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FreeStyle Flash Diabetes Testing Instructions

The FreeStyle Flash blood glucose monitor is from Abbott, a leading manufacturer of diabetes-testing meters. It has a small sample size requirement of only 0.3 µL. It is backlit, with four programmable alarms, testing reading in only seven seconds, and six sites of available testing options. The test results can be downloaded onto a PC or with the CoPilot PC FreeStyle data management system. It will keep 250 results in its memory. The FreeStyle Flash is simple to use and easy for those new to diabetes.

  1. Before the Test

    • Make sure that your test site is cleaned thoroughly with an alcohol prep pad and allowed to dry completely. Testing with the FreeStyle Flash blood glucose monitor can be done in one of six locations: hand, fingertips, thigh, calves, upper arm or forearm.

    During the Test

    • Have a strip ready for the monitor and make sure the monitor is working properly. Put the test strip into the monitor and it will turn on, ready to read your blood sample. Be warned that if you do not give your blood sample in two minutes the monitor will power off and you must reinsert a clean test strip.

      Using a lancet, you need to make a small prick to your testing site and draw a small sample of blood to put onto the testing strip. The machine will beep when it is finished taking blood into the test strip. It will count down while it is reading the blood sample and then beep once again when completed.

    After the Test

    • After this last beep the monitor will display your blood glucose reading in the measuring amount of mg/dl. Write this number down in your logbook (if you keep a logbook of your blood sugar readings). If the monitor is reading "LO" or "HI" your blood sugar is either too low or too high to give an actual result. If either of these shows, do a second test and if you get the same result, call your doctor immediately. For the FreeStyle Flash blood glucose monitor, a reading of "LO" means your blood sugar is under 20 mg/dl and a reading of "HI" is over 500 mg/dl.

      Take the testing strip out of the monitor and throw away. The monitor will shut off on its own; there is no need to power it off. It is now ready for the next blood glucose reading.

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