More on glucose meters

Discussion in 'Honeymooners / OTJ' started by drjsiems, Oct 8, 2010.

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  1. drjsiems

    drjsiems Member

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2010
    Some more information about human glucose meters. I just checked Jake's BG on my
    One Touch Mini and it was 71 (Jake is in remission from his diabetes). Since I
    still have some Alphatrak strips left, I again compared that reading to the
    Alphatrak which I regularly do and have done at least a dozen times now, that
    came in at 80. There never seems to be more than a 10 to 15 difference between
    the two with the One Touch Mini reading slightly lower. Just a heads up.

    Judy & Jake
     
  2. Ann & Maggie11 (GA)

    Ann & Maggie11 (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2010
    Thanks; that is interesting. I've been using the Alpha Trak, as it's closest to my Vet's meter. I just bought the Accu Chek Aviva meter as a back-up, as I heard it read closest to the Alpha Trak's readings. Today the Alpha Trak read 127 bg, and the Accu Chek meter read 88 bg. I even tested the Accu Chek a second time. I tried the Relion Micro, but it seems to read really low compared to the Alpha Trak, as much as 60 points difference. I know a lot of Beans really love the Relion. Maggie is in remission.
     
  3. Melanie and Smokey

    Melanie and Smokey Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2010
    My Accuchek read 54 when my vets meter read 61 so I was pretty happy with the meter. We never compared on the higher numbers where I am sure the differential would have looked worse, we just never had much for numbers over 100 after we started hometesting.

    I think the Relion reads lower too. A lot of the people who go otj with that meter seem to have the kitties that ride the 50s and 60s where other meters hang in the 70s 80s and 90s.
     
  4. Ann & Maggie11 (GA)

    Ann & Maggie11 (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2010
    Hi Melanie and Smokey,
    I am starting to like the Accu-Chek meter as it is fairly close to the Alpha Trak with the readings, and it takes a small drop. As soon as I finish the Alpha Trak strips, I am going to just use the Accu-Chek meter, as the strips are easier to buy at pharmacies. I wanted to ask you about the Accu-Chek Pen that uses the drums with the lancets already inserted. I've not been able to get a drop of blood using this device as I can't judge where the lancet is going to hit, as it's not visible. So I just use my Alpha Trak pen which takes any lancet. I was wondering if you experienced the same problem with the Accu-Chek and the drum?
     
  5. Kathy and Kitty

    Kathy and Kitty Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2009
    I have loved the Accu-chek. So easy to use, though it is a little more expensive.

    I never used anything BUT that lancet pen. Once you figure out how to position it, it's so easy. You can adjust the dial -- the ring around the front -- to make it poke harder or softer.

    I positioned it with about 70 percent of the circle off the ear, 30% on. Look at how the primed lancet is set in relation to the side-clicker. They line up fairly comfortably. Once you know which slot the lancet will come out of, you start to get it lined up on the ear.

    I probably hit the vein more than freehand people would, but freehand was too hard for me.
     
  6. Ann & Maggie11 (GA)

    Ann & Maggie11 (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2010
    Hi Kathy and Kitty,
    Thanks for telling me of your experience with the Accu-Chek pen. It is so nice to have the lancets already inserted in the pen. I am going to try the pen today. I agree the Accu-Chek meter is so easy to use comparing it to the Alpha Trak, and the strips cost about the same. I think I may have seen the strips available much cheaper on Amazon.com. Have you ever ordered online? I could never to do freehand either.
     
  7. Melanie and Smokey

    Melanie and Smokey Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2010
    Hi Ann, glad you are liking the Accu-chek. I get the strips on E-bay for about $22-25 per 50 count vial so it isn't too bad expense wise that way. The strips were $78 locally for that many :shock:

    We did not use the lancet device at first, both hubby were more comfortable doing it freehand. I started using the lancet as I got more comfortable with the whole procedure and that's all I use now, hubby still freehanded until OTJ and hasn't done any of the tests since.

    I never aimed for the "sweetspot" because I could never get any blood and it bothered her more. I get blood from the inside curve of the ear. I put the lancet over to the edge of the ear where it almost feels like I am going to miss the ear and that seems to hit outside of the vein. I think you'll probably have to play with the depth settings to get the right amount of blood. It feels like the lancet is almost coming through Smokey's ear at 2.5 so thats what we use.
     
  8. Ann & Maggie11 (GA)

    Ann & Maggie11 (GA) Well-Known Member

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    Jan 16, 2010
    Hi Melanie,
    Thanks for the tip with ordering on E-bay. That's a really good price compared to what I paid at Target - I believe it was something like $54.00 or more for 50 strips. I have never tried the inside of the ear; that's amazing. I think I just need to get comfortable with this pen and also play with the depth settings. Thanks for telling me of your experiences with the pen. I could never find the "sweetspot" either. Take care.
     
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