Alphatrak and Free Style Lite Strips??

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sneaky pie

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I posted earlier about our newly diagnosed kitty. We were shocked at the news, didn't have much time to research meters, so we got Alphatrak, which was suggested to us.

Does anyone know if it's possible to use Alphatrak with the Free Style Lite strips? They are made by the same company, I think. If anyone has done this successfully, please let me know.
 
According to a video at the Alphatrak site, you can only use the Alphatrak strips that you buy at the vet's office. Video here. Abbot's main page for the meter system here.

If you do a google search, you will find reviews that indicate the special animal system is not better than a human glucometer, and far far more expensive to use.
 
On the old board there was a thread on this issue but I do not remember the answer. Ny concern is what code would be used with the Freestyle strips. The AlphaTrac strips come with two codes, one for dogs and the other for cats. Thus if you used the FreeStyle strips and use the human code it is not clear how accurate the results would be.
 
Thank you both for the replies!

I have the video for Alphatrak (it came with the meter), so, yes, that's what they claim. I am running low on strips (still have strips, but wanted a back-up plan in case we need to test more frequently), and it will take a couple of days for the vet's office to acquire them.

I got the idea about using the Free style Lite stips from one of the boards about dog diabetes. One person there says that after many tests, she or he obtained the same results with Alphatrak and Free style stips. Just wanted to see if any cat people have found the same.

Here's the link if anyone might find it useful: http://www.k9diabetes.com/forum/showthread.php?t=984
 
I looked at the canine post and it does not discuss what code was used for the FreeStyle strips. On the old board I did a test comparing the AlphaTrac (cat) and One Touch Ultra 2 on myself, I do not remember the specific values but there was a wide difference like 90 and 150.
 
Thank you, Larry, for sharing. The Alphatrak that we are using has been already coded and "calibrated"--whatever that means-- by the vet's office. That's why I wanted to stick with it. I don't know anything about glucometers, and I am afraid I'm not going to be able to calibrate a meter for humans.

BTW, I ran out and got the Free Style Lite Strips. We just used the testing solution on the strips, and it came out in a normal range as it does with the Alphatrak.

Do we need to code the strips?? I thought we code the meter :?
 
Each vial of AlphaTrac strips has two code numbers that you enter into the meter. One is for cats and the other is for dogs. The number vary depending upon the lot/batch of test strips. The purpose of the coding is to help preserve meter accuracy due to variations in strips. A lot a human meters just have one code since they only are supposed to use one type, human, blood. However, a lot of the human meters now have no code (code-less) or with each vial of strips is a special coding strip that you insert into the meter and that enter the "correct" code in the meter for that vial of strips.

sneaky pie said:
Thank you, Larry, for sharing. The Alphatrak that we are using has been already coded and "calibrated"--whatever that means-- by the vet's office. That's why I wanted to stick with it. I don't know anything about glucometers, and I am afraid I'm not going to be able to calibrate a meter for humans.

BTW, I ran out and got the Free Style Lite Strips. We just used the testing solution on the strips, and it came out in a normal range as it does with the Alphatrak.

Do we need to code the strips?? I thought we code the meter :?
Click to expand...
 
Just keep in mind that the results you get will be different than those you'd get with a human meter, and the advice on here that has anything to do with number ranges won't necessarily apply. I know the Lantus protocol has different guidelines and number ranges depending on whether you use a human or animal meter. You have to add 30 to all targets if you're using the Alphatrak according to the protocol. I'd therefore maybe put it in large writing along the top of your SS or something that you are using the Alphatrak meter calibrated for cats, otherwise someone might give you incorrect advice thinking that you're results are different from what they are.

Also, testing on ourselves in't very reliable. With low healthy BG values you won't see much variance. It's in the higher values that the meters and values start to differ and differences in reliability come out. For example, I have two meters that tested on myself, differ by approximately 9. When my cat is high up in the BG scales, the difference is greater. You can see it in my spreadsheet on June 18 the PMPS, which is when I switched meters. On myself, I was only 0.2mmol different between meters, but on my cat, the difference was quite a bit larger
 
Here is the update on the strips comparison (I thought it might be helpful to someone in a similar situation).

The product information sheet that comes with the Freestyle Lite strips indicates the following within-lot precision:
  • At avg glucose concentration (avgGC)of 43 mg/dL the standard deviations (SD) is 2.4 mg/dL ;
  • at avgGC=194 the SD=6.2 ; and
  • at avgGC=380 the SD=13.7
(unfortunately the Alphatrak strips don't carry that level of details)

So starting today, I'll perform two tests with the same Alphatrak meter and from the same drops of blood:
  • 1st with original Alphatrak strips (LOT=0935708)
  • 2nd with Freestyle Lite strips (LOT=1013140)

At 3 pm, today, the result from the first test was 159, while the second (10-15 sec later) was 162 mg/dL. The PMPS results were 196 and 210 respectively. Or in other words, so far the two measurements are within 1-2 standard deviations which is pretty good!

I'll start adding extra line in the spreadsheet for the measurements performed with Freestyle Lite strips, and I'll keep you posted. Thank you again for your responses!

Sebastian's "daddy"
 
It would be interesting to see though how an Alphatrak with Freestyle strips compares to a Freestyle meter with Freestyle strips. Can you try to get your hands on a free one to make sure it's the same? At Costco in Canada you get the Freestyle meter free when you buy the strips. Or as someone mentioned you can maybe get one free from the manufacturer directly.
 
What code are you using for the FreeStyle strips? Also just for info, what is the cat code for the AlphTrac strips you are using?

If you use the "right" code the FreeStyle strips will work fine in the AlphaTrac. To my knowledge, the FreeStyle and AlphaTrac strips are the same and the difference is the coding.
 
We already ordered the Freestyle Lite meter, so we'll test it later.

As far as the coding, we just kept the code 10, which is the code for cats, on the meter when we were switching between the Alphatrak and Freestyle Lite strips (that's what the people testing their dogs are doing with the dog's code 7).
 
sneaky pie said:
We already ordered the Freestyle Lite meter, so we'll test it later.

As far as the coding, we just kept the code 10, which is the code for cats, on the meter when we were switching between the Alphatrak and Freestyle Lite strips (that's what the people testing their dogs are doing with the dog's code 7).
Click to expand...

I have done the same thing to compare my freestyle with my alphatrak and the numbers are almost the same using freestyle strips for the alphatrak. I use my freestyle lite for daily testing though, I also got the idea from the dog diabetic forum somehow came across it when googling something
 
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