Best Blood Glucose Meters
If you use a blood glucose meters from one of the big four meter companies to check your level four times a day, you will probably pay anywhere from $1,700 to $2,300 each year. But if instead you test with a meter and strips from one of the "big box" stores, you would be out of pocket only about $600 to $800. This is a useful bit of information from the latest Consumer Reports review of the "Best Blood Glucose Meters." The magazine rates 21 meters in a brief article of one chart and five paragraphs in less than a page in its November 2012 issue. The big box stores that sell some of the least expensive meters and test strips are Wal-Mart and Target. Wal-Mart has offered its ReliOn brand for years, but Target now offers its Up & Up brand. Still, the wide price gap may be misleading. Each of the big four – LifeScan, Roche, Bayer, and Abbott – offer programs that can provide some of us test strips for considerably less. Most people with diabetes will find the report, however brief, useful. It’s already on newsstands and, better yet, on the shelves of most libraries. What Consumer Reports says is important. Published by the nonprofit Consumers Union and containing no ads, this is one of our largest circulation magazines. Two years ago it had a circulation of 7.3 million copies, according to a review of the magazine in The Wall Street Journal. The magazine regularly reviews these meters, the most important tool that we have for managing our blood sugar. Four years ago I wrote here about its review of 13 meters from eight different manufacturers. Other magazines also review our meters, notably Diabetes Forecast. Their review this past January provides some useful information, but it makes a point of noting that, "Diabetes Forecast doesn’t test or recommend products." M Continue reading >>
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2016 Blood Glucose Meter Comparisons
Choose Your Blood Glucose Meter Wisely! These days, there is lots of emphasis on accuracy, particularly when it comes to continuous glucose monitors (and their ability to match blood glucose values) and insulin pumps (and their ability to deliver doses with extreme precision). But let’s not forget about that trusty, dusty blood glucose meter that has been a staple of diabetes management. Why is meter accuracy so important? For those who take rapid-acting insulin to cover meals and “correct” out-of-range blood sugar readings, accurate readings are necessary for determining the right dose. Inaccurate readings can lead to over- or under-dosing, which can produce dangerously high or low blood sugar results. An inaccurate meter can also cause a person to treat hypoglycemia inappropriately (if the meter reads too low) or miss the need for treatment (if the meter reads too high). And finally, with so many people using CGM systems, proper calibration is a must. The more accurate the fingerstick readings, the better the CGM will perform. Of course, no meter will provide accurate results if the user fails to use proper technique. That means: Making sure the finger (or other test area) is clean Using the test strips prior to their expiration date Keep the strips sealed in their bottle to prevent exposure to light and humidity Applying enough blood to fill the test strip completely. Never exposing the strips to extreme hot or cold temperatures. Coding the meter (if required) Our team believes that meters should be within 10% of lab values to be considered accurate. One of the more important things you can do to ensure accurate results is to choose the right meter. Blood glucose meters vary widely in terms of accuracy. Accuracy is determined by comparing measurements obtained Continue reading >>
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Are Blood Glucose Meters Accurate? New Data On 18 Meters
Results from the Diabetes Technology Society’s Blood Glucose Meter Surveillance Program identifies only six out of 18 meters that passed. Did yours make the cut? The Diabetes Technology Society (DTS) recently revealed long-awaited results from its Blood Glucose Monitor System (BGMS) Surveillance Program. The rigorous study tested the accuracy of 18 popular blood glucose meters (BGM) used in the US. These FDA-cleared meters were purchased through retail outlets and tested rigorously at three study sites in over 1,000 people (including 840 people with diabetes). The results were troubling: only six out of the 18 devices met the DTS passing standard for meter accuracy – within 15% or 15 mg/dl of the laboratory value in over 95% of trials. The devices that passed were: Contour Next from Ascensia (formerly Bayer) – 100% Accu-Chek Aviva Plus from Roche – 98% Walmart ReliOn Confirm (Micro) from Arkray – 97% CVS Advanced from Agamatrix – 97% FreeStyle Lite from Abbott – 96% Accu-Chek SmartView from Roche – 95% The devices that failed were: Walmart ReliOn Prime from Arkray – 92% OneTouch Verio from LifeScan – 92% OneTouch Ultra 2 from LifeScan – 90% Walmart ReliOn Ultima from Abbott – 89% Embrace from Omnis Health – 88% True Result from HDI/Nipro (Trividia) – 88% True Track from HDI/Nipro (Trividia) – 81% Solus V2 from BioSense Medical – 76% Advocate Redi-Code+ from Diabetic Supply of Suncoast – 76% Gmate Smart from Philosys – 71% Get the full data and all the accuracy information here. While all of these meters received FDA clearance at some point, this study shows that not all are equivalent in terms of accuracy. The FDA looks at company-reported trials when it reviews new meters; this study took an independent look, purchasing the meters di Continue reading >>
If You Have Prediabetes, Should You Test Your Blood Sugar Level At Home?
If you’ve been diagnosed with prediabetes, you may be wondering whether you should test your blood sugar level at home. You do want to have your blood sugar levels tested by a lab at least twice a year. A hemoglobin A1c test is a simple lab test that shows your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that you discuss whether glucose testing is right for you with your doctor. You may benefit from checking your blood sugar levels at home if you are: taking insulin pregnant having trouble controlling blood sugar levels having low blood sugar having low blood sugar levels without the usual warning signs have ketones (substances usually made from fat) from high blood sugar levels What are the benefits? Tracking your blood sugar test results daily in a log will enable you to spot any major changes. By also tracking your food, diabetes medications, supplements and exercise you will see how they impact your blood glucose levels. For example, you can track which carbohydrates spike your blood sugar so you can avoid eating that food in the future. You want to eat a healthy diet that includes plenty of high-quality protein (organic), healthy fats and unprocessed carbs such as fresh veggies and fruit. Since carbs have a direct impact on your blood sugar levels, you want to eat those carbs that rank low on the Glycemic Load scale. How accurate are the test results? The current standards set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) require 95 percent of all glucometer test results to be within 20 percent of the actual blood glucose level for results greater than 75 mg/dl and within 15 mg/dl for values below 75 mg/dl. So a blood glucose that in reality is 100 mg/dl could show on a meter as being between 80 and 1 Continue reading >>
Diabetics: Roche Says It Can Save You Big Money
Type 2 diabetes can wreak havoc on your health. While lifestyle changes can help keep diabetes under control, many patients require oral medications or insulin injections as forms of treatment, too. Watch the video for how diabetes affects your body. Time Pharmaceuticals maker Roche overhauled its blood glucose monitoring system and introduced a new discounting offer that it says could save uninsured diabetics by thousands of dollars per year. The move could help alleviate political pressure as the drug industry faces mounting scrutiny over prices. It also comes amid increasing competition among blood glucose monitoring makers as diabetes rates rise. The new system pairs a free blood glucose meter with a smartphone app and discounted test strips. With some diabetics paying as much as $2 a strip for other offerings, the new Roche system paired with a free savings card could cut costs to as little as 40 cents per strip in the first 50-count box, then 20 cents per strip in subsequent boxes. The nation's 29-million diabetics pay widely varying prices for testing products, in part because many of them are covered by insurance. Roches' move is likely to provide the biggest help to the uninsured. The average American diabetic paid $1,922 in out-of-pocket expenses for care in 2013, compared to $738 for someone without the condition, according to the Health Care Cost Institute. For "the average patient, managing diabetes and acquiring all of the testing and therapy supplies can be very difficult to navigate, really complex and very often very expensive," said Brad Moore, head of Roche diabetes care in North America. The new system offers a spill-resistant vial, a larger blood application area on upgraded strips and a light on the strip port for improved visibility when testin Continue reading >>
Top 5 Smallest Blood Glucose Meters
Tweet One of the benefits of technology is that clever things can come in surprisingly small packages - meaning blood glucose meters are getting smaller. Many of today’s blood sugar meters are small, discreet and easy to use. Most blood test meters do the basics and do them well - almost all meters on the market have fast test-times, small blood sample requirements and downloadable results. The smallest meters For many people, the blood test machine they choose is down to what they are familiar with. Some people stick with the same manufacturer, some like to adopt the latest technology such as Contour USB and some people just listen to what their healthcare team recommends. For many people however, having something portable, light and preferably pocket-sized is high on the agenda. For that reason, we've selected the top 5 smallest blood glucose meters on the market in the UK. Many of the meters are very recent - with some, including the Contour NEXT USB and Accu-Chek Mobile, leading the way in terms of innovation. 1. Abbott Diabetes Care Freestyle The Abbott Diabetes Care Freestyle Lite is a stylish, discreet blood glucose meter. An easy-to-use machine, there is no coding required to make it work. Sometimes referred to as a micro-meter or a mini meter, it fits into the palm of the hand, with room to spare while the screen is actually quote a big part of the design (good for kids and adults alike). The hole you put the test strip in has a dash of yellow to help you load the strip into the right place while its rubber ‘bum’ means the meter won’t slide about while you’re using it. Abbott Diabetes Care Freestyle review 2. Bayer's Contour NEXT USB From Bayer, the Contour USB was released in 2010 and holds a rather whopping 2,000 test results. The point is to make i Continue reading >>
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How Blood Glucose Meters Work
Source: Web exclusive: May 2011 Using a blood glucose meter If you have diabetes, a blood glucose meter could well be your new best friend, and critical to successfully managing your disease. “A glucose meter is a tool to help know where your blood sugar is at, and what affects it,” says Karen McDermaid, a diabetes educator in Moosomin, Sask. There are lots of different models of meters’also called blood glucose monitors or glucometers’but they all work the same way: They detect the level of sugar in your blood, and give you the results almost instantly. It all comes down to chemistry Wondering how a glucose meter works? Remember high-school science class? First, you use a lancet to pierce your skin and apply a drop of blood to the meter’s test strip. Next, a series of chemical reactions takes place between the sugar in your blood and substances on the test strip, creating ferrocyanide. An electrical current flows from the ferrocyanide to the glucose meter, which uses the strength of this current to measure the amount of glucose in your blood. The meter converts it to the digital number that you record in your logbook. How not to slip up It’s possible to get an inaccurate reading if you don’t use your meter properly. But there are steps you can take to reduce that risk. Start by washing your hands and the test area of your skin with soap and water. Dirt and residue on your skin can skew the results. Pay attention to your test strips. If they’ve been exposed to extreme temperatures or they’re out of date, they may not be up to the job. If your meter requires the code number from your test strip container, make sure you’ve entered this properly. And be sure to test a big enough drop of blood’but don’t apply more blood after you’ve already done it Continue reading >>
Gestational Diabetes: Tips For Making Daily Glucose Tests Easier
I have gestational diabetes. Now what? If your doctor has diagnosed you with gestational diabetes, you've already undergone some tests to check your blood sugar (or glucose) levels. Having gestational diabetes means that your blood sugar levels are too high. Gestational diabetes (along with high blood pressure, or hypertension) is one of the most common illnesses during pregnancy. Although the thought of having gestational diabetes may scare you at first, in most cases it's easily treated. At first your doctor will probably try to have you control your diabetes with a special diet. You'll have to avoid certain types of food that can cause your blood glucose levels to rise too high. You'll also need to eat less of certain foods, keep track of the time between meals, and measure your blood sugar regularly. If you can't control your glucose levels with this regimen, your doctor may prescribe insulin, which can either be injected or taken as a pill. Checking your blood sugar If you need to check your blood sugar levels at home, you can do so with a home glucose testing kit. Several types are available, but all kits have a device for drawing blood, digital measuring device, and a test strip. To get a small blood sample, you prick the end of your finger with a lancet designed to penetrate the skin only as far as needed to draw a drop of blood. This can be uncomfortable for some people, especially those who have to do the test three to six times a day. After pricking your finger, you put a small amount of blood on the strip and place the strip into the measuring device. The meter displays the blood glucose level in about 30 seconds. In most cases, blood sugar levels have to be measured after each meal, but your doctor may tell you that you need to do the test before eating as Continue reading >>
How Does A Continuous Glucose Monitor Work?
Glucose meters are a great tool, but sometimes you need to keep a closer eye on your blood sugar levels. That's where a device called a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) can help. This FDA-approved system tracks your blood sugar levels day and night. It collects readings automatically every 5 to 15 minutes. It can help detect trends and patterns that give you and your doctor a more complete picture of your diabetes. The data can help you find ways to better manage your condition. Several devices are available for adults and children. You need a prescription from your doctor to get one. CGM measures the amount of glucose in the fluid inside your body. Different devices collect the information in different manners using tiny sensors. In some cases, the sensor is placed under the skin of your belly in a quickly and painless fashion or, it can be adhered to the back of your arm. A transmitter on the sensor then sends the information to a wireless-pager-like monitor that you can clip on your belt. The monitor displays your sugar levels at 1-, 5-, 10-, or 15-minute intervals. If your sugar drops to a dangerously low level or a high preset level, the monitor will sound an alarm. In the past, only doctors could see the readings CGM systems collected. Now anyone can use the devices as part of at-home diabetes care. You can download data on your computer, tablet, or smartphone to see patterns and trends in your sugar levels. The information can help you and your doctor make the best plan for managing your diabetes, including: The number of meals and snacks you need each day CGM doesn’t replace traditional home monitors. You’ll still need to measure your blood sugar with a regular glucose meter a few times a day to help the monitor stay accurate. Most monitors still require a f Continue reading >>
Top 10 Popular Blood Glucose Meters Put To The Test
With countless blood glucose meters on the market, how do you know which one to choose? Do you choose the most expensive one; it must work the best if it costs the most, right? Or are you a techie looking for a Bluetooth meter that syncs to your smartphone? Perhaps, you’re concerned with the cost and you’re looking for the most affordable meter. Top 10 Glucose Meters We’ve taken the time to test the ten most popular blood glucose meters. Take a look to find the meter that’s the best fit for you. Winner and our favorite meter is One Touch Ultra 2. OneTouch Ultra 2 Accu-Chek Aviva Connect Walmart ReliON Confirm OneTouch Verio Abbott FreeStyle Lite Walgreens True2Go Contour Next EZ Livongo Health In Touch Meter Nova Max Plus Sanofi iBGStar Our Pick After a careful review of the top glucose meters on the market, our #1 recommendation is the One Touch Ultra 2. It’s simply one of the best in terms of functionality and price. Click here to learn more. (Helpful Tip: Although you can get one from your local pharmacy, you’ll find it cheaper on Amazon. Click here to get yours.) Accu-Chek Aviva Connect The Accu-Chek Aviva Connect gets its name from the Bluetooth connection that syncs to the user’s smartphone. The Connect utilizes an app to keep track of both short-term and long-term readings on a person’s smartphone. The user can also view their trends via bar graphs and maps on the app. The Accu-Chek Aviva Connect will cost you $29.99 and $1.75 for a single test strip. One con to this meter is that the test strips are one of the highest priced strips on the market. However, they are readily available in almost all drug stores and pharmacies. Accu-Chek also offers a supplemental program called Preferred Savings which can reduce most test-strip co-pays to $15-$45. Ot Continue reading >>
Alkaline Water Ionizer Machine Benefits
Diabetes is a dangerous disease that is surprisingly common in modern American culture. According to the American Diabetes Association, it affects more than 25 million people in the United States. This disease is characterized by high levels of glucose, or sugar, in the blood. These high levels of blood sugar create a host of problems for diabetics and puts them at a greatly increased risk for other illnesses, like heart disease. While there are a number of ways to prevent diabetes, one of the simplest is to drink ionized water instead of regular tap or even alkaline bottled water. As will be discussed below, there are certain causes of diabetes that alkaline water counteracts. The incredible restorative properties of this kind of water can not only prevent but also help to reverse diabetes. Body pH Role of pH in Diabetes In order to understand how alkaline water can help to prevent or reverse diabetes, you need to understand how the pH levels in the body contribute to diabetes. The human body thrives on what is called an alkaline pH (a pH of more than 7) as opposed to an acidic pH (a pH of less than 7). Over time, the body’s digestive processes produce acid that builds up in the body and can throw off the body’s pH. Instead of being alkaline, gradually over time the body becomes over acidic and therefore more susceptible to damage and disease. The pancreas plays an important role in helping to maintain alkalinity in the body. However, over time, the pancreas becomes worn down by the constant fight to keep the body’s pH at the right levels. As the pancreas becomes worn down, it may struggle to maintain its other functions as well, one of which is maintaining proper glucose levels. Once the pancreas can no longer effectively control blood sugar levels, diabetes & e Continue reading >>
5 Must-have Tools To Measure Your Blood Sugar
If you've just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you'll need some supplies to help you manage your blood sugar. These include: Blood Sugar Meter This device, also called a glucose meter or monitor, measures how much sugar (or glucose) is in a drop of your blood. It can tell you when your sugar is too low or too high. Talk to your doctor about what to do in those situations. Glucose meters can also show you how diet, exercise, stress, sickness, and your medications affect blood sugar. “Get the [one] that you feel comfortable and confident using,” says Jane Seley, a diabetes nurse practitioner at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Make sure the screen is large enough to read. And choose a meter that requires less than a microliter blood sample. “It’s much more comfortable,” Seley says. “You don’t have to stick yourself as deep. It’s much easier to be successful, and you won’t waste as many test strips.” Consider a meter that can download your readings to your smartphone, tablet, or computer. “You can see charts of how your blood sugars differ throughout the day,” Seley says. “It helps you make better decisions about things like when to exercise and what to have for breakfast.” Test Strips, Lancets, and Lancet Device Each small plastic strip contains chemicals that convert the sugar in your blood into an electric current that your meter can read. Wash your hands first, then put a test strip into your meter. Prick the side of your fingertip with a small needle called a lancet. The lancet fits inside a lancet device. About the shape and size of a pen, it’s spring-loaded to help you prick your finger easily with just the right amount of pressure. You then squeeze a single drop of blood onto the strip, and your meter measures the sugar. If you’r Continue reading >>
Diabetes: Know Your Blood Sugar Numbers
To control your diabetes, you must know your blood sugar numbers. Testing your blood sugar is the only way to know whether your blood sugar is too high, too low, or just right. 1. The hemoglobin A1c test (pronounced he-me-glo-bin A-one-C) measures your blood sugar control over the last 3 months. It is the best way to know if your blood sugar is under control. 2. A finger-stick test you do yourself using a blood glucose meter measures your blood sugar at the time you test. You need both tests to get a complete picture of your blood sugar control. The hemoglobin A1c test is a simple lab test that shows the average amount of sugar that has been in your blood over the last 3 months. Your health care provider does the test by taking a small sample of your blood and sending it to a lab. The hemoglobin A1c test shows if your blood sugar is close to normal or too high. It is the best test for your health care provider to tell if your blood sugar is under control. A finger-stick test is a simple test you can do using a blood glucose meter to check changes in your own blood sugar. The finger-stick test tells you what your blood sugar is at the time you test. Finger-stick testing using a blood glucose meter helps you see how food, physical activity, and diabetes medicine affect your blood sugar. The readings you get from these tests can help you manage your diabetes day by day or even hour by hour. Keep a record of your test results and review it with your health care provider. Ideal goals for most people with diabetes when finger-stick testing using a blood glucose meter are: Your blood sugar goals may be different from these ideal goals. Ask your health care provider what goals are best for you. Continue reading >>
Alternate Site Testing (ast)
Which glucose meters are best for painless testing? Alternate Site Testing is the practice of drawing blood from locations other than finger tips. AST is also sometimes referred too as painless testing. Finger tips have a high concentration of nerve endings and pricking fingers can be painful. Alternate sites such as your forearm, have less nerve endings, which means virtually no pain when pricked. So you may ask, "Why is anyone pricking fingers?", well there some issues with AST and that is why you see such a varying level of support for the practice from manufacturers. I wanted to know more about AST and why the recommendations varied so much. Here is what I found. Disclaimer: What you read here are my opinions and thoughts after studying material from manufactures and other sources. What you read is not a substitute for talking with your doctor, so please ask your doctor before considering any change in your diabetes care management. The problems with AST All manufacturers recommend that you do not use AST in situations where your glucose levels may be changing rapidly. Blood takes longer to work its way to the surface of your skin in AST locations than your finger tips. This can be problematic if you are hypoglycemic since your glucose levels may be much lower in your body core than a glucose test may indicate by testing blood which has had to travel though more body tissue such as your arm or thigh. Considering people have varying amounts of fat and muscle it is easy to see why manufacturers are leery of AST. Here is a complied list from several meter manuals of conditions when to avoid AST. If you think your blood glucose is low (hypoglycemia) When blood glucose is changing rapidly (after a meal,insulin dose or exercise). Within 2 hours of eating, exercise, or tak Continue reading >>
A Diabetes Monitor That Spares The Fingers
For the past year and a half I’ve been buying a medical device from Italy that has improved my life immeasurably. It wasn’t easy: I roped in a good friend who had moved to Milan to buy the device and ship it to me because it wasn’t yet available in the States. And it was expensive: over $1,600 a year. But my black-market purchase helps me manage my Type 1 diabetes without the need to draw blood from my callused fingers 10-plus times a day to track my glucose level, a ritual that had been an unpleasant part of my life for decades. The FreeStyle Libre, made by Abbott, is a flash glucose sensor that allows people with diabetes to view our blood sugar every minute of the day without a single finger prick. While there are similar devices on the market — called continuous glucose monitors, or CGMs — the Libre is the least invasive one I’ve seen. It takes readings from a sensor under the skin but doesn’t require finger sticks for calibration, and is about the size of a quarter and as thick as two. And it’s helping me keep my diabetes under better control. There have been some challenges: The Milanese UPS store wanted a letter detailing exactly what was in the box. My credit card’s fraud department called (“Yes, the charge for $365 from Milan is mine”). So I was thrilled to learn that the Food and Drug Administration recently approved the sale of the Libre in the United States, a decision that may help some of the 29 million Americans with diabetes. The Libre I buy from Italy has a self-adhesive, waterproof white sensor that sticks to my arm for 14 days. It took some trial and error to get used to it. One sensor flipped off from over-aggressive toweling at the gym; another came loose after a backpack strap nicked it. Finally, rather than the spot on my out Continue reading >>
