So, after our PDM failed and we scrambled to get a backup meter we ended up with the following collection (all Abbott): Insulet Old Style (non-color) PDM Insulet New Color PDM Freestyle Freedom Freestyle Lite Precision Xtra I tested them all side-by-side with the same control solution and got the following results: 82 Insulet Old Style (non-color) PDM 80 Insulet New Color PDM 78 Freestyle Freedom 90 Freestyle Lite 118 Precision Xtra I have absolutely no idea what to think at this point. The range on the strips were 83-125 with nothing stated on the Xtra.
Scary isn't it? But the first 3 readings are really virtually the same, and the 4th one is only a little bit off from the others. The truth is that all the numbers we work with in diabetes care are really estimates. Blood glucose meters vary, the amount of carbs is an estimate (even in a packaged, labeled food), the amount of insulin we draw up in a syringe (we TRY to get the exact amount, but....). And that doesn't even include the human variations. Biology is not as easily measurable as chemistry or physics.
I don't know if this makes a difference, but our Precision Xtra had a different control solution than the Freestyles. The range was printed on the bottle, and you could get high or low (can't remember if there was anything in between) solutions. ETA: There is a mid control solution.
FYI and I will post this elsewhere but as I was going through all my documentation to call Abbott Monday I ran across this insert: http://www.abbottdiabetescare.com/medical-device-notification-freestyle-control-solution.html It's an update on the "new" control solution ranges for test strips - apparently the strips have had, as mine did, incorrect ranges on the strip bottle. This "update" put a failing meter just barely into range.
