Re: glucose test disparities

On Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:58:31 -0400, blake murphy
<blakepmNOTTHIS@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:18:52 -0700, Paul M. Cook wrote:

"blake murphy" <blakepmNOTTHIS@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1gutcew9ixi7.1ns67qhgvwo98$.dlg@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
maybe this is old news to the diabetics here, but i thought it might be of
some interest:

Standards Might Rise on Monitors for Diabetics

By GARDINER HARRIS
Published: July 18, 2009

Federal officials may soon require improvements for the glucose monitors
used by more than 11 million diabetics in the United States.


(more at:

<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/19/health/policy/19monitor.html?_r=1&em> )

They can be confusing. I know when I test on my right hand I get a
consistently higher reading than on my left hand, usually as much as 30-40
points. And if I test the same site again, I never get the same reading,
usually 10-20 points off. And I have 2 meters and they both do this. There
are many variables including age of the strips and the age of the battery.

christ, it sounds like you might as well use a ouija board.

your pal,
blake

For anyone controlled by diet and exercise or by oral meds, this
isn't a big problem. The trick is consistency. You try not to
alternate hands (not always avoidable), especially if some known
discrepancy such as this shows up. You test consistently, with the
same meter and strips at the same times/intervals and you track the
readings (but this can get complicated as folks usually have more than
one meter).

No one reading is given any particular weight unless it has unusual
circumstances connected with it. Trending is the key, along with
periodic lab fasting BG levels and HbA1c levels. And, yes, some of
this info and needs can vary by individual.

Someone who is on insulin/injected meds needs an accurate meter and
strips as some dosing can be dependent on readings. It isn't hard to
find reviews that tell you which ones comes closest to matching labs.
None are perfect, but some are much better than others.

Another consideration with meters is that their accuracy is dependent
upon the user, too, and the ease of use of the unit and the strips. It
does no good to have a meter that takes accurate readings if it is
complicated or physically uncomfortable to use.

And most finger stick meters measure whole blood glucose, not plasma,
as labs do. The meters are supposed to be calibrated for that,
though.

Boron


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: I cant be the only one
    ... When you test the urine for glucose, ... insurance co and medicare covers OneTouch meter strips. ... As to the meters that include starter test strips, all I know is I had to ... starter kits are on a display behind the ...
    (alt.support.chronic-pain)
  • Re: Think Im going to be diagnosed as diabetic
    ... blood panel. ... fasting) showed Glucose level of 252. ... Glucose meters. ... You will buy your test strips in batches. ...
    (alt.support.diabetes)
  • Re: Control solution made at home? (just a thought)
    ... different meters and a few strips. ... one for normal testing and if I question a reading I ... use a method where i set my insulin doses from ... I think the meters we get today are less prone to ...
    (misc.health.diabetes)
  • Re: Accu Chek Stick Recall
    ... about defective strips being sold for several Accuchek meters. ... I had a very expensive problem with defective Accuchek Aviva strips last ... strips when they were, in fact, reading almost 50 mg/dl higher than lab. ...
    (alt.support.diabetes)
  • Re: Ping: Jenny
    ... I was reading an article on your website tonight regarding plasma vs ... I use a relion ultima. ... your article the older relions used the whole blood calibration which ... I don't know that there are any meters on sale in the U.S. now that are not. ...
    (alt.support.diabetes)