Question about Glucose Readings...

[alexg]

I don't like these readings I am getting, they are so misleading.

I have two active monitors , one is new and the other is older. I am now obligated to use the new one and this are the results:

Controlled
86

My Glucose
239

Now the old one reads this with the same controlled substance.

Controlled (un-expired Strip)
117

My Glucose (un-expired Strip)
165

Controlled (Expired Strip)
123

My Glucose (Expired Strip)
208

Now excluding the expired strips that were mentioned for comparison, can someone explain why the new glucose machine is way higher then the old yet the controlled substance is not that far apart from the old to the new.

Alex

[Who?]

Two questions, what is the value of the control solution you are using?

How much time elapsed between the successive readings?

Also, throw out the values from the expired strips. They are meaningless and you are comparing to something which is invalid.

Meter errors are not necessarily linear, that is, they may be greater at one end of the range and smaller at the other. They may just simply be off by a certain amount also. Test strip coding helps with this but it doesn't always seem to eliminate it.

It is very hard to do a systematic test with a statistically valid result.

You don't say what meters you are using, but perhaps you should call the manufacturer(s).

Cheers1

[alexg]

All those reading are consecutively.

The new and old glucose monitoring devices are these:

New = Accu Check Compact Plus

Old = Prestige LX

Control solution values are:
low 74 - 104
high 322 - 436

Also noticed that with glipizide, my glocouse goes up not down. Example yesturday I forgot to take it during the day, and glucose level was 143, today I did take it and same time in the day it was 239. I eat fairly the same dietary meals during the day.

Alex

[Who?]

If the range of the low solution is 74-104 that means the true concentration is 89 mg/dl. Your new meter gave 86 which is just about as close as you can hope to come. Of course, we have no way of knowing what your blood glucose is, so we can't compare it to anything.

Based on the performance of the new meter on the control solution, I waoul immediately throw the old one away and not even keep it for a backup.

Hope this helps. Remember, it is only my opinion and is worth exactly what you are paying me for it.

Cheers!

[alexg]

Thanks for the help, I will keep the new one, still think the readings are high at times. I will keep on using it though.

Alex

[chaimbu]

I have no comment or explanation with regard to the problem that you describe.

I will just add my own personal practice:

I always take my meter (Accensia Elite XL) with me when I go for my quarterly blood tests at the laboratory. I take a reading as close as I can BEFORE they draw blood and AFTER. Then I compare the results. I am aware that even with an extremely accurate meter there will be discrepancies due to the fact that different bloods (finger vs. vein) are being checked. Nevertheless, my comparisons have always been VERY close, which I take as an indication that my meter is reliable.

Good luck !!

Chaim

[alexg]

Check this out, yesterday before dinner, had glucose reading of 239 and six hours later, right now, I have a glucose level of 242. All I did is exercise for 15 minutes around 3 hours ago. Now I am thinking my medication, glipizide isn't working.

Alex

[mzizgayle]

It is possible you need to have your meds adjusted. have you called the doctor/talked to him about this.

[alexg]

My doctor doesn't even bother talking to me, he just changes medication. I am on my third one already for my cholesterol and last visit, without explanation, he said, we're gonna start you on some insulin shots one daily, I said no thank you. All he said is okay, lets stay with the medication for four months, then come for another visit. Thats the way he is working with me, no talk about nothing, just hands me some fliers dealing with the topics.

Alex

[ladytaz]

Hi Alex. I've heard that exercising can actually raise your BG if done at certain times of the day. Try having a look in the Exercise forum on here to see what you can find about that. But again, as I said earlier in your other post, and like mizgayle says, you may need your meds adjusted. If you can't get your doc to discuss your care properly with you, I'd find me another doctor! It's important for patients and docs to be on the same page about our care!!

[mommaterra]

Now the old one reads this with the same controlled substance.

Alex, are you using the same control solution on two different brands of meters? I'm not sure they're interchangeable.

For which meter is the control solution? I think I'd only test it on the meter it was designed for.

It is possible to get excellent control of blood glucose levels, and, really, you get to decide how tight the control and what freedoms you find you need. But I think you could get numbers down a lot, and it would be far safer for you. If that means finding a new doctor, then you really might want to consider it -- your current doc doesn't seem to be much help to you at all!

Good luck, take care, and stick with it here. Many wonderful people, and their collected wisdoms, shared here! --diana

[mommaterra]

Oh, I forgot to say that when I had trouble with a batch of test strips, I called the manufacturer (from work, actually). I wasn't happy with their answer, but *they* called me back a few days later (at home), resolved it all and sent me a new box of strips.

Other than not knowing how they got my number :rolleyes:, I was impressed. (Maybe it was in my FBI file? 'Cause the meter company should have had an old addy some 2000 miles away. Weird, but it worked!) Take care, diana

[alexg]

Thanks guys for the help. I am happy to say after some info around her on my meds and meter, today before dinner, I was at glucose level of 89, now that is just great. Lets see if tomorrow its near the same range before dinner. Next week I will work on it being low before lunch :) .

dja2k