Meter Advice/Suggestions Requested

So with Walmart discontinuing the Relion Confirm meter it's likely that we'll have to switch meters. I know we can still get test strips that will work with the Confirm from the ADW Diabetes website, but I don't think that will be an option for us because we don't have credit cards or PayPal, and I did see that you can use other methods of payment like check or money order, but as I've said before with our financial situation as tight as it is, I don't think we could do that either. The only way we've been getting the test strips so far is by putting them on CareCredit, even though my mom doesn't like paying for them with CareCredit because there's already over $1,000 on it.

I'm really hesitant to get one of the new meters (one of which a review for says that when comparing it to the Prime and Micro it tests higher), so right now what I'm considering is switching to the Prime and I was wondering if any of you who have experience with both the Confirm and Prime could tell me how they compare (do they test about the same, etc.)

I really would appreciate any advice, suggestions, opinions

 

I have both an AlphaTrakII and Relion Prime - and I find the Prime to be a bit inconsistent (or maybe I'm inconsistent too - or even possibly the AT.
I recommend against the Prime because of the larger blood drop needed. But it was cheap $9.98 and 50 strips for the same. As I recall, there was another Relion that took the smaller blood drop, for around $18, and the strips were far less costly than either AlphaTrack or Freestyle Lite or InsulinX (these work in an AlphaTrack and JanetNJ has done comparisons on the strips)
See lines 24-26 on Kazzy's spreadsheet for my mini-comparison of Relion Prime and AT

 

In case anyone is interested - the Relion Prime tech page says it is plasma equivalent in its calibration - which would make it read higher than straight human whole blood meters, but still lower than the animal calibrated AlphaTrack

 

I'll probably be picking up the new Relion Premier Compact. Unfortunately, the drop of blood required is larger than what the Micro requires but the strips will be cheaper--$9 for 50--or so someone has stated in another thread.

@H.M. Victor

Have you called the 800 number for Walmart Customer Service? @Candy&Company posted here about what to do to receive a Walmart gift card as a kind of refund for your meter and any strips you have on hand. I called today and gave the serial number on my meter and the rep asked if I had the serial number for any strips I had purchased. Turns out I still had the box for the 100 I bought a couple weeks ago for $25 so I'll be getting a Walmart gift card through the mail for around $50 that I can spend on anything, not just for a meter replacement.

 

All recent human meters that I have seen display results in the plasma equivalent because the vet and human table top machines and reference labs (like Idexx for vets) measure the glucose in the plasma, that is the liquid part of the blood. There is a different distribution of glucose between the plasma and the red blo9d cells (RBCs). The different distribution is the reason human meters read lower that pet meters. It is also the reason why there are different codes for dogs and cats and if you use Freestyle strips in the AT meter you have to use a different code than the human code.

In Humans 58% is in plasma/serum and 42% in RBCs
In cats 93% is in plasma/serum and 7% in RBCs
In dogs 87.5 % in plasma/serum and 12.5% in RBCs.

 

I don't suppose there's any other way to find out the serial number on the meter? Because part of the number is worn away on mine.

 

Maybe on the box that the meter came in. Also, if you sent in the Registration card/registered online Walmart may have the SN

 

Maybe you could call the customer service number and give them what you have and see what they say.