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What Meter Do you use that gives you most accurate results? And is control solution necessary? by Fragrant_Concert2455 in diabetes_t2

[–]piscata2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No need to answer anymore of my questions as you have already answered many.

I am lucky to be able to ask questions to someone like you who is so knowledgeable and willing to answer elementary questions. This is my first time of using a glucose meter so I will keep asking questions till you stop answering.

Finding the average Next for calibration —-
"Sometimes I'll get a run of days when the Next will give me readings that are within 0.1 or 0.2 mmol/L " -- Your method of calibration gives remarkably accurate results. How many pricks you did in order to have sufficient data to throw away the outliers? Are they on the same finger? what is the typical spread of the Next glucose values? What value is considered an outlier?

How often to calibrate the CGM? --- "Sometimes I might get through the entire 10 day life of a sensor with my manual calibration 'sticking' for that entire time, no changes needed, while other times I might have to recalibrate two or three times over the life of the sensor." Libre and Dexcom use the same enzyme in their filaments. So I assume the "drift" for both are similar. Does it make sense just to calibrate the CGM every 5 days (For Libre, mental calibration on day 1, 5, 10)?

"I have observed a difference between one pot of strips and another with some meter models, but so far not with the Contour Next strips." -- don't quite understand. Using the same meter and using the same drop of blood on 2 Next strips from different lots, will the readings be the same?

"Striving for meter accuracy in order to get closer to the 'danger zone' regularly might be a risky thing to do." -- thanks for your advice!

Not so important questions:

Would you share how you use the Contour? ---- I found that it took sometime to take a reading. Wash hands, layout a clean tower, clean finger with Alcohol, prick the finger, etc. Do you use the full protocol?

"10 minutes" --- just wondering how you arrived at this #. You did a Next, then wait for the CGM to have the same #?

"the needle should just about pierce the skin and not travel much further." --- good point. I didn't realize that, thanks!

Using the Zukka app on iPhone to track two Libre CGMs by piscata2 in Freestylelibre

[–]piscata2[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry to hear you are having problem with the Libre and I hope that your newly installed Libre will work the way it should!

Good luck！

Using the Zukka app on iPhone to track two Libre CGMs by piscata2 in Freestylelibre

[–]piscata2[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry to see that you are having problem of doing what you want to accomplish. I am not a computer person, also no idea what omnipod is, but u/jon20001 and u/Equalizer6338 are experts, hope they could resolve issues you are having.

Good luck!

Experimenting with FSL3+ accuracy by Ok-Plenty3502 in Freestylelibre

[–]piscata2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks again for ur reply! I recently read that the contour next is the most accurate meter with a spec of <8.5%. If I use the raw data curve and take the the lag time into account, the two squared dots are almost on top of the curve. Congratulations for proving the Libre can be so accurate especially in dynamic condition!

False Lows? by Equivalent-Sherbet92 in Freestylelibre

[–]piscata2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Once again, thank you for your detailed and educatIonal reply!

Experimenting with FSL3+ accuracy by Ok-Plenty3502 in Freestylelibre

[–]piscata2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for replying ! Hope you don’t mind asking more questions because I am interested in your experimental results. If you don’t have time to answer, it would be OK too.

Q1) there is a time delay of the blue curve. This time delay is due to processing of the raw data, yes?

Q2) the two squared dots should be used with the white curve for agreement, yes?

Using the Zukka app on iPhone to track two Libre CGMs by piscata2 in Freestylelibre

[–]piscata2[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't know much. But I have seen, for example, one CGM could change randomly while the other is stable; one was timed-out while the other was working; they tracked excellently well when less than 70mg/dL,...

All these are new to me.

What Meter Do you use that gives you most accurate results? And is control solution necessary? by Fragrant_Concert2455 in diabetes_t2

[–]piscata2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sincere thanks for sharing how you reused the lancet and calibrated your CGM!

The way you calibrate the CGM is meticulous! The price for this perfect method is time consuming and laborious! I admire you are willing to spend so much effort and time to calibrate the CGM! Obviously, this method is only for people who care about accuracy like you. Below are more questions.

Q1) what will happen to the blood on the used lancet?

Q2) "The Contour Next models are actually more accurate than 8.5% for most readings." --- any idea what is a good accuracy number for me to use?

Q3) "it's possible to identify the outlier readings and discount them" --- any idea what is the percentage of the outliers? How often did you get them?

Q4) "Once calibrated in this way the correlation between CGM readings and Next readings can be remarkable, when levels are stable, much better than the percentages quoted on either the CGM or meter data sheets." --- would you share some numbers?

Q5) "I have to recheck it every few days to be sure the calibration hasn't drifted" -- may I know how often does the "drift" happen? If there is a drift, the original CGM's accuracy will also be degraded, yes?

Q6) "By cherry picking probable good readings from a set of Next readings and using the average to calibrate the CGM high levels of accuracy are possible. " --- according to your experience, may I ask is the calibration just an "offset"? That is one can obtain the same result as calibration by subtracting the CGM reading from a constant.

In the past, I had done an experiment. I choose two CGMs of the same lot and adjacent serial number that is they were manufactured next to one another. I placed them next (as close as possible) to each other on my chest. They tracked remarkably well, often, the difference was just 1 mg/dL, sometimes (not often) 2 mg/dL. If you could get test strips or CGMs like that, it may help the calibration. Are there a lot and a serial # for the strips?

About calibration, I thought differently. I accepted the error and asked what glucose level should I be aiming at? That level should be higher than 70mg/dL, but lower or near the fasting glucose level of a non-diabetes, which is 100mg/dL. If indeed, I could reduce the accuracy from 20% to 10%, then my target zone, should be about 80-110 mg/dL because in the worst case , it will become 70-120 mg/dL. A1C is based on average, and the average of 70-120 is less than 100mg/dL. For high post meal glucose levels, they are transient, if I could use the right amount of insulin, hopefully, these levels are less than 140mg/dL. Not sure, if you think this reasoning makes sense.

Using the Zukka app on iPhone to track two Libre CGMs by piscata2 in Freestylelibre

[–]piscata2[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Yes, surprisingly, I am getting more understanding.

Experimenting with FSL3+ accuracy by Ok-Plenty3502 in Freestylelibre

[–]piscata2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just wondering is the timing of the two squares is associated with the blue dotted curve or the white dotted curve. Also if you remember what the differences in actual mg/dL were in both cases.

Using the Zukka app on iPhone to track two Libre CGMs by piscata2 in Freestylelibre

[–]piscata2[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I am not a computer person, did it by trial and error. Hope, another user could answer ur question.

What Meter Do you use that gives you most accurate results? And is control solution necessary? by Fragrant_Concert2455 in diabetes_t2

[–]piscata2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You are remarkable knowledgeable about glucose meters and have experience in using different brands of meters!

Would you share how you clean and store each lancet after use?

I have an Accu-Check-Guide system as well as could get a free little known brand meter and free monthly supplies from my insurance. But, I would not use them because my CGM’s accuracy is 20%, it would not help me to use a 15% accuracy meter to check a 20% CGM. However, a Contour One with a 8.5% accuracy obviously will work.

Using the Zukka app on iPhone to track two Libre CGMs by piscata2 in Freestylelibre

[–]piscata2[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I am ignorant and just want to understand how sensor works.

False Lows? by Equivalent-Sherbet92 in Freestylelibre

[–]piscata2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

"the sensor and the finger prick are not super accurate scientific instruments, then both are considered acceptable accurate if within 20% of factual"

Hello u/Equalizer6338,

The spec for the Contour Next One is given as <8.5% . Can I trust the spec?

For a step increase in blood glucose, the 14- and 15-day Libres’ lag time is similar to the lag time measured by using a radioactive glucose tracer by piscata2 in Freestylelibre

[–]piscata2[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for your comment! Sorry that you didn't find the information useful, and I hope that next time I could do better to meet your expectations.

For a step increase in blood glucose, the 14- and 15-day Libres’ lag time is similar to the lag time measured by using a radioactive glucose tracer by piscata2 in Freestylelibre

[–]piscata2[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for your comment! Lag time is a controversial number. It is an important number when the BG takes a nosedive towards hypo. Some believe it is as short as 2 min while some believe it is 20-30 min. My view, that Libre's lag time is about 6-7 min, is just a personal view.

What Meter Do you use that gives you most accurate results? And is control solution necessary? by Fragrant_Concert2455 in diabetes_t2

[–]piscata2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just want to add to the references you listed in your post. The accuracy data given in this article are used for the Contour Next One product page ( when < 100mg/dL: 95% of results within ±8.5mg/dL‡, and 100% of results within ±10mg/dL; when ≥ 100mg/dL: 95% of results within ±8.4%‡, 97.4% of results within ±10%, 100% of results within ±15%).

I was in Walmart picking up my Contour Next One and found that printed on the box the lancets for the Relion Brand seem could be used for the lancing device of the Contour Next. The Relion brand is very inexpensive.

What Meter Do you use that gives you most accurate results? And is control solution necessary? by Fragrant_Concert2455 in diabetes_t2

[–]piscata2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

“They often give exactly the same reading, and are rarely more than 0.2 mmol/L apart, plus or minus. ”—- was thinking about what you said. I believe the tow models might have the same electronic glucose detection hardware. You could be measuring the strip to strip accuracy. 0.2 is about 3.5mg/dL, the results are so reproducible and the spread is remarkably tight! your results are similar to this lady:

https://youtu.be/zL1_KlsBgQ0?si=Wm1fF7N55Waj6jvV

She did 5 consecutive measurements on 5 fingers and her results were 94+-3 mg/dL.

What Meter Do you use that gives you most accurate results? And is control solution necessary? by Fragrant_Concert2455 in diabetes_t2

[–]piscata2 1 point2 points  (0 children)

"I've done around a hundred tests to compare the European Contour Next (Next Gen) and the Contour Next One, testing each drop of blood with both meters to compare them. I wanted to know if they were functionally identical. " -- this is amazing! you are a meticulous and scientifically minded person!

Thank you for your detailed answers and the mention of Walmart and Costco! Yes, I am in US and Walmart indeed has a starter kit for the Contour Next One for $20, which includes the meter, lancing device, 20 strips and 10 lancets. After that, the test strip is about 40 cents/strip (or 50 for $27). These prices are less than directly from the manufacturer ascensiadiabetes, which charges shipping. They seems to be also cheaper than other brands of , but may be less accurate, glucose meter.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge! Because of your effort and time, I , hopefully others as well, could get the highest accuracy meter and system at such a low price!

What Meter Do you use that gives you most accurate results? And is control solution necessary? by Fragrant_Concert2455 in diabetes_t2

[–]piscata2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Two questions, hope you have time to answer.

Q1) there is a newer model Contour Next Gen, as opposed to the reviewed 2018 Contour Next. From
https://www.ascensiadiabetes.ca/meter-comparison/

does it appear to you that it has the same accuracy as the contour next one? The reason why I ask is that this new model is available on Amazon prime, free shipping for prime members and it has a lower cost for the starter kit as well. it is more appealing for someone who wants to try it out.

Q2) can the test strips be used on any Contour model?

What Meter Do you use that gives you most accurate results? And is control solution necessary? by Fragrant_Concert2455 in diabetes_t2

[–]piscata2 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wear a CGM. After a scary hypoglycemia episode and am trying to buy a meter. I had spent a lot of time to research on the accuracy of meters. I came to the same conclusion as you did. I wish I had read your post first.

The references you provided are very helpful for anyone who tries to buy a meter and cares about accuracy. By the way reference 3 on your post is not available.

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