hmmmmm, meter problem. what to do what to do

i don't check every meter i have god knows...but when i get one i've never used i like to test it as i like to be able to talk intelligently to the newbie about what i send them if i need to.
i use one touch and accu-check personally, have for awhile. tonight i used 3 meters with the same drop of blood and here were my results:
one touch--186
contour-----174
reliOn-------137 !!!

i've done this before with the contour and the accu-check and got similiar results, within 10 points. i'm careful to get all the blood from one drop within seconds. (i've got it down!)

i'm going to compare reliOn with contour tomorow morning....
how do you guys feel? i know we often reccomend reliOn but i feel uncomfortable sending out a meter and strips with such differing results from the others. it was an opened vial of strips but exp 10-11. and the meter while not new looks to be in very good shape, barely used.

i don't know, i'd hate to have anyone much less a newbie get inaccurate results to this extent.

for those who wonder why i am using so many meters :mrgreen: no i am not a meter-a-holic but i do make the newbie kits to mail out to..of course, the newbies!

 

Its possible the strips could be bad. If they are opened they could have been exposed. You could try returning both meter and strips and tell pharmacist they are off and you would like a replacement. Or you could just toss it out and move on.

I have several new never used contours that I collected for neewbie kits that I can send when u want them.

 

Before tossing the meter, I'd probably try to find some control solution to test it, and a new vial of strips. It could just be that the strips were bad. Or maybe it wasn't coded right? I know when I was testing regularly with a Maxima AST, that when I ordered strips, usually all the boxes in my order had the same code. But then the next shipment would have a different code--and I'd often forget to code right for the first couple of tests because I'd been so used to having 3 or 4 vials of the same code number. Does that make sense?

Otherwise I'd do what Hillary suggested and either try to exchange it for a new one, or toss it completely. That does seem to be a pretty big number difference.

 

Meter accuracy is no better than +/- 20%.
186 minus 20% is 148
137 plus 20% is 164

Thus, all three meters could be within specification. The real key is to use one meter consistently and not change meters unless necessary and then be aware that there may be a step difference.

 

well i do have another unopened vial of strips (did'nt want to open but will) and i can't return as they were donated. i guess i could call the company. and this meter does not require coding and did not come with solution. i have solutions for other meters...don't know it that compatible or not...i guess i will open the other vial, 5o strips, but i do have to know if i will send this meter out.
hillary, send. have i already sent you my address? i'll pm you.