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Blood sugar monitors
1 December 2018, 19:12,
#1
Blood sugar monitors
I just want to put a caution out there about the quality of the equipment available over the counter.

I am a T2 diabetic and must monitor my blood sugar daily in case my body decides to attack me further.

A large percentage of the populations have this condition both over here and over there. I believe it is about half the population over 60 whether they know they have it or not.

I have been sitting at a relatively stable point for more than a year but my readings would bounce up and down by 20 points as the days passed. Never into the danger zone of organ damage or such, just sometimes too high and sometimes too low.

The monitor warns that there might be as much as a 10% fluctuation in readings but I never really thought about it too much.

The scale we use over here is different than the one you use so I will not give numbers. The difference in scales is a relative thing, like using Imperial or metric.

Today I got an extreme reading and since I already had a drop of blood on the tip of my finger decided to take a second reading to verify the first.

The second reading was 15 points lower than the first reading from the same drop of blood! That was exactly 10% variation due to the machinery used.

Showing 15 points high is a shock but the chances of showing 15 points lower than actual is also a situation to consider.

The real thing is that one does not know if there is a variation or if the variation is on the high side or the low side??

Needless to say I have come to the conclusion that I am not really "monitoring" my blood sugar levels, I am just observing them casually, sort of, with only a minor connection to reality.
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1 December 2018, 20:15,
#2
RE: Blood sugar monitors
My problem is not diabetes but high blood pressure, i have two bp monitors one for regular use, the other is in a faraday cage (actually a steel dustbin). When i bought these i took each one in turn to my doctors surgery where the nurse checked my bp with my machine and then a mercury column machine.

I do not know anything about blood sugar monitors, is it possible your machine could be checked against another, or is it that all monitors are the same givin
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1 December 2018, 20:28,
#3
RE: Blood sugar monitors
(1 December 2018, 20:15)Pete Grey Wrote: My problem is not diabetes but high blood pressure, i have two bp monitors one for regular use, the other is in a faraday cage (actually a steel dustbin). When i bought these i took each one in turn to my doctors surgery where the nurse checked my bp with my machine and then a mercury column machine, so i know they are pretty accurate.

I do not know anything about blood sugar monitors, is it possible your machine could be checked against another ?, or is it that all monitors are the same givin

Sorry, will continue

are all monitors the same giving a swing of + or - 10% ?, is it a characteristic of the way they work ?, if so i can see the difficulty you have.
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1 December 2018, 22:16,
#4
RE: Blood sugar monitors
Improper storage of test strips or their exposure to high humidity impairs their accuracy. Every time I open a new canister of test strips I do a calibration check using two test solutions to ensure the strips are correct at both the top and bottom of their range. I check fasting blood glucose in the morning after I have been up for a little while, having showered, shaved and dressed. I check then BP about 30 minutes after breakfast. I check BG and BP again in the late afternoon, about an hour before dinner or any adult beverage, being several hours after lunch and usually 30-45 minutes after yard work or exercise.

I can observe a significant difference if I don't get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily, brisk walking, just enough to break a light sweat is best, my daily circuit around the neighborhood is about 4km with some uphill. If outdoor weather is above 30 degs. C and humid or below 0 degs. C and windy, I will opt for the exercise bike and weight machine indoors.

With my current exercise, diet and medication regime my lipid panel, A1C and BP are all at goal. I am 70.

73 de KE4SKY
In
"Almost Heaven" West Virginia
USA
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2 December 2018, 00:24,
#5
RE: Blood sugar monitors
I am also T2 ,med change to injection (two stage insulin ) resulting in enhancing my fantastic good looks even more! Groping by ladies whilst shopping has increased by 32% but Hey what can one do ?
....I have (by special request of wild child) been forced to remove my dentures in the pitiful hope that this will stem this infatuation with HER bought and paid for HUNK .


Simular traits with my monitor ..fluctuations can occur but generally stable.
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