glucose monitor

(Cc88m) said:

I need to buy a blood sugar monitor. Is there any agreement on which is the best model? Just need a
simplest one for measuring, without all the stuff for treatment regimen, etc. One I found was
Freestyle Flash for around $75.
C. C. Chang; more on piano practice at

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Depends a lot on what country you are in and what is on special at the time. I use Accu-chek Active.
It's simple, appears to be reasonably accurate, and the strips aren't the dearest (or cheapest).

Mine was bought in Australia; list is AU$89.95 but it was on special at AU$39.95 last Christmas.

Others will clarify for the US, but I suspect that strip cost can be more important than meter
cost there.

If you buy on e-bay, make sure you get one that reads correctly for your part of the world - the US
is different to the rest.

Cheers Alan, T2, Oz dx May 2002, diet and not enough exercise.
--
Everything in Moderation - Except Laughter.

I just bought that one tonite to replace the Life Scan One Touch Profile I had been using. I still
have the One Touch but left it at my friends house in NJ on my last visit and since its 8 hours away
I may not see it for a while. I haven't even asked him if it was there, it also may be at my parents
in NJ, haven't asked them either. I had to really bleed to use it, you can't buy it anymore, it was
also over 5 years old, and I have no more test strips for it. The One Touch II I have uses the same
strips but I have no carrying case for it. Sometimes I had to try 3 different fingers to find enough
blood for an accurate test. The newer meters that use less blood encourage testing more often.

The Flash came with a $40 mail in rebate plus free data cable by mail $24.99 value ( I had to pay
for the one to use with my Life Scan) and free software available for download from the website. I
was able to use it without reading the manual and without alot of blood. I set the date and time and
the lot number for the test strips easily and it gives readings within 7 seconds thats much faster
than 45 with Life Scan. Its much smaller and requires alot less blood. Another factor influencing my
decision was that I also used to own (lost for good) a freestyle meter that let you test using blood
from forearm ( Its lost forever somewhere ) and have 400 strips that don't expire till 2007!!. I
figured Its worth buying another freestyle meter to be able to use those strips. 🙂

I figure meters fall into two categories. Easily portable cheap with quick results and Expensive but
with lots of features that makes me scared to travel with because I lose everything not attached to
me physically. I have to wear my keys around my neck, keep my wallet in the same place all the time,
next to my check book and my weekly planner or I would loose my job for not showing up on time. 🙂
The carrying case on the freestyle is small and can be attached to a belt so it should be as easy to
cary around as a cell phone.

Rambling ended: Vince

"Cc88m" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I need to buy a blood sugar monitor. Is there any agreement on which is

the

Quoted message said:

best model? Just need a simplest one for measuring, without all the stuff

for

Quoted message said:

treatment regimen, etc. One I found was Freestyle Flash for around $75.
C. C. Chang; more on piano practice at

members.aol.comcontents.htmOpen ↗

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Cc88m) said:

I need to buy a blood sugar monitor. Is there any agreement on which is the best model? Just need
a simplest one for measuring, without all the stuff for treatment regimen, etc. One I found was
Freestyle Flash for around $75.

If you want cheap and simple, go to Wal-Mart, and check out the ReliOn blood glucose meter, which
is only sold at Wal-Mart. The meter costs $8.88, and the strips are about $43 for 100--about half
what strips for most other meters cost.

--
I hate spam, but that isn't really part of my email address. Remove the string "HatesSpam" from this
email address before you use it: [email hidden]

Ever wonder what it'd be like to be a blood-sucking parasite? tinyurl.com7wxkOpen ↗

Cc88m wrote in message <[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I need to buy a blood sugar monitor. Is there any agreement on which is

the

Quoted message said:

best model? Just need a simplest one for measuring, without all the stuff

for

Quoted message said:

treatment regimen, etc. One I found was Freestyle Flash for around $75.
C. C. Chang;

The U.S. magazine Consumers Reports, a source respected by many, tested most of the meters
available in the U.S. and ranked the LifeScan Ultra and the Accu-Chek Advantage as #1 and #2 in
the U.S.. If you read the article, you could just as well have ranked them Advantage - Ultra
instead of Ultra-Advantage.

I have one of each; I am undecided on how to vote though both are very good.

AFAIK, the Ultra has the most expensive strips on the U.S. market. The Accu-Check comfort curve is
cheaper and about equivalent to the Ultra.

Strip costs are important. My testing strips represent the highest monthly cost item in my diabetes
therapy. Actually, they cost about as much as everything else (insulin #1, insulin #2, syringes, ARB
b.p. med$) put together.

The cheapest strips and also, BTW, the meter with the least number of "bells and whistles" is the
Wal-Mart Relion house brand. The strips are almost half the cost of the Ultra strips and
significantly cheaper than the Advantage.

The best deal for mail-order strips (Wal-mart not included) is:

hocks.comhocks.comOpen ↗

If you have time to scrounge a bit, you can get a free meter. They make their money on the strips.
However, getting your sugars under control is more important than scrounging. Look for rebate offers
though and I advise you to start scrounging now for your spare meter.

"Scrounge" sources are Diabetic Expos, Diabetic Lectures at Hospitals, Diabetic Support Group
meetings, Meter Manuf Web sites, and, just for the H*** of it, write down the 800 number on the
boxes and call the manufacturer direct.

You often have to con the manufacturer to get a free meter though the best con is actually your
story. . .you are just starting out, etc, etc . However, be bold, they really want your business but
still will often try to bluff. . .i.e. convince you to "buy" at full price (shudder).

No scrounging for Wal-Mart meters though at $8 apiece it's not worth it anyway.

I have 6 meters and about $18 invested in the lot of them.

Sounds like you're just starting out as a member of "our Club", the club nobody wants to join. If
so, note that:

1. We need ACE or ARB blood pressure med, or both if we exceed our b.p. target of 130/80.

2. We must work extra hard to meet our lipid targets of:

a. Total Cholesterol less than 200 mg/dL
b. LDL less than 130 mg/dL, better if less than 100 mg/dL c Triglycerides less than 150
mg/dL, better if less than 100 mg/dL

Watch those triglycerides! They "killers" for Type 2 diabetics.

Regards
Old Al

Consumer Reports October 2001. Okay, not so up to date. Bonita

Cc88m said:

I need to buy a blood sugar monitor. Is there any agreement on which is the best model? Just need
a simplest one for measuring, without all the stuff for treatment regimen, etc. One I found was
Freestyle Flash for around $75.
C. C. Chang; more on piano practice at

members.aol.comcontents.htmOpen ↗

one word: Ultra.

oops! a few more words: it's fast, small, and accurate. I've tried many on the market, but NOT the
Freestyle. No reason for me to change, once I got the Ultra.

dave

Cc88m said:

I need to buy a blood sugar monitor. Is there any agreement on which is the best model? Just need
a simplest one for measuring, without all the stuff for treatment regimen, etc. One I found was
Freestyle Flash for around $75.
C. C. Chang; more on piano practice at

members.aol.comcontents.htmOpen ↗

(Cc88m) said:

I need to buy a blood sugar monitor. Is there any agreement on which is the best model? Just need a
simplest one for measuring, without all the stuff for treatment regimen, etc. One I found was
Freestyle Flash for around $75.

I don't got to show you no stinkin' agreements, but...

I got an Accu-Chek Advantage for free at Longs. My insurance would not pay (not easily, anyway) and
the pharmacist found it easier to pull a deal with some sort of rebate (which he handled for me). So
the $69.95 unit cost me absolutely nothing.

It works ok, and is small and portable, but the steps you have to go through when you get a new vial
of test strips is really a royal pain in the ass. I Had to call their 800 support line to have the
girl walk me through it.

CB

I meant to mention it but didn't. the Flash reads in mmoL and Mg/dl. You can change which you see in
the setup.

Vince

"Alan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

(Cc88m) said:

I need to buy a blood sugar monitor. Is there any agreement on which is

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

best model? Just need a simplest one for measuring, without all the

stuff for

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

treatment regimen, etc. One I found was Freestyle Flash for around $75.
C. C. Chang; more on piano practice at

members.aol.comcontents.htmOpen ↗

Depends a lot on what country you are in and what is on special at the time. I use Accu-chek
Active. It's simple, appears to be reasonably accurate, and the strips aren't the dearest (or
cheapest).

Mine was bought in Australia; list is AU$89.95 but it was on special at AU$39.95 last Christmas.

Others will clarify for the US, but I suspect that strip cost can be more important than meter
cost there.

If you buy on e-bay, make sure you get one that reads correctly for your part of the world - the
US is different to the rest.

Cheers Alan, T2, Oz dx May 2002, diet and not enough exercise.
--
Everything in Moderation - Except Laughter.

Thanks, all for your help. Printed out some of your helpful info. Will check out local pharms and
web for best deals, armed with your info. Sorry for the wayward piano link below; I came from piano
group and didn't know that my link would show up in all groups.
C. C. Chang; more on piano practice at

members.aol.comcontents.htmOpen ↗