Is Your Glucose Meter Accurate? Troubleshooting Common Issues

Glucose meters are calibrated from the manufacturer, but like anything else that is assembled en masse, there is the chance that something could be wrong with it or it could get broken along the way. Also, it is not uncommon for electrical components to wear out. If you suspect that your glucose meter is not functioning properly, you can check it with a few simple steps.You will need to get a few supplies to properly test it, but everything you need is available from the meter manufacturer or at your local pharmacy.

Things You'll Need

• Glucose meter
• Glucose test strips
• Control solution

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Instructions

• 1

  Insert a test strip into the meter. You will use a glucose test strip and control solution that correspond to your meter.

• 2

  Place a drop of control solution on the strip, just as you would a drop of blood if you were testing. Be sure to wait for the meter to prompt you for the sample before adding the solution.

• 3

  Wait for the meter to process the sample and display the results. It should take the same amount of time as processing a blood sample if it is working correctly. The processing time will vary by meter.

• 4

  Compare the result displayed on the screen with the directions on the control solution. These may be printed on the bottle or on the packaging.

• 5

  If the result you receive is different from the expected results for the control solution, you may need to replace or repair the meter. Contact the manufacturer to determine if your meter can be repaired or if they will replace it. You may need to purchase a new one, depending on the age of your current meter.