Insulinx or Other Freestyle Strips for AlphaTrak2

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Alex1313

Alex1313

Member Since 2018
I have questions about meters and strips. First, I have an AlphaTrak and an Alphatrak2. I wanted to just keep the old AT meter as a backup. Does anyone know what to do in order to use the new AT2 strips with the old AT meter when the code on the new AT2 strips is higher than the codes available on the old AT meter? Supposedly the new AT2 strips work with the old AT meter but what about the codes?

Second, I see that the Insulinx strips are supposed to work with the AT2 so I've ordered those because, oh-my-gawd the AT2 strips are so expensive. It looks like Amazon has a limited supply of the Insulinx strips however and that they aren't being made anymore, right? So will any of the other Freestyle brand strips work with the AT2? And when using the Insulinx strips, do you just leave the same code on the AT2?

Thanks
 
I have no direct experience with these PetSure strips, but the price looks right!

A lot of people here also use the Freestyle Light strips in their AT

Most of us though just use human meters because the cost of the strips is so insane for the pet meters.
 
Alex1313 said:
Supposedly the new AT2 strips work with the old AT meter but what about the codes?
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I saved the following blurb from ADW back when the new AT2 came out:

"If AlphaTRAK users choose not to upgrade to the newer AlphaTrak 2 meter, you can continue to use your original AlphaTRAK meter with the new AlphaTRAK 2 test strips. Use CODE 7 for all species. For the most accurate AlphaTRAK® test results, upgrading to the new AlphaTRAK® 2 meter is suggested by the manufacturer."
 
Hi Alex - I've used the AT2 strips that came with the meter and Freestyle Lite strips - there was virtually no difference. I just ordered some Insulinx strips and am anxious to see how they do, because as you pointed out the price point is very different - $30 for 100. If they don't work out, back to the Freestyle Lite strips for me.

There have been a couple of threads here about them and from what I can tell, you use the same code (which is 38 on my AT2). Fingers crossed for both of us.
 
Alex1313 said:
I have questions about meters and strips. First, I have an AlphaTrak and an Alphatrak2. I wanted to just keep the old AT meter as a backup. Does anyone know what to do in order to use the new AT2 strips with the old AT meter when the code on the new AT2 strips is higher than the codes available on the old AT meter? Supposedly the new AT2 strips work with the old AT meter but what about the codes?

Second, I see that the Insulinx strips are supposed to work with the AT2 so I've ordered those because, oh-my-gawd the AT2 strips are so expensive. It looks like Amazon has a limited supply of the Insulinx strips however and that they aren't being made anymore, right? So will any of the other Freestyle brand strips work with the AT2? And when using the Insulinx strips, do you just leave the same code on the AT2?

Thanks
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So do we know that Insulinx strips are discontinued? I sure hope not, i've been very happy with them! Just ordered 100 on Amazon, best price was about $40 plus tax. So up in price $10 but still a great buy compared to AT strips. Thanks for the heads-up!.
 
Jill & Alex (GA) said:
I saved the following blurb from ADW back when the new AT2 came out:

"If AlphaTRAK users choose not to upgrade to the newer AlphaTrak 2 meter, you can continue to use your original AlphaTRAK meter with the new AlphaTRAK 2 test strips. Use CODE 7 for all species. For the most accurate AlphaTRAK® test results, upgrading to the new AlphaTRAK® 2 meter is suggested by the manufacturer."
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THANK YOU for saving that.
 
I used AT2 strips, Insulinx strips, and PetSure strips with my AT2. As far as I could tell, the AT2 and Insulinx strips are the same thing. Side by side, they are identical. The PetSure didn't impress me as much, but that could be just me.
 
They still list the Insulinx meter on freestyles website. You heard it was discontinued?
 
I just discovered Petsure strips (not sure yet if they can be ordered in CH) and wondered if anybody had used them. @Kris & Teasel, did you try? What didn't you like?

I have freestyle strips (just finished my last AT box) but if you remember, I'd done some comparisons way back when, and last night again I read 10.1 with the AT strip and 7.8 with the FS (yes, it's a bit high for comfort, which is why I want to keep an eye on his BG right now -- I suspect something is up). I did leave the AT2 on code 37 however, but the FS strip box says 16. Could use some help with this!
 
Stephanie & Quintus said:
I just discovered Petsure strips (not sure yet if they can be ordered in CH) and wondered if anybody had used them. @Kris & Teasel, did you try? What didn't you like?

I have freestyle strips (just finished my last AT box) but if you remember, I'd done some comparisons way back when, and last night again I read 10.1 with the AT strip and 7.8 with the FS (yes, it's a bit high for comfort, which is why I want to keep an eye on his BG right now -- I suspect something is up). I did leave the AT2 on code 37 however, but the FS strip box says 16. Could use some help with this!
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Try freestyle insulinx strips rather than the lite version. I've heard mixed reviews on the petsure strips. I personally don't trust them. With the insulinx strips I keep it on code 38. I'll attach my most up to date comparisons.
60E7BD6A-7E38-4A30-8FC3-B959F82C70EE.png
 
When I used Freestyle Lite strips in my AT meter I left it at the last cat code from my AT strips which was 38. I used that arrangement for a while then switched entirely to using a Freestyle Lite meter. @JanetNJ is the expert on Insulinex strips in an AT meter.

I hope Quintus' numbers settle.
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
Definitely leave your AT meter on one of the known cat codes
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what are the "non-cat" codes used for? I got the impression the codes were like some kind of calibration dial (so moving the code in one direction shifts the BG reading in some direction) but I might be completely mistaken.

JanetNJ said:
Try freestyle insulinx strips rather than the lite version.
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Thanks, I'll have to see if I can get them in France or CH!

Kris & Teasel said:
I hope Quintus' numbers settle.
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Yeah, I do too. It's not a huge spike but it's un upward trend... Not the right moment for me to be doing meter acrobatics (they're out of stock from AT strips).
 
The non cat codes are for use with other species such as dogs, horses, ferrerts, rats. They are a "calibration dial" of sorts as the meter is set up with mulitiple algorithms. The Freestyle Lite strips that work in the AT2 meter are the exact same strips as those branded as AT2 strips but the AT2 strips have been batch tested to determine which cat code on the AT2 meter will elicit the most accurate lab equivalent results.
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
The non cat codes are for use with other species such as dogs, horses, ferrerts, rats. They are a "calibration dial" of sorts as the meter is set up with mulitiple algorithms. The Freestyle Lite strips that work in the AT2 meter are the exact same strips as those branded as AT2 strips but the AT2 strips have been batch tested to determine which cat code on the AT2 meter will elicit the most accurate lab equivalent results.
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Thanks for the explanation! Do we have an idea of how much « error » one is likely to see when using the wrong cat code? Has anybody played around with that?

A 2.3mmol/l (50) difference in reading is quite a large gap for me — as I’m looking at remission values I do care somewhat about the absolute measurement (I wouldn’t care quite as much if I were monitoring BG during insulinotherapy)
 
I don't think there is a substantial difference between the algorithms associated with each cat code however, meters all have a certain amount of variance so that too can throw things off even when using the "right" strips in the meter. While I have tested with Freestyle strips (they are the same as Insulinx strips too....just different branding for whatever reason:rolleyes:) I decided to just switch to a human meter rather than muddle things with yet another variable. The problem with trying to discern how much difference there is between the cat codes is the expense and it's just downright clumsy to try to do without 2 AT2 meters. And of course you'd then have to repeat it for every new vial of strips because they could be from different batches.

I did over 1200+ same blood drop tests with the AT2 and my human meter and concluded that the difference between them is very much dependent on the human meter one uses. Some test low, some higher for cats and that difference can vary at different ranges of BG. I got a 1.3 mmol reading on my human meter one day but the AT2 reading I did before allowing myself to freak out, was 3.6 mmol, just barely below warning level.

Because the readings using alternate strips were in my view less consistent than I was willing to deal with (some lower, some higher than AT2 with AT2 branded strips), I decided to switch to my human meter and use my AT2 for rechecks when necessary. When my girl was approaching remission, I again dual tested for AM and PM pre-shots just to ensure myself that I wasn't getting a false sense of remission possibility given my particular meter was indeed reading low.

Hope that helps. :)
 
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