Glucose Meter Help

[Karen Mulholland]

I am switching to Lantus tomorrow, and according to the sticky note guidelines, I am to use a human meter. I have an Alpha Trac but will get another one if that is better. I have a Walmart relatively close to me and remember someone recommending a Relion ??meter? It takes a tiny amount of blood and the test strips don't cost a small fortune? Am I right? Thank you

 

[Sylvie]

you can use alphatrak with whatever insulin you use. on sticky notes, i do believe it does show somewhere around bottom of thread what levels to shoot and not shoot using pet meter if i recall right. either-way, i use lantus and pet meter and followed diabetic vet specialist instruction that you don't shoot under 100, give half dose between 100-150 and full dose for above 150. after a few weeks of regular blood glucose testing & logging, i shot 3/4 dose instead of half at 100-150 based on 'my' cats BG movements around nadir times.

you can use Abbot freestyle 'lite' strips with the AT2 pet meter btw. half or lower the cost of the AT strips and you still use your pet meter spreadsheet using these strips too. Code 38 on AT2 with FS lite strips will give show up to 4-10 points lower (under 200 level, not sure about above that) than readings with AT strips.

edit: couldn't find pet meter info that i swore i read back in sept in lantus sticky notes, guess i recalled wrong.. If you are going to follow their protocols to a tee, looks like you will need a human meter.. pet meter is fine to use too though, many of us use one, just got to adjust the when to and not to shoot numbers.

 

[Steph & Quintus & L & O]

Karen, try searching the forum for "relion" or "walmart" and you might find confirmation for what you're looking for.

 

[tiffmaxee]

The Relion Micro or Confirm is what lots of us use. Strips are much cheaper. I used to buy on eBay. You can use the AT though if you prefer.

 

[Veronica & Babu-chiri]

You can use either one, but if you are going to use the pet meter you have to be aware of the take action low numbers since they differ from human meters , with Lantus most people use human meters because the strips are a lot cheaper but a lot of people use the AT

 

[LestatsDad]

After going back and forth on the various meter options, and talking with my Vet, I went with the Relion Prime. It takes a slightly larger blood drop (5 microliters) than the Confirm (3 microliters), but the test strips and unit are close to half the cost for the Prime. I'm fairly new to meters, and the first time I tried to test Lestat with it, he put up quite the fuss and fight. I eventually decided if he felt good enough to fuss and fight for 5 minutes, he was feeling fine. It certainly isn't scientific, but having seen how docile he becomes when he is sick, I felt ok skipping the test.

 

[Veronica & Babu-chiri]

After going back and forth on the various meter options, and talking with my Vet, I went with the Relion Prime. It takes a slightly larger blood drop (5 microliters) than the Confirm (3 microliters), but the test strips and unit are close to half the cost for the Prime. I'm fairly new to meters, and the first time I tried to test Lestat with it, he put up quite the fuss and fight. I eventually decided if he felt good enough to fuss and fight for 5 minutes, he was feeling fine. It certainly isn't scientific, but having seen how docile he becomes when he is sick, I felt ok skipping the test.

Be patient and keep trying is hard at the beginning but eventually they get used to it, it really doesn't hurt them so much and any discomfort is better by far than the risk of shooting with out knowing is safe. As his numbers go down and he gets used to being low he will start feeling better but that doesn't mean is safe to shoot by always testing him before shooting him you can be sure everything is OK.

Here are some tips some of us use:

- Pick a location where you are confortable so that he learns that's the testing place
- Always give him a reward (low carb) afterwards even if you couldn't get a sample so that he associates the testing with a good thing
- Sometimes it helps to start taking him to that location and just rub his ears so that he gets used to you handling his ears
- Some found it useful to wrap him in a towel burrito (taco) style so that he is inmovilized ( Babu after a while did not need the towel but just being put on top of it made him be still)
- Warm the ear before prick it that will help more blood to come out, some use a sock with rice in it that they warm in the microwave for a few seconds, I use a small wet pice of cloth that I also warm in the microwave and put in bag ( the same kind of bag his rewards are so as soon as he hears the bag he knows and kind of likes the idea)