If you are a diabetic, one of the most important tools to help you in your fight against this disease is your blood glucose monitor.
And one of the most important things you can do to ensure that your meter is working efficiently is to make sure that your meter is coded properly.
Coding your meter is important because an improperly coded meter will give you false results and this can cause problems.
By spending the few seconds it takes to verify the meter is coded properly you can avoid the complications associated with having incorrect information available to you.
Incorrect insulin dosage.
If you are using insulin therapy, your meter is used to determine your dosage of insulin.
An incorrect reading will lead to an incorrect dosage which can result in serious complications, even hospitalization.
Incorrect information on food.
As a diabetic, you use your meter to provide you with feedback.
Which foods are problematic for you...
When you should eat...
If your meter is improperly coded the data you retrieve can be off by as much as 46%.
By not having accurate information, you cannot make an accurate assessment of your health.
Incorrect information about exercise.
Exercise can lower your blood sugar; exercise can raise your blood sugar.
And, if you are using insulin therapy, exercise might require an insulin injection before or after your exercise routine.
If your meter is incorrectly coded you will not know if you need to eat before or after your exercise routine.
And, if you are on insulin therapy, you might miscalculate your insulin dosage which can lead to serious complications.