Nova Max Plus - any thoughts?

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Beck and Philly

Beck and Philly

Member Since 2018
I am intrigued with the idea of checking ketones with a BG monitor rather than urine. I downloaded the meter comparison chart from this site and the Nova Max seems like an affordable option that does it all. It also uses a small blood sample for BG.

I don't see many folks mentioning it on the forum. Any observations/ thoughts welcome.
 
I think I have seen @Amanda and a Loudogg mention using that meter for ketone checks.

I use a Keto-Mojo. If you buy one of their 'founders' kits, you can get ketone strips for 99 cents each 'for life'. https://keto-mojo.com/collections/shop-now I like that you can buy the strips in a three pack of vials with 10 strips in each. I do not have to check for ketones often, and this greatly extends the life of the strips vs buying a vial of 50 (which they also sell for those who check very often).
 
I do use the Nova Max! I do like it, although the strips are expensive when compared to BG strips, about $1 or so each. I got the meter and strips from ADWdiabetes.com (there was a free meter with purchase of strips deal). You only get 10 per vial, and they come in a box of 20. Really at the end of the day, I cannot tell you the relief I feel being able to test for ketones at will. It has saved me a lot of stress and I would not go back to urine ketone strips only.

FurBabiesMama said:
I use a Keto-Mojo. If you buy one of their 'founders' kits, you can get ketone strips for 99 cents each 'for life'. https://keto-mojo.com/collections/shop-now I like that you can buy the strips in a three pack of vials with 10 strips in each. I do not have to check for ketones often, and this greatly extends the life of the strips vs buying a vial of 50 (which they also sell for those who check very often).
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I've never heard of that meter! It sounds like a good deal!
 
I hear that! Here is the free meter deal I used (I just bought ketones strips): https://www.adwdiabetes.com/product/20784/free-nova-max-glucose-ketone-meter. One thing to keep in mind though, while the Nova Max is just fine for ketone testing, I think the design would be annoying for BG testing multiple times a day. It doesn't really allow you to hold the strip in until you're ready to test (if you put the strip in, the meter will turn on and the countdown will start). It's probably not a big deal for most, but my current BG meter lets me put the strip in without pushing it in all the way, which is nice when setting up. I think I'm just used to having that option. Also, I don't know if it might be different for BG strips (you can't get both values with one strip, which would be amazing if you could), but the meter does not allow you to add more blood if you're short. That can be annoying also when you're trying to avoid wasting strips.
 
I use the Nova Max, it comes in very handy. The strips are exspensive. But I don't test alot because her numbers have been so low. But it does bring peace of mind. :)
 
JanetNJ said:
I just recently got the keto mojo... Seems to work good but needs a big sample
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I reached out to the company about sample size before ordering mine, and this was their response: "0.5 micro liters equivalent to 1/5 of a drop. this is 50% less than Abbott meters like the precision extra." Compared to the .3 the AlphaTrak takes, it does seem pretty big, but it is pretty good for a ketone meter.
 
I just ordered a NovaMax for $12. I started to buy some aquarium gravel to use in the litterbox and figured the money and hassle of that would make the $12 + strips seem reasonable. Right now I am not super concerned about ketones with Grandpa's appetite good and numbers coming down slowly. I'm just trying to be prepared. Thanks all!
 
I'm glad Grandpa is doing well! :)

Re ketone meter: I have a Freestyle Precision Neo but usually use the urine dip strips. The Neo's test strips are very expensive and take a significantly larger blood drop than my Freestyle Lite glucose meter. However, I can usually get a good drop from Teasel's ear and I can see the strip sipping it up until it signals its readiness to give a reading. I only used it when he was ill last month and didn't want to wait to catch him in the litter box.
 
Kris & Teasel said:
I'm glad Grandpa is doing well! :)

Re ketone meter: I have a Freestyle Precision Neo but usually use the urine dip strips. The Neo's test strips are very expensive and take a significantly larger blood drop than my Freestyle Lite glucose meter. However, I can usually get a good drop from Teasel's ear and I can see the strip sipping it up until it signals its readiness to give a reading. I only used it when he was ill last month and didn't want to wait to catch him in the litter box.
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I have the Neo as well. Does it test ketones? I stopped using it since it needed so much blood. I was wasting tons of BG strips. I never considered that it might have a ketone option.
 
Beck and Grandpa said:
I have the Neo as well. Does it test ketones? I stopped using it since it needed so much blood. I was wasting tons of BG strips. I never considered that it might have a ketone option.
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I'm in Canada so there might be a difference between the Neos. Check the instruction book that came with it. Should be in there. A box of 10 ketone strips for it costs $25+ CAD so I wouldn't use it regularly.
 
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FurBabiesMama said:
I reached out to the company about sample size before ordering mine, and this was their response: "0.5 micro liters equivalent to 1/5 of a drop. this is 50% less than Abbott meters like the precision extra." Compared to the .3 the AlphaTrak takes, it does seem pretty big, but it is pretty good for a ketone meter.
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The drop is huge on a cat ear. And they give no time to squeeze more out before it gives an error. I messed up two of the tests yesterday.
 
Beck and Grandpa said:
Teasel is such a unique and cool name. How did you come up with it?
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He and his two siblings were what I call my "gift with purchase". When I bought my current horse in the fall of 2010 at a place called Teaselwood Stables they were three 3 month old barn kittens that came home with me. I'd lost my 18 year old kitty a few months before. So Teasel, his brother Woody and their sister Meadow are named after the stable and its environs. Wonderful kitties they are too!
 
Kris & Teasel said:
He and his two siblings were what I call my "gift with purchase". When I bought my current horse in the fall of 2010 at a place called Teaselwood Stables they were three 3 month old barn kittens that came home with me. I'd lost my 18 year old kitty a few months before. So Teasel, his brother Woody and their sister Meadow are named after the stable and its environs. Wonderful kitties they are too!
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Awesome story!
 
Thanks for this insight, everybody! Just bought the NovaMax using the deal on that website to check River's ketones — she is a stealthy beast when she goes to pee.
 
Paigeworthy said:
Thanks for this insight, everybody! Just bought the NovaMax using the deal on that website to check River's ketones — she is a stealthy beast when she goes to pee.
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Hooray! I've found having a blood ketone meter on hand is a lifesaver. Lou was never shy about me being around him when he's in his litterbox, but it was a pain trying to catch him in there when I needed to do a ketone test. I've had a time or two since buying the meter when I've been worried about him, but I was able to just test and find out what his ketones were at that moment. Love it!
 
Amanda and a Loudogg said:
I've had a time or two since buying the meter when I've been worried about him, but I was able to just test and find out what his ketones were at that moment. Love it!
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Yep, this exactly! It's not so much that I couldn't pop in there if I caught her, but I'm such a nervous wreck about her crashing into DKA again that I want to be able to check her on demand.
 
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