Looking to switch to human meter

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Lisa and little

Lisa and little

Member Since 2018
hi all. Been using an AT2 for 6 months and am looking to switch to a human meter on the advice of my pals over at PZI and to help cut some costs. Was looking at the relion confirm micro specifically for its .3 blood drop but I think I’m reading that it is discontinued. Any other meter with .3 sample size that you recommend that is accurate and can cut some costs? Is there that big of a difference between .3 and .5 sample size? Also a bit concerned about strips for these meters as the “zip” effect on the AT2 and freestyle strips makes getting reading so easy. When I look at relion strips, I can’t really tell where you would place it on the blood drop to get a reading. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you!!!
 
Lisa, we bought and still use the ReliOn Confirm and buy the Arkray Glucocard 01 Sensor strips on ADW. Same company, Walmart just put their ReliOn brand on it.
It looks like the ReliOn Prime test strips have the "siphon" at the very end as opposed to the "siphons" at either side of the strip on the Alphatrack2.
I am unable to locate the Arkray Glucocard 01 Sensor meter, though. It may have also been discontinued.
The Arkray Vital meter requires a 0.5 ml blood sample like the ReliOn Prime.
I found this PDF that shows you the blood sample sizes so you can see the difference between the 0.3 and the 0.5:
http://main.diabetes.org/dforg/pdfs/2017/2017-cg-blood-glucose-meters.pdf
 
Thank you Lou. Are the strips you use cost effective? Thank for that chart just wondering if you think there is a big diff between the .3 and .5 blood sample in real
Life. Tough to tell from a photo of a blood drop.
 
I had to laugh at your last sentence! Yes, it is really hard to tell with a photo, but it's at least a reference point. If I didn't have the ReliOn Confirm that I bought before the discontinuation, I think I would probably be using the Prime. Yes, it's a bigger sample, but I don't think it's that much of a difference if the cat ears bleed pretty well. Many members use that meter, because the strips are so readily available and cost effective.
I do think the Arkray test strips are cost effective, I pay about $36.00 for 100, and I ordered 200 so I wouldn't have to pay shipping costs. My husband uses it to test also, he's either low end diabetic or pre-diabetic (??) so he uses at least one strip a day, sometimes 2 or 3 just at my urging to see what the BG is during the day. So, I have a good supply and don't have to worry about having strips on hand.
It might be an idea, if you really wanted a ReliOn Confirm or Micro, to post on the Supply Closet and see if any members might still have a meter they are not using, and would be willing to sell or give it to you.
I'm sure you will get lots of responses about the different meters other members use, hopefully you will find just what you need. :)
 
Larry and Kitties said:
Walmart has discontinued supplying strips for the confirm/Micro. Now ADW has also discontinued supply strips too
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/arkay-glucocard-01-sensor-being-discontinued.212231/
Thus, I would not get/start using the Confirm/Micro or the equivalent Arkray meter.
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Thank you Larry, I had missed that post. Darn it! Getting real tired of the replacing of products that work with something new, just for the sake of "new"? Guess that's the name of the game, keep 'em (us) having to buy something else.
 
Lisa and little said:
Is there that big of a difference between .3 and .5 sample size?
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I have a Keto-Mojo meter for checking for ketones, and it takes .5. I find it to be a considerably larger blood drop than the .3 my AT takes. .3 is 60% of .5, so just think of nearly twice as big of a blood drop.
 
FurBabiesMama said:
I have a Keto-Mojo meter for checking for ketones, and it takes .5. I find it to be a considerably larger blood drop than the .3 my AT takes. .3 is 60% of .5, so just think of nearly twice as big of a blood drop.
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@FurBabiesMama , I have missed seeing you! How are the girls?
Thanks for that info, as it looks as if we are going to have to switch eventually. DH doesn't have a problem with the size of a blood sample, but as we only test Idjit once a month, we might have to go back to using the Alphatrak2 for him.
 
To put the blood drop into perspective.....the AT2 meter takes a blood drop about the size of a straight pin head. The .5 drop is almost twice that size ....doable but still a bit harder to ensure you get enough with one poke if kitty isn't co-operative giving up their blood.

Food for thought.......get a Freestyle Lite meter (can use the Insulinx or Freestyle strips because they are in fact the same strips) and all your strips will then work in both your AT2 and human meter. That is what I did so I would always had a backup meter and strips that worked in either the pet or human meter.

Admittedly my suggestion isn't a money saver but it does have it advantages. ;)
 
Thanks all and yes Linda that’s what I was thinking however at that point why buy a new meter since I use those in the AT2 ? Is there any advantage to it?
 
Lisa and little said:
Is there any advantage to it?
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Not really other than you will know you are getting readings that are more accurate because while the Insulinx and Freestyle strips used in the AT2 meter are close they are NOT as accurate as they could be IF they had been batch tested and you had the right code set on your AT2 meter. My personal testing of the Freestyle strips in the AT2 meter did not give me the comfort level I sought (I freely admit to my perfectionist streak:rolleyes:) and you will always have strips that work in both meters should one of your meters decide to crap out at an inopportune time which we all know is when anything that can, decides to go awol. Just food for thought. I understand wanting to get costs down. I tried a less expensive pet meter and found getting the larger blood sample was a PIA partly because of my girl's black fur but also because she doesn't like to give up anymore of her blood than is absolutely necessary. I also found that meter read high at low levels and low at high levels......the exact opposite of what I think is a safe variance. I also happen to prefer the side loading strips from a purely ergonomic perspective.

If Little is a little more co-operative about bigger blood samples, then try out a meter with the .5 blood sample requirement. Someone else here was using a meter called Diathrive (not sure if takes .3 or .5 sample). It runs on a subscription but takes a small sample and the video I watched with comparison testing of it with other popular meters was encouraging. Might want to have a peak.
 
Funny you say that about the side testing area on the strip. I ve never tried another but it seems that side would be more ergonomic. All the others look as though you have to hit some weird middle spot Was in the supermarket today and there was a giant sign in the pharmacy that said “ask us about diabetes” so of course..... in any case the meter pictured is inexpensive and the strips are really cheap at .4 ml sample. I asked where the testing area was and they seemed to think it’s the whole grey area on the strip. My gut says it’s the middle only but what do I know
Anyone know anything about this meter? Strips are $9 for 50 and readily available at stop and shop. But all that doesn’t matter if it’s not accurate. Thanks again guys!!.
 

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MrWorfMen's Mom said:
Not really other than you will know you are getting readings that are more accurate because while the Insulinx and Freestyle strips used in the AT2 meter are close they are NOT as accurate as they could be IF they had been batch tested and you had the right code set on your AT2 meter. My personal testing of the Freestyle strips in the AT2 meter did not give me the comfort level I sought (I freely admit to my perfectionist streak:rolleyes:) and you will always have strips that work in both meters should one of your meters decide to crap out at an inopportune time which we all know is when anything that can, decides to go awol. Just food for thought. I understand wanting to get costs down. I tried a less expensive pet meter and found getting the larger blood sample was a PIA partly because of my girl's black fur but also because she doesn't like to give up anymore of her blood than is absolutely necessary. I also found that meter read high at low levels and low at high levels......the exact opposite of what I think is a safe variance. I also happen to prefer the side loading strips from a purely ergonomic perspective.

If Little is a little more co-operative about bigger blood samples, then try out a meter with the .5 blood sample requirement. Someone else here was using a meter called Diathrive (not sure if takes .3 or .5 sample). It runs on a subscription but takes a small sample and the video I watched with comparison testing of it with other popular meters was encouraging. Might want to have a peak.
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I have an AT meter and am looking at Freestyle Freedom Lite which appears to be the exact same (human) meter. I guess only difference would be the human meter should not ask to set the control number? I have some Insulinx strips, which I will continue to buy, they seem to be cheaper than the Freedom Lite strips and we know they are one and the same. My question is how do you handle control solution? Can AT control solution or Freestyle control solution be used interchangeably as it is likely the same as are the strips? It is basically sugar water anyway, I am just wondering if the AT and Freestyle control solution is actually different, or just the range listed on the bottle? If the same, the Freestyle control solution is half the price, as is everything else Freestyle vs Alphatrack. Would be nice to have one control solution that can be used for either meter. I have AT control solution opened 12/26, so that is supposed to be tossed at 3 months, which just passed. I still have new vial AT strips and don’t want to have to spend $20 on control solution for that vial, would rather get Freestyle control solution if it can be used interchangeably for AT or Freestyle meter.Thoughts?
 
While it's nice to have control solution if you suspect your meter is not working properly in reality, you can test yourself with a human meter and probably make just as good a judgement call. Control solution simply tells you that meter is working within a range of numbers and the range is quite wide in most cases (some meters have multiple control solutions for low, mid and high range BG). The manufacturers tell you to check with each new vial of strips and I quite frankly think using the control solution has more to do with ensuring the strips are working than the meter and of course it's a good way for the meter makers to make money. If it was a crucial step in ensuring accurate glucometer use, it would seem the solution would not only be readily available which in most cases it is not and also minimally priced. I'd be very surprised if more than 25% of the diabetics in this world use control solution on a regular basis and I'm sure there are a lot of them that don't even know what it is.

I've tried the AT2 control solution on a Freestyle meter and it came up within range but whether the reading would have been the same with Freestyle control solution I have no idea.

The AT2 branded meters, strips, lancing devices and control solution are all more expensive simply because they are being marketed as a specialty product. Funny how Abbott makes it look like the control solution is so important by including it with the AT2 meter but they don't supply it with their human meters. In fairness, because the AT2 meter has to be coded, control solution might cue you to fix the code if it was set incorrectly and for that reason IMHO control solution was probably far more important back when human meters also required the right code to be set for each vial of strips.
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
While it's nice to have control solution if you suspect your meter is not working properly in reality, you can test yourself with a human meter and probably make just as good a judgement call. Control solution simply tells you that meter is working within a range of numbers and the range is quite wide in most cases (some meters have multiple control solutions for low, mid and high range BG). The manufacturers tell you to check with each new vial of strips and I quite frankly think using the control solution has more to do with ensuring the strips are working than the meter and of course it's a good way for the meter makers to make money. If it was a crucial step in ensuring accurate glucometer use, it would seem the solution would not only be readily available which in most cases it is not and also minimally priced. I'd be very surprised if more than 25% of the diabetics in this world use control solution on a regular basis and I'm sure there are a lot of them that don't even know what it is.

I've tried the AT2 control solution on a Freestyle meter and it came up within range but whether the reading would have been the same with Freestyle control solution I have no idea.

The AT2 branded meters, strips, lancing devices and control solution are all more expensive simply because they are being marketed as a specialty product. Funny how Abbott makes it look like the control solution is so important by including it with the AT2 meter but they don't supply it with their human meters. In fairness, because the AT2 meter has to be coded, control solution might cue you to fix the code if it was set incorrectly and for that reason IMHO control solution was probably far more important back when human meters also required the right code to be set for each vial of strips.
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Also if you get an oddball super high or low reading, you are going to test with a 2nd strip anyway. I also think the control solution is more for strips than meter and if you are going to test with another strip and the next one is more in line with a BG you were expecting you are fine anyway. As for the new vial, which is the only time I have used the control solution, not sure it is really necessary other than to identify a whole bad vial and I think odds of that are pretty low. Also, how do you know if there is not a possibility that the control solution is off for some reason?

Thanks, I think it makes sense not to worry about buying another bottle, or maybe the FS bottle if unusually cheap with another order.
 
Julie and Honey said:
Also, how do you know if there is not a possibility that the control solution is off for some reason?
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You don't. I used the control solution I got with my AT2 meter well beyond the 3 month expiry and never had the meter read outside of range. Was it reading right?.....don't know. The control solution range on the AT2 is so wide that even if the control solution was losing "potency" it might still register within the test range.
 
Idjit's mom said:
Thank you Larry, I had missed that post. Darn it! Getting real tired of the replacing of products that work with something new, just for the sake of "new"? Guess that's the name of the game, keep 'em (us) having to buy something else.
Click to expand...
our Walmart here tends to get the "last of the batch" stuff -- when I checked today, there were Confirm test strips still on the shelf, but the Confirm meter -- which the website showed there should still have been 1 in stock -- wasn't there though there was a space on the shelf where it might have been
 
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