[cindel]

I have been using the Freestyle Flash meter. Yesterday, in the mail, I received a Contour meter. This morning I tested as usual. But I tested with both meters. Same stick. I got 2 different results. On the Flash 118, on the Contour 136. My bg has been running between 165-137 for the past week. The doctor did put me on Actos last week. But that's big difference.

I can't test with the Contour every morning (I only have the 10 strips that came with the meter). My insurance won't pay for any testing strips what-so-ever of any kind. Luckily I was able to talk to the Freestyle company and they helped me out with strips.

Granted I've been watching my diet and have been walking on the treadmill every day but that's a big difference. I'd like an accurate result.

Just not sure what to do now.
Thanks
cindel

[Glucoweb]

I only use the Freestyle Flash, and even if I test twice in a row with the same stick, it would not be uncommon for readings with this much difference. As other posts have stated the meters only have to be within a 20% +/- accuracy. These numbers fall well within that range. I would guess if you did two tests back to back on either of the two meters you might see this same kind of difference. Over the past 3 weeks, I have really ramped up my testing on the order of 8-10 times a day as I am working to lose 15 lbs and re-gain control of my BG numbers. Meter accuracy (in-accuracy) has always been a pet peeve of mine. If I get two readings with a difference like this back to back, I base my bolus on how I am currently feeling and what I am planning to do next.. (ie: driving, excercising, etc... my leave it a little on the high side; getting ready to eat, watching tv, sitting at my desk... I might try to bring it down a little more). Hope this helps in some way.

[xMenace]

Originally Posted by cindel

I'd like an accurate result.

We all would

[Scrabblechick]

Cindel, the meter accuracy issue, I've found since I've been on these forums, is a constant bugaboo. I talked to my diabetes educator about it and she said go with the one I got in my class, which has the $100 strips. Yeah, right. I also talked to my pharmacist, who works in a family-owned drugstore with no vested interest in selling a particular brand, and she said one is about as accurate as another, within that 20 percent range.

If you've been happy with the Flash, keep using it since you can get the strips for it. I would only use the Contour if I got such an outrageous reading from the Flash that I needed some confirmation. That's what I do. My TrueTrack is my main meter and my Ultra2 is my backup. The TT was acting a little crazy for a couple of days, but seems to have settled back down, now. I have a feeling it's because we were out of town this weekend and it didn't like being left in the car because of the temperature changes. LOL. But since being in a steady temp environment, it has been fine. They do seem to be very temperature-sensitive.

Just keep doing what you know you're supposed to be doing, and try not to let the meter thing make you crazy. I've had to adopt that attitude, myself.

[cindel]

Thanks everyone! I'm more at ease now. I'm new to all this so I didn't know if I had done something wrong or what. I can't find a diabetes class or anything around here so this forum is just great. Thanks again.

[UpNorth]

Hemocue MONITOR is advertised as being just as accurate as the ones in the lab, and it also uses those glass or plastic things they use in the lab. But that meter simply looks ugly and difficult to use having to put those plastic our glass pieces in and out It's so much easier with teststrips!