CONTOUR NEXT Control Solution Level 2 (2.5mL Bottle) Control Solution for Blood Glucose Monitoring, Easy Drop Application for Accuracy Checks, Supports Reliable Blood Sugar Testing

Testing the Bayer Diagnostics Direct 1Z-8VRW-E63D Contour Next Normal Control Solution,Level 2, 2.5 mL Introduction: I am a professional certified field tester for a lot of quality product's that are made today. Our goal is to help companies to expand by introducing the seller's or inventor's to investor's & firm's who can help increase sells of high end quality product's. Please Note a product has to score very high even to get that chance & a seller has to be very honest & reliable as well. Adding The Item's Up For The Test: Testing with 2 different Meter's & 3 different Allotment's of Blood Glucose Strips with 1, Contour Next Level 2 Solution. All Testing Product's Used In This Test Are Compatible & they are Listed Below, Look Under Testing Speck List: Proceedings of the Test: I used 1 Bayer Contour Next Control Solution Level 2 with 2 different Bayer Contour Next EZ Meter's with 3 Different Container's of the Bayer Contour Next Blood Glucose Test Strips from different allotment's. First I took a small piece of New Clean Wax Paper about 2"X2" in Dia. then I took the Control Solution & Shaked it really well for 30 Second's & opened the Solution & applied about 3 small drop's (because I would be testing 6 different Blood Glucose Test Strips) on the Wax Paper & I took the First Meter & I applied the first Blood Glucose Test Strip to the Meter, putting the Gray End of the Test Strip in the Meter & I waited until it started blinking, then I touched the Tip of the Blood Strip to the Drop of Control Solution & waited until it gave me a Reading. Then I logged the Reading as Listed Below. Then To the Second Blood Strip & then to the Third Blood Strip & logging them all as Listed Below in that same order. Once all 6 Blood Glucose Strip's tested within the Range Listed on each Blood Strip Container Label (It’s also Listed on the Bottom Flap on the Container Box) I proceeded to the next step as Listed Below in that same order. The Next Step was to Test the 6 different Blood Glucose Strip's with my own blood. I took the Top off the Bayer Microlet 2 Lancing Device & then I took a Microlet Lancet out of the box & turned the Safety Tip so it could be easily removed to expose the needle once the Lancet was inserted into the Microlet Lancing Device. Once the Lancet was put in the Lancing Device I removed the Safety Tip to expose the needle & then I put the Top back on the Lancing Device & pulled the back top of the Lancing Device to cock it, (Usually when the Lancet is placed into the Lancing Device & pushed down to set the Lancet the Device will cock itself.) then I laid it a side. Now to prepare to start the Blood Test. Next I got the Meter & I place a Blood Glucose Test Strip with the Gray End of the Test Strip going into the end of the Meter, Now the Meter should start to Light up & Blink until it settles & you will see a Blinking U Shaped Symbol at the Bottom of the Meter's Window Screen & everything else such as the time or however you have your meter Set Up to show, Now lay the Meter a side. Next to pick a place to draw the blood from. I like to use my thumb because it seems to be the best & easiest to draw Blood from & it heels without any problem, but everyone is different in this case & you should do what is best for you. Next I use my index finger & I put a little pressure to the end of my thumb to the point that my Thumb Tip turns a Reddish Color, this only causes the blood to be forced to the end of my thumb so the blood can be easily taken. (Never Squeeze a place just use gentile force, no more than to get a reddish color on the place that you choose to take the sample from.) Then I put the Tip of the Lancing Device flush with the Tip of my thumb & pushed the Button on the Lancing Device. Once you have done this just use Gentile Force to cause a small amount of blood to form a bubble of blood, Then pick up the Meter & touch the End of the Blood Glucose Strip to the bubble of blood & hold it there until the Meter starts showing & blinking a Set of Flat Bar's (The Meter is preparing to give a reading, However if you get a Error Sign on the Meter Screen, most of the time you need to apply more blood to the strip. Bayer says you have about 20 seconds or so to do this, but I have never been able to get it to take after a Error Sign is shown, I must get a new test strip & start again.) Ok once the Meter has settled you should have your Blood Glucose Reading. I Tested Each of the 6different Blood Glucose Test Strips in the Order that is Listed Below. Meter Tip's & Help: This Meter can be Set Up to keep Daily Track of your Blood Glucose Level to show your Doctor or for your own personal use, Also this Meter can do several other things, Just Read & Study the small book that came with the Meter, If you don't have a book or need help you may call Bayer, Monday through Sunday, 8:00 am through 12:00 Midnight, Eastern Time at 1-800-348-8100 & a Bayer Customer Service Agent will sent you one or any other problem or question that you may have, These people are very helpful in most cases. If you call Bayer & Register your Meter, Bayer will send you a nice Meter Wallet & they will even send you free Batteries for your Meter when they get low free of charge for life just by asking. None of the Bayer Customer Service Agent's Knew that I was a Field Tester & a Product Advisor & They were more than Helpful on Every Thing. Bayer Will Replace most any item that doesn't work correctly or if it's Broken, only by asking them. This isn't a bad read, but use your own theory. This will clear up a lot of confusion about the Expiration Date's on the Bayer Contour Next Control Solution's. I called Bayer several times & talked with several different Customer Service Agent's & I even called the Bayer Store & talked with a Customer Service Agent. I was told by a Bayer Agent that all the Bayer Contour Control Solution's were being Outsourced by another company & this company only produced a number of different allotment's each year & distributed a number of allotment's to each of their Biggest Distributor's & then they were sold & shipped to different Vendor's. This is the reason many Big Pharmacy's don't buy or stock this product. The small Pharmacy's would have to sell a lot of Control Solution before the Expiration Date ran out & because of the Stocking of the product they went to other Brand's. Whether this is true or not I'm not sure, but it makes common sense because when you order the Control Solution from a Vendor its according when the Vendor ordered the Control Solution from their Distributor & how long the Vendor has had the allotment on the shelf just setting idled letting the Date run out on the Solution & when you receive a Control Solution that has 10 Month's before the Expiration Date runs out you have ordered the Control Solution from a Vender that has just received a Fresh Allotment of Solution or the Vendor hasn't had the Allotment very long. While I can't say for sure if any of this statement is true or not I have talked with several Pharmacist that all agreed with my theory because they all said that they could get the Control Solution some times from their Distributor & at other times it would be the next year before they could buy the Control Solution & put it back on the shelf. A couple Pharmacist have told me that they would never stock it again because of that very reason. Just think about it & use your own theory. _______________________________________________________________________________ Product Item's Speck List Are As Follows: 2 Different Bayer Contour Next EZ Blood Glucose Monitoring System's. 3 Different Allotment's Of The Bayer Contour Next Blood Glucose Test Strip's. - Total of 12 Test Strip's. 1 Container Of The Bayer Contour Next Normal Control Solution, Level 2, 2.5 mL 1 Bayer's Microlet 2 Adjustable Lancing Device. 6 Pieces, Bayer Microlet Colored Lancets - 100 Count Box. (30 Gauge) 1 Piece Of Clean Wax Paper About 2"X2". ________________________________________________________________________________ Type Of System Used: The Bayer Contour Next EZ Blood Glucose Monitoring System. Testing With: First Meter: Bayer Contour Next EZ Meter, S.N.: 9155843 Second Meter: Bayer Contour Next EZ Meter, S.N.: D0C7897 ____________________________________________________________________________ Tested Product: Bayer Contour Next Normal Control Solution Level 2, 2.5 mL = Expiration Date: 10/2017 - Lot# 6BV2A04 Bayer Contour Next Blood Glucose Test Strips With Control Solution Level 2: First Container of Strips: Lot# DW5LFEC53A = Expiration Date: 11/2017 - Control Solution Range: 111 - 138 mg/dL Second Container of Strips: Lot# DW6BFEG04B = Expiration Date: 2/2018 - Control Solution Range: 113 - 140 mg/dL Third Container of Strips: Lot# DW6MFEC03B = Expiration Date: 12/31/18 - Control Solution Range: 110 - 137 mg/dL _______________________________________________________________________ Over All Variations Of The Percentage Between Container's Of Strip's Total: 27 mg/dL (These number's are common with all Bayer Contour Next Blood Glucose Test Strip's) ______________________________________________________________________ Testing The Bayer Contour Next EZ Meter's With The Bayer Contour Next Normal Control Solution Level 2 Results. Bayer Contour Next Blood Glucose Test Strips With Control Solution Level 2: First Meter with Solution & First Container of Strips Reading was - 118 mg/dL First Meter with Solution & Second Container of Strips Reading was - 116 mg/dL First Meter with Solution & Third Container of Strips Reading was - 117 mg/dL ____________________________________________________________________ Bayer Contour Next Blood Glucose Test Strips With Control Solution Level 2: Second Meter with Solution & First Container of Strips Reading was - 125 mg/dL Second Meter with Solution & Second Container of Strips Reading was - 136 mg/dL Second Meter with Solution & Third Container of Strips Reading was - 132 mg/dL ____________________________________________________________________ Testing The Bayer Contour Next EZ Meter's With My Blood Glucose Level Results. Bayer Contour Next Blood Glucose Test Strips With My Blood: First Meter with First Container of Strips, Blood Glucose Reading was - 102 mg/dL First Meter with Second Container of Strips, Blood Glucose Reading was - 100 mg/dL First Meter with Third Container of Strips, Blood Glucose Reading was - 101 mg/dL ____________________________________________________________________ Bayer Contour Next Blood Glucose Test Strips With My Blood: Second Meter with First Container of Strips, Blood Glucose Reading was - 104 mg/dL Second Meter with Second Container of Strips, Blood Glucose Reading was - 100 mg/dL Second Meter with Third Container of Strips, Blood Glucose Reading was - 108 mg/dL ____________________________________________________________________ Calculating Over All Total Variations Percentage Levels: 102.5 Average Calculating Percentage Level Of The 6 Test Results: 2.5% Test Results: This was a very good test with very good results. The Average between the 6 Reading was very impressive with a 102.5 average. What was even more impressive was the 2.5% Percentage Level. This test really surprised me to say the least. After all the bad Review's that I have read I really had a lot of speculation about this Meter or any of the Bayer Product's living up to their name. The Bayer name has been around for many years & the Bayer Corporation has been around since 1863 . Bayer History: The Bayer Corporation (also known as Bayer USA) is the American subsidiary of Bayer AG. Its main offices are located in Whippany, New Jersey. In addition it has 40 fully consolidated subsidiary companies located in 19 different states. Bayer AG began marketing in the United States soon after the company's inception in Germany. In the late 1800s, they began to sell their trademark medication, aspirin. While the name "aspirin" became synonymous with Bayer for over a quarter of a century, the company lost the trademark on the name in the United States during World War I, due to the company's German origin. The word is still trademarked in other countries. My Over All Findings Of This Product: Of the many Review's that I have read, I read that the Bayer Contour Next EZ Meter was Rated Number 3 for being the most accurate Meter on the market. I really don't see how any company could get a Meter any closer to a average than this Meter showed in this test today. As a Field Tester & a Product Advisor one must take ever thing into consideration & leave no stone unturned. However I have considered that the Bayer Contour Next Normal Control Solution Level 2 or any of the Bayer Contour Control Solution's could make a difference in different Allotment's in the Readings & in different Allotment's with different Bayer Contour Meter's made for each individual product made for that Type Meter & with different Bayer Contour Next Blood Glucose Test Strip's or any of the Bayer Contour Blood Glucose Testing Strip's, but I don't think that it would make that big of a significance because of the Test ran today with 2 different Meter's using 3 different Allotment's of Test Strip's with One Container of Control Solution, However it could make a small difference is my thought. I had Blood work done about 2 months ago & my Blood Glucose Level was 101 mg/dL & that was about 3 1/2 hour's after a meal, which my Doctor said was Normal & that's about the same fasting time that it was when I did the Test. My fasting Blood Glucose Level is 78 too 86 mg/dL & my Doctor said that was good. My A1C was 5.0, which my Doctor said was fine & it was in the Normal Range. According to this Test Result & the Fact of my personal Blood Work that was done I Strongly Think that this Test was a Success. Tip's On Bayer Product's & How I Used Them: There are usually always Tip's that can clear some things up in every situation if you only study & try to figure it out. When putting the Test Strip's in the Meter, The Meter will always blink to set up & calculate for the Blood Glucose Reading. I found out that when you are putting the Test Strip in the Meter & it starts to blink once it stops blinking wait about 10 or 15 Second's Longer before you start to draw your Blood & by doing this your Reading most of the time will be a whole lot more Accurate. This is very important when using the Control Solution as well. The Bayer Customer Service Agent's have told me that when your Drawing Blood into the Test Strip & in the Meter Screen it gives a Error Symbol it means that the Test Strip needs more Blood to give a Reading, When this happens you have about 20 Second's to Draw more Blood with that Test Strip to get your Blood Glucose Reading before the Test Strip is Damaged & you must use another new Test Strip. I have never with any Bayer Meter been able to get a Reading after the Error Symbol Shows up in the Meter Window Screen. So Good Lucky with that one. I have been told when using the Bayer's Microlet 2 Adjustable Lancing Device that the Bayer Microlet Colored Lancets are too Short & will not puncture the skin because the Lancet is too short when set in the Lancing Device Holder. I have found this to be very True & it doesn't matter how you Set the Lancing Device Head or Tip by Adjusting it up or down it still will not puncture the skin enough to Draw Blood. I do this: I take a Small Piece of Tissue Paper & Fold it & place it in the Bottom of the Lancing Device Holder by Poking it down inside the Holder with a pair of Small Tweezers to build the bottom of the Holder up to the point that the Lancet is Long enough to puncture the skin. Some times you will have to keep taking the Tweezers & pulling the Tissue Paper out & either adding a bigger piece or smaller piece until you get the right Height to penetrate the skin deep enough to easily Draw the ample amount of Blood needed to take a sample. You may want to use about 1/4 of a piece of Note Book Paper & Layer the paper about 4 or 5 pieces thick & put it over the Tip of the Lancing Device to Test the Depth of the Needle that will puncture the paper instead of using your finger or thumb, you can tell how the depth of the Needle is by Looking at the Small Needle Hole & seeing if it penetrated the paper all the way through the paper but just barely through the Top piece of paper. I have read Review's about not getting the Control Solution with the Meter. It depends on what that you ordered as to the item's you received. Bayer sales the Meter in several different packages & different packages have different item's included in the package, Always Read the Speck List to see what comes with each package. The Bayer Contour Next EZ Blood Glucose Meter, Manual and Case Only, This package has the Meter Only in it as Clearly Stated. The Bayer Contour Next EZ Blood Glucose Monitoring System, Which contains The EZ Meter, 10 Lancets, 10 Test Strips, a Lancing Device, Control Solution, a Cheap Meter Wallet, Owners Logbook, Reference Guide and Manual. There are Several Company Kit's that contain every thing needed to start with, Just Read the Speck List on what is included in the Kit such as the Bayer Contour NEXT EZ Diabetic Testing Starter Kit 100 Strips, 100 Lancets, The Speck List says the Kit includes 100 Test Strips, 100 Lancets, Lancing Device, Control Solution, Owners Logbook, Reference Guide and Manual & I would also say that this kit has a Nice Meter Wallet with it as well, if it doesn't just call Bayer & ask Bayer to send you one & Bayer will Free of Charge. I Recommend that you always make sure that all the Bayer Product's that you are using are Compatible with one another so you will always get a correct Reading. Some Bayer Product look very close to being the same, but are totally different. My Over All Score On This Product, Rating & Review: Bayer Diagnostics Direct 1Z-8VRW-E63D Contour Next Normal Control Solution, Level 2, 2.5 mL The Bayer Contour Next Normal Control Solution Level 2, I believe is as good or better than most Control Solution's on the market. It Showed to be consistent with all the other Proper Bayer Product's within this Test & it was well within the Normal Range that it need to be for a true Blood Glucose Reading & I seen no odd fluctuations while testing this product with the proper product's that were designed to work together in a correct way for the Consumers use & furthermore I believe that all the Bayer Product's used to make up this Test worker together as good as they possibly could have under all the conditions. Please Note: Make Sure that the Date is not Expired & is within range of the Expiration Date on the Label or Box of the Bayer Contour Next Normal Control Solution, Level 2, 2.5 mL or you may or may not get a Correct Blood Glucose Reading. Also always check the Expiration Date on the Blood Glucose Test Strips to make sure that they haven't Expired, if either one of the product's has a Expired Date you could get any Reading instead of the correct Reading. My Rating on The Bayer Contour Next Normal Control Solution Level 2 is a Solid 93% & I feel that is a fair & honest Rating. Note: A score of a 94% out of a possible 100% is a very High Score for any Tester & a score of 94% is about as High as I will Rate any Product no matter how good it is under any conditions. I Highly Recommend this Product & All the Other Bayer Product's that it took to make up this Test. As a result of the out come of this Test & my findings on this Product I give it a Full 5 Star Review. Please Note: Look Above on the Testing Section: This isn't a bad read, but use your own theory. Foot Notes: I strongly feel if Bayer would make or have it made by the way of Outsourcing by another company & put at Least 10 Times the amount of Control Solution that they are making or having made by another company now & have the Control Solution a lot more available to the Pharmacy's & Big Store's & make it a lot easier to obtain Bayer could very well corner the market if all of their product's turn out to test as well as I have seen the results in this test. Rating the Seller: Product Ordered: Bayer Diagnostics Direct 1Z-8VRW-E63D Contour Next Normal Control Solution,Level 2, 2.5 mL Product Cost: $0.49 Plus Shipping Cost: $3.49 = Total Cost: $3.98 Sold By: Diabetes Supplies 4 Less.com, 639 East Ocean Ave., Suite 203 Boynton Beach, FL 33435 Phone# 877-880-0004 I placed the order on 7/21/17 & the order was shipped on 7/23/17, The Estimated time of Arrival: Friday, July 28 too Friday, August 4, Received the Item on: 7/26/17 The Product arrived 2 Day's earlier than the lowest date that I was given to receive the package. The packaging was fine & in good condition. A score of a Seller or Company isn't given, but earned over a period of years. I Rate this Seller over all a Flat 50% & I’m not happy enough to recommend this company. While the early shipping was fine, the company for one Never Checked The Customer Questions & Answer Section, Which I asked a Question that was Direct for the Seller to Answer & the Seller Never Checked the Post or Left a Answer to my Question. The Second Question was a Heart Breaker for any company & that is to tell a Customer a flat out Lie as this company did to me. I also called the company & I got a answer that the call couldn't be taken because the inbox was full. Well that put the icing on the cake & I was really kind of disgusted with the whole issue. I give the company a score on the Half Way Mark because of the Shipping, But I will not take a Lie that easy & the company is Lucky to get the score that I gave them. If the company had told me the truth about the Expiration Date it would have made no difference to me because I was only going to use the Product once for Testing & the item will be put in the trash any way. I went to the Sellers Rating Page & I checked the Company Rating which wasn't all that bad, but seemed to have had several dissatisfied customers & I understand why. I only hope that this is some kind of mistake, but I really don't see why any company would put their company name on the line for less than $4.00 it just doesn't make any sense to me & it’s a real good thing that I wasn't chosen by the investor's or firm's to test the product & have had this issue with this company because I would have had no other choice than to have gave them the same rating & review that is on this personal rating & review that I have left for the Customer's only. If they had got this type of rating & review the company would more than likely been put on the Black Ball List & that hurts everyone because the investor's & firm's will put the company before several other large companies, corporation's & CEO's which will not buy or invest in anything that this company is a part of & even what's worse they will not recommend any dealings with the company what so ever. Please don't take me wrong I'm not mad & I'm surely not hurt, it’s just things like this that can really hurt any company & this company is fairly close to me, I think about a 14 hour drive would put me at their front door & I like to help grow companies & see them excel & their sales really increase, not just for a short run, but for as long as the company exist. I Love to see the U.S. companies grow & to see our countries product's shipped & sold all over the world, that only makes this country stronger. I hope that this company has only made a simple mistake & they will correct the mistake, just by answering my question & making sure that the Customer questions & Answers Section is always watched & the truth is always told & that alone will be good enough for me. Below is what made the issue turn out really looking bad & these are word for word statement's by me & this company. You be the Judge. Because of the Out Come & issue's with this Company & my Transaction with the Company I give them a 2 Star Review. Customer questions & answers: Question: I want a response from the seller. if i ordered this from you today, what would be the expiration date on the control solution be today? asked by ***** ****** on July 21, 2017 = Question was erased Answer: I am not the seller, so I would not know the answer to your question. By Bob ******** on July 22, 2017 No other comments were made. Amazon Question: Contact Seller by E-mail: Have a question for DiabetesSupplies4Less? Ask a question. Customer Service Phone: 877-880-0004 Date that I Asked the Question: 7/21/2017 My Question by E-mail: If i ordered this from you today, what would be the expiration date on the control solution be today? E-mail Answer Reply on 7/24/2017 by Diabetes Supplies 4 Less: Good morning ******, the expiration date is June 2018. Thank you so much and have a great day. The actual expiration date on the product was: 10/2017 On 7/21/2017, I called Diabetes Supplies 4 Less & got no answer, the call couldn't be taken because the inbox is full. (This call was also placed the same day as the order.) Web Site Rating: Amazon.com must have found the problem since my last Rating & Review on the crossed up Link's that would take you to another Seller's Page instead of the correct Seller's Page in which you bought the Product from, this caused confusion when trying to Write a Review & to Rate a Product. My over all Rating for this Web Site is a flat 90%, which come up 30% since my last Rating & Review. I'm glad this problem seems to be solved. If this Web Site doesn't experience any problem's any time soon the Rating will go up in a Higher Percentage Slot in the near future. Job well done. Please Note: This is only my findings & thoughts & I haven't been paid by any company for my findings, reviews or ratings, not to hurt the company or the seller by any means. I'm not affiliated with this company or any of it's competitors. This finding, review & rating is for the sole use of the consumers use only. My goal is to help companies, seller's, inventers & investor's & give them tip's that will make them money & to give the consumer's a bang for their buck. Closing comments: It always makes me feel sad to have to be a critic & I know people work hard to build a business & try their best to earn a honest living, but I must keep strict guidelines because that is what big investor's & firm's look mainly at because with out these strict guidelines there can very likely be a huge amount of money lost if they have stock or shares in the company or any of the companies that could be affiliated with the company. I like to help companies & see them grow & do very well in sales. I'm only human too & I earned where I am within these investor's & firm's. I have seen companies barely making a profit & struggling to survive as a business & all they really needed was a few tip's & to make stricter policies and some smart procedures within the company & in just a short period of time the companies was at the top of their game & expanding their business & that is what I am all about just to be of help & you will never owe me a cent. Some times a critic can become your best friend & many that I have met & talked with only want the same thing as I do & that's to see companies hiring a lot more people & being covered up in contract's. Always take a critic that seems to make sense with a Positive Attitude rather than with a Negative Attitude because the critic is only trying to get your attention in a area that they see that you need help in & they want nothing more than to see your business or company see the area that can be improved to benefit the company & make the company much stronger & in most cases cause sales to sore. All Statement's are for the Sole use of the Consumer's.

This control solution works really well. Just make sure the cap is on hand-tight (i.e., meaning not too tight) before shaking it 15 times. You just need one small drop on the test strip. If your glucose testing strips are good, the test reading should show you a range somewhere between the limits depending which Level you are testing for.

Worked well with my Contour Next One meter. I used the Level 1 (Low) control solution and got a result within the expected range. For those unfamiliar with how calibration testing works: the control solution itself doesn’t show the range — it depends on the test strip code, which is printed on your strip vial. In my case, the strip code was 7313, so the expected range for Level 1 (Low) is 38–48 mg/dL. If I had used the Level 2 (Normal) solution with the same code, the expected range would be 114–142 mg/dL. A few quick notes: This solution is designed specifically for use with Contour Next meters and test strips — don’t use it with other brands. Shelf life: unopened = 18 months, opened = good for 6 months after first use. Always check the code on your test strips to confirm the correct control ranges. Overall, this solution is accurate and reliable for verifying meter performance.

Apparently, the acceptable range is printed on the container of the test strips, not on the container of the control solution, which is difficult to figure out and should be mentioned in the Amazon listing and on the packaging for the control solution, so I'm subtracting one star for that. Otherwise, it seems to work well.

This is used to verify the strip accuracy in a glucose meter. I've only used it a few times, but it is an easy way to verify that you're getting an accurate reading. The price was very reasonable, especially compared to the local drug store.

I have a cgm and often need to check a reading, so I use the finger stick, but is the meter good? Meters wear out around 5 years , and the test solution check the accuracy of the meter. Strongly recommend getting a bottle of the test solution and checking your meter and strips. If you are diabetic, you have to be correct.

I don’t know if this actually does anything, I got it because the tester manufacturer recommended using this to make sure your numbers were true.

The United States FDA considers a personal glucose monitor "acceptable" as long as it is always ± 20% of the actual value. So if your normal reading is 150, any reading between 120 and 180 is "close enough" according to the government. Keep in mind, the reading is a ratio of glucose to blood volume. I realized over time that when I am dehydrated, my reading will be higher. The glucose volume in circulation has not changed, just the amount of water. As several other people have pointed out, the bottle for me arrived in a white plastic wrapper - no box, no instructions. You compare the reading on your meter to the reference range printed on the container of test strips, but I almost guarantee you nobody has ever had one test out of range