[JT.]

Hi Everyone,

I am into the market in getting a Glucose meter.

Any Recommendations?

I been looking on the Accu Chek Mobile or the Accu Chek Performa.

I have contacted Accu chek, they told me the test results are around 10 to 15% lower then the lab.

In Australia, Accu chek have $40 cash rebate for Accu chek performa and $60 rebate for Accu check Mobile which comes to close to nothing for a meter.


I have also found out the strips is $14.70 for 100 strips and $14.70 for the 2 Cassette of 100 testing. (strips and Cassette last for 1 year but once the Cassette is used first time, it will be 90 days expiry)


Should I be looking into other brands of Glucose Meters or ?


Any information and help would be grateful! Thanks in Advance

 

[jwags]

In the US you can get most meters free from the company's website. But they get you on the price of strips. Most all meters have a 10-20% margin of error. You won't find a perfect meter. I used a One Touch for 3 years and got lots of error messages. I now use a Contour USB meter and I can get the strips a little cheaper online, around $42 for 100. I find the Contour tends to give me bgs in a closer range and you can recharge it on your computer.

 

[JT.]

Hi Jwags, Thanks for the info.. I just brought a Accu chek Performa and Accu Chek Mobile. (going to return the other accu chek active to my friend)

I wash my hand clean, dry them and then poke on it.. first 2 drops of blood i wipe away with a non scented tissue and I just tested my self on the 3 Meters and Guess what??

Accu chek Active 5.1
Accu chek Performa 5.3
Accu chek Mobile 5.5

WHAT??????????????

How can 3 meters from the same company make 3 readings??



PS: I guess I am keeping the Mobile one which shows the higher readings and sold the accu chek performa on ebay..

 

[moon]

As jwags said, there is up to a 20% error margin with meters, so your readings weren't so far apart. You could've gotten that from the same meter let alone different ones.

I have an Accu-chek also - it's called Aviva in the US, but I'm not sure what name they give that model in Australia. I've been satisfied with mine. It doesn't give me crazy readings, and is reasonably consistent.

 

[Shanny]

Heck, JT - you coulda gotten three different readings on ONE meter using the same drop of blood! That's what's so exasperating about it - we want solid data & we get multiple choice! That was a good grouping of numbers - take the average!

 

[Cadydid]

I got the Onetouch Ultramini fromt he dr's office. My health insurance gave me a Onetouch Ultra2 for free.. Onetouch is the only one they will cover and the others are right.. the strips are where they stick it to you.. but I have found that Onetouch has excellent customer service. I called them once to report a problem with the 5 out of every 25 test strips separating. They replaced the whole box of 100 for free!

 

[PedsRN]

Hello

Being a newbie here I have no idea which meter to buy any help would be appreciated

 

[JT.]

Being a newbie here I have no idea which meter to buy any help would be appreciated

Hi PedsRN, I have 3 meters and they all shows different readings on the same patch of blood.

Accu Chek active, Peforma Nano and Mobile. The Accu chek active shows the lowest reading compare to the Accu Chek Nano and Accu Chek Mobile.

In the end i chose the highest reading meter which is the Accu Chek Mobile for personnel reasons.

I know people who are in the US are using a different brands as well.


I like the Accu Chek Mobile not only it shows a higher readings but it is using Cassette tape instead of strips. Which means that you dont have to take out a strip from the container and then put into your meter, the Accu Chek mobile have a Cassette inside and the finger pricker is at the side so everything is all in one which is more convenient on the go..

I guess some of the people does not think this way, it is up to you..

Good luck in finding one that really suits you and also check out the price of the strips before you get the meter. It does matters if you are going to do it very often testing everyday.

I hope this helps

 

[PedsRN]

Hi PedsRN, I have 3 meters and they all shows different readings on the same patch of blood.

Accu Chek active, Peforma Nano and Mobile. The Accu chek active shows the lowest reading compare to the Accu Chek Nano and Accu Chek Mobile.

In the end i chose the highest reading meter which is the Accu Chek Mobile for personnel reasons.

I know people who are in the US are using a different brands as well.


I like the Accu Chek Mobile not only it shows a higher readings but it is using Cassette tape instead of strips. Which means that you dont have to take out a strip from the container and then put into your meter, the Accu Chek mobile have a Cassette inside and the finger pricker is at the side so everything is all in one which is more convenient on the go..

I guess some of the people does not think this way, it is up to you..

Good luck in finding one that really suits you and also check out the price of the strips before you get the meter. It does matters if you are going to do it very often testing everyday.

I hope this helps

Thanks so much for your help. I have a free OneTouch UltraMini....I guess I could check with my insurance to see if they would pay for one. I just diagnosed at 5:00pm yesterday so right now I am pretty overwhelmed. Thanks for your help.

 

[moon]

I have a free OneTouch UltraMini....I guess I could check with my insurance to see if they would pay for one. I just diagnosed at 5:00pm yesterday so right now I am pretty overwhelmed.

Your meter is fine - they are all pretty good (or equally lousy, depending on your perspective!) I think meters are personal preference based on ease of downloading data, size, blood sample, etc - but nothing is more important than using whichever one you have.

Being overwhelmed is almost a requirement when being diagnosed, it must be because it's so bloody universal! The biggest question I had - and most have - is: what do I eat? It took me a while to grasp what low-carb really meant, though I right away eliminated rice, milk, most bread, potatoes, cereals, juices, etc - and that alone started bringing my numbers way down. Then I had to pry my hands off fruit. Metformin is very helpful, but diet is what gave me the most dramatic positive results.

Reading Blood Sugar 101 should be required reading not only for diabetics, but the professionals who treat us.

 

[Shanny]

Being a newbie here I have no idea which meter to buy any help would be appreciated

I use the cheapest one I could find, and it's the ReliOn from Walmart. I was diagnosed at a time when I was totally uninsured, so in order to have the funds for doctor visits & lab tests, I needed cheap strips. ReliOn strips are half the price of many other brands, and the meter seems as accurate as any . . . as Moon says "pretty good or equally lousy".

I hope we're helping you feel less overwhelmed . . . that is such a helpless feeling and your head is spinning trying to assimilate everything you see/hear about what to do. The thing that brought me around was realizing that I'd prob'ly been diabetic for quite some time before my fasting BG showed an elevation, so a few more days figuring out how to fix it wouldn't make or break me. And speaking of which, this is one of the things I try to help people understand - if they're suspicious that something is haywire, get a meter & catch a few postprandial readings - those are where the malfunction shows up first. Fastings can be way behind the curve.

 

[PedsRN]

I did buy a new meter today that is easy but I about fainted when I saw my reading!! I have been reading 101 and I know a lot of this but I didn't listen at all. I have to learn to pick the right choices of food. My physician started me on Janumet yesterday.

 

[HardBackStrider]

I did buy a new meter today that is easy but I about fainted when I saw my reading!! I have been reading 101 and I know a lot of this but I didn't listen at all. I have to learn to pick the right choices of food. My physician started me on Janumet yesterday.

Hey PedsRN a 101 is a great reading anytime of day. Not sure why you almost fainted.

 

[PedsRN]

I use the cheapest one I could find, and it's the ReliOn from Walmart. I was diagnosed at a time when I was totally uninsured, so in order to have the funds for doctor visits & lab tests, I needed cheap strips. ReliOn strips are half the price of many other brands, and the meter seems as accurate as any . . . as Moon says "pretty good or equally lousy".

I hope we're helping you feel less overwhelmed . . . that is such a helpless feeling and your head is spinning trying to assimilate everything you see/hear about what to do. The thing that brought me around was realizing that I'd prob'ly been diabetic for quite some time before my fasting BG showed an elevation, so a few more days figuring out how to fix it wouldn't make or break me. And speaking of which, this is one of the things I try to help people understand - if they're suspicious that something is haywire, get a meter & catch a few postprandial readings - those are where the malfunction shows up first. Fastings can be way behind the curve.

That is the one I bought yesterday and very easy to use and the price on the supplies was much cheaper than others.

 

[Ionutz]

Regarding Accu-Check , you must read this:


w w w . fda.gov/medicaldevices/safety/alertsandnotices/publichealthnotifications/ucm176992.htm
FDA Public Health Notification: Potentially Fatal Errors with GDH-PQQ* Glucose Monitoring Technology

Also, read the leaflet from strips case carefully...

 

[JT.]

Regarding Accu-Check , you must read this:


FDA Public Health Notification: Potentially Fatal Errors with GDH-PQQ* Glucose Monitoring Technology

Also, read the leaflet from strips case carefully...

Thank You for the heads up.. But that information is Aug 2009.

Do you think those test strips will be expire for accu chek ?

I wonder if they have rectified in the new test strips?

PS: I am not using accu chek active, now using the accu chek mobile and accu chek performa nano

 

[Ionutz]

Thank You for the heads up.. But that information is Aug 2009.

Yes it's kind of old but they did not change a thing, just put a small warning phrase at the end of leaflet. I use accu-check now and then...

Stay healthy

 

[SerotoninSurfer]

Believe it or not: Target up&up brand

After seeing the nearly $1/strip cost for some of the name brand meters, I bought the Target brand. It tested within always 4 pts of the expensive one the doc gave me, and the strips run about $32 per 100. Nothing fancy but it does what I need and is built like a rock.

Link to the reader is:
Target:up & up™ Blood Glucose Meter Monitoring System

Link to strips is:
Target:up & up™ Blood Glucose Test Strips - 100 Count

Probably only available in US though, but thought I'd chime in anyway.
Surfer

 

[Miggitz]

Since I use Onetouch Ping, I like the idea of dosing bolus remotely from meter ... But the strips are very expensive - I test lots and run out of prescription-covered strips .... So I just picked me up a ReliOn - 100 strips are $36 out of pocket. I will test with one touch for bolus but will test "in between" with ReliOn. Will double test any reading that doesnt seem "right".

 

[PedsRN]

Update concerning my meter: My insurance paid for a Bayer Contour and I get a discount on the strips and so far I am very happy with the meter. Since my lifestyle change my numbers have dropped 40 points.....