Which is the best monitor to use?

[Gudrun]

This may already have been answered, but I didn't find it on my search of the forums.

I am prediabetic and currently use AccuCheck with strips costing £25 for 50. I know that some members use different monitors (e.g. SD Codefree with strips costing £7 for 50). I checked Amazon for reviews of this particular one and one reviewer mentioned they compared readings with the new monitor with their old one and the results vary greatly.

Although I understand that totally accurate readings may be not necessary for me (as prediabetic), I would like to know what other members use; how accurate the readings are (compared to other monitors) and then make an informed choice what to buy.

As I'm paying for the strips myself (and use quite a few each day), I would love to save money, but only if the accuracy isn't compromised too much.

 

[this is too difficult]

I have been using this for a while. I hope they get them back in stock.It was £8.95. £7.95 for 50 strips and 50 lancets.
I also have an accucheck compact but the strips are very expensive. I occasionally compare the two and they are always very similar.
I have just ordered a codefree To keep my options open.

 

[))Denise((]

If you are only using the meter to work out which foods spike you, then the Codefree will be fine. A very accurate meter is only needed by Type 1's and Type 2's on meds that could cause a hypo.

The Wavesense Jazz is accurate but the strips are a bit more expensive than the Codefree http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wavesense-Jazz-Blood-Glucose-Meter/dp/B003KQZDD0/

 

[Gudrun]

I have been using this for a while. I hope they get them back in stock.It was £8.95. £7.95 for 50 strips and 50 lancets.
I also have an accucheck compact but the strips are very expensive. I occasionally compare the two and they are always very similar.
I have just ordered a codefree To keep my options open.

Thanks.. I just checked and it's currently unavailable. I think I'll go for the codefree monitor unless someone else recommends a better one.

 

[Gudrun]

If you are only using the meter to work out which foods spike you, then the Codefree will be fine. A very accurate meter is only needed by Type 1's and Type 2's on meds that could cause a hypo.

The Wavesense Jazz is accurate but the strips are a bit more expensive than the Codefree http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wavesense-Jazz-Blood-Glucose-Meter/dp/B003KQZDD0/

Thanks, Denise. You are right, I only need to know what spikes me. I'm new to it all, even though I have been told I'm prediabetic last year. But I have just been in denial until I realized that my monthly average (from measuring fasting BG levels every morning) continues to rise month after month.
so far in the past, I just checked in the morning and wrote it down. But I have started the LCHF way of eating now and seeing my levels drop made me realize that I can actually DO something about it, rather than accept that I will be diabetic in a year or two.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. I think you will find most meters have an accuracy of +/- 15%. I use both a One Touch Ultra by Roche and a MyLife Pura. My surgery changed us all over to the latter as the strips are quite cheap so you might want to check it out. It's not well-known but nice and neat

 

[Gudrun]

Hi. I think you will find most meters have an accuracy of +/- 15%. I use both a One Touch Ultra by Roche and a MyLife Pura. My surgery changed us all over to the latter as the strips are quite cheap so you might want to check it out. It's not well-known but nice and neat

Thank you, Daibell. I'll check out the various meters tomorrow and see which one I will take. I will certainly change my AccuCheck. The strips are just too expensive.

 

[Lizzy5172]

I have been using a one touch ultra which was my dads but my surgery will not supply strips and they are expensive. I have just ordered a codefree one off amazon which was very reasonable and the strips are so much cheaper....will let you know how it is

 

[Gudrun]

I have been using a one touch ultra which was my dads but my surgery will not supply strips and they are expensive. I have just ordered a codefree one off amazon which was very reasonable and the strips are so much cheaper....will let you know how it is

Thanks, Lizzy, I have got about 55 strips left for my AccuCheck, so can wait a week or so before I need to order a replacement.

 

[andcol]

I was originally using an AccuCheck aviva and moved to an SD Codefree. For the last 20 strips of the aviva I tested with both so that I could compare. I always got a reading of 0.2mmol/L higher on the Codefree than the aviva. I also found that I didnt ruin as many strips either with the codefree. I am very happy with the codefree

 

[Gudrun]

Thanks, Andrew. I have just ordered the Codefree. I did get one box of AccuCheck strips that were all duds. My fingers looked like pin cushions and I still never got a reading.

I'm gonna check the accuracy of the Codefree against my AccuCheck and at least can have an idea. I guess it's like a scale for checking your weight... it really doesn't matter what the scale says, as long as it goes down (if you want to lose weight).

 

[andcol]

yes I had the similar problem with the accucheck - it is very sensitive to the amount of blood of the strip. This isnt the case with the SD but I also think that is the cause of people complaining about its accuracy because they didnt load enough blood into the strip. Good luck with it. I buy 500 strips at a time btw as it is cheaper (you will get a code to use on the top of your box of 50). You can get 250 or 500 in bulk

 

[Gudrun]

yes I had the similar problem with the accucheck - it is very sensitive to the amount of blood of the strip. This isnt the case with the SD but I also think that is the cause of people complaining about its accuracy because they didnt load enough blood into the strip. Good luck with it. I buy 500 strips at a time btw as it is cheaper (you will get a code to use on the top of your box of 50). You can get 250 or 500 in bulk

Phew... 500 strips at a time. I never thought that far ahead, I fear. I may not have to use to many once I have figured out what spikes me. I have used one every morning for the last year or so, and now and then tested certain foods, but not regularly until now. I'm only prediabetic, so hopefully I can control it with the LCHF way of eating (hate the word diet).

So far... so good

 

[andcol]

yeah I am just a bit obsessed i suppose. Did decide to test less so now only do fasting, pre, +1, +2, bed. Still about 12 tests per day so a box of 50 lasts 4 days... so 500 is a month and a half. I used to spend it on chocolate so this is better for me until the end of my fingers fall off from the tear along dotted line I have around the end of each of my fingers.

 

[this is too difficult]

I have found that if I apply the blood to the strip before the blob of blood is large enough the result can be iffy.
That is on both my meters but more so the accucheck.

 

[Gudrun]

yeah I am just a bit obsessed i suppose.

You're still fairly newly diagnosed, Andrew, so I guess it's easy to make absolutely sure you know exactly what impact certain foods have on you. I did so similarly but only sporadically, until denial set in again, my love of sweet things and a kind of fatalistic thinking 'Well, I'm gonna become diabetic anyhow, so I might as well enjoy my food until I do'. Coupled with a sense of hopelessness I just pretended all was well and eat another chocolate or biscuit.

Still, I think I have finally woken up to the fact that I CAN do something now and I believe I have found the right way (LCHF). This morning my fasting BG was 5.0. Very well pleased with that.

 

[peacetrain]

I have the accucheck mobile, given by the surgery. 50 strips over £25 . I can get on prescription but decided to fund the code free myself. I find little difference in the readings but prefer the Codefree because I don't waste as many tests. I am very happy with the Codefree. You've made the right decision to buy one.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[Gudrun]

Glad to hear yet another good account of the Codefree meter. I've got enough AccuChek strips left (and usually get a big enough drop) to check both meters for a while until I can be fairly certain of how accurate they are compared with each other.

 

[this is too difficult]

I just received my code free. I compared it with my ebsensor and my accucheck compact plus. for 3 tests the code free was about 1.0 below the ebsensor with the accucheck in the middle. I only had 3 accucheck strips so did another 3 tests with the ebsensor and codefree. The results were again about 1.0 higher on the ebsensor. I tested the codefree with the control solution and it was bang in the middle of the range. I then tested the ebsensor with the codefree control solution(no idea if this works) and it came back 0.9 higher at the top of the range. The ebsensor does not seem to be available any more so I will finish my strips and move on to the codefree

 

[Gudrun]

Just got my codefree as well. I really, really needed a coffee, so didn't bother reading much of the codefree meter bumph, but just tested on AccuCheck (BS 5.1) and then codefree with the same drop of blood (BS 4.9). Very happy with the results being close together.

I have got over 50 AccuChek strips left so will continue to check with both for a while.