which glucose monitor do you use?

hellsbells979 said:

Hello
On the lookout for a new monitor. Just wondering which ones people use? I'm thinking of the Contour Next One but the strips are quite expensive. Does anyone use alternative test strips?

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Gave you a like because everyone needs their first like and testing is the right way to go. I mostly use Libre but also use Tee 2 from time to time. Quite popular as strips are relatively cheap.

The Contour strips are expensive but in my experience the relative (repeatable) accuracy surpasses everything else.

Abbott Freestyle Freedom Lite.
Had it since I was first diagnosed.
[Well, first one failed eventually but was replaced for free.]
I have a quota of strips from the surgery which helps me double check the Libre but which aren't used extensively.
The main thing I like is that it only needs a very small drop of blood.

I use contour next meters as I've found them to be most consistent... and they have 2nd chance sampling.. which saves wasted strips if you don't add enough blood

I've had over 50 meters... I found the onetouch verio to also be very good... both are expensive for strips though which doesn't matter to me they are on prescription

In all fairness though if T2 not on insulin the variance between an expensive meter and strips and a cheaper one is slightly less important your more interested in knowing if your bg is good or not and the effects food has on it... but are not basing medication on you bg... all modern meters have to conform to iso standards for accuracy so you won't be far off..

You may be better off getting a cheap meter and being able to afford doing more tests than getting an expensive one but not being able to afford enough strips

Hi @hellsbells979 and welcome to the forum. I’ll just copy the information I have about more easily affordable blood glucose meters in the U.K. and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned.


HOME HEALTH have the Gluco Navii, which is a fairly new model and seems to be getting good reviews, links to the strips and the meter:

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/

There are also discount codes for when you come to buy more strips - "navii5" and "navii10" will give you 20% off purchases of 5 packs of strips and 25% off 10 packs of strips respectively.


Then they sell the older SD Code Free, details to be found here!

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/

Discount codes for the Code Free strips

5 packs 264086

10 packs 975833





SPIRIT HEALTHCARE have a meter called the Tee2 + found here:



https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...e2-blood-glucose-meter?variant=19264017268793

with the strips found here:



https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...py-of-tee2-test-strips?variant=19264017367097

Some members have got a free Tee2+ by phoning up to order, with a large order of strips they often throw the meter in for free:

Phone number 0800 8815423


With more expensive strips is their Caresens Dual, this one has the advantage of glucose and ketone testing in one machine, it’s to be found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/caresens-dual



If there is a choice of units of measurement then ‘mmol/L’ are the standard units in the UK, ‘mg/dl’ in the US, other countries may vary.


Don’t forget to check the box if you have pre diabetes or diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)

I used a free Abbott Freedom Lite for years, and it is a very good meter, but it is not blue tooth capable. I have now got a Contour Next with blue tooth which is great.

The Next and Next One use the same strips, which I get mine at a subsidised price as I am a member of NDSS, for $1.20 for a 100 pack.

They are normally $60.00 otc at a pharmacy, but it's doable if you are serious enough about testing and not do it on the cheap. The Abbot sensors are around $100.00 here, the strips have better value as more bang for the buck.

So that is my choice of best meter to try.

I'm another, and long term, Contour Next fan as it has some nice features, and I completely trust its accuracy.

I also have a(n original) Libre reader which I tended to use for compatibility when I was wearing a sensor, as it also acts as a meter for both glucose and ketone checks. And I still occasionally use it for the latter if I'm feeling rich and can afford the strips.

searley said:

I've had over 50 meters... I found the onetouch verio to also be very good... both are expensive for strips though which doesn't matter to me they are on prescription

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You must have a good GP, mine (a few years ago) decided they would only prescribe a certain type of meter so invited us all in to come and pick it up. They said they would only prescribe strips for that particular meter, none of the others due to cost. They said the cheaper one was really good....when I googled it it had the worst reviews! It worked well enough though as I find them all much of a muchness. Once I was on the libre I asked for the strips that go with that as it made sense to keep all the records in the one meter, they reluctantly agreed but given I had the libre, they reduced the strips to 50 a month anyway.

My gP will also only issue one type of meter which is a neon finetest lite. No Bluetooth which means manual record keeping. Only needs a small amount of blood.

I have bought myself a caresens dual which also tests ketones, and has Bluetooth. It’s slightly bigger but I prefer the simplicity. I’m another that doesn’t test often now as I self fund a libre. Usually only test blood glucose to calibrate at the start of a new sensor, and to verify any possible hypos. Ketone testing strips are expensive but I also only use them occasionally.

both meters give consistent results with ing .2 of each other when I checked.

KK123 said:

You must have a good GP, mine (a few years ago) decided they would only prescribe a certain type of meter so invited us all in to come and pick it up. They said they would only prescribe strips for that particular meter, none of the others due to cost. They said the cheaper one was really good....when I googled it it had the worst reviews! It worked well enough though as I find them all much of a muchness. Once I was on the libre I asked for the strips that go with that as it made sense to keep all the records in the one meter, they reluctantly agreed but given I had the libre, they reduced the strips to 50 a month anyway.

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I wouldn't say good... the DVLA have written the the GP and told them they are required to prescribe stips for a meter that suits me.. and as many strips as I require... some months I've had as many as 800 strips

but it has given .e that chance to try many over the years..

but as I say for a t2 not insulin treated a cheaper meter is more than a curate enough. a 0.5mmol difference doesn't really matter