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Blood Glucose Monitors

D

daisybell

Member
Messages
5
Why can't manufacturers make a small device. The smaller the better. Several years ago I had a blood glucose monitor about the size of a ball point pen. It was discontinued.

I am fed up with carrying a "medical" survival kit with me all the time:
Blood glucose monitor
Finger pricker
Test strips
Two insulin pens
Needles
Dextrosols
Bag of mini cheddars

I am a woman. How do men manage? Do they have to carry a manbag?

If our kits were smaller maybe people would be able to have better control of their diabetes.

Help us all, please.
 
There are some smallish meter about, but the smaller the meter the smaller the BG read out, which can render the meter completely useless, if you can see the reading!

What do men do about their get, give it to the wife/girlfriend/partner to stick in their handbag!

If none available, yep the man bag or they leave it all at home!
 
daisybell said:
I am a woman. How do men manage? Do they have to carry a manbag?
Click to expand...


As Joper says I make my wife carry it all

Seriously if I'm out for a short time I just carry glucose, at work and when I'm out for the day I just use a rucksack.
 
I am a woman. How do men manage? Do they have to carry a manbag?
Click to expand...

Jackets with good sized pockets also come in handy -extra useful when the pockets are big and have zips as well

Benedict
 
I love my Accu-check mobile because it's all in one, no strips to dispose of and the finger pricker is attached. It's not as small as the USB sized one but it's compact enough for me and fits in my handbag.

As for my diabetic partner and his testing kit, well his answer is simple : Give it to me to cart about in my handbag, so he doesn't have to have it in his pocket !
 
Hi,
I carry my spare Accu-Chek Aviva, test strips, pricker (and lancets) in the 3"x1.5"x1" bag they came in plus glucose (tablets, liquid and gel) in a similar sized semi-rigid pack (Available from DUK shop for about £5.50 ish) together in a pocket of my courier bag. The other junk I carry, laptop, notebook etc still leave room for a couple of insulin pens.

That's my style, bag agross my shoulder and ready for the events of the day.

I'd use a handbag (or, rather, a manbag) if only they made them large enough for Accu-Chek Aviva, bag, glucose pack and two of insulin pens.

Best aye

Robert wt
 
A regular size pencil case, costing less than £1, holds everything I need, which I transfer between various rucksacks / bags / dry bags (when kayaking) etc or repack into a fold over velcro-top bag for keeping totally waterproof when using a rucksack i nthe wilds.
 
Im really glad im not the only one who hates the whole baggage that has to be carted around... my daughters changing bag is always overflowing... carbs n cal book, hypo kit, Accu- check glucose monitor kit, Ketones blood monitor and strips, finger pricker, and then the everyday nappies, wipes, cream, calpol, etc etc etc... its a workout within itself carrying the bag lol
 
Not sure why the size is important...
I have four different meters (thanks to Diabetes.co.uk for the freebies) and my worry is not so much how they look on my belt (well not all four at once, obviously ) but how accurate they are.

What about an accuracy discussion?

1: Reliability - do they vary amongst each other?
2: Actual accuracy, measured against hospital machines.

So far, and I realise that I am treading into hallowed space here, I find "Code-Free" monitors from SD biosensor to be very unreliable with three or four tests conducted at the same time, with the same drop of blood varying from 5 to 8.4 MMOL

The Bayer Contour XT is very consistent but high compared to Hospital tests.

I have an old Omron "coded" meter that seems to be always "high" by about 2 MMOL but very consistent

Finally I have a Freestyle Lite - the papillion which is very consistent but generally Low - obviously I prefer this one. :think:

Various new meters come along and many are available for free, (thanks again to diabetes.co.uk) but I'd really like to buy for accuracy rather than fashion.

Comments?

Best Regards,

Max
 
Hi Max

I don't think it's fashion per se - it's the size. Some of us can't go anywhere without a meter and it is a bit annoying having to cart them around especially when other technologies seem to shrink on a 6 monthly basis.
 
Hi KT,

Well perhaps that USB style one that clips onto your iPhone is a better bet. it's small enough.

I find having the kitbag on my belt to be no problem but there are simple physical constraints like the Strip carton is usually a fixed size and I don't know that I could operate a lancing tool smaller than the one I have now.

There must be some designers out there with Diabetes! C'mon guys, time for the "iMeter" :clap:
 
Hey there!

I am not an designer or engineer (this will become clear!...) but couldn't they make something pen-shaped (remind you of anything?) where the lancing device is at one end and the meter at the other - they could pull apart in the middle (so the meter end could go into an iphone (other devices are available!) and the third middle section (did I mention the third middle section?) could hold 10 test strips or something?

If Lord Sugar's reading, feel free to PM me... :lol:
 
Well this is the one i have not every thing is in the picture but i guess you know whats missing.

 
The Meter I use is pretty small, the OneTouch Ultra Easy from Lifescan. Very compact and probably one of the best meters I've used. I've never been a fan of the ones where you can store everything (i.e. carb points, insulin details), that's what all the new diabetes apps are for!

But if you just want a meter that simply bloodtests and stores the readings, I fully recommend this. I received mine for free through Lifescan, who provide meters free for T1 diabetics, all they did was take my details, asked what meter I wanted and sent me 2 through the next day. http://www.lifescan.co.uk/
 
I have ended up being unsure about the reliability of my contour.usb meter. As I am Type 2 taking metformin (4 x 500mg) I have not been an intensive tester but do like to keep some idea about how things are going. In early December the test results were coming out about 2 higher than usual.
For the past week I have been testing with Trueone test strips as part of the adding of Gliclazide to my medication and have been simultaneously using my contour.usb. This has given variations in the 15 readings over the past week fluctuating from .1 to 4.1 of the contour usb reading above the Trueone.
Am going to try a more recent batch of my Contour strips over the coming week.
 
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