Which Glucometer would you recommend?

[johnrd]

I'm a relatively recently diagnosed Type 2 diabetic and I'm still waiting for the cogs of the NHS to engage and get me to see a dietician, optician etc. so at the mo. I'm in a state of limbo re my treatment.
Whilst in my local chemist I saw an array of glucometers on display.
I haven't been advised by my GP to get one but does anyone out there think I should buy one anyway and if so, are there any recommendations?
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

[ebony321]

Hi,

welcome to the forum )

i hope all your appointments come through swiftly so you can get on with learning to control your diabetes and be back to whatever you regard as normal

i have two meters

i have an optimum exceed which i like because its little, light compact and fits almost anywhere, can store lots of reading and can give me a 14 and 30 day average of my readings, it takes individual strips but has to use a chip to calibrate to go with the strips in each box, (but sometimes works without).. i've had two of these.. one which i dropped and the back broke off and i think it sent it a bit waffy hence why i was given a new one... ths machine requires not too much blood but i dont have much base for comparision, it takes 5 seconds to read, i also has a feature for a light so you dont have to squint to see your reading if your eyes arent perfect

i also have a breeze 2 by bayer.. ( i won this on a comp from this website ) this is my favourite one of the two... its very bulky cmpared to the optimum but takes a disk of ten strips at once so i pull and push a lever and it pops out the top ready for blood (this is great for me as sometimes i prick my finger forgetting to put the strip in first and trying to geta strip in with one hand as the other has a blob of blood can be tricky :lol: ) and the meter can also hold alot of readings and gives me a 1,7,14,30 day averages this meter also takes 5 seconds to read...


these are just two examples and im sure there are lots more choices than these two, just gives youa rough idea of what you would want from your meter to suit yourself and your lifestyle, you can always ask the pharmasist for advice too im sure

Good luck with getting everything sorted any questions fire away on here

 

[Fujifilm]

If you want a Bayer contour meter for free PM me with your name and address and I will send you one, as I have one in the box unopened and it comes with 25 strips to get you started.

Don't put your address on here but use PM (private mail) you will find this by clicking the little box saying PM - below the dancing chicken. :!:

 

[IanS]

If you don't take up Fujifilm's offer, you may just fnd that you diabetis clinic gives you one (some do). Failing that, if you contact one of the makers, you may often find that they will send you one for free.

Also watch out for 'win a meter competitions' in the advertising spaces on this site. They aren't really competitions as I gather every entrant 'wins' a free meter.

If you do decide to get one from a chemist, as a diabetic, you should not have to pay the VAT. I assume that you have been formally diagnosed as the chemist may ask you to prove it. You will have to fill in a claim form.

IanS.

 

[IanD]

We were offered free ones at the XPERT course.

I have two already, & have consistently used the 1-touch Ultra

I have more of the Ascentia Contour strips, so I am using that during the course

I measured before lunch AC= Low, retest 4.3 -- food QUICK!
I immediately checked with the U - 5.8 -- bit high, so no hurry for food.

Which if either, is telling the truth?

 

[cugila]

I measured before lunch AC= Low, retest 4.3 -- food QUICK!
I immediately checked with the U - 5.8 -- bit high, so no hurry for food.

Which if either, is telling the truth?

Ian.

There have been so many discussions on this Forum about meter readings and accuracy, I have literally lost count, I just groan whenever I see another question like this. :wink: Do a search on meter accuracy or readings.

NO amount of meters will ever give you the same readings how ever hard you try to keep the same variables. No amount of meters are going to have the same accuracy, they can vary by as much as + or - 20%. That is not to say that they are 20% out just the tolerances are fairly wide, that's all. Could be 1%, 1/2%, 5%, 10% they will all vary.

As to which is telling the truth, don't use more than one meter, a bad idea, you just end up getting paranoid about the results. One meter, one reading. Stick to it each time, then you can be confident in what you see. Even if it is a little high or low, it will consistently be the same. A single meter does not vary.

Going for a lie down ......again....... :arrow:

 

[hanadr]

I have a Freestyle Lite, which is easy to use, reputedly accurate and comes with Abbott Diabetes Care's superb aftercare service.
Hana

 

[Fujifilm]

There have been so many discussions on this Forum about meter readings and accuracy, I have literally lost count, I just groan whenever I see another question like this. :wink: Do a search on meter accuracy or readings.

Please tell me more about meter accuracy :twisted: :twisted: :lol:

 

[cugila]

There have been so many discussions on this Forum about meter readings and accuracy, I have literally lost count, I just groan whenever I see another question like this. :wink: Do a search on meter accuracy or readings.

Please tell me more about meter accuracy :twisted: :twisted: :lol:

Fuji.......... :twisted:

 

[Fujifilm]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[IanS]

There have been so many discussions on this Forum about meter readings and accuracy, I have literally lost count, I just groan whenever I see another question like this. :wink: Do a search on meter accuracy or readings.

Please tell me more about meter accuracy :twisted: :twisted: :lol:

BG meters are not particularly accurate. Their accuracy is such that they give a reading of typically 10-20% of the true BG value. The errors come from a number of sources so I shan't bore you with a discussion here. The test strips for some meters require you to enter a code which tells the meter the average error for the batch of strips that you are using. Others have eliminated that step.

The accuracy of BG meters is adequate for the purpose for which most of us use them: that is establishing what food we can eat and what we can't without pushing our BG levels where we don't want them to be. If you are using your BG meter for purposes where greater accuracy is required (i.e testing to see if you are close to a hypo), then you should follow the manufacturer's advice and perform a repeat test if you get a reading that indicates trouble.

IanS

 

[cugila]

IanS.

Fuji and I were having a laugh...... :lol: :twisted:

The subject has been discussed on here so much I get a headache just thinking about it ! Going round and round in circles......Where's me pill's..........so just talk amongst yourself if you feel the need to air it all again ! :wink:



Please note: no animals were hurt in the making of this crude reference to going round in circles !

 

[IanD]

I measured before lunch AC= Low, retest 4.3 -- food QUICK!
I immediately checked with the U - 5.8 -- bit high, so no hurry for food.

Which if either, is telling the truth?

Ian.
There have been so many discussions on this Forum about meter readings and accuracy, I have literally lost count, I just groan whenever I see another question like this. :wink: Do a search on meter accuracy or readings.
:

I used the second meter because the first told me I was hypo - LO.

 

[borderter]

The optium xceed meter is small and simple with ample time to get blood on to strip but just as important is aftercare and abbott labs is sooo good. Irang to get the free software to keep records charts etc on computer and mentioned that I was recently put onto insulin the customer service person immediately sent me a spare meter in case any problem with present one happened at a weekend so how good is that

 

[noblehead]

That's great borderter, good service most definately!

But without pouring scourn on Abbott's good intentions, most meter manufacturers are falling over themselves to give away free meters to patients. Their costs are recovered quite substantially by you purchasing the test strips, either by paying for them or through the nhs. I know this to be true, I was told by my DSN that the profits on the test strips are massive, by providing free meters they have a captive market.

Nigel

 

[Debloubed]

I I measured before lunch AC= Low, retest 4.3 -- food QUICK!

Interesting about the AC Meter, I had an incident last weekend when I came home from a run, felt a bit dozy so went to test and was told LOW!! couldn't believe it as I was stood up at the time so I immediately checked again and was told 4.1. Low, but not low enough to have an emergency shot of glucogen :wink:

 

[borderter]

yes I know thats true but we all still need good meters and if the Drs have to pay for strips out of thier budget so be it ,they have huge salaries and take a look at the cars they drive so my test strips cost doesent give me sleepless nights

 

[Fujifilm]

yes I know thats true but we all still need good meters and if the Drs have to pay for strips out of thier budget so be it ,they have huge salaries and take a look at the cars they drive so my test strips cost doesent give me sleepless nights

I can't take anymore. :lol: :lol:
.

 

[pennytuppence]

One of our members has recommended a optimum exceed as his favouriye meter. Can anyone tell me where to buy one of these.

 

[catherinecherub]

If you google, "optimum exceed buy" you will see the prices vary from £10 - £15. You could try your local chemists to see if they stock it.