Can You Use Expired Glucose Strips?

The short answer is no. You should discard expired glucose strips and use fresh ones instead. Using expired strips can give you inaccurate blood glucose readings, which is risky, especially when your medication dosage is based on these readings.

Why Can't You Use Expired Strips?

Glucose test strips contain a chemical that reacts with your blood to determine your glucose level. Over time, this chemical breaks down, leading to inaccurate results. These inaccuracies can cause your readings to be either too high or too low, which can mislead you in managing your diabetes.

A Simple Experiment

To illustrate this, I conducted an experiment by testing my fasting blood glucose on three different mornings using both expired and unexpired strips.

• Day 1: The readings were identical for both expired and unexpired strips.
• Day 2: The expired strips showed a reading that was 7 points lower than the unexpired strips.
• Day 3: The expired strips were 10 points lower than the unexpired strips.

As you can see, the discrepancies grow, which could lead to incorrect medication dosages.

How to Store Your Test Strips

To ensure accuracy, always check the expiration date on the bottle before using your strips. Generally, test strips are good for about six months after opening, as long as they remain within the expiration date.

Here are some tips to extend the life of your test strips:

• Limit Light Exposure: After removing a strip, quickly close the container to minimize exposure to light.
• Keep Them at the Right Temperature: Avoid exposing the strips to extreme temperatures—too hot or too cold.
• Keep Them Dry: Moisture can also affect the strips' accuracy, so store them in a dry place.

Conclusion

Always use unexpired glucose strips and store them properly to ensure accurate readings. For more tips on managing diabetes, check out the link in the description below.