Question: Importance of Control Solution

[JoyceOlive]

Just how important is control solution anyway? and how often do you need to bother using it? It seems there is mixed info on it,and I want to make sure my meter is up to speed if it is necessary to do it. thanks guys

 

[BJM]

I've only used it once or twice with my first diabetic Spitzer.

You could just as easily test some things with known, minimally-varying sugar levels
such as apples apple juice or a standard solution you make yourself with water and a defined amount of sugar.

 

[Larry and Kitties]

You are better off testing your rather than an apple.
Yu have not idea what to expect for an apple and it is likely different apples will have different BGs.

 

[JoyceOlive]

Sounds like all Apples and Oranges at this point,Lol! Thanks for the tip on the sugar solution idea as my standard though,( makes sense and a lot cheaper!)

 

[Larry and Kitties]

The instructions say only use the control solution made for that model meter. Measure glucose in blood is not as simple as you think.

The point-of-use blood glucose meters (the ones we use at home) all use whole blood.2 However, what specific blood glucose they measure varies with the manufacturer. Some manufacturers only measure the glucose in the serum/plasma. Others lyse (disrupt the cell walls of the RBCs) and thus mix the glucose that was in the RBC into the liquid and thus measure total glucose. The meters then correct/adjust the reading to be equivalent to human blood plasma