As I mentioned in answer to a question in the review section, I recently bought (while in Detroit), for the first time, a Bayer A1cNow test kit that gives results in 5 minutes.
It is very simple to use and around half the cost of the usual test kit that you mail to a lab.
When I used it for the first time last week, it gave me a value of 5.2, which is about what I was expecting. Using the same drop of blood, I also completed a test kit and mailed it to the lab the same day.
The email with the results came back today at 5.1 (reference normal range of 4.6 to 6.0) so, at first cut, the A1cNow looks to be reasonably accurate.
Those values equate to an average blood glucose of 4.7 to 4.8 which seems acceptable
As far as as I can see, the only places where major errors can creep in is in smearing too much blood around the 'shaker' or leaving the reagent pack open for too long before use.
I picked up another couple of packs - two tests each - and packed them for the trip home. As a pre-diabetic, I don't get the frequent A1c tests that diagnosed diabetics do, but at this price, I'll probably pretty much cut out ordinary testing and use these four to six times per year and save cash and fingertips.
Walmart (and probably the other discount phamramcists) don't ship internationally, but anyone over here can pick up test kits in Walamrt, Walgreens and CVS pharmacies - probably others too.
Might be useful for others in my position who want to keep a close eye on A1c status.
One nice thing is that it uses a tiny blood sample - same as a good blood glucose meter - rather than the huge blobs needed for the more common tests by post. Having an immediate answer is a real plus too.
mark.
It is very simple to use and around half the cost of the usual test kit that you mail to a lab.
When I used it for the first time last week, it gave me a value of 5.2, which is about what I was expecting. Using the same drop of blood, I also completed a test kit and mailed it to the lab the same day.
The email with the results came back today at 5.1 (reference normal range of 4.6 to 6.0) so, at first cut, the A1cNow looks to be reasonably accurate.
Those values equate to an average blood glucose of 4.7 to 4.8 which seems acceptable
As far as as I can see, the only places where major errors can creep in is in smearing too much blood around the 'shaker' or leaving the reagent pack open for too long before use.
I picked up another couple of packs - two tests each - and packed them for the trip home. As a pre-diabetic, I don't get the frequent A1c tests that diagnosed diabetics do, but at this price, I'll probably pretty much cut out ordinary testing and use these four to six times per year and save cash and fingertips.
Walmart (and probably the other discount phamramcists) don't ship internationally, but anyone over here can pick up test kits in Walamrt, Walgreens and CVS pharmacies - probably others too.
Might be useful for others in my position who want to keep a close eye on A1c status.
One nice thing is that it uses a tiny blood sample - same as a good blood glucose meter - rather than the huge blobs needed for the more common tests by post. Having an immediate answer is a real plus too.
mark.
