Alphatrak test strips!

Hi everyone,
Somebody at some point mentioned that cheaper strips can be used for the alphatrak 2 monitor. I've looked through threads and simply can't find it.
Can anyone tell me the name of the cheaper test strips that work with this monitor?
Thank you,
Amy

 

Hi Amy,

See this post and the ones that immediately follow it:
ALPHATRAK 2 METERS

 

Brilliant, thank you!
So just to confirm, these are the right strips:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Freestyle-7...54&sr=8-1&keywords=freestyle lite test strips

Do you happen t poo know if the freestyle lancets can also be used with the alphatrak 2?
I don't want to free-hand lance as Murphy doesn't seem to mind the click.

 

No idea where 'poo' came from, ha ha! That's quite the typo

 

Yes those are the strips that I use with my AT2 meter. Yes the FS lite lancets are the same as the AT2 lancets. Personally I free-hand, but the lancets fit in the AT2 meter just fine. I have been using the FS Lite strips with my AT2 meter for about 4+ months now. I did about 20 comparisons between the AT2 strips and FS lite strips when I still had a container of AT2 strips and they worked out very very close. I would suggest you do some comparisons the same way so that you can double check the accuracy. The FS Lite strips do not need coding. I left my AT2 meter on the last coding from the vial of AT strips. I still have about 10 AT2 strips left and every now and then I do a side by side comparison. It is tricky bit if you can do one test with the AT strips and then so another test with the FS Lite strips on the same drop of blood you will get a good idea if it works for you.

Good luck

 

That's great, thank you. I've just ordered some. Running low on alphatrak ones, but will try to keep some back for comparison.

 

I'm now using the Freestyle Lite strips with my AT 2 meter. I cross checked them for about a week and never came up any more than 10 points difference, and that can even happen when testing the same blood sample with 2 different AT strips.

 

Wonderful...that is about the same differences I got when I started comparing them. Even though the combination has worked for me for over 5 months I always tell people to do comparisons of their own first..just to be comfortable that the readings are accurate.

 

My freestyle lite test strips attive today
They're half the price.
Tammy, when you say a difference of 10 points, is that with US readings? Thank you!

 

Amy, Tammy is in the US so the '10 points' will be US measurements. That (if you divide by 18) is .55 in 'rest of the world' numbers. But do try a few comparison tests of your own if you can. And if you don't want to do that on your kitty you can always try it out on yourself....or on a willing victim friend.....
.

 

Are these the lancets?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/FREESTYLE-LANCETS-05MM-GAUGE-STERILE/dp/B004M9KQQ8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1432986070&sr=8-1&keywords=Free style lite lancets

 

Yes those are the lancets I use. They are just called Freestyle not Freestyle Lite the way the strips are. They fit in the AT2 clicker.

 

Yes, U.S. Numbers. I'm still using the lancets that came with my AT2 meter,, I don't use a different one every time, I change it every few days tho. I have to buy the ReliOn ones for my hubby, so when the AT2 lancets are gone, I'll be using the ReliOn. The FS Lite strips need such a TINY drop of blood, that I barely have to make a hole to get the blood I need.

 

Thank you!
And.... oh! I've been using a new lancet each time. I thought that was what I was meant to do. Will make it easier to stick to one a day.

 

I always used a new lancet for each test. I saw an upclose picture once of a new lancet next to one that had been used once and next one that had been used twice, and one that was used six times, and it was pretty gross.



I used to buy them on EBay for about 2 dollars for a box of 100 lancets. So, for just a couple pennies per lancet.

 

ReliOn is WalMart's brand.
Confirm or Confirm micro are meters - takes smallest blood drop. They are identical to the Glucocard 01 and 01 Mini at ADW.
Prime also is a meter - it requires a slightly larger blood drop and some folks have had issues with reliability.

 

After reading this post (and other similar ones), I tried for the first time a comparison with my alphatrak2 meter - one AT2 test strip and one Freestyle Lite test strip, both on the same drop of blood. Got 220 on thh AT2 strip and 209 on the FSL strip. So pretty close, at least in that range (don't know that I'd feel so comfortable with a >10 variance if the range was less than 100 to start with). Will do a couple more tests to see. I didn't change the code on the meter - left it as it's always been, as code 8 (cat) for both strips. AT2 test was done first, FSL reading probably close to a minute later - not sure if that added to the discrepancy at all.

At half the price of the AT2 strips, I sure hope the FSL strips can be a reliable test strip to use in the AT2 meter! Although I do have another 50 pack of AT2 strips on their way, but Amazon was back-ordered, so they won't be here for a few days, hence the quick trial of the FSL strips to see if they will at least be a decent stand-in strip until the AT2 strips arrive).

 

Over the counter meters are currently allowed to read +/- % off what a lab would get, so if the strips read within that range, you may consider the values the same.

 

What is the figure of the +/- percentage?

 

Sorry! +/- 20%
See my signature link Glucometer Notes.

 

I have done several comparison tests using the Freestyle strips in my AlphaTrak meter as well but my results were that the Freestyle strips were reading about 10% HIGHER than the AlphaTrak strips. Mind you the code on my AlphaTrak strips is 38 rather than 8. Man this is soooooo confusing! I think I'll run a test with the AlphaTrak test solution on both to see what the difference is with the test solution and go by that!

It would be so nice if Abbott didn't feel compelled to rob pet owners for strips that are essentially identical to those for human use visually AND including ALL the human patent numbers! There isn't even a difference in the lot number format! Even though the Freestyle meters supposedly do not need to be coded, my vial of Freestyle strips indicates they use a code of 16. ??? WHY??? I think if we could figure out the right code to use in our AlphaTrak meters (which are also identical to the human meters except for colour,) we'd be golden using the Freestyle strips.

Unfortunately changing codes to do comparisons just isn't feasible without 2 meters! The price of the AlphaTrak strips (about $1.50 per strip in Canada at the pet pharmacy WITHOUT vet markup ) is IMHO highway robbery . The only difference that makes any sense is that the computer chip in the AlphaTrak meter adjusts the results to account for the different blood composition of felines vs. humans so the code on the meter should be the key! But then why is my code 38 when others have a code of 8.

 

My Alphatrak strips use code 38 or 93. The code 8 must be an American one.

 

If the results are within 20% of each other, the numbers may be considered the same.
Just pick one to use and be consistent in doing so.
Home meters are not intended to replace lab equipment, only to give a clue to general trends.

 

That doesn't seem to be the case either as there was a previous thread in April this year started by Tuxedo Mom from Canada re: her comparison of AlphaTrak vs. Freestyle strips. She had AT strips with a code of 8 and a US member had AT strips with code 38.

 

I've never used a pet meter but with my test strips for my Relion Micro some of the lots are coded 3 and others 4. As long as the code on the bottle matches with my meter I am good to go. Would that apply in your case? No clue. Just throwing it out there.

 

Yep, American here and my latest vial of AT2 strips from Amazon has a code of 38. I've had the 8 code in the past. Just depends on the vial.

 

I'm using the AT2 meter, Freestyle Lite strips, should I reset the codes to match? I've been comparison testing periodically with both AT and FS strips with the same blood drop and they're always pretty close.

 

Leave your AT2 meter with whatever code you had from your last AT strips. DO NOT recode it to the FS Lite strips since that is a code for human numbers.

 

Thank you! After reading about all of the coding I got nervous that maybe I need to change it. Thanks again!

 

You are welcome. When I started doing the comparisons between the two types of strips I left my AT2 meter on the last coding I had which for me was an 8. Other people had different codes for their AT strips but it really doesn't matter as long as the meter is left on a cat code number. The FS Lite strips require no coding when used in a FS Lite meter so you don't change anything on the AT2 meter.

As long as you have done some comparisons with AT2meter/AT strips and AT2 meter/FS Lite strips and they are fairly close then you will have a good idea how they compare.

 

So, if you use human strips in an animal meter, are the readings in the human range or animal range?

 

If using the Freestyle Lite strips (same company that makes the AT2 strips) in the AT2 meter the readings show up as "pet numbers". It is the actual AT2 meter itself that gives the readings according to the coding that is set. Since the AT2 meter can be used for a number of different animals, the meter coding sets what reading you will get. When using the FS Lite strips you set the AT2 meter to the coding from the AT2 strip container. I did many many tests comparing AT2 meter/AT2 strips against AT2 meter/FS Lite strips with the same drop of blood (tricky to do but can be done) and came up with readings within about 5% difference.

Anyone thinking of doing this is advised to do their own test somparisons first.

 

You need to use only the Freestyle LITE strips, and they're animal range. I and several others here have done MANY comparison tests and found the FS and AT numbers to run very close. We all tested the same blood drop and sometimes the AT number will be slightly higher or lower and sometimes the FS number will be slightly higher or lower.

When using a human meter and human strips, if you tested the same blood drop with 2 different (but same brand) strips, you'd still get two different numbers. This is why we believe that the AT2 and the FSL strips are one in the same.

As my husband says, most people will spend money they can't afford to spend on their beloved pets and companies that manufacture pet supplies will happily take that money. They'll take terrible advantage of animal lovers without any shame whatsoever.

 

Very Freudian.

.

 

I found that I don't have a "16" on my AT meter. I suspect the company saw FSLite used that number for coding, and cut it out? Very curious.
I used a5 & 17, and got wild numbers. I'll try the same code after using AT strips, and see what the results are. I hope the cheaper strips can be used, as it looks like it's going to be a long process getting my cat's BG down to a manageable level.

 

If using FS Lite strips in the AT2 meter you DO NOT use the FS Lite code. Use the last code from a container of AT2 strips. If you try using the "16" code or anything close to it the readings will be totally off.

 

I have 08 (from Canada) and 37 and 38 from the US. There are a number of codes, but it must be a code for kitties which is why I use the last code from an actual AT2 test strip container

 

The coding for human strips is used to accommodate for manufacturing tolerances for the the strips. Lots (strips made and same time) of strips are tested and a code assigned to make them as accurate as possible.
The same applies for animal strips and for animal strips are assigned different numbers than human strips because the the glucose distribution in the blood plasma (liquid) and inside the red blood cells are different between human, cats and dogs.

 

I have some frestyle lite to use when my alphatrak strips run out, would it be a good idea to run a comparison using the test solution?

 

I use Freestyle Lite strips in my AlphaTrak meter most of the time. I always have some AT strips on hand "just in case" and do some comparison tests from the same blood droplet to get a sense of how the FS/AT readings compare. You could also add a test solution reading to that comparison data.

 

When I use the FS Lite strips in my AT2 meter I do a control test reading first with each new container of strips I use.. Plus like Kris I keep some AT2 strips to do spot comparisons.

 

I watch for sales on Amazon and order at least a hundred at a time. I I use the freestyle light most times but try to keep at least a hundred AT on hand at all times. I With this weekend's sales, I I just bought 6 boxes of FS at $30/box. Right now, I have close to a thousand strips. I I can go through a lot if Callie's numbers are low. I I allow extras because sometimes the FS strips can take as long as a month if I order lots of boxes. If you really want to save money, I buy the Advocate pet meter. I bought one to keep as a spare. They are highly rated. I tested and they are very good. no coding, only cat or dog and it takes aaa batteries. Usually sells between $ 20-30 depending if on special sale. I keep a couple hundred strips on hand.

With all my strips, I am ready for a zombie apocalypse. LOLIf only I could stick up on insulin.

 

You are even worse than me!! I have only 900 FS Lite strips and 100 AT2 strips.

Since I am in Canada I can just buy my insulin at the pharmacy so I don't have to worry about running out of that. The only thing I need to do is stock on up some more MC and HC food and I am set for the winter.

 

Well, fellow stockpilers of AT and FS test strips ... I can identify with that!! As soon as I'm down to 2 vials of AT strips, I order more and every second or third "senior's day" at Shoppers Drug Mart I'm buying more FS strips at 20% off and tax free - Mary Ann knows what I mean about that.

 

I sure do . This past Thursday was the seniors/$10 day so the pharmacy staff just automatically go to the FS Lite strips when I show up.


BTW For anyone in Canada (not sure about Quebec) insulin testing equipment/supplies are tax free. This includes things like Ketodiastix, Chemstrips, syringes etc. I have had a couple of arguments at pharmacies I don't usually go to when I needed the ketodiastix and chemstrips....I won..they lost...I can quote the regs

 

Good for you!

 

Hi Everyone,
I'm located in the US, where have you found is the cheapest place to buy FreeStyle Lite test strips? Lowest I've seen so far is Amazon. I've heard about people getting them through their insurance but not sure how I would even proceed going about that? Any suggestions would help! Thank you!

 

The only way anyone would get them through insurance would be if they were diabetic and could claim them as their own. Don't think pet insurance would cover them either.
Sorry I can't help with where to get the strips cheaper as I'm in Canada. I've seen a few folks from the US here mention what they paid for the FS strips and was quite surprised they were so expensive.....at least as much if not more than they are here and our prices are usually a fair bit higher than yours given the state of our dollar at this point in time. That was the reason why I recommended just getting a human meter like the Relion Micro or Confirm. Considerably less expense and you can always keep the AT2 as a backup.