The Codefree meter

[hanadr]

I saw this meterr on amazon. Since i pay for my strips, i was tempted by the excellent price of the consumables and ordered one.
It arrived today and of course I tried it. I nearly had a heart attack when I saw the reading.[7.5] I NEVER have a number that high! I tested again with my Freestyle Mini and got [5.9], which looks about right.
I've just got in from the gym and had a piece of cheese and a Latte coffee so far today.
I conclude the Codefree Meter isn't correctly calibrated.
I've discussed it with Amazon customer services and sent an email to the seller.
My latest HbA1c is completely consistent with my Freestyle meter, so I don't think I've suddenly got High bg.
I'll post updates on this story.
In the meantime some people might like to test this meter too.
Hana

 

[borofergie]

I conclude the Codefree Meter isn't correctly calibrated.

Not sure you can come to that conclusion on the basis of a singe test.

All meters are slightly inconsistent. Have you never had a "false high" from your current trusted meter?

 

[hanadr]

I have NEVER had a reading I didn't understand from my trusted Freestyle Mini nor from any Freestyle Meter which preceded it.
Hana

 

[xyzzy]

Hana

I experienced a couple of those 7.5's as well (and it was always 7.5) when I tested it out a few weeks ago. Overall it ended up giving near enough the same results as my One Touch Ultra. Like you 7.5 two hours after testing is alien territory for me! I found if I retested the 7.5 would come back to a more reasonable level. I'd recommend you don't do what I did and try comparing the two meters side by side as that way insanity awaits :crazy:

In the end I decided to stick with my One Touch Ultra not necessarily because I thought the SD was wrong or bad but I've grown attached to it. I had a relative who wasn't testing so I ended up donating the SD to her. She now gets on fine with it.

 

[Administrator]

Hi Hanadr - would you like to write a review for us and we'll add this to the Blood Glucose Meter directory?

 

[noblehead]

Hi Hanadr - would you like to write a review for us and we'll add this to the Blood Glucose Meter directory?

Is it possible to write a review after only one test?

I would expect someone to have done multiple tests on a meter before writing a full & comprehensive review of a product.

 

[Sirzy]

I tried the SD Codefree meter too, and found it to be consistently reading 0.6 mmol below my Accu-Chek Aviva. This doesn't neccesarily mean that the SD was wrong, in fact I've read that the Accu-Chek meters tend to read slightly higher than other meters, but as I'd been using my Accu-Chek since my diagnosis, I felt more comfortable continuing to test with this meter as I'd rather be basing my control on possibly slightly higher readings, rather than potentially slightly lower readings.

I think if I'd used this meter from the start, I'd have been more than happy with it though.

 

[al_leister]

NOBLEHEAD WROTE: Is it possible to write a review after only one test?

I would expect someone to have done multiple tests on a meter before writing a full & comprehensive review of a product
..................................

Of course a review cannot be written (for a product like this) after a few days use let alone one single try.

I bought the codefree meter last week. Mine is great. Absolute love it. NO MORE ONE TOUCH ULTRA for me. The difference in cost is a bloody disgrace.

HAPPY CONVERT!!!!!

 

[iHs]

hana

The SD Codefree will give you a reading that is higher than the Freestyle Mini. Like other meters the SD calculates an average bg level within xx amount of seconds whereas the Freestyle meters work slightly different, meaning the higher the bg the longer it will take the Freestyle to calculate it, also the lower the bg, the quicker the result.

 

[borofergie]

The SD Codefree will give you a reading that is higher than the Freestyle Mini. Like other meters the SD calculates an average bg level within xx amount of seconds whereas the Freestyle meters work slightly different, meaning the higher the bg the longer it will take the Freestyle to calculate it, also the lower the bg, the quicker the result.

Are you sure? The glucose content of the sample is constant, so there is no need for any averaging.

My Contour USB takes between 1 and 4 seconds to process the sample, but the amount of time that it takes is independent of the glucose level in the sample.

 

[MadMat]

I've got one of these as well and am happy with it. But it's my first meter so I don't have anything to compare it with!

Mat

 

[catherinecherub]

Hi Hanadr - would you like to write a review for us and we'll add this to the Blood Glucose Meter directory?

Doesn't make sense to me after one reading.

This meter is the answer to some people's prayers. They won't be comparing it against more expensive ones as they cannot afford them and their HCP's will not give them one or test strips.. Even if the readings are not 100% accurate they will get a better understanding of what is going on with their blood sugars. Don't condemn something that will be a godsend for others.

 

[iHs]

Yes, postive.

I bought one of the first Freestyle meters when they were first advertised in Balance under name of Therasense in 2001. Abbot bought out the company a few years later. I remember phoning Therasense to ask why it took longer to calculate my bg levels than my other meter and that's when the technology that the company used was explained to me.

Over the years many bg meters have come on the market but they all just calculate an average based on seconds except the Freestyle Mini meters. My friend's bg level which was fairly high always took longer to calculate on the Freestyle (weight of glucose in blood) than mine did.

I have found over the years of using meters that none of them will ever calculate the same so this is why its best not to compare all the time.

 

[borofergie]

Even if the readings are not 100% accurate they will get a better understanding of what is going on with their blood sugars. Don't condemn something that will be a godsend for others.

Yes. The point is that no home meter is 100% accurate, so comparing spot readings from any two meters is a rather futile exercise.

 

[Defren]

I have a codefree meter, it is my first meter so I have nothing to compare it too. That said, I am now used to it and the readings are helping me to get my very low carb diet in place. An example, all day today I have been around the 6 mark except after lunch. For lunch I had two hard boiled eggs, some green and red leaves, spring onion, cherry tomato's and cucumber. I know this is a safe meal, so was happy - however!! I usually add a little dollop of mayo to add a little fat, today I added salad cream, my 2 hour reading shot up to 9.1, I almost had kittens. Lesson learned, I can't have salad cream. Without a meter I would not have known this, and even a meter where the test strips are so much more expensive could have seen me not test. Because the codefree strips are so reasonable I test often, to make sure I have a good idea what's going on.

The codefree is small, light, easy to use. It comes with a case and a little diary (very small and difficult to record data, but I manage). All in all I am pleased as punch with my new little friend, it has helped me get to a place where I have control, which also gives me peace of mind.

Would I recommend? You bettya I would.

 

[angieG]

I have treated myself to one of these to supplement the Freestyle Lite strips which I get on prescription.

Since I'm a type 2 I don't want to ask for too many strips so this is ideal for me.

So far my readings have been on par with the Lite so it is good enough for me!

Regards
Angie

 

[hanadr]

I've been in correspondance with the supplier of the CodeFree meter
they are trying to help, but it's still not right. The guy I'm corresponding with couldn't be more helpful. He's told me that the manufactureres have identified a problem with some strips. I have tried a couple out of another pack and still got an inconsistent reading. This morning fasting Freestyle Lite [4.6mmol] Code Free [7.1mmol]. That 4.6 is normal for me and all the readings I've had on the codeFree have been over 7. I have only a single 7 on my Freestyle in at least 6 months. I know that sounds unlikely to some people, but I get annoyed with myself if I get a number over 6. I don't test often, average once a day, becaause I really don't need to and I pay for strips.
Essentially, I shall want to return the meter and the extra strips I bought. I don't think I'll ever be able to trust the system. I have used maybe a dozen strips and not got a result I believe in. If I had a genuine 7.? I would know
hana

 

[MadMat]

Sounds like you may have a duff unit or pack of strips then!

I've been using mine for two weeks now and have had a good spread of results from 5.1 up to 9.0 - as you'd probably expect from a newly diagnosed experimenting to see what foods he can still eat!

And those results do seem to correlate with the meal I had before the test, high carbs = higher result - the 9.0 came from trying a grapefruit for breakfast!!!!

Mat

 

[hanadr]

the first pack of strips was definitely duff. I'm concerned about results from a second pack with a different batch number.
Hana

 

[snailstead]

:roll: