New Meter-New Numbers!

I have an Accu-Chek Aviva that I trust to give me a reliable reading. If you had a chance to either have lab test, and take a measurement of your own to compare with the lab result, or just check the meter against whatever the doctor might have at an appointment, that would be a good way to make sure your meter is giving reliable readings too. I would assume that they have calibrated meters. There is a slight variance between measurements taken only a few seconds apart, but I think the 20 or so points that you are seeing is outside the meters error margin..

I think there are also specific test strips or liquids to check the meter with. Most meter come with those, but not always. That should also be a good way to test the meter with. The liquid is set to an exact blood glucose level and the meter is supposed to give a reading that falls within the acceptable error margin.

I'm not exactly familiar with the Relion, never heard of it, but at least the Accu-Chek is made by a company that has a long history in making meters like these. Maybe others have experience with the other meter.

Ask your pharmacist or Accu-Chek supplier for the control solution that Chaul referred to. As far as I know, the solution actually checks the test strips for accuracy (not sure how to check the meter other than what has already been suggested).

My pharmacist gave me one vial of this stuff a couple of years ago and I'm glad he did. One whole batch of strips proved to be reading inaccurately. Apparently, there is an expiration date, humidity or other such factors that affect the strips.

You would think that with the high price of the strips, the control solution would be thrown in for free but when I requested another vial, I was told that I would have to purchase it ($20 I believe). The pharmacist, a nice guy, told me to check back periodically with him. He said that he sometimes uses the solution during demonstrations to staff and newly diagnosed people and would give me the partially used vials when they were available.

Joni, I believe the industry standard for these meters is plus or minus 20% accuracy.  As a couple of members wrote,  you should take your meters with you when you have an app't with the doctor/lab so you can use them to test when the lab tests your blood sugar.  Then, compare the results.  Also, I think it's a good idea for you to create a signature so you can add the information about yourself which will be there with every post you write.  In this way you don't have to introduce yourself each time you post (i.e. being pre-diabetic, no meds, etc.).

Chris, I agree with you...as much as I would like to totally believe that the lower readings are the ones closest to being right I think I should not discount the higher ones and continue to watch my carb intake. I will take my meters with me when I get lab work and compare them to the lab readings. When I first came on this forum my BG was way higher...taking advice from so many knowlagable people such as yourself, Lanie and Jeannie and low carbing has lowered them considerably. Thanks! Joni

Just wish someone would develope a meter that would give totally correct readings! What a great thing that would be, huh? I know monitoring our glucose is much better now than in the past...still hope it gets better and better. Once again, thanks everybody, Joni

We've come a long way but, technology with the hand-held meters just doesn't compare (in accuracy) with veinous-drawn blood. The finger pokes are capillary blood samples that contain "impurities" like interstitial fluid, dirt, etc.; all which can affect BGL results. This is where the 20% potential variance allowance is accounted for - the difference between your veinous-drawn sample and your BGL meter reading.

All the meters use the same technology (remember litmus paper in chemistry class?), but it's production/packaging that differs. Most are made in batches and the batches are pretty consistent but, it is possible to get slightly higher/lower levels from different batches of the same brand (I usually order 200 strips at a time just for consistency sake).

I test 5-7 times a day and use my meter as a gauge for how I'm doing rather than trying to achieve some magical number. I wouldn't say test at 6.0/106 and not be happy till I lowered it to say 5.0/90, for instance (I couldn't even do that with a unit of insulin or I'd go hypo for sure). I would, however, take that value into consideration if I would be eating/injecting for food soon.

I DO find that working in mmol/L (international) values to be much less anxiety-producing than mg/dL (USA). Much less variance in numbers to deal with

Cheers,
Kris