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Is my blood sugar meter broken?

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Posted 11/18/2012 5:56 AM (GMT 0)
hi i have a contour blood sugar meter,i dont have diabetes the doctor says,i decide to check my blood sugar at home first thing in the morning and it was 166!!! i was terrified after 5 minutes i checked again and it was 102?both times was from my right hand point finger then i check the middle one finger and was 82!!and again the point finger 102?i dont understand i did something wrong?isnt supposed blood from all fingers the same?what should i do buy another blood sugar meter?
Posted 11/18/2012 12:52 PM (GMT 0)
Probably.  I also have the Bayer Contour Meter.  In fact, I have four!  One was prescribed and I got three free from the maker's website years ago.  The oldest one takes 15 seconds and the other three take 5 seconds.  Unfortunately, this meter doesn't rate well on tests by Consumers Reports.  Here is a summary of the latest results:  https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=20&m=2527437

I just changed to the Accu-chek Aviva, but I have to say I've taken my blood sugar three times in a row with it and there were about 10 points difference between highest and lowest number.  (That's nothing compared to your results!)

Your results seem really wacky!  From 166 down to 82!  Wow!  So, you might be better off with a meter that rated better on their tests.

Keep in mind that the industry says these meters are allowed to be up to 10% 'off' in accuracy. 

Posted 11/18/2012 3:29 PM (GMT 0)
i will check it again tommorow and see if its the same.the test stripes are very expensive.thanks
Posted 11/18/2012 4:28 PM (GMT 0)
WalMart sells its own brand ReliOn and it's rated very good on the test results. (Check out the link in my first post.) It's quite inexpensive and I imagine the test strips would be, too, although I don't know their cost. If your insurance is even higher for the Contour strips than the ReliOn strips, then you might consider going to WalMart and getting it.
Posted 11/19/2012 4:42 AM (GMT 0)
i have test it now after 9 hours fasting 3 times in a row 1 was 103 2 was 113 3 86 should i stay with the contour?also i have a lab test last week fasting was 96 thats good right?
Posted 11/19/2012 12:52 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know if you should change it or not.  As I wrote, meters are allowed by law to have an error variance around 10% so your three tests looks like they are what an acceptable meter would read.  Consumer Reports' list of meters shows the ones that scored consistently more accurately.

As far as the 96, doctors say they want fasting under 100.  A non-diabetic or someone who doesn't have a problem with metabolizing carbohydrates will almost always have fasting in the 80's.

Posted 11/19/2012 1:13 PM (GMT 0)
Definitely get a new meter. I found one from the Consumer Reports site that was a vast improvement from what I was using. I tested it by measuring my blood just before and after drawing blood from a lab. The results were close so I knew my meter was accurate.
Posted 11/19/2012 2:33 PM (GMT 0)
i just replace the batteries and i did a random test 2 times in a row with the same blood 1 83 2 85 so i thing i will stay with this for now.i use the middle finger of my right hand to test what you guys/girls use?
Posted 11/19/2012 3:11 PM (GMT 0)
Hmm, weak batteries! I hope it continues to be consistent then! I use any of my fingers except the thumbs on both hands.
Posted 11/20/2012 1:54 PM (GMT 0)
i check again two times in a row 1 was 108 2 100 so i guess it was the batteries after all.
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