2 Glucometers... 2 VERY Different Results

[Amy & Revson]

Hi. I have been using a FreeStyle meter until this week. I bought a ReliOn and have been using it for a couple of days.

My readings are wayyyy up using the ReliOn, so I bought more FreeStyle strips today and checked the same sample.

FreeStyle: 247
ReliOn: 380

My FreeStyle was within 20 units of the vet's glucometer (I don't know what brand, but not FreeStyle or ReliOn).
I thought mine was working well. Now I'm confused and scared!!

Help?

 

[BJM]

The FDa allows 20% difference form true values.

FreeStyle: 247 -> from 197.6 to 296.4
ReliOn: 380 ----> from 304 to 456

Your meters ranges do not overlap (a miss of about 8 points between the high of the lowest and the low of the highest), so one or both may be incorrect, or there could be a problem with the strips or something else.

Some things to check (unless, of course, you already have done so)

Do you control solution to check the FreeStyle meter? You have to call ReliOn to get control solution for that meter.

Did you test yourslef with both meters (an alternative control check)

How old are the strips? Have they been kept temperature controlled (no extremes)? Dry?

Were your hands clean and dry when you went to test? Any contaminents on your hands may affect results.

 

[Melanie and Smokey]

I have heard people find that meters with Free in the name have been unreliable and gave numbers all over the place. It has always seemed to me that the ReliOn meters ran low so that is really strange.

If you get wonky numbers like that, I would immediately test both meters again. See if either of the meters bounce around or if they give a relatively steady number.

Most meters have a control solution that you can check them with too.