Low Readings on Pet Sure Strips?????

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JessieV

JessieV

Member Since 2018
Have people been having a problem with Pet Sure strips? I have an Alpha Trac 2 and started using Pet Sure strips made for Alpha 2. Yesterday and today I started getting really low readings for my cat- before they were all over the place but none real low until yesterday, and most of that time I was using Alpha Trac strips. (He's just been on insulin for a l about one month, started from a Depo Medron shot 3 months before that so he may be recovering.) The monitor setting is correct for the strips and I did run a test solution which was within the range. My guy is on 3.5 units. This a.m. he tested 69, and I redid it 2 minutes later and got 61. I fed him and 15 minutes later it was 77 (and that was with half his food being high carb for an IBD issue). Of course no shot. I retested 6 hrs later and got 257. My vet said give the 6 p.m. shot for 2 units. Comments? (Note- due to a problem cat I was only testing at the 6 hr middle of the day and if results were funky then tested before his night shot. More testing now 'cos it's a risky situation- worth a bite risk to me.)
 
I think the 3.5 u dose is way too high. Always get a preshot but try to get mid cycle readings as well. I'm glad you lowered the dose
 
I tried Pet Sure strips and also had a bunch of readings that were all over the place in relation to Alpha Trak 2 strips. I switched to Freestyle Insulinx strips which are also cheaper but they are turning out to be very reliable. I will not use Pet Sure anymore.
 
I agree with the Pet Sure strips being unreliable and giving lower BG values. I purchased some but wasn't feeling I could trust them so continued using the AlphaTrak2. I ran out of the AlphaTrak2 and before my new shipment arrived I had to use the Pet Sure strips. Zoe's BG looked great! LOL but I knew I could not rely on the strips but it was safer than giving insulin with no testing. Sure enough when the AlphaTrak came the BG levels were back where they had been running. The Pet Sure consistently run lower than the AlphaTrak 2 strips. It makes it scary when thinking about finding a cheaper source, which I really need to do. The AlphaTrak run very costly ($50 for 50 strips and that is not a month of twice daily testing!), especially if you like to do mini curves every so often. And I have seen where someone said it was irrelevant as what you get if you use one strip is what the BG is if you are consistent, but I don't agree with that philosophy. How can you safely dose insulin if you are going off low numbers that are not accurate?
 
sybil said:
I agree with the Pet Sure strips being unreliable and giving lower BG values. I purchased some but wasn't feeling I could trust them so continued using the AlphaTrak2. I ran out of the AlphaTrak2 and before my new shipment arrived I had to use the Pet Sure strips. Zoe's BG looked great! LOL but I knew I could not rely on the strips but it was safer than giving insulin with no testing. Sure enough when the AlphaTrak came the BG levels were back where they had been running. The Pet Sure consistently run lower than the AlphaTrak 2 strips. It makes it scary when thinking about finding a cheaper source, which I really need to do. The AlphaTrak run very costly ($50 for 50 strips and that is not a month of twice daily testing!), especially if you like to do mini curves every so often. And I have seen where someone said it was irrelevant as what you get if you use one strip is what the BG is if you are consistent, but I don't agree with that philosophy. How can you safely dose insulin if you are going off low numbers that are not accurate?
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Try the insulinx strips at $35/100 it's much cheaper.
 
I'm switching and will try the Insulinx- I have problems with my cat getting enough blood. The PetSure needs more than the Alpha Trak but I can't afford the Alpha ones any more.
 
I hear ya! It is an expensive treatment all around with no pet insurance. I was just commenting on another post and started tabulating all its costs with food (and food taste attempts)and med supplies and I am in shock seeing it all in black and white. No wonder my budget is busted.
 
I use Insulinx, but I would be careful tbh.

In my experience 80% of the time the Insulinx strips are within 1 point (~20 using the US system) but 20% of the time they can be up to 6 points off (over 100 using the US system) and it seems to be either one or the other. Either they're very close, or they are very, very far apart from the AT strips. You can see the side by side testing I did on my sheet.

It's made me wary to keep using them because I don't know when it's going to be wrong.
 
Thanks...I wonder if we'll being comparing strips until the day we die??? Your results look very good..I just can't read mol..but looks good!!! BTW...I think many change the code to the AT code..if using AT meter..WHY do we do this? If the code for AT meter changes based on its manufacturing of AT strips??...Because I have 3 meters, I am actually thinking of keeping the AT meter for F.S. strips the same (36)...After noting the difference in Petsure suggestions by manufacturer.. moving the code DOWN increases the results..moving it UP decreases the results on ALL strips...This is Crazy!!! I adjusted the Petsure to 2 or 3 and got results quite similar to Alphatrak...can't really be sure of any results anymore..too much researching maybe!!!
 
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I am more confused than ever.
Maybe I should just keep buying the Alpha Trak 2 strips from Amazon, although I still have to change the code.
I don’t understand why —maybe I should call the company and ask why is there no consistency with the strips.

Laura and Mush
 
ELLIOTT & Fran Munschauer said:
Thanks...I wonder if we'll being comparing strips until the day we die??? Your results look very good..I just can't read mol..but looks good!!! BTW...I think many change the code to the AT code..if using AT meter..WHY do we do this? If the code for AT meter changes based on its manufacturing of AT strips??...Because I have 3 meters, I am actually thinking of keeping the AT meter for F.S. strips the same (36)...After noting the difference in Petsure suggestions by manufacturer.. moving the code DOWN increases the results..moving it UP decreases the results on ALL strips...This is Crazy!!! I adjusted the Petsure to 2 or 3 and got results quite similar to Alphatrak...can't really be sure of any results anymore..too much researching maybe!!!
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Why do you keep switching? Find one you like and just use it.
 
Mushman said:
I am more confused than ever.
Maybe I should just keep buying the Alpha Trak 2 strips from Amazon, although I still have to change the code.
I don’t understand why —maybe I should call the company and ask why is there no consistency with the strips.

Laura and Mush
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Up to you. I keep alpha strips on hand but almost always use insulinx. (I buy them cheap on eBay) The insulinx I just keep on code 38. When I use alpha I put it to whatever the vial says (my current ones are 7).
 
Janet,

I was just going to ask you where you bought the Insilinx. Have you ever bought them from another place other than eBay?

I’d be curious if I tested him with the alpha t strips, and then I tested with insilinx within five minutes of each other if it would be a different reading.

I guess welcome me to the world of diabetes. Now I have to think about the strips, oh I think I’m gonna lie down I have a headache, LOL
 
Sybil and Zoe said:
I hear ya! It is an expensive treatment all around with no pet insurance. I was just commenting on another post and started tabulating all its costs with food (and food taste attempts)and med supplies and I am in shock seeing it all in black and white. No wonder my budget is busted.
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Hi Sybil, I hear ya too, I'm even afraid to add everything up.
Tyler has diabetes and his brother Perry has kidney disease and seizures.
So between Tyler's insulin, test strips, food, syringes and the Vit B and then Perry's meds, phenobarbital, Cerenia, Keppra , the phenobarbital and Keppra are for controlling the seizures, and thank God he hasn't had one on about 9 months or so and the Cerenia for his nausea, and his food I am ready for the poor house lol. It's just unbelievable.
 
Diane Tyler's Mom said:
Hi Sybil, I hear ya too, I'm even afraid to add everything up.
Tyler has diabetes and his brother Perry has kidney disease and seizures.
So between Tyler's insulin, test strips, food, syringes and the Vit B and then Perry's meds, phenobarbital, Cerenia, Keppra , the phenobarbital and Keppra are for controlling the seizures, and thank God he hasn't had one on about 9 months or so and the Cerenia for his nausea, and his food I am ready for the poor house lol. It's just unbelievable.
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I love my kitties dearly and Zoe the diabetic is so sweet. I couldn't ask for a better cat to have to dose with insulin. That being said, last last month I had my healthy cat end up in ICU at the Emergency Vet for two separate overnight stays! after getting her shots at her well visit. I think she may have been working on something before the visit because she had sneezed randomly a few times before the visit. Bella as opposed to Zoe was vicious to try and get steroid and antibiotic in her. Seriously viscious. Anyway, Zoe had to go to the vet as well for possible UTI. Long story short, I paid out about $1000 in one week for them and then 2 weeks later $410 for another trip for Zoe that I thought she might have pancreatitis! She did not and she rebounded though she was so uninterested in food and just laid around, that I really was prepared to put her down and not let her suffer. She rebounded. I am just not able to keep putting out that kind of money continuously. I think Zoe is an acro kitty but there is no way I can afford to get her the treatment for it. I admire people on here who can and do get the treatment for their cats, but I cannot. I treat her better than most pet owners and I will do everything in my power to give her the best care and life I can give her, but I have to draw the line somewhere. For now she is her usual, running in the high 200's to mid 300's and up to 13.5 units of lantus twice a day and consuming a lot of food......
 
Sybil and Zoe said:
I love my kitties dearly and Zoe the diabetic is so sweet. I couldn't ask for a better cat to have to dose with insulin. That being said, last last month I had my healthy cat end up in ICU at the Emergency Vet for two separate overnight stays! after getting her shots at her well visit. I think she may have been working on something before the visit because she had sneezed randomly a few times before the visit. Bella as opposed to Zoe was vicious to try and get steroid and antibiotic in her. Seriously viscious. Anyway, Zoe had to go to the vet as well for possible UTI. Long story short, I paid out about $1000 in one week for them and then 2 weeks later $410 for another trip for Zoe that I thought she might have pancreatitis! She did not and she rebounded though she was so uninterested in food and just laid around, that I really was prepared to put her down and not let her suffer. She rebounded. I am just not able to keep putting out that kind of money continuously. I think Zoe is an acro kitty but there is no way I can afford to get her the treatment for it. I admire people on here who can and do get the treatment for their cats, but I cannot. I treat her better than most pet owners and I will do everything in my power to give her the best care and life I can give her, but I have to draw the line somewhere. For now she is her usual, running in the high 200's to mid 300's and up to 13.5 units of lantus twice a day and consuming a lot of food......
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Wow that's a lot of money, I feel the same way, if one of them ever had to stay in the hospital for even 2 days for anything I couldn't afford it. I can't keep charging things on my credit cards. I am sort of new here, that it a lot of insulin , right? You must go through it quickly, and that's one of the expensive ones
 
Diane Tyler's Mom said:
Wow that's a lot of money, I feel the same way, if one of them ever had to stay in the hospital for even 2 days for anything I couldn't afford it. I can't keep charging things on my credit cards. I am sort of new here, that it a lot of insulin , right? You must go through it quickly, and that's one of the expensive ones
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Yes you are correct. That is why I say she is most likely suffering from acromegaly and insulin is not really touching her much. There are several conditions which make them unresponsive to insulin. At any rate, yes the Lantus is expensive. It helps that I buy it from Canada where it is about half or more the cost of here in the states. I keep increasing her (tight regulation) and she seems to be a little more responsive but not much. Welcome. Ihaveonly been here since Oct of last year and have not been getting on as much since she is not doing anything crazy right now. I too have used a credit card (Care Credit) that I only use for vet but I have paid it off a couple of times and keep running it up. It has to stop! I am trying to get out of debt, seriously so I am not sure what the next trip to the vet will mean :(
 
Mushman said:
Janet,

I was just going to ask you where you bought the Insilinx. Have you ever bought them from another place other than eBay?

I’d be curious if I tested him with the alpha t strips, and then I tested with insilinx within five minutes of each other if it would be a different reading.

I guess welcome me to the world of diabetes. Now I have to think about the strips, oh I think I’m gonna lie down I have a headache, LOL
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A few times I got them off amazon. I haven't had to buy any in about 8 months because I went a bit eBay crazy and stocked up on like 30 boxes. I think I have about 15-18 boxes left. Lol. I've done back to back comparisons many times which is how I know they are OK. Look in my signature at the spreadsheet link and then to the insulinx tab.
 
Sybil and Zoe said:
I love my kitties dearly and Zoe the diabetic is so sweet. I couldn't ask for a better cat to have to dose with insulin. That being said, last last month I had my healthy cat end up in ICU at the Emergency Vet for two separate overnight stays! after getting her shots at her well visit. I think she may have been working on something before the visit because she had sneezed randomly a few times before the visit. Bella as opposed to Zoe was vicious to try and get steroid and antibiotic in her. Seriously viscious. Anyway, Zoe had to go to the vet as well for possible UTI. Long story short, I paid out about $1000 in one week for them and then 2 weeks later $410 for another trip for Zoe that I thought she might have pancreatitis! She did not and she rebounded though she was so uninterested in food and just laid around, that I really was prepared to put her down and not let her suffer. She rebounded. I am just not able to keep putting out that kind of money continuously. I think Zoe is an acro kitty but there is no way I can afford to get her the treatment for it. I admire people on here who can and do get the treatment for their cats, but I cannot. I treat her better than most pet owners and I will do everything in my power to give her the best care and life I can give her, but I have to draw the line somewhere. For now she is her usual, running in the high 200's to mid 300's and up to 13.5 units of lantus twice a day and consuming a lot of food......
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Cc is an acro cat I learned a few months ago. I can't justify spending 10 k on treatment. BUT I'm keeping her numbers as controlled as I can and she's doing good. Just turned 16.
 
Thank you for your reply Janet.

I see, you say you’ve done back to back comparisons, sound like me a mad scientist
I haven’t graduated to understanding the spreadsheet.
I guess when things settle down a little more, I’ll be able to delve into it.

Laura and Mush
 
Mushman said:
Thank you for your reply Janet.

I see, you say you’ve done back to back comparisons, sound like me a mad scientist
I haven’t graduated to understanding the spreadsheet.
I guess when things settle down a little more, I’ll be able to delve into it.

Laura and Mush
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