Test Strip Shelf Life

Ronin · #1 (**permalink**) 01-03-2008, 04:56 AM

Hi Everyone:

My daily testing has suddenly taken a dramatic change in FBG and post-prandial levels. The change was a new package of test strips. I noted that the former package was due to expire in the first quarter of 2008 whereas the new package will not expire until late in 2009. Could my old pack have been giving me false higher readings all along?

xMenace · #2 (**permalink**) 01-03-2008, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronin

Hi Everyone:

My daily testing has suddenly taken a dramatic change in FBG and post-prandial levels. The change was a new package of test strips. I noted that the former package was due to expire in the first quarter of 2008 whereas the new package will not expire until late in 2009. Could my old pack have been giving me false higher readings all along?

Absolutely. What brand were they? Bayer has recalled some Contour strips and Lifescan just announced a recall of some too.

Recently I had a discussion about regular testing with a type 2 aquaintance of mine. Of course he hadn't tested in the last year. I saw him a few days later and he stopped me to tell me his tests were in the high teens (mmol/l). But he checked hsi supplies and found his strips were expired. He got a new batch and was immediately back into normal ranges.

Ronin · #3 (**permalink**) 01-03-2008, 01:43 PM

Hi XMenace!

I'm using a "True Track" meter (which I've checked against lab tests and found to be within 5 mg/dL of the lab sample). I guess I'll have to be more aware of the shelf life on the boxes in the future.

princesslinda · #4 (**permalink**) 01-03-2008, 01:55 PM

I was at CVS the other day getting my new strips and they had some expired strips in the "clearance bin," for .30/pack of 50 (One Touch Ultra). Pharmacist said they are usually good up to 6 months after expiration date, but they can't dispense them through the pharmacy after expiration. I bought a couple of packs, wondering if the readings would be different, and willing to compare at that price.

I tested first on my good strips and immediately afterwards on the "expired" ones....5 point difference, which to me was negligible, as i've tested on two new ones with more variance than that. Since then, i've compared the two and they have been EXTREMELY close each time....so I now have some "back-ups" should I over test before I can get my next batch of strips....and saved myself the $40/copay. BTW, I went back the next day to buy the rest of the strips...of course they were gone by then.

DISCLAIMER: I'm certainly not advising anyone to purchase or use expired strips, just sharing my recent (and only) experience with them.

parrotletzoo · #5 (**permalink**) 01-04-2008, 07:38 AM

last year i found my mom's old meter. The strips with it were expired over 10yrs. I tried it out and they were as accurate as my current meter. I'm not saying you should use expired test strips but the ones I had were good.

susique333 · #6 (**permalink**) 01-22-2008, 08:05 PM

I use the Freestyle and usually get my strips off eBay for a heck of a lot cheaper than at the pharmacy. Ive used strips that were 2 yrs old too, and did a control and they worked fine. GET THIS....I just won a bid for 600 expired strips (asked the seller, all unopened) for $80! I feel like I won the lottery! <wiggle!>