comments advice on Relion meters?

I'm looking to shave a bit of the cost off all things in our lives. Figured out it's costing us over $100 a month just in test strips for Robbie and than the insulin which is about $145 and lasts about 5 weeks and the vet visits etc. etc. I had figured that with my health insurance covering the diabetes test stuff because I'm diabetic as well that it wouldn't be an issue but the insurance changed a few months ago at my job and now even WITH the insurance 50 strips cost $32 and change. Just insane. On ebay I can save about $6-8 dollars but I don't always have time to deal with the ebay shopping - on the main forum Relion was suggested and I've seen tha tmentioned before here. We don't have a local Walmart but I cna do it off their website easily enough. It saves about 20 cents per strip which when you test 6+times a day sometimes can be worth it - I wouldn't mind saving $30 a month at this point.
Reliable? Should I get it and test using both meters for a while so I can see the difference? Any input appreciated.

 

Sure, Relion is a fine meter, used by a great many people, so I think you would be fine to use that meter. What meter are you using right now?

I was looking at your ss and your dose is fairly high, so I wondered if you had thought about switching to Lantus or preferably Levemir? I have never used any of the P insulins, but I do know that people have found it's cheaper to switch once they reach a certain dose, so that's another good option for you.
Robbie's been OTJ twice? What were his numbers on the previous 2 times on insulin, and was he high dose then or just this last time?

 

I recently switched from alphatrak to the relion confirm (~$8.00 usd) from walmart.com. strips $36.00 for 100. I tested between the two a few times and there was a 20-30 point difference each time. The alphatrak being higher. I cannot determine what meter you are currently using. For me, the relion confirm is easier to use and more consistent than the alphatrak. The 20-30 points was within an acceptable variance for me. Overall, the change was positive.

I also try to meet the minimum for free shipping. Sometimes that means ordering toothpaste or whatever.. I find something within budget I can use.

 

I still have in my signature I use the Contour but have been using the Relion Confirm for a couple months now. I was double checking between the two for a while, and still do occasionally when I get a weird number, but they are really close in readings.

Not sure what you're using right now but a friend of mine requested a discount card from the manufacturer and now only pays $15 for her test strips for her Contour (our insurance only covers about half the cost so that's a huge savings for her).

 

I've been using the Relion Micro (which uses the same test strips as the Confirm) and am very happy with it.

Test strips for this meter at Walmart are $.36 each. I've been ordering Arkray test strips from American Diabetes Wholesale, which are the same as the Relion strips, and they cost $.28 each.

Another board member, Chip & Dale, told me about a new meter and test strips, from Arkray (who make the Relion Confirm and Micro meters), the Vital, which might be the same as the new Relion Prime available at Walmart. In any case, the test strips for these new models are around $.18 each. When you can save $.18 per test strip, and you test a lot, that could mean saving $36.00 per month.

Just wanted to pass this info along. I need to order more test strips soon, and might be switching meters and getting the Arkray Vital and their test strips from ADW.

Suze

 

Thanks for all the input - We are currently using MY own One Touch Ultra meter which I've used for myself for a couple of years - Robbie was only OTJ once and he was up to 8.00 when that happened so he's a high dose kitty generally. We'll see I"m not making any moves till the Fall Just bought 2 vials of the Prozinc when I found them since there's a shortage. Would love to save something on the strips I wasn't even looking at the cost till I picked them up today WITH our insurance discount and they were still $32.00 for 50 of them. Normally my husband picks up the stuff.

 

I only used the Relion Micro, so I have nothing to compare it to. That was the one recommended by my vet, because it was the lowest cost to use. Arkay makes a clone of it, and it can be bought from ADW online.
http://www.americandiabeteswholesal...-mini-blood-glucose-monitoring-kit_4040_1.htm
http://www.americandiabeteswholesal...-sensor-blood-glucose-test-strips_4047_54.htm

Surprised that the ADW prices are about the same or maybe higher than the walmart Relion costs, unless walmart raised the prices since the last time I bought strips.

Carl

 

glad you are back Carl missed that cute Bob face - it's just the funniest photo!

 

Has anyone used the new Prime meter? I am interested due to the cost of the strips but wonder how it compares to the micro in accuracy.

 

The Relion Prime at Walmart looks the same as the Arkray Vital on the ADW website. It seems that Arkray makes some of the Relion products, and other Relion products are made by different manufacturers. I discovered this when I called the 800 number for the Ultima when I was looking for control solution for the Relion Confirm/Micro.

I can order Arkray test strips from ADW for the Relion Confirm/Micro for $.10 per strip less than purchasing the Relion strips at Walmart. And the Vital and Prime test strips are $.18 cheaper than the Relion Confirm/Micro test strips.

I'm buying either the Prime or Vital very soon. I'd like to hear what anyone has to say about either of them, as well.

Suze

 

Now that I look close, the screen is the same on the Vital and the Prime, even though the plastic housing is different. The specs are identical. That would be a relief to get the test strips for nearly the same price at Walmart. Or maybe ADW will slash the price?

My local Walmart got in a whole shelf full of the Prime meters but no test strips.

 

Since the Prime and Vital are brand new I doubt that there is any usage data yet. You guys will have to do the side by side tests to see how they compare.

I came across this article the other day. I wonder what insulin they are selling for $24.88



Walmart Launches Effort to Save Diabetes Patients Up to $60 Million Annually – Press Release
July 24, 2012 Via Lainie Petersen Leave a Comment

By Sara Golemon
BENTONVILLE, Ark., July 24, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Walmart today launched an effort to save diabetes patients in the U.S. up to $60 million annually with Walmart’s exclusive ReliOn brand of diabetes products. ReliOn products provide an affordable, high-quality option to help the nearly 26 million individuals who live with diabetes in the U.S. better manage their disease.
In particular, Walmart introduced today the low-cost ReliOn Prime meter and blood sugar test strips. The retailer will offer the ReliOn Prime meter for $16.24 and ReliOn Prime blood sugar test strips at $9 for 50-ct strips, or 18 cents per test. People with diabetes use meters and blood sugar test strips daily to test their blood sugar levels and determine when they need to take insulin.
“Many people with diabetes struggle to manage their disease due to its terrible financial burden,” said John Agwunobi, M.D., president of Walmart U.S. Health and Wellness. “We’ve worked closely with our suppliers and found a way to significantly reduce the cost of diabetes products for all of our customers, whether they have insurance or not, so they can better manage their disease.”
Walmart will provide increased savings on a variety of items to help patients ease the cost of diabetes management. ReliOn items that will see reduced prices include gloves, lancets, syringes and more. Walmart also offers ReliOn insulin products at the everyday low price of $24.88 per bottle.

The American Diabetes Association recommends that people who take insulin to treat their diabetes should test their blood glucose levels a minimum of three times per day to appropriately manage the disease, and many people on oral medications also test their blood glucose, which can result in expensive out-of-pocket costs. People with diabetes spend as much as $1,000 each year on blood glucose monitoring test strips alone, regardless of whether they have insurance. Switching to ReliOn Prime test strips can save each diabetes patient as much as $784 a year.
The Walmart Foundation has donated more than $2 million to diabetes-focused organizations across the U.S. over the last fiscal year, including the American Diabetes Association, Diabetes Today Advisory Council, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Southeastern Diabetes Education Services.

For more information on Walmart’s affordable healthcare solutions, please visit http://www.walmartstores.com/HealthWellness/ .
About Walmart Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. WMT +0.07% serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at more than 10,300 retail units under 69 different banners in 27 countries. With fiscal year 2012 sales of approximately $444 billion, Walmart employs more than 2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://walmartstores.com , and on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart . Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com and http://www.samsclub.com .
SOURCE Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

 

That is very interesting. Yes, I wonder if ADW will lower their price considering Walmart's will be cheaper at $9 vs. $14. I may have to get one and do a side by side at a few sessions if a get a little extra cash.

 

Thank you for sharing that article, Rob.

It appears that the Relion insulin is Humilin.

http://www.relion.com/information/faq-insulin.asp

 

Ellen,
That pic makes me giggle every time I look at it! :lol:
Carl

 

Purchased the Relion Prime today

I was torn between ordering the Arkray Vital from ADW or purchasing the Relion Prime from Walmart, and went with the Relion Prime.

Both have test strips that cost around $.18 each, which is a big plus! The Vital test strips are actually $.184 each, when you purchase a 5-pack from ADW online. But the Prime test strips at my Walmart are a flat $9.00 for 50, with no sales tax added, so they are $.18 each on the button. So I will save an extra $1.00 a month on test strips this way.

I've been using the Relion Micro for the last few months, and those test strips were $.36 each when you purchased 100 at Walmart, but when you purchased the Arkray equivalents via ADW, the price dropped down to $.28 each.

I needed to compare the accuracy of the two meters against each other, and did that by testing one drop of blood from me, since I'm not as much of a wiggle-butt as Pumbaa is. *LOL* I am very happy that the results were within one point of each other! Relion Prime = 101, Relion Micro = 100.

Differences/Comparisons:

• Relion Prime is bigger and bulkier than the Micro, but that's not a huge problem.

• The Prime requires a bit more blood (0.5 microliter) than the Micro (0.3 microliter).

• Both meters use the same replacement batteries. That is excellent since I still have a spare CR2032 that I bought for the Micro.

• The Prime does not have sound. It's doesn't beep when you turn it on, nor does it beep when the blood has been drawn onto the test strip. I got used to that beep, but had considered turning it off on the Micro since Pumbaa would flinch when he heard it. Not a deal breaker for me, in the least.

• The Prime box actually had an Arkray product code listed on the bottom, #701102, which I will be watching to see if test strips come down further in price for this model.

• Test strips on the Prime are thicker, and I think more difficult to insert. There is some resistance. Maybe it's a fault in the one I purchased. But I love the rounded bottle I can actually reach into to grab a test strip.

All I really cared about was the cost per test strip, and the accuracy. $.18 per strip vs. $.36 per strip, when you test frequently, can equal a $45 per month savings. That $45 will buy a lot of cat food!

Here's a photo of the Prime and Micro, side-by-side, in blood-sucking mode.

Dale of Chip & Dale got his Arkray Vital today and I hope he will post his review of that new BG meter with more affordable test strips!

Suze

 

I'm sold! Next purchase of test strips will include the new meter. I am all for saving as many bucks as I can! :lol:

 

I forgot to mention that the Relion Prime was $16.24 at my WalMart. That is twice what I paid for the Relion Micro a few months ago, but I'll make up the difference in savings on the test strips in less than 2 weeks.

 

The meter will be worth checking out if the strips are that much cheaper! Be sure to check and see how much blood is needed.

My ReliOn Ultima (made by a different manufacturer) was using the 100/$36 strips at WalMart. It was close & convenient if I ran low. Libby (Hershey) - now posting on Lantus TR - uses the Confirm. It is manufactured by Arkay, which is why the strips are available both at WalMart & ADW. I never tried to get the Ultima test strips on line.

Grayson didn't bleed well, and the Ultima required more blood, so I switched. I also had some questionable readings and did side-by-side tests for several weeks. The Confirm seemed to do fairly well - and was consistent. If there's a variance between meters, it doesn't matter so much, assuming they are within a reasonable range. My Accu-Chek registers a little higher most of the time, than my Ultima did, but from one reading to the next, and day to day, it is consistent. We aren't doing a scientific study here that's gonna be published. We're looking for patterns in OUR CAT's BG levels. So if my meter reads 250 to your 280 consistently, it's not really an issue.

My strips for the Accu-Chek are about $60 at Walmart. About $34 at ADW. I know I can get them cheaper on Amazon, but I'm still a little cautious. But when something is new and affordable, why not check it out to see if it's worth its salt?

 

• The Prime requires a bit more blood (0.5 microliter) than the Micro (0.3 microliter).

 

I just started out with the Relion Prime so I can't do a comparison, but it has been working well for me! The difference between 0.3 and 0.5 microliters is pretty small.

Yeah, I had the same problem but I noticed that if you angle the test strip down slightly as you insert it into the meter, it goes in much more smoothly. I think the test strips may also be shorter than other strips, so if you have large fingers you might find it difficult to hold without touching the blood-drawing end. But they are fairly stiff, which helps.

The thing I like best about it (other than the cost) is that the meter stays active for a really long time after you put in the test strip. I'm not sure how long the other Relion meters stay active, but I've heard 10-15 seconds? I just clocked the Relion Prime at 2 minutes before the screen went blank. So you can actually put the test strip in and THEN get your blood sample. Win.

Let's just hope they don't run out or up the price as it becomes more popular.

 

I'll try angling as you mentioned. Whatever I've been doing unconsciously, they have become easier to insert.

That's interesting about the test strip length. I thought the Prime test strips are longer than the Relion Confirm/Micro strips, and I like that large blank area in the middle to grab onto instead of touching either sensitive end.

Suze

 

As you insert more strips, your case will loosen a bit. It actually comes apart so it's just 'smushed' at the strip end. I still use the old ReliOn Confirm which IS made by Arkray. I dropped mine - well, guess I'll admit...I threw it at the wall... :roll: It's case popped open on the bottom. All I had to do was push it back together but it was tough to get a strip in it - I'd pushed that end down too hard. I pulled just a bit right there, it works fine again.

Moral of the story....don't get really really mad while you're testing....

 

haha_smiley

This made me laugh more this morning than you'll ever know!!!!!!!

 

fwiw, i bought the Prime this weekend. in the manual it comes with, it clearly says it's an Arkray. and $9 for 50 strips is unbeatable if you ask me. I might have gotten a better deal once on ebay but that was it, once. LOL!!

for my foster kitty it's running a little lower than my Flash (89 vs 122 for instance) but for Mousie it was spot on exact for the first test (149/149), a little lower for the second. i can't remember the exact numbers for the second one though right now.

i tested one of my non-diabetics and got 55 on the Prime and 58 on the Flash.

i used the same drop of blood each time. i was a bit worried about the bigger blood sample too but have decided that the requirements are much smaller than i thought because i could do the 0.5 for the Prime and still get 0.3 for the Flash from the same drop without having to re-poke any of the kitties.