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Mind-boggling meter discrepancy!

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robert@fm

robert@fm

Much missed member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
I haven't tested my BG or taken any insulin since May 8, due to losing my glucose kit somewhere in the clutter of my bedroom. Because of this, the GP at my surgery gave me a Freestyle Lite (I think that's Abbot) meter as a replacement (she checked to see whether they had any Bayer Contour USBs to give away, but they didn't). She also gave me a prescription for 100 needles and 10 vials of insulin, but this was useless as she didn't supply a replacement pen.

Fortunately, today I found the kit again, so I've loaded the pen with a vial of insulin from the fridge (it's been there since February, I hope it's still alright) and tested my BG with both meters. (I used the same finger but two different punctures on opposite sides.) To my surprise, the Contour USB (loaded with the frst test strip from a tub I've likewise had since February, but unopened since) gave a result of 32.5(!) (well, I'd eaten a box of cherry-brandy chocs earlier), but the Freestyle gave a result of 21.6! I expected some discrepancy, but not this much.

What could account for this?
 
robert@fm said:
I haven't tested my BG or taken any insulin since May 8, due to losing my glucose kit somewhere in the clutter of my bedroom. Because of this, the GP at my surgery gave me a Freestyle Lite (I think that's Abbot) meter as a replacement (she checked to see whether they had any Bayer Contour USBs to give away, but they didn't). She also gave me a prescription for 100 needles and 10 vials of insulin, but this was useless as she didn't supply a replacement pen.

Fortunately, today I found the kit again, so I've loaded the pen with a vial of insulin from the fridge (it's been there since February, I hope it's still alright) and tested my BG with both meters. (I used the same finger but two different punctures on opposite sides.) To my surprise, the Contour USB (loaded with the frst test strip from a tub I've likewise had since February, but unopened since) gave a result of 32.5(!) (well, I'd eaten a box of cherry-brandy chocs earlier), but the Freestyle gave a result of 21.6! I expected some discrepancy, but not this much.

What could account for this?
Click to expand...

What insulin were you taking before May 8th? Did they know you didn't have a pen to use the vials in? Did you ask for one - they normally have these to give out, afterall it is useless without a delivery system for the insulin!?

Everything should have expiry dates on it, but I imagine the insulin will still be in fine - the stuff I just picked up from the pharmacy has an expiry date of 2014 on it. Likewise if you have had a pack of test strips opened for a while they might have passed their expiry date? I'm not sure as I use the ones which are all individually wrapped.

Meters will always have different readings, I have discovered this myself a few times! That is quite a difference, but more importantly - do you not feel dreadful with such high levels? That is incredibly high. Have you taken some insulin now to try to bring that down a bit?

Hope you are ok.
 
And was there definitely no brandy chocolates left on your fingers or were hands washed thoroughly before testing? Just a wee thought.
 
lauraw1983 said:
And was there definitely no brandy chocolates left on your fingers or were hands washed thoroughly before testing? Just a wee thought.
Click to expand...

I did think of that, but I'd washed my hands at least once between the chocs and the testing.

I've taken 18u of Insulatard, I hope that lowers my readings a bit. For my bedtime test I'll use both meters again but the same puncture.
 
robert@fm said:
I did think of that, but I'd washed my hands at least once between the chocs and the testing.

I've taken 18u of Insulatard, I hope that lowers my readings a bit. For my bedtime test I'll use both meters again but the same puncture.
Click to expand...

I'd thoroughly wash & dry them again and double check it too just now.

Even using the same puncture can give different readings on the same meter never mind on two - it's never entirely accurate and is why they say they can be up to 20% out.

Hope the insulatard is reducing it for you.
 
Say, for the sake of argument, that your actual lab-tested BG measure was 27 (mid-way between your readings) and that the strip in each pot was not one of the 5 out of a hundred that can legally be more than 20% out.

20% of 27 = 5.4 which gives an acceptable range of 21.6 - 32.4 which is odd isn't it as it is *exactly* what your meters gave you. Both within the regulation limits, just one was under, the other was over.

At the end of the day meters will only ever give us an approximate indication of our BG (quite often a very accurate one) and all sorts of factors from human error to strip manufacture or even environmental factors like temp/humidity can affect readings.

In your shoes I would have repeat tested between the meters just to ensure neither of the results were massively out before acting on either of them if considering a correction dose of insulin.
 
I believe the higher or conversely lower the reading, the greater the discrepancy - you know - a bit like if my BG is 3 more than it ought to be then 1u of Novorapid will deal with it every time, and 6 more takes 2u etc - but if it's more than about 13 or 14 adrift, then it needs more than just dividing by 3 and taking that amount of insulin.

So around the 3.3 to 7.8 sort of reading differences should be marginal but anything outside that band could be well adrift.

I get a bit upset when I see posts like this Robert because it's so terribly sad that T2s often can't judge - just simply by how absolutely vile they feel - when their BG is so high. T1s have the 'advantage' of ketones which cause nausea, giddiness etc - you are just prostrate usually - and at either of those high levels we'd probably have already completely passed out and someone would have dialled 999.

Please come back soon and tell me your BG is coming down !
 
Oh PS - if the discrepancies continue, ring both meter companies and ask them to send you some control solution, which tests the accuracy of the thing. They will send it straight away - and it's free.
 
I was given a free style light as a spare and I found that it would give a reading about 5 units less that my normal metre, I also checked my normal meter against my acucheck. Although they were about 2 points out I decided the freestyle in my opinion was not good! I binned it. Consultant also said they do differ but shouldnt by that much!
 
Update

Oops, forgot to check back.

I did my bedtime tests at 22:37 (both from the same puncture this time); the Contour said 18.8 (still way too high but a vast improvement) whilst the Freestyle said 14.2, so I think I'll stick with just the Contour.

Took 20u for overnight, on GP's instructions; as I'm starting back on the Insulatard after a five-month absence, I'm told that it's best that I don't go straight back onto the 44u dose I previously took.
 
Glad to hear things have improved Robert, hope you get down to much more reasonable levels soon as you increase the Insultard 🙂 My Aviva and Optium meters give different readings, with the Optium usually showing the lowest value, but my main meter is my Aviva.
 
My waking reading this morning was 9.8; almost a "good" reading! 🙂 Maybe I won't have to return to the full 44u after all. (I'm planning to do what I was advised to do when first put on Insulatard, namely ncrease the (evening) dose by 4u every 3 days until I get consistent good readings.)
 
robert@fm said:
My waking reading this morning was 9.8; almost a "good" reading! 🙂 Maybe I won't have to return to the full 44u after all. (I'm planning to do what I was advised to do when first put on Insulatard, namely ncrease the (evening) dose by 4u every 3 days until I get consistent good readings.)
Click to expand...

That would be great if you find you can manage good levels on a lower dose Robert - hope it works out that way! 🙂
 
Hear hear to that.

And Robert - please ask your doc for a prescription for a SPARE pen - they do give up the ghost occasionally and you DON'T want to be in that mess again !

Is there somewhere you keep stuff you only use sporadically, but you know where it is?

In our case - passports. We always know exactly where they are even when only using em once a year. And it might not be where you might think bearing in mind we do coincidentally have a safe LOL
 
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