Aviva Expert Meter

[Injector1]

I was offered an 'Expert' meter by my Diabetic nurse. I had to have a couple of hours training in a group and a one to one review after a few weeks of using it. I have to say that it has revolutionised my diabetic experience. You have to feed in personal settings such as your insulin sensitivity e.g. 1u:10g and a few other things such as your target range (I'm aiming for between 8 and 10 because I've lost a lot of hypo awareness) Then as long as you can estimate the carbs in your meal it works out everything for you. As I said, I'm aiming for between 8 and 10. My tests today have been. 8.6 7.0 10.5 7.6 8.7. Fantastic. Is anyone else using this meter and if so how are you getting on?

 

[noblehead]

Used the Accu-Chek Aviva Expert before moving over to a pump, like you I thought it was an excellent little meter

 

[Kazza63]

I use this meter and it is great. I have had mine for ages and it is a godsend as it works it all out for you. Definitely helps you keep track of things

 

[Injector1]

I use this meter and it is great. I have had mine for ages and it is a godsend as it works it all out for you. Definitely helps you keep track of things

I'm just amazed that with my history of not being able to work things out very accurately I wasn't told about this ages ago.

 

[TorqPenderloin]

I use one too over here in the US. Awesome meter and 100x better than the OneTouch pieces of junk they gave me at first.

 

[Injector1]

As far as I'm concerned, the only thing that I'd like to improve about the 'Expert' is the case. It's a fiddle getting it in and out of the elastic. I also have a one touch verio that has plastic clips at each corner so you can easily use it whilst in the case, or remove it very easily. There is so much button pushing required by the Expert and the elastic strap gets in the way. I'd happily buy a better case, but I don't think one is available.

 

[noblehead]

As far as I'm concerned, the only thing that I'd like to improve about the 'Expert' is the case. It's a fiddle getting it in and out of the elastic. I also have a one touch verio that has plastic clips at each corner so you can easily use it whilst in the case, or remove it very easily. There is so much button pushing required by the Expert and the elastic strap gets in the way. I'd happily buy a better case, but I don't think one is available.

Found that to be the case too, will the Expert meter not fit into the One Touch Vario Case?

 

[Injector1]

Found that to be the case too, will the Expert meter not fit into the One Touch Vario Case?

No - that's the first thing I tried.

 

[noblehead]

No - that's the first thing I tried.

Keep experimenting with different cases

 

[TorqPenderloin]

Found that to be the case too, will the Expert meter not fit into the One Touch Vario Case?

That's EXACTLY what I did with mine. Meter, accu-chek fastclix and a canister of test strips fit perfectly in my verio case. The putter shell is also a bit more rigid to protect it.

 

[Gaz-M]

got this as a back-up incase the Insight handset fails thanks to a member here, wish I was on it before I started on the pump (used it a few times just to see if the data was accurate and it was)

its a nice meter to use

 

[Snapsy]

Ditto @Gaz-M - in fact I arrived at the diabetes centre (having rung first, in a blind panic!) on Christmas Eve, as my pump handset had died the night before. They handed me an Expert meter as soon as I got through the door.

Would have been lost. Completely lost. The BEST thing about starting on my Insight in October was the maths it could do for me - without it now I would be struggling!

Roche sent me a replacement pump handset which arrived New Year's Eve, and I've still got the Expert meter as a backup.

It's a fantastic piece of kit. Had had no idea such a thing existed until I met my pump and handset and heard there was a meter that did the same stuff and 'hadn't I heard of it?!'.

 

[noblehead]

@Snapsy, when the Expert meter first came out they were expensive and I wonder if this is why they won't pushed or promoted, plus as you know it involves an hour of a DSN time to input all the data which seems to be a pre-requisite before being handed the meter.

 

[Snapsy]

Ahhhh, that'll be why, then! I was just handed the box by the receptionist and off I went - but they did know that I'd been operating my pump handset and making changes to settings and rates etc myself for a couple of months, which is why I guess they just let me get on with it.

Now I think about it, I would have been clueless had I had been responsible for setting it up without experience - so you make a very good point, @noblehead.

Wish I'd had the meter though before starting on the pump - it would have been an excellent training tool.

 

[noblehead]

The hours training on the Expert is useful @Snapsy, once the features of the meter (like the time blocks) have been explained the manual is self-explanatory.

Pleased all is going well with your pump

 

[Injector1]

That's EXACTLY what I did with mine. Meter, accu-chek fastclix and a canister of test strips fit perfectly in my verio case. The putter shell is also a bit more rigid to protect it. View attachment 17701

Hi - My verio is more square and the clips fit over the corners. How does yours actually hold

The hours training on the Expert is useful @Snapsy, once the features of the meter (like the time blocks) have been explained the manual is self-explanatory.

Pleased all is going well with your pump

I can understand the reason that some training is advisory, but perhaps it could be replaced by an instruction program - i.e. click next when you have done this, followed by a diabetes nurse consultation a week or so later just to check that all is well. At least that would save on one of the costs. I am hoping that the meter might develop further. For example advising how many carbs to eat if you are below range, but not actually hypo before bed. And (although this doesn't affect me) having alternative settings for different types of day, as someone on one of my other posts said that this meter wouldn't suit them as their insulin ratio varied on different days of the week etc. This was also the case for someone on my training course who said that working days were so different from non working days and the nurse admitted that the meter would not be able to cope with that.

 

[Abzio_Cappuccino]

The expert meter is amazing simply because I don't have to do any more maths! As for the case, I've just put the strap over the middle button, so I just press on the strap, which works for me, but then again, I have small hands

 

[knipster]

That's EXACTLY what I did with mine. Meter, accu-chek fastclix and a canister of test strips fit perfectly in my verio case. The putter shell is also a bit more rigid to protect it. View attachment 17701

where did you find the silicone case for the actual meter?

 

[knipster]

Ive only ever been on the expert since diagnosis, but i think its the standard for paediatric diagnosis. I absolutely love it, especially since it factors in how much insulin you've already taken, and you can set events like exercise to take off say 10% of your insulin. Im interested in getting a standalone silicone case for the meter as i keep all my equipment in a small purse, so if anyone knows where to find one please let me know!

 

[knipster]

Hi - My verio is more square and the clips fit over the corners. How does yours actually hold

I can understand the reason that some training is advisory, but perhaps it could be replaced by an instruction program - i.e. click next when you have done this, followed by a diabetes nurse consultation a week or so later just to check that all is well. At least that would save on one of the costs. I am hoping that the meter might develop further. For example advising how many carbs to eat if you are below range, but not actually hypo before bed. And (although this doesn't affect me) having alternative settings for different types of day, as someone on one of my other posts said that this meter wouldn't suit them as their insulin ratio varied on different days of the week etc. This was also the case for someone on my training course who said that working days were so different from non working days and the nurse admitted that the meter would not be able to cope with that.

mine does the carb count to eat when low now, so i dont know if i might have a newer version? but yeah id love if i could set one set of ratios for weekday and weekends as they are very different in terms of activity!