Summer days

[lizdeluz]

Spending a lot of time outside in the current great summer weather, but I always have problems seeing my meter screen when I'm outside. I try to retreat to shade or the car, but find, that generally, if I'm outside, even in the car, I can't read the screen. It's a reliable meter: the Accu-chek Aviva Expert, and I don't have any other concerns with it, but I'm finding this one issue really difficult.
Using sunglasses doesn't help, if anything, makes it more impossible.
I've had to give up and guess my dose on a few occasions recently. Not good.
Has anyone had this problem or found a solution?

 

[noblehead]

Try covering the meter with your other hand to see if that makes a difference, either that or use any other object you may be holding just to shade the meter from the sun.

 

[lizdeluz]

Thanks @noblehead. I have tried that, in fact I think I've tried every which way, like a contortionist that to any onlooker would look strange, but with no luck. I'll have to keep trying!

 

[noblehead]

Not sure what the solution is then,.

How do you find the Aviva Expert overall, I've been using mine for around a year now and quite like it, the only down-side is the meter checking for the111 code before taking the bg reading, I've a habit of applying the blood too soon which results in a wasted test strip

 

[lizdeluz]

Not sure what the solution is then,.

How do you find the Aviva Expert overall, I've been using mine for around a year now and quite like it, the only down-side is the meter checking for the111 code before taking the bg reading, I've a habit of applying the blood too soon which results in a wasted test strip

I like the Aviva Expert but I've been using it for years and sometimes wonder if the grass is greener with other meters! The problem with the screen readability is annoying but no doubt other meters wouldn't be any better in this regard.

Test strips used to have an individual code for each tub and I used to have to set that up on my meter at the start of each new tub, and then came the message from Accu-chek that we would never have to calibrate the strips again, they would always be pre-calibrated 111. So yes, I wasted a few strips until I got used to the waiting period on the meter.

My other small gripe about it, (and again, I've got no other meter to compare the Expert with) is that it shuts down before I've had long enough sometimes to record the info it gives me. (Especially if I'm a bit hypo at the time, hehe). And then, you can't retrieve that same info, eg available insulin, when you switch it back on.

I've had another problem with the screen surface, recently. It started to degrade and flake off! After checking with Accu-chek, I went ahead and cleaned the screen with Sticky Stuff remover .....which worked. I hadn't even realised until then that there was an invisible plastic film over the whole surface of the meter!

 

[noblehead]

Thanks for the reply Lizdeluz

I don't why the meter needs to show the code screen considering they are now a code-free meter, I only got my meter last year and it was after the change over so it's doubly annoying when you waste a good test strip because you forget to wait, I used the Contour meter before changing to the Expert and there was no waiting around to apply the blood.

Not really had any issues with it shutting down too soon, you can review the previous readings and info by selecting My Data on the menu screen, you then look for the bg reading you want to review and press Select.

That's quite funny about the plastic film on the screen

 

[lizdeluz]

Thanks for the reply Lizdeluz


Not really had any issues with it shutting down too soon, you can review the previous readings and info by selecting My Data on the menu screen, you then look for the bg reading you want to review and press Select.

Likewise, thank you for your reply, Noblehead. Re the shutting down issue, it's the Available Insulin edit Active Insulin figure that I lose sometimes and can't retrieve, even via My Data. It's not so important, I guess, but, because I'm doing LCHF, I sometimes want to override the meter advice, based on the protein I eat, and therefore I use the (Edit) Active Insulin to help me figure out the dose I want to inject and record in the My Data

 

[noblehead]

Likewise, thank you for your reply, Noblehead. Re the shutting down issue, it's the Available Insulin figure that I lose sometimes and can't retrieve, even via My Data. It's not so important, I guess, but, because I'm doing LCHF, I sometimes want to override the meter advice, based on the protein I eat, and therefore I use the Available Insulin to help me figure out the dose I want to inject and record in the My Data

I see, I don't think you can view that Lizdeluz.