Time for an Education

dpav · #1 (**permalink**) 08-18-2004, 08:48 AM

Well here is my problem:
I have read a lot about the Whole blood and the Plasma type meters. I have a strong disliking for the many inconsistencies I have had with the Plasma machines. My DE loves the Plasma and can not see the irregularities as a problem. I am a stubborn person so I need some good educating. I own both types, I have the Profile II that I love because it gives me a consistent reading.
I know that the meters are not totally accurate but I get consistent readings to the point that I am able to regulate my insulin well with it.
I love the designs of the Precision Extra, which is supposed to be the more accurate due to more contacts on the sticks, And I own the Ultra and Ultra Smart meters as well. I just got the Ultra smart and love the looks of it. But I still get erratic readings on it. All of the plasma meters give me inconsistent readings. If they would be consistent, I do not care how far off they are as long as all of the tests were within 10mg/dsl of each other. Then I could regulate myself. I have done many, many tests with these meters and with friends that own them as well. I always get readings that are "one after the other” that are 20 to 140 mg/dsl different from each other with the same meter. Within minutes of each test with different fingers without squeezing the finger a lot.
So here is my dilemma, can you plasma meter users help teach me how to use a plasma meter to where I can get consistent readings from them. I have several to choose from. I simply want to find out what I am doing wrong.
Thanks in advance for anyone willing to help in this. I am not always on the forum so my responses may be from one day to the next. I appreciate all that are willing to help..
Don

HeatherP · #2 (**permalink**) 08-18-2004, 09:38 AM

Don, my advice would be to pick one meter and stick with it. I don't understand the difference between plasma and whole blood. I don't know if my Flash meter uses plasma or the other. If you feel that your Precision meter is most accurate and consistent, then just use that one and forget the Ultra meters.

The most important thing in managing this disease is consistency and you say yourself you feel like you do better when using the Precision. Chuck the Ultra(s) if you don't trust them and forget about them.

HeatherP

lgvincent · #3 (**permalink**) 08-18-2004, 10:07 AM

I'm pretty sure the Freestyle Flash is plasma calibrated.

I've used the Accu-Chek Advantage and Complete for many years and have never noticed any problems. Of course, I've never checked multiple times over a period of a few minutes so I don't know if the meter will give wide variations or not.

I have a One Touch Profile that did show wide ranges in blood sugar over the period of about 5 minutes (I don't have the readings with me but I think they may have differed by as much as 140 mg/dL but I'll have to check), so I don't think this is a problem that only plasma meters have.

lgvincent · #4 (**permalink**) 08-19-2004, 11:23 AM

I suppose I could take some of the meters I have and take multiple tests over a short period of time and see what happens, if you wish. How would you want it done?

dpav · #5 (**permalink**) 08-19-2004, 05:15 PM

Hello again
My problem is not that any meter can read an inaccurate reading; it is that all of the plasma meters that I own all give me inconsistent readings. I can take any one of them and do a series of tests like 3 and every one of them gives me a different reading from 20 to 160mg/dsl difference. My whole blood meter has given me an odd reading rarely, but when I do not feel like the reading says, I will do a series of tests and believe the best of 2 out of 3. The plasmas never give me anything in the same range with a series of tests. So my problem is am I simply not using a plasma meter in a very special way that they need to be used, or is it that those meters are really as bad as I believe they are?
Sorry I do not get on the board as often as most of the member ship. If I were here longer I probably could answer more questions in a nearlive situation. Again if you understand this dilemma I have I am appreciative for any info you might have.
And as has been already stated I could simply stay with the meter that I understand and I am keeping good control with and simply drop this whole mess, if need be. But I am curious if I am simply doing something wrong that would fix my inability to trust a plasma meter.
Thanks as always for your patience and assistance
Don

PepsiLvr · #6 (**permalink**) 08-20-2004, 07:15 AM

I have never had readings that would differ by 20 -160 mg/dsl unless my hands are not clean and there is the chance of dried juice or some kind of sugar on them. I do have readings that differ by 10-15 mg/dl with the UltraSmart and it kind of stinks because if I feel hypo and it says 70-75 I really don't take any action but if it said 55, on the other hand, I would take action. I can usually feel my highs and lows well enough to know when the meter is giving an incorrect reading.

dpav · #7 (**permalink**) 08-20-2004, 07:34 AM

Thanks for the response.
I do have all of the bases covered for the basic usage of the meters. I am at a loss as to why I get such large different readings with all of the plasma meters. Again I have checked this with my friends meters as well just incase my test strips were bad. But all of them still give inconsistent readings.
Also the FDA considers that a reading that is within 40mg/dsl is OK. I find that to be appalling. I would be adjusting with a misreading of a higher or lower reading that was 40mg/dsl in either direction. This is not satisfactory with my control methods. But it is obvious that this is unavoidable. We obviously are getting good control with the meters we all use.

I guess you can't tell I have a little bit of an attitude with large margins being allowed by the government when we could use a much closer reading for better control.

Thanks again
Don

rzrbks · #8 (**permalink**) 08-20-2004, 11:19 AM

I use the UltraSmart meter that comes with my InDuo. I have been using it for over a year now and there haven't been any difference in readings more than about 4-5 points mg/dl or .27mmol/L

dpav · #9 (**permalink**) 08-20-2004, 11:37 AM

That is absolutely great. Now what I need to do is find out what I am doing different which can give me a wide range of readings when I do a series of 3 tests, All from different fingers with out squeezing as per recommendations from my DE.

You obviously know how to use that one. I have the same one and hope it was the test strips because the bottle had a crack in the lid when we bought them. This was supposed to be a reason to not have accurate readings. Squeezing the finger will cause plasma meters to give bad readings and using the same finger for a series of tests will cause a bad reading. This, all according to my DE.

Thanks for the response
Don