Blood Monitors Compared

Re: New to this

I have only been self testing for about ten days. Got so sick of waiting for my GP Practice to get their **** into gear. I did not think it acceptable for me to wait till the 24th September when I was only diagnosed on the 3rd August.

I decided to take the bull by the horns and purchase my own one saturday morning whilst out with hubby. I decided upon the Aviva Nano after reading a few favourable comments, and as one who likes the path of least resistance, and as little pain as possible. I thought i would try it.

There were a few teething problems I managed to waste one drum of lancet I have managed pretty well. I only doing it on 1 at the moment due to being such a woss, and have got it down to only a couple of minutes. One of my colleagues even asked me to test them, which i declined for health reasons.

Overall i am pleased with it but is it really possible to find a virtually painless blood glucose testing kit. Sometimes it hurts sometimes it does not.

I am very pleased with my choice.

It's more your choice of lancet that hurts in terms of blood testing.

I think as long as you use a fresh one each time it should be relatively painless.

You get used to it and your finger tips start to toughen up which is a good & a bad thing. Rotate testing sites.

Re: Diabetes.co.uk Toolbar Launched!!!

Still no Firefox download?

Re: Diabetes.co.uk Toolbar Launched!!!

Firefox, wasn't that a film or something ?

D.

I have been reading your posts about the current blood glucose meters (and blood ketone testing meter Optium Xceed) with great interest. I use pretty much all of them in my work as a Diabetes Nurse Consultant, as a person with diabetes myself and as a mother to our youngest daughter with Type 1 Diabetes since age four.
The fact is that due to the current method in these meters, there is a difference if you test the same blood droplet in 2 or more of them simultaneously. There will be a difference even if you did the test in the same meter a few times running. The accuracy of the BG meters is known to be only in the range of ~80%. However, as we use the same meter day in and day out, this variance really balances itself out & we do not come to any harm from it even in our decisions of insulin doses.
AS to the Abbott Navigator Continuous Glucose Monitor, I would recommend it - or the DexCom Seven Plus or Medtronic RealTime CGM - to anyone! I am currently on Day 14 with the Navigator sensor! How good is that & really makes the cost of one sensor (£40) come down to a very reasonable amount - possibly about £2-£3 - the price of a Costa coffee in London! The sensors have to have a guaranteed duration before they can get past the strict licensing approval and for Navigator this is said to be 5 days, for DexCom Seven Plus 7 days, and for Medtronic RealTime 6 days. In practice, I have seen DexCom last up to 20 days, Medtronic sensor up to 12 days & I am going to trial if I can get up to 20 days out of my Navigator sensor!!!
I would not any more know how to get really 'normal' glucose levels in my patients, my daughter or myself IF I DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO A CGM! Try and see if you have any doubts.

Re: Dexon

I was interested enough to visit their website though its not clear to me whether this is available in the UK or whether it can be provided on the NHS or what the costs would be in the UK.

However I am wondering if "water resistant" is compatible with for example going swimming and how easy it might be to damage things during "romantic rough and tumble!!" Also is wearing something like this 24/7 likely to damage the skin over time - plasters can do this after all.

Hi,

I use the Accu-Chek® Compact Plus GT (sounds more like a sporty hatch-back), just wondering if anyone has any experience of using this one, would be interested to hear. I have been using it for about 1 and a half years, not really had any trouble with it.

My only negative is it can ask you to calibrate it at anytime, not good if your out and about and dont have the test solution with you!

A guide to blood glucose monitors.

There have been many threads on the forum asking about the difference between meters so im posting this link here as I think its useful.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care ... guide.html

does anyone have any experience in using the care sens N at all this is the one i have and its my first its no coding and 5 second tests with check for miss reads if too little blood is given.

the lancet device has several penetration levels and is easy to use. the strips are in a tub but point at the end so can be fiddly to get blood on strip at times

I have the bayer contour. The calibration solution (or what I presume it is, a small bottle with red liquid that you put on a test strip every now and then) is out of date by a couple of months. Is this something the GP can prescribe?

clarusblue - If you call Bayer, they should send you some calibration fluid for free (they make their money on the test strips)

I've had the Bayer Contour USB since Saturday and so far I really like it. I had the normal Contour before.

The USB is small and easy to carry round in the pocket of a bag without the case. It auto-logs everything as well which I think is very useful.

Hi,

I use the glucomenlx.

it measure blood glucose and ketones which is vital to be able to do so for Type 1's. There is a finger pricker too! They even give the meter free to those on insulin.

I would recommend this meter to anyone on insulin.

Thanks

Re: A guide to blood glucose monitors.

I am going to have to buy a meter and consequently strips etc as my GP will not issue me with one. Can any one tell me which is the cheapest for replacement strips please?

Re: A guide to blood glucose monitors.

rtee said:

I am going to have to buy a meter and consequently strips etc as my GP will not issue me with one. Can any one tell me which is the cheapest for replacement strips please?

Click to expand...

The SD Codefree seems to have the cheapest strips, Amazon or EBay will be a good start to purchase the meter and strips.

Re: A guide to blood glucose monitors.

hi iv just brought one yesterday
code free 12.99
i thought it included 50 testing strips
silly me you have to order them seperatly £6.99 post free
my dr wont perscribe them either :evil:
oh got it throu amazon
iv got a contour meter had it years but strips are dear
just paid £15.50 on ebay
before i knew about code free on here
so i wont need them again
take care

Re: A guide to blood glucose monitors.

I use 'code free',very cheap. (relative)

Re: A guide to blood glucose monitors.

Thanks all. I have a code free now and am using it.

i looked on ebay because money is tight has anyone used codefree or freestyle freedom light they seem to be the cheapest but get what you pay so i would like an opinon

I have the SD Codefree and I have been using it for months now and it is fine