Blood Glucose Meters
Replies
-
I'm looking at one of those bloodless/painless glucometers "as seen on TV" for my next one. Thoughts?0
-
Relion Prime from Walmart 18$ for a two pack of 50 test strips and you can test using your arm. I prick right above my wrist no more sore finger tips..3
-
I use the reli-on prime from walmart aswell. It seems to be very accurate and definitely the most economical. My insurance company only covers the truemetrix such a waste of time not accurate at all. Dr gave me a contour next and I loved it. The Bluetooth connectivity to the app for it rocked made it easy to follow my results but the test strips are twice the price of the reli on.0
-
I use the reli-on prime from walmart aswell. It seems to be very accurate and definitely the most economical. My insurance company only covers the truemetrix such a waste of time not accurate at all. Dr gave me a contour next and I loved it. The Bluetooth connectivity to the app for it rocked made it easy to follow my results but the test strips are twice the price of the reli on.
FYI, you can buy soon-expiring Contour Next strips off Amazon and eBay at much lower prices than pharmacies offer...0 -
YI use the reli-on prime from walmart aswell. It seems to be very accurate and definitely the most economical. My insurance company only covers the truemetrix such a waste of time not accurate at all. Dr gave me a contour next and I loved it. The Bluetooth connectivity to the app for it rocked made it easy to follow my results but the test strips are twice the price of the reli on.
FYI, you can buy soon-expiring Contour Next strips off Amazon and eBay at much lower prices than pharmacies offer...
I did that a couple times but I'm bad about waiting till I'm about to run out before I remember to get more strips so waiting for delivery is not always an option. I found out you can log your glucose readings in your food diary on here though so I've been doing that at every meal.0 -
I should mention the Freestyle Libre - gives you painless readings 24/7, with reduced numbers of fingersticks as a check on accuracy. (You attach a sensor to your skin and can read it with your cell phone for 14 days.)
The insights from trends, spikes, and reactions to various foods, sleep, stress, etc., are still surprisring almost a year down the road!2 -
I primarily use a OneTouch VerioFlex because I like the app. I also have the OneTouch Verio IQ. I have tested side by side multiple times and the tend to be within 5 points if I use the same batch of strips.0
-
mskatz1966
Member
Posts: 27
Member
Hi; I am a 75 year old diabetic; now under strict weight management guidance at the Palo Alto Medical Clinic--Encina boutique practice; have been meeting for 5 weeks+, on a weekly basis with a brilliant, warm nurse practitioner, who has almost 15 years of experience with weight management--
Started with her at 247.6--weighed today on my scale a 227.1; have gone off glipizide; last A1c in March was7.3;
now taking Trulicity for several months--appetite suppressant as well as diabetic medicine.
Now using free style libre sensor for a month--new sensor is giving me wrong low glucose blood readings--almost 50 pts. below one touch ultra 2 glucometer; yesterday evening--69 on reader--113 on glucometer; late evening after diiner 105 on reader--179 on one touch; this morning 77 on free style reader and 138 on glucometer;
anyone with experience with Abbott Labs.
P.S Have been weighing and measuring for about 3-4 weeks with my fitness pal--started at 138.7--now 227.1 on my scale.
Was about 250 lbs for a long time--as recently as March.0 -
Any view of Abbott Labs' free style 14 day sensors--two fell out the first day; another gve very faulty readings and had to be replaced! They want a ton of information on the phone--will try to get two more replaced!1
-
Still replacing sensors at a ridiculous clip; last one did not scan properly--from yesterday; 4 replaced; will ask for 5th. They do replace them but it is a hassle every time. Now on a 30 minute hold to contact them.0
-
To all those using the Libre FreeStyle monitors: I too had trouble with the sensors until I found the Sugar Patch. I've used the patch for over six months now with no sensor issues. The previous six months I had issues with four of the sensors. The patch lasts 7 to 10 days depending how active you are. You can get them on Amazon.0
-
I use the Walgreens meter and it is a great one it's also the one my insurance pays for been using it for 6 yrs and it is accurate1
-
Diabeticdiva69 wrote: »I use the Walgreens meter and it is a great one it's also the one my insurance pays for been using it for 6 yrs and it is accurate
Pretty much if it predicts your A1C reasonably well, I figure you are good...1 -
Ugh...Super frustrated here. How many times does it take to get this right? I bought a Compact ReliOn Blood Glucose Monitoring System kit from Walmart, a few weeks ago. I just tried it this morning (I know, procrastinator.) and tried 3 times without success. First time, not enough blood. Second time, I got the Error signal. Third time, a little more blood and the darn unit still didn't pick it up. So there goes 3 Lancets already and the kit only came with 10. There's 50 strips, so I'm ok there, but Is there a more Worthwhile kit that works Better? * I know someone had suggested to me, a Bayer kit I think...
I think I need to join a Diabetes class for Dummies at this rate. 🤦♀️1 -
tinaBawesome wrote: »Ugh...Super frustrated here. How many times does it take to get this right? I bought a Compact ReliOn Blood Glucose Monitoring System kit from Walmart, a few weeks ago. I just tried it this morning (I know, procrastinator.) and tried 3 times without success. First time, not enough blood. Second time, I got the Error signal. Third time, a little more blood and the darn unit still didn't pick it up. So there goes 3 Lancets already and the kit only came with 10. There's 50 strips, so I'm ok there, but Is there a more Worthwhile kit that works Better? * I know someone had suggested to me, a Bayer kit I think...
I think I need to join a Diabetes class for Dummies at this rate. 🤦♀️
Sorry to take so long getting back, I wrote a post this morning but lost it and then had to go to work!
Chances are good you are pretty dehydrated right now with the high blood glucose, and it can be hard to get a good stick in those circumstances. When I was diagnosed my fingertips were so dry that even the nurse had a hard time getting a good blood drop! You will get the hang of it.
First tip, you don’t need a new lancet for every stick. Dr Bernstein who is a notable diabetic educator suggests using the same lancet until you start to notice it being less sharp - he uses his for a month! I don’t use mine that long but you don’t need to worry about infection, it’s your own blood and you can’t catch anything from yourself. Of course medical professionals will tell you always use a new lancet but in practice I don’t think anyone does, and Bernstein says he has never seen a finger infected from someone reusing their own lancet in 50 years of practice. You for sure don’t need to use a new one when you are trying repeated sticks in the same session.
Everyone’s fingers are a little different but I get a better drop of blood by sticking the outside edge of my middle fingertip, not right in the middle. You don’t want to squeeze your fingertip to try to get blood out, but if you sort of massage your finger lower down so it opens up a little, it bleeds more. Gross I know! Also, try hanging down and shaking your hand to get blood to your fingertips before sticking. Get a nice big drop and the strip should suck it up like a straw.
My meter is the Bayer Contour Next, and I got it as part of a kit on Amazon for about $40 I think, but Walgreens also tends to have starter kits cheap in store, if you need one fast. Walgreens has the strips for a lot more money than Amazon though.
Do you have someone in your household who can help you until you get comfortable doing it? When you are nervous it can be hard to do. I had my husband help me for two weeks before I got used to it, so don’t feel embarrassed. You’re not a dummy, this is a lot to learn.2 -
rheddmobile wrote: »tinaBawesome wrote: »Ugh...Super frustrated here. How many times does it take to get this right? I bought a Compact ReliOn Blood Glucose Monitoring System kit from Walmart, a few weeks ago. I just tried it this morning (I know, procrastinator.) and tried 3 times without success. First time, not enough blood. Second time, I got the Error signal. Third time, a little more blood and the darn unit still didn't pick it up. So there goes 3 Lancets already and the kit only came with 10. There's 50 strips, so I'm ok there, but Is there a more Worthwhile kit that works Better? * I know someone had suggested to me, a Bayer kit I think...
I think I need to join a Diabetes class for Dummies at this rate. 🤦♀️
Sorry to take so long getting back, I wrote a post this morning but lost it and then had to go to work!
Chances are good you are pretty dehydrated right now with the high blood glucose, and it can be hard to get a good stick in those circumstances. When I was diagnosed my fingertips were so dry that even the nurse had a hard time getting a good blood drop! You will get the hang of it.
First tip, you don’t need a new lancet for every stick. Dr Bernstein who is a notable diabetic educator suggests using the same lancet until you start to notice it being less sharp - he uses his for a month! I don’t use mine that long but you don’t need to worry about infection, it’s your own blood and you can’t catch anything from yourself. Of course medical professionals will tell you always use a new lancet but in practice I don’t think anyone does, and Bernstein says he has never seen a finger infected from someone reusing their own lancet in 50 years of practice. You for sure don’t need to use a new one when you are trying repeated sticks in the same session.
Everyone’s fingers are a little different but I get a better drop of blood by sticking the outside edge of my middle fingertip, not right in the middle. You don’t want to squeeze your fingertip to try to get blood out, but if you sort of massage your finger lower down so it opens up a little, it bleeds more. Gross I know! Also, try hanging down and shaking your hand to get blood to your fingertips before sticking. Get a nice big drop and the strip should suck it up like a straw.
My meter is the Bayer Contour Next, and I got it as part of a kit on Amazon for about $40 I think, but Walgreens also tends to have starter kits cheap in store, if you need one fast. Walgreens has the strips for a lot more money than Amazon though.
Do you have someone in your household who can help you until you get comfortable doing it? When you are nervous it can be hard to do. I had my husband help me for two weeks before I got used to it, so don’t feel embarrassed. You’re not a dummy, this is a lot to learn.
Very good advice.
Also? Make sure your hands are warm and clean.
It takes a few days to get used to it. But you will. And it will get to be easy-ish. I promise.
As for lancets? We replace my husband’s every night after he goes to bed. And I change mine about every five days. Whenever it feels less like a prick and more like a punch. 😂
Less plastic in the waste stream that way.1 -
FWIW, I will rub my hands together to warm them up a little and get the blood flowing before the finger stick.3
-
Anyone using continuous glucose monitors like Freestyle Libre, Libre 2, or Libre 3? Long term thoughts?
My insurance doesn’t cover them because I’m not on insulin (yet) but since my sugars are problematic I was prescribed the CGM.0 -
I claim that most recently diagnosed T2 diabetics would learn a lot about BG management if they were routinely prescribed one until the numbers got sorted using whatever means. I have never had one, but I am curious to know what my BG is doing at night.0
-
I have a One-Touch Ultra 2 and since the a.m. fasting number on the day I had my blood drawn fasting in the same day was the same number, I'm figuring it's fairly accurate. I've had it for several years and much of that time it has been ignored in a drawer. Still-in-all, when I haul it out of the drawer it works. I just opened the battery door and given that the two batteries are Energizer and I don't know what brand came with it, I can't remember if I ever changed the batteries or not. Over several years, perhaps I have. An easy to open battery door with tabs under the batteries to make them easy to lift.0
