Sometimes I wonder how much I should trust my meter, versus just going on "diabetes instinct" based on how I feel. I've had times where I've done something completely illogical like eating without bolusing or not corrected a low because I "felt" like I was going up and it's turned out okay. On the other hand, I've had times where it didn't work out well at all, which is obviously why I keep testing!
I woke up this morning at 5.3 mmol/L (95 mg/dl) which is good. Ate the breakfast I eat every morning. Two and a half hours later I was 9.5 (171) which annoyed me that I hadn't checked sooner. If there's a time after meals I'll end up high it'll be breakfast, so I corrected it and went on.
About an hour later I wanted lunch so I tested to see if I was low enough to eat and ... 3.6 (65 mg/dl). Now I have been having problems with highs lately and hardly any lows so I was surprised I'd drop so much in under an hour. So I tested again and got 6.0 (108). Now utterly confused about which number to trust I tested again and got 4.9 (88).
So now I have no idea whether I should eat a few Skittles, or subtract the insulin on board from my lunch bolus, or what. Since I've been having problems with highs I'll probably just bolus normally and then just keep an eye out for going low.
But just, argh. Diabetes is enough of a guessing game without having to guess about which reading your meter gave you is accurate! (I'm also going to pick up some control solution at the pharmacy to check my meter, hopefully it won't be too expensive ...)
I like to do 2 tests before I eat in the AM as, a lot of times, DP will start "deploying" while I'm getting ready, etc.? I have a CGM too, which also helps with this but a lot of times if it starts to shade up, I blow off eating carbs. Lately, it seems to be happening pretty regularly so I am sort of blowing off carbs most of the time just in case.
That's a good idea to call the manufacturer. I'll see if the pharmacy will give me free solution (they sometimes give away stuff like that), but if not I'll give someone a call. I use the OneTouch meter that communicates with the Animas Ping, so not sure if I should call LifeScan or Animas, but I'm sure there's a phone number on the back of the meter.
I had an experience like that too yesterday. I was feeling low in energy so I tested and the meter said 378! Yeow! So I tested again: 157, and again, 129, all within the space of 5 minutes. I don't know what to make of it. This is with an Aviva Accuchek.
Sometimes you need to go on instinct. Sometimes, I feel my BG is dropping -- I can feel it -- but my meter says I'm fine. I resist the urge to treat a low that's not there. Half hour again, same thing, my meter says I'm fine. The urge to treat becomes a craving to stuff my face with anything and everything I can get my hands on. Eventually, then number plummets and I say to my meter, "I told you so!"
I am convinced that diabetes is simply the hardest disease to treat. I have theses same issues and most times I go with how I'm feeling; and most times I thankful I didn't go by my meter. I do, however, strongly suggest you pass this information on to your doctor.
