can I use off brand test strips? can I reuse the lancet?

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Theresa6

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I am looking into buying a new package of test strips and in my newbie kit the ones I got are contour. They seem pretty pricey, and I was wondering if I could buy much cheaper off brand ones. Will they work in my machine? Will they be just as good?

Also, can I reuse the pokey needle thing in the lancet (sorry don't know its technical name)? If I can, how many times can I resuse it?
 
hi Theresa. just saw your post. someone's spamming the board right now but that's being looked into and should be taken care of soon.

to answer your questions, unfortunately, no, you have to use contour strips with the contour meter. if you have time you could get them online for alot less than in the stores. if you don't have time you have a couple options. one being buy the smallest available at the store to bide you some time to find some online for less. or, switch meters. if you are going to walmart for instance they have their own meters, relion micro or confirm, that cost about $9 for the meter and you can get the strips for them i want to say around $22 for 50

as far as the lancet thing, many people do use it more than once. i typically use one a day for instance, no matter how many times i poke Mousie. they get dull so you don't want to use them for weeks on end but i think some people do use them for a couple/few days. fwiw, i just got 400 of them i think from my mom because she doesn't use as many as medicare seems to think she should i guess. i'd be glad to share some with you if you want. i think i have enough lancets here to last us a year or two :-)
 
Unfortunately you must use strips for the meter, can't use 'off brand'. That's why I have the Relion Contour - strips are about the cheapest around.

Officially - don't reuse lancets as they become duller with each poke. Now that said, I use each lancet twice. I usually test 5-6 times a day, I change it every other test. I clean it by dipping it in alcohol after the first use. I do use a lancet pen - I can't freehand....

Hugs!
 
i've used or seen

www.americandiabeteswholesale.com
www.store4diabetics.com

there's always ebay from which i usually get the best deal. fwiw, you can use expired strips with the Contour and often those are the best deal if you come across them. of course go for ones that have been handled/stored properly and not too far expired.

www.hocks.com used to be a good one and they used to support this site but they changed owners and i've heard their prices went up and their service went down so not sure what to tell you about that one

ummmm.....trying to think of who else there is. others will have some suggestions too i'm sure
 
I use the Bayer Contour meter, and have found some great deals on Ebay (be sure to check the expiration date and that they are unopened) for half or less than the stores. Also ended up with more lances and a new meter buying strips for half or less. Bonus! In a pinch, I've purchased them at the store (Ye gads! The Price!).

I usually use the lance a few times before changing them out, so once a day if only testing three times. Change it about 2-3 times a day if doing curves.
 
how odd - i posted an answer to you and it's gone. doo dee doo deee

mmm, i've always been told to not reuse the lancets because they get dulled and will hurt. of all the diabetes supplies, the lancets are the cheapest. mine are $10 for 100 lancets - so 10 cents each.

i buy from ameriandiabeteswholesale.com and they have been good with customer service and prices both. i registered first at mrrebates.com which gives an additional 4% cash back on anything you buy after going through their site.

the very cheapest meter that is considered accurate and strips is the relion confirm. you can get them at walmart and you can also use the arkray strips (even cheaper) in the relion confirm meter. avoid any meter with the word "true" in the name - those have been rated less reliable on consumer reports.

hm, well for some reason i can't seem to give you a hot link on those websites. you'll have to copy and paste - sorry! ADW costs me about 1/2 the retail cost for strips.
 
The key to buying strips on eBay is to make sure they are unopened. You meter might take expired strips, but unless they are really cheap and you just can't afford much, I wouldn't risk it and would stick to unexpired ones.

I use a lancet device and am in no way going to remember how many times I've used it since the last poke to know when I've used all 6 once so I most certainly reuse them. Just make sure if you reuse you keep it capped so it remains as sterile as possible and don't use it too many times.
 
julie & punkin said:
how odd - i posted an answer to you and it's gone. doo dee doo deee
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Thank you everyone for the help. I was looking on ebay and i want to make sure I get the right thing. I have the contour meter, so am looking at the contour strips. There is a number at the bottom left, under where it says 50 test strips. My number is 7098C. what does that mean? Do I have to find test strips with the same number?
 
I believe that's just the lot number. I also have a Bayer Contour and I just bought the Contour strips. If those match up then you should be good to go.
 
not sure actually what that number would be.

just make sure you do NOT buy Contour TS strips. they won't work in a regular Contour meter. the strips you want should come in a blue/black/white type box. the TS ones are in i believe a blue and orange box.
 
One more question :)

Are the needles/lancet (you know, the pokey thing! LOL!) interchangeable? Do I need to buy ones specific to my meter or will they all work with eachother?
 
Another good question. Don't know if needles are interchangeable (I would ask my friendly neighbourhood pharmacist, who realised that I take the hood off to "poke" my cat's ear freestyle, and said "you are hard core". I smiled at him. )
I reuse lancets. Probably change them every second or third test, or if I've sat there unhappily poking many times, I get rid of that needle straight awa, away with bad djudju!
 
For the most part the lancets are interchangeable, there are a few brands of lancet devices out there that take specific to their brand lancets, but most interchage just fine. Like I use the lancet device that came with Maxwell's Relion Micro Meter, but I use Bayer lancets in it because I like the way they fit a little better. I will use the same lancet to do as many pokes as it takes to get blood (sometimes it still takes 2-3 pokes) in a single setting. But I do change them before every testing attempt. I'm not sure they necessarily have to be changed out that often, but for me it is just part of the routine so that I make sure that I'm not forgetting to change them before they get dull, and they are so cheap anyhow I would rather change them more often than I have too than risk using one that has gotten dull and hurt Musette with it.

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang
 
I've gotten the Relion lancets to work in the Bayer device. I think in general they are fairly generic based on my limited experience.
 
The Accuchek multiclix lancet device takes a drum with 6 tips in it so it would not be interchangeable with the other devices. Interesting that many of the other devices are pretty much the same, glad I stood there for 20 minutes trying to figure out which one to buy for hubby to use free hand :roll:
 
Accuchek lancets are much thinner than most other lancets & won't fit most pens. I use accuchek for myself & was surprised my the size of the onetouch & relion lancets. (not the needle-the plastic bit that fits in the pen device or that you hold.)
 
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