Contour testing kit

[Errol Pinnock]

Hi, I am trying to find out if the Contour testing machine, is suitable for type 2 diabetes. Any advice would be much appreciated. Need a reliable one. Thanks

 

[xfieldok]

Test strips are your running cost. I use Tee2, not the cheapest, but aaccurate and I am happy.

 

[Deleted member 308541]

I am trying to find out if the Contour testing machine, is suitable for type 2 diabetes.

I tried a Contour Next One for a month along side my reliable Abbott Freedom Lite meter, and the Next was consistently higher by 1.5 to 2.00 mmol/L than the Abbott. It now resides in the junk box.

I recommend the Freedom Lite as it has decent software, logbook, charts, graphs etc. for Winders, as its not a blue tooth meter no app for Androids.

As @xfieldok stated strips are expensive, unless you can get them subsidised like I can.

 

[Captain Crunch]

I have the Contour Next One. Does the job and seems to get favourable reviews. As @xfieldok said, the test strips are the main (ongoing) cost.

 

[Jordi77]

I've used the contour next one meter for a couple of years now and I was given the choice of using a tee 2 meter by my GP but I tried it for a few weeks and then went back to the contour meter as I couldn't get away with writing down results again as I use the contour app to do that for me and I found it easy to get my test strips on repeat prescription and the same for the lancets due to using insulin and my GP agreeing with me to stay with the meter I'm using and not changing anything. I found it easy to connect to my phone with the app which you get from the app store and I had it all running in a few minutes together and I will say one thing you will need to get energizer or Duracell batteries as the cheap one's don't last long in it only a couple of weeks as the Energizer's and Duracell batteries last the longest as I have them in my meter and I only changed them late last year but otherwise it's easy to use and the lights tell you what your sugars are in range or below or high.

 

[Flora123]

I use it and like it. I find it runs lower than the Aga Matrix

 

[HSSS]

Hi, I am trying to find out if the Contour testing machine, is suitable for type 2 diabetes. Any advice would be much appreciated. Need a reliable one. Thanks

Any meter can be used for either type one or two.

For type two (non insulin users) the most usual way to use it is to test on waking /fasting. This is often the last figure to come down into line. And also immediately before eating and then 2 hrs later. Looking for a rise of no more than 2mmol and ideally the latter reading under 7.8mmol. (May take time to get to that depending on where you start) . If it rises by more than 2mmol the meal had more carbs than your body can process effectively.

 

[Errol Pinnock]

Thank you for your replies, but I am actually trying to find out only if it is suitable for type 2 diabetics, as a lot aren't and will give false readings if your are type 2, as uppose to type 1.

 

[HSSS]

Thank you for your replies, but I am actually trying to find out only if it is suitable for type 2 diabetics, as a lot aren't and will give false readings if your are type 2, as uppose to type 1.

Where have you go this information from? As far as I know the process of reading is identical for both types. It’s why you test and what you do with the info that might vary. What do you mean by false reading?

 

[HSSS]

Oh and for the record lots of type twos use contour meters (there’s more than one model) just fine. I have one as my spare and it matches my aviva accuchek mobile within tolerances.

 

[brokencat]

I was actually changed to Contour test strips for my pregnancy bacause they are not affected by the fluctuations of heamatocrit levels.

Basically they get more accurate results if you have problems with your red blood cells - like aneamia for example.

 

[JohnEGreen]

I've used the contour next one meter for a couple of years now and I was given the choice of using a tee 2 meter by my GP but I tried it for a few weeks and then went back to the contour meter as I couldn't get away with writing down results again as I use the contour app to do that for me

The Tee2+ meter has blue tooth and can connect to an app.

 

[searley]

Thank you for your replies, but I am actually trying to find out only if it is suitable for type 2 diabetics, as a lot aren't and will give false readings if your are type 2, as uppose to type 1.

The type is irrelevant its just measuring glucose in the blood you will not get a false reading being a type 2

Any blood glucose meter will work for you simply get one the you like and can afford to get the strips for.

All meters will vary slightly from each other and will give slight different results. This is perfectly normal..

There is no such thing as a 100 percent accurate meter

 

[Errol Pinnock]

Thank you for all of your responses, I've had different types of test kits and I've never had the same reading. I had a type 1 machine and my readings were all over the place even had a reading of 28. I've had diabetic Dr's who have said that you really can't an accurate reading. This is why I'm keen on knowing if the Contour Next One is good for type 2 diabetes.

 

[searley]

Thank you for all of your responses, I've had different types of test kits and I've never had the same reading. I had a type 1 machine and my readings were all over the place even had a reading of 28. I've had diabetic Dr's who have said that you really can't an accurate reading. This is why I'm keen on knowing if the Contour Next One is good for type 2 diabetes.

Short answer yes.. it could be the one reading of 28 was either correct... contaminated result or a faulty strip

You will never get the same results. The accuracy level of the meter is within 15% so a glucose of 10 could give a reading of anywhere between 8.5 and 11.5 irrespective of type of diabetes

Once again any meter is suitable regardless of T1 or T2

 

[Robbity]

Meters/test kits simply check blood glucose levels and don't know or care a jot whether you're T1, T2 , any other diabetic variant - or even non-diabetic...

I'm T2 and have used Contour meters (currently a Contour Next) for nearly 6 years. I find my meter is consistent and reliable, and while it's overall average used with our Diabetes.co.uk HbA1C converter is slightly lower than my actual test HbA1C figure the results are consistent.

But the test strips can be expensive if you have to buy your own, and there are other meters that have cheaper strips.

 

[Russnye]

I have just purchased contour next tester and taken two fasting results a week apart - 6.3 and 8.5. Is it possible for that variation in a week or could there be something wrong with the meter

 

[HSSS]

I have just purchased contour next tester and taken two fasting results a week apart - 6.3 and 8.5. Is it possible for that variation in a week or could there be something wrong with the meter

It’s a moment in time. It could depend on many things.

Meters have a 15% accuracy margin. So the truth could be somewhere in the middle of the two readings.

What you ate the previous day, alcohol the previous night, other sickness, stress, sleep, activity etc etc.

A trend is far more important than a single reading.

Many in here pay far more attention what happens immediately before and 2hrs after a meal. This shows if we cope with what we eat ok.

 

[Robbity]

I have just purchased contour next tester and taken two fasting results a week apart - 6.3 and 8.5. Is it possible for that variation in a week or could there be something wrong with the meter

No - it's perfectly normal for glucose levels to change all the time depending generally on what we eat and how much activity we indulge in - so tests days apart aren't gong to tell you anything particularly useful.

What you need to do in particular is to test immediately before you eat and then two hours afterwards which will tell you how well you respond to certain foods (specifically those containing higher quantities of carbs). You can then use these results to help you learn how to adjust your diet and manage your glucose levels.

 

[searley]

I have just purchased contour next tester and taken two fasting results a week apart - 6.3 and 8.5. Is it possible for that variation in a week or could there be something wrong with the meter

If I have a pizza as an evening meal.. my bg can be normal when I goto bed and 11 or 12 when I get up

If I have salad it could be 5 or 6 when I get up

The contour next range of meters is one of the more reliable and consistent of all the meters I've used