Freestyle lite vs Bayer - getting very different readings

Status
Not open for further replies.
K

kittycat88

Member Since 2013
I have been using the freestyle lite since I started home testing my cat. I recently got a Bayer contour USB meter and did a couple tests to see how the meters compare. The first time I checked my cat I got 5.3 with the freestyle and 5.2 with the bayer. I decided to check again today just to be sure they are giving similar results and they numbers were so much different. I tested first with the freestyle and got 4.9. Then checked immediately after with a couple of the bayer strips and the numbers were 4.2 and 4.3. It seems like I am getting different numbers with every bayer strip I used.

I even checked my own sugar with it the other day and the freestyle said 5.2 while the bayer said 4.3 and 3.8.

Any idea why the numbers would vary so much? I have tried two different boxes of bayer test strips. I bought a bunch of the Bayer strips because I was able to get them cheaper then the Freestyle and now I'm worried I wasted my money?!
 
Re: Freestyle lite vs Bayer - getting very different reading

Meters are only accurate to +/- 20 %
4.9 minus 20% is 3.9
4.2 plus 20% is 50.
Thus the meters are very sell within their accuracy.
Just stick with one meter,.
 
Re: Freestyle lite vs Bayer - getting very different reading

hi there

Quite a few members including myself found the Freestyle lite ( butterfly strips) unreliable - although usually its worse over 10, there is probably a discrepancy at lower numbers too.

Although it should be said your numbers arent that bad and meters do vary between brands and among themselves. you could find if you tested the same blood sample a few times with the same meter within a few minutes it would give you a slightly different reading - they quote as high as 20%.

I would just use the bayer contour.

Wendy
 
Re: Freestyle lite vs Bayer - getting very different reading

Yes I tested the same blood sample with a couple strips (bayer) one after another and got different numbers everytime. The numbers seem to vary less using the freestyle. Im just not sure which ones will be more accurate.
 
Re: Freestyle lite vs Bayer - getting very different reading

You shouldn't use the freestyle lite meter with butterfly strips on a cat. You may get some nice looking numbers but unfortunately they aren't real.

I'd second the recommendation for the Bayer Contour.

I have the Bayer Contour USB and have used more than 1000 test strips, it's the most reliable and consistent meter I've used.
 
Re: Freestyle lite vs Bayer - getting very different reading

Do the freestyle lite meters usually show numbers higher then they realy are? or lower? The numbers are showing much lower with the Bayer Contour (compared the the freestyle) and will vary a lot with the same blood sample. Is that common for all meters? I can test the same sample and get a 4.9 and a 4.0.

The freestyle gave me the same reading as the vet got .. but I only compared it to the vets that one time.
 
Re: Freestyle lite vs Bayer - getting very different reading

The problem with the freestyle lite is it gives false low readings at higher numbers when used with felines. I believe Wendy said it also matched her vets readings at normal numbers. But she did side by side readings for a week or two with both the Contour and the Freestyle and the problem with the Freestyle became obvious. Many others (perhaps everyone here using butterfly strips?) has run into the same issue. Not safe to use with felines.

My Contour will give an error with the wrong sample size, it will only take a certain size drop of blood but the readings are reliable.

I've compared extensively with my other meters. All meters may have the 20% variation with any reading, but in my experience the Bayer Contour does better than others.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top