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Blood glucose meters which are the best?

Kerry-Michelle

Well-Known Member
Messages
176
Hi guys I hope you are all well

I entered a few competitions and won some different blood glucose monitors one of them is a Bayer Contour Next USB and the other is a OneTouch Verio IQ.. I was wondering if any of you guys use either both or one of these and could give me any info regarding them.

My current monitor is a FreeStyle Optium which I haven't had many problems with but feel it could be better, I've used this one since being diagnosed in April 2012 so approaching that two year mark now with not much improvement on getting my BS down but I received a letter this morning informing me I've been invited to do the DAFNE course FINALLY!!! been waiting a long time for this and hopefully it will stop the nurses telling me off for high-ish readings and better control.. All though I'm doing everything I possibly can to lower them with diet and exercise and obviously my medication too.as we all know it's a struggle..

Anyways sorry for blabbing on, if anyone can tell me which are the best out of the monitors I've mentioned I would be very grateful!!


All the best and thanks everyone!!

Kerry x


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My favourite is the Accu Check Mobile, simply because it's all compact. Check it out online, I love it!


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My favourite is also the accucheck mobile. I've run out of cassettes (strips) for it at the moment and call the chemist too late so am using one of my other ones. I'm finding it a real fuss compared the mobile! Roll on Monday


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Freestyle Optimum Neo...imo.

Its simple and does the task required. For me its always the simpler, the better.
 
too big for me... its like carrying a cordless phone
 
The Accu-Check Mobile works for me too.. I've had it a couple of months, but I'm finding the process of getting the cartridges from the chemist with my repeat prescription a bit of a hassle in respect of having to go back a couple of days later because they have to be "ordered in".
I recently spent 2 weeks up in Suffolk & my usual chemist in the south west had to get me another prescription so I could take it up there after they screwed up the order I was due to pick up on a retune from working in Holland before going away to Suffolk..
Even the Suffolk chemist had to order in for the following day..

I'd say check with your doc or specialist & make sure they prescribe the relevant strips or cartridges before finalising a decision on your choice of meter..
As I found out from the apothecary in Suffolk, the local health authority is a bit tight prescribing the Mobile cartridges as opposed to the BANES area I'm registered to.
 
I won the same meters . They are both good, but I think I prefer the contour for one reason. I am used to picking up blood test sticks on the sides to avoid contaminating the test area. However, the verio sticks have blood applied from the sides, and I have rendered the sticks unusable a couple of times by accidentally touching the test area. This is probably more a problem with me though and not the meter! Both seem to give accurate results, and I am happy with their reliability.
 
I find the optimum freestyle teststrips good as u can tear the packaging half off in such a way so you can insert it in the meter without touching the bare strip.


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There is a product recall on Freestyle meters. Not sure if this applies to the Freestyle Optium meters though?

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I like the Accu Chek Compact and its successor the Mobile because it has everything I need to test in one object, nothing else to carry, nothing to open or insert or remove etc. They both have automatic strip feed and built in finger pricker. They are slightly larger than other meters and also they make noise because of the motor drive for the automatic strip feed. The 17 strip drums for the Compact are easier to get at the moment than the 50 strip cassettes for the Mobile, so that can be a factor, eg if you are away from home. I think these two meters are excellent and far and away the most convenient, quick and simple to use, on the go, anywhere. I often do blood tests while walking down the street. Doing a test under my desk takes seconds and can be done almost without looking.

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Last edited by a moderator:
Spiker said:
There is a product recall on Freestyle meters. Not sure if this applies to the Freestyle Optium meters though?

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Click to expand...

Over a year ago I got hold of a Freestyle Insulinx meter on a promotion through Facebook. This device had a touch LCD screen which was hard to read at certain angles. It was dimly side lit from memory, but it had a cool feature where the strips light up, making it in theory ideal for the likes of camping or back stage... It reminded me of the old PDAs..

Anyway, I had a recall letter arrive from the company dropped through my door a couple of weeks later & I never bothered with it again.
I just went back to my trusty old Accu Chek.
 
The Contour Next is a fantastic little meter and plugs straight into the USB port of your computer, the downside is the finger lancer which is next to useless but you can use one from another meter if you choose.
 

My dad had the Compact version. (He was type 2) I used it to check his blood. Though a little fiddly due to the nature of my dad's dementia & shaking hands.
I'd say the compact is thicker than the mobile by about 5 millimetres & a little noisier on the mechanism with the drum strips too..
Both good devices though!
 
I have just received an Accu Check mobile. I set it all up and did my first reading which was 9.00 I thought this was a bit high for what I had eaten so I did 3 further tests on 3 different meters they read 6.0, 6.1 and 6.3. I'm now a bit reluctant to use the Mobile as it seems to be reading much too high. Has anyone else had this problem with this meter ?


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I would never worry about one single result. If the meter is repeatedly higher than other meters, tested at the same time, that might be an issue. Did you retest the Mobile after testing on the other 3?

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I have both of which you have won . the contour next is amazing I have charged it like twice and had it nearly a year . the other one I quite liked also the verio IQ . recently won a accu check mobile . don't like it . its not for me but it may suit others .

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I'm a great fan of the Contour Next USB. Been using it for a month now. Love the way you can easily log carbs and insulin. Good management software too.

Tom
 
Thanks for all the replies guys!! after reading all your replies I'm thinking of trying both meters out for a few weeks just to see which I may like as I have had the same meter for almost two years now and never had any different meter. I've spoken to my diabetic nurse about them and she has informed me that my doctors will prescribe me the lancets and testing strips for one or the other meters of my choice which I thought was really good

I hope you're all having a lovely weekend

Kerry x


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I love my accu check nano! Used it for years, it glows in the dark too which is a bonus. However, my surgery have just written to say I have to change to a new meter called Element, due to the strips costing less. I'm extremely angry and will fight to keep my nano


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