expired strips
 

Would expired strips give u a false reading?

Yes, most-likely. I would guess that it all depends on how much out of date they are. I would suggest that you get some new strips and cross check. Let use know about your findings.

I did and with same finger was 20 points different

It could be "meter discrepancy". You can take blood sugar readings, one after another, and probably never get the same reading. The best blood sugar meters on the market are still only within 10% to 20% accurate.

Use caution, I tested with expired strips when I was feeling low and when I tested it said 300! It was really 70.

My meter won't let me use expired strips. I figured it was so they could get more $ out of me but it sounds like expired ones might give false readings.

I use Accu-Check Compact Plus. After going off the wagon for a couple of years I'm back to monitoring myself very closely throughout the day to learn my reaction to various foods and exercise. This can get costly! I still had boxes of strips left over from before which were now 1-2 years past their expiration date. Comparing their readings to new strips showed no difference. That said, the nice thing about the strips for this meter is they are stored in a cylinder of 17 strips which keeps them sealed, eliminating issues with moisture and such. Can't say how this applies to individual test strips exposed to the elements. For what these things cost, assuming you aren't keeping them in your hot car glovebox why not use the old ones along with new strips and keep on eye out to see if you get any readings that seem out of whack.

They put an expiration date so you won't use it anymore after that date. This is a good read...