Home BG Monitor does not work on on-diabetics? (blood, sugar, weight loss)
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I bought a ReliOn Prime home BG meter from Wallmart with everything needed (trips, lancet device, lancets) for occasional monitoring at home - but it simply does not work. I did everything rtight several times. I wonder whether this has to do with a possible defect in the product or the fact that I am NOT a diabetic.
The reason why I bought a home meter is because my mom is diabetic and a few years ago I had one out-of-range BG result on my annual physical. It was 101 (2 points above normal) - but the doctor never said anything about it, it was reported "normal".
On subsequent annual physicals my glucose results were 95, then 90, and this past year in May I had it at 84. Over these past 3-4 years I did lose some weight so maybe this gradual decrease may mirror the weight loss.
Trouble is at the age of 42 I became a bit apprehensive about what lies ahead, especially with my family history and a very serious craving for carbs; so I am a bit nervous about staying on top of things.
I read in the prospect that the device is not intended for screening.
Could it be that my numbers is low enough that the meter doesn't even start counting down at all?
Can ReliOn Prime register a normal result for a person without diabetis?
It is possible that my BG levels are quite low as I have been eating without much sugar or carbs over the past few weeks.
It sounds more like you got a defective meter. You can't return it to the store, but there should be a number to call on the box and I'm sure they'll tell you what to do with it.
The machine will register numbers in the normal range as well as elevated BG. I use the same meter and the lowest I usually see is 75, but the machine has no problem displaying it. It would be dangerous if it didn't display lows, because some diabetics are on medications or use insulin that can produce lows, and they need to know how low it is in order to treat it.
It sounds more like you got a defective meter. You can't return it to the store, but there should be a number to call on the box and I'm sure they'll tell you what to do with it.
The machine will register numbers in the normal range as well as elevated BG. I use the same meter and the lowest I usually see is 75, but the machine has no problem displaying it. It would be dangerous if it didn't display lows, because some diabetics are on medications or use insulin that can produce lows, and they need to know how low it is in order to treat it.
I checked it at the store, the pharmacist tried it on me, and I don't know what magic she did, because i did the same thing at home, and it worked.
It was 124 about an hour after I'd had a bowl of oatmeal. She said it's good.
I hope to get a FBG result on my own tomorrow morning - the hypochondriac in my would be so happy with a number below 84....
I usually use the Ultra Smart meter, which is accurate within 5 points (I have taken it with me to my doctor, and when they prick my finger for their test we also test my meter).
Anyway, the strips are expensive. Hence I first tried using the Relion Prime meter. Simply not accurate, with wildly varying results. Since I have a second home I purchased a second one: it, too, was wildly inaccurate. Tossed all into the trash.
Yet, I went back and bought a Relion Confirm (I test myself 8 or more times a day, and I simply need a cheaper meter). The Confirm was consistently 20 points higher than my Ultra Smart meter: which is fine with me. I went back and bought two more (so I can have one at work and the other house). Again, both consistently are 20 pounds higher than the Ultra Smart. Yet, as one person said on Amazon: if it is consistently high, then you know how to adjust. Hence, when I test myself with the Confirm, I simply subtract 20 points.
On another website I read (but cannot confirm) that under government regulations such meters must be within 20 percent of accuracy. Why the Prime meter was so awful, I have no idea.
I usually use the Ultra Smart meter, which is accurate within 5 points (I have taken it with me to my doctor, and when they prick my finger for their test we also test my meter).
Anyway, the strips are expensive. Hence I first tried using the Relion Prime meter. Simply not accurate, with wildly varying results. Since I have a second home I purchased a second one: it, too, was wildly inaccurate. Tossed all into the trash.
Yet, I went back and bought a Relion Confirm (I test myself 8 or more times a day, and I simply need a cheaper meter). The Confirm was consistently 20 points higher than my Ultra Smart meter: which is fine with me. I went back and bought two more (so I can have one at work and the other house). Again, both consistently are 20 pounds higher than the Ultra Smart. Yet, as one person said on Amazon: if it is consistently high, then you know how to adjust. Hence, when I test myself with the Confirm, I simply subtract 20 points.
On another website I read (but cannot confirm) that under government regulations such meters must be within 20 percent of accuracy. Why the Prime meter was so awful, I have no idea.
I compared the Prime with the meter my insurance paid for, One Touch Ultra 2, and the results were consistently within 2 points. I also test when I have it tested at the doctor's office, and it's been identical to their results. So I haven't had any problems with meter accuracy with the Prime. One problem that I've been having recently is that I'll insert the test strip, put the blood on it, then it will look like it's testing but then just go blank, so I end up wasting a strip.
I compared the Prime with the meter my insurance paid for, One Touch Ultra 2, and the results were consistently within 2 points. I also test when I have it tested at the doctor's office, and it's been identical to their results. So I haven't had any problems with meter accuracy with the Prime. One problem that I've been having recently is that I'll insert the test strip, put the blood on it, then it will look like it's testing but then just go blank, so I end up wasting a strip.
Sounds like a battery problem.
It may well be that the two Relion Prime meters I bought were from the same production run (or whatever one calls it), hence their very poor performance. Of course, perhaps my problem was a bad box of strips. Anyway, I'm glad your Prime is working so well, and I am pleased that my Confirm is consistent in its results.
I usually use the Ultra Smart meter, which is accurate within 5 points (I have taken it with me to my doctor, and when they prick my finger for their test we also test my meter).
Anyway, the strips are expensive. Hence I first tried using the Relion Prime meter. Simply not accurate, with wildly varying results. Since I have a second home I purchased a second one: it, too, was wildly inaccurate. Tossed all into the trash.
Yet, I went back and bought a Relion Confirm (I test myself 8 or more times a day, and I simply need a cheaper meter). The Confirm was consistently 20 points higher than my Ultra Smart meter: which is fine with me. I went back and bought two more (so I can have one at work and the other house). Again, both consistently are 20 pounds higher than the Ultra Smart. Yet, as one person said on Amazon: if it is consistently high, then you know how to adjust. Hence, when I test myself with the Confirm, I simply subtract 20 points.
On another website I read (but cannot confirm) that under government regulations such meters must be within 20 percent of accuracy. Why the Prime meter was so awful, I have no idea.
I tried the ReliOn prime on my own this morning for a FBG result.
The first one was 92 but it had an exclamation sign next to it on the screen. According to the booklet, this is an error result and it will be dropped from memory.
I re-tested and got 87 - no exclamation sign this time.
I tested one more time and it was 84.
So I did the average of 87 and 84 and I will assume it is an 85 result.
Not exactly under 84, where I would have preferred it - but fine.
How often do you think a non-diabetic with some risk (family history/mother, slightly overweight but hopefully not anymore soon) should test for prevention?
Should I also test throughout the day sometimes, for post-prandial results? What about that "a1" hemoglobin test? Should I even bother with that at all if I am not a diabetic or pre-diabetic?
Usually you only get the exclamation sign if you push the left arrow key while it's showing the test result. For example, when my dad uses my meter, we push the arrow key to mark that result so it doesn't get figured into my averages.
You probably don't need to be testing often at all, maybe once a month if it makes you feel better to be keeping an eye on it. Or just have your a1c checked once a year when you have other bloodwork done for a physical.
I tried the ReliOn prime on my own this morning for a FBG result.
The first one was 92 but it had an exclamation sign next to it on the screen. According to the booklet, this is an error result and it will be dropped from memory.
I re-tested and got 87 - no exclamation sign this time.
I tested one more time and it was 84.
So I did the average of 87 and 84 and I will assume it is an 85 result.
Not exactly under 84, where I would have preferred it - but fine.
How often do you think a non-diabetic with some risk (family history/mother, slightly overweight but hopefully not anymore soon) should test for prevention?
Should I also test throughout the day sometimes, for post-prandial results? What about that "a1" hemoglobin test? Should I even bother with that at all if I am not a diabetic or pre-diabetic?
T
I'm jealous! I've not seen anything under 100 for a couple years. <sigh>
I'm jealous! I've not seen anything under 100 for a couple years. <sigh>
I hate this disease!!!
Steven,
I hear you with the jealousy...but do keep in mind that I am not a diabetic - just a hypochondriac with an admittedly increased risk for diabetes. I am sure you can get good levels too with the right measures for diabetics.
I am always talking with my mom about it because she has it...and apparently my dad has it too, but it's surreal how in denial he is about it. They both live in another country where the medical approach is a combination of dumb fatalism with just plain lazy complacency - and that includes the drs.
When my mom's tests came out at 160 on FBG, her dr. just told her "ma'm, think about eating less bread and exercising more". That's all the dr. said to a person with a 160 FBG. Too bad the suing thing doesn't work there, at least she could have collected something post -diabetes dx.
Seriously? This is a cliche every human being hears all of his/her life. What registers in most people's brain is that sure, this would be "ideal" in theory, but who the heck can keep up with THAT kind of regimen?.
This type of attitude is quite prevalent in my highly hedonistic culture - and the whole "eat well/exercise" orientation is even mocked at times.
Then a couple of years later, her FBG was at 300!!! - AND THEN, and ONLY THEN, she got officially dx-ed with diabetes. Go figure.
My dad currently tests into the 130-140 with mom's home monitor and he kind of shruggs it. He doesn't have an official dx from the doctor, he just thinks it's OK to pinch from my mom's medication when he eats a bit more. And yes, he continues to stock his kitchen cabinets with wafers, crackers and various other sweets.
Yes, surreal.
Diabetes is definitely a problem but if this helps with the jealousy , I suffer from very frequent anxiety, particularly health-related anxiety, all peppered with a severe case of aerophobia.
Any perception of a possible life-threatening diagnosis sends me into a horrible state of mind for weeks, until I have thorough tests to rule out "the worst".
I can't function, I become disconnected from day to day life - just bad.
I am now recovering from a bout of pneumonia - which of course sent me into Horrific Anxiety Land until a repeat X-ray showed that no, pneumonia WASN'T hiding cancer, etc.
Post-pneumonia I started experiencing dizzyness and lightheadness which the dr. thinks is due to anxiety - but if it keeps going like that, I see another brain MRI in my near future.
I wish you the very best and the greatest test results, all the time!
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, I suffer from very frequent anxiety, particularly health-related anxiety, all peppered with a severe case of aerophobia. 
