Does diabetic test strips expire?

Question

I usually buy a big box of diabetic test strips to save money, but sometimes I don't use them all quickly. I found some old strips in my cabinet. Do diabetic test strips expire, and will they still give accurate readings after the date printed on the box?

Preeti Deshpande · Accepted Answer

Yes, they absolutely do expire, and using them after that can give wrong readings which will only stress you out more. I learned this the hard way after crying over a scary high reading that was actually just due to an expired strip.

Rohan Sen · Answer

They definitely expire and the chemical inside degrades over time. When I asked the diabetes educator at my hospital, they strictly advised against using expired ones as it can lead to wrong insulin dosing. Better to check with your doctor.

Nisha Roy · Answer

They expire faster than my sleep cycle, honestly! Keep them away from moisture too, otherwise they go bad even before the expiry date written on the box. Just buy small packs to be safe.

Amit Saxena · Answer

Yes, they expire. I actually used an expired pack once and got a really weird reading that made me super anxious for the whole day. Has anyone else also noticed major differences in readings with old strips?

Varun Kapoor · Answer

Yeah, they have a proper expiry date printed on the box, and you shouldn't use them after that. My grandmother used old ones once and got a false low reading, which totally freaked us out for no reason.

Karan Johar · Answer

Of course they expire, the chemicals on the strip don't last forever. Don't trust anyone online saying you can still use them by calibrating or anything. Always verify the expiry date on the pack and buy new ones.

Does diabetic test strips expire?

6 answers

Consult a internal medicine specialist

Related reads

Log in or sign up