11 0.5 units for 20 carbs (pasta n bolognaise) and was low on my carbs as he 'd previously hypo'd at 14.00 2.5. 17:31 3.2!!! I have no idea wot is going on. His pump has been suspended since 19:00 and had been on 50% basal since 18:00 He's had 3/4 of a bottle of lucozade sport 32/17.5 carbs, 5 glucose tabs a kit kat and is now eating liquorise allsorts and his bloods at 19:25 was 3.8 Avia 19:25 3.6 contour. His meter says he has 0.2u active on board. If he doesn't start coming up soon I think i'll have to ring the hosptial!!!
 
Sorry I know nothing about pumps and T1 treatment, I bet he's enjoying the diet though, maybe there is some else here that has an idea. Is it worth starting a new thread or getting some medical advice.
 
Just read the leaflet that comes with the Pura test strips and it says that the Pura meter reads whole blood and not plasma. From what I understand Plasma meters are about 11% higher in reading and close to Hba1C readings so I think that clears things up. I shall use the Pura at home and the USB on the move ( I think). The limit of 5 for driving imposed by the DVLA, is that Plasma or Whole Blood :D:confused:
 
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