Out of Strips!

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tcmeowmixtc

tcmeowmixtc

Member Since 2017
Hi everyone,
I'm very disappointed in myself for not counting the number of test strips I had. :( I have 5 left for my alpha trak 2 and I ordered some more on Amazon, but even with 1 day shipping they won't be here until Tuesday. His numbers have been all over the place lately and we are switching his diet so I want to keep a close eye on him.
Any advice on how to use these strips? Should I just test 4-6 hours after to make sure he's not too low?
 
tcmeowmixtc said:
Hi everyone,
I'm very disappointed in myself for not counting the number of test strips I had. :( I have 5 left for my alpha trak 2 and I ordered some more on Amazon, but even with 1 day shipping they won't be here until Tuesday. His numbers have been all over the place lately and we are switching his diet so I want to keep a close eye on him.
Any advice on how to use these strips? Should I just test 4-6 hours after to make sure he's not too low?
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If you have prime amazon delivers on the weekend.

Your curve is much too steep... It's causing the preshots to bounce up. I would lower the dose to 2 for a few days and see if you can get the preshots down. Yes I would test mid cycle for those two days while you wait
 
Hi. When I bought my AlphaTRAK on Amazon, in one of the reviews, someone said that the Freestyle strips work with it. Maybe you could get some of those at a local store to use until the others come. I have not tried this myself, so I cannot personally vouch for it, but here is an excerpt from that review:
"When I received the FreeStyle Freedom Lite Tester it was the EAXCT SAME tester, same packaging, same carry case, test strips looked the exact same (even had the butterfly on it), made in the same place, even looks the EXACT SAME. So I thought maybe the FreeStyle test strips will work on this AlphaTrak tester. Here where it gets great; they say you have to enter the code of the strips in the machine to match up. The test strips I had from AlphaTrak was an 8, the FreeStyle Strips was 16. On the AlphaTrak there is no code 16! It skips right over it! I am assuming purposefully because they don't want you to do this. SO, I left it at number at 8 and tested both strips (8 and 16) one after the other on my cat on this tester. Same... exact... glucose... level...."
 
I think that on this site someone that the strips for a human brand meter will work in the Alpha Trak. However I do not remember which brand of strips were used. If someone here can give you the brand, you could purchase some of them at your local pharmacy to use until the strips you ordered arrive. Otherwise if you have a Walmart nearby you can buy one of the Relion meter and strips and keep it as your backup meter. They are not expensive meters and strips and are very reliable.
 
FreeStyle Lite test strips can work on the AT2 meter but if she chooses that route, we recommend having AT2 strips to do some side by side tests. They aren't 100% the same as AT2 strips :)
 
I do have prime, but it still won't let me get it until Tuesday.

The vet I went to on Thursday told me to adjust the insulin on how much he eats and to not change a dose unless I check with them first. But based on the curve I think I'm definitely going to go down to 2.

Thank you for the other options! I will look right now!
 
In a pinch I've gotten them from my vet... They charged like $60 though. I considered or $10 stupid tax for not having a backup bottle.
 
Lisa and Witn (GA) said:
Otherwise if you have a Walmart nearby you can buy one of the Relion meter and strips and keep it as your backup meter. They are not expensive meters and strips and are very reliable.
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Will these meters give me the same results as the alphatrak even though it is for human use?
 
tcmeowmixtc said:
So, my mother has diabetes and has an old One Touch Ultra 2 and test strips. Would this be okay to use?
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Yes you can use a human meter. They run lower than pet meters, esp at high numbers but are similar at lower numbers. The scale for normal is 50-120 on a human meter and 68-150 on a pet meter.
 
Thank you for the information.

I've changed to 2 units for his PM dose and his behavior has improved. He's begging for food again and very alert. Hopefully his AM preshot won't be as high as before.
 
Yong said:
They aren't 100% the same as AT2 strips :)
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Actually they are the same strips however the ones marketed for the AT2 meter have been batch tested to determine which code will produce the most accurate animal lab equivalent readings. As an interim measure, leaving your meter on the current cat code and using the Freestyle Lite strips is better than no strips even if you don't have enough AT2 strips to do comparison testing. I'd save the AT2 strips you have in case you should have a low reading you want to double check until your new supply arrives.
 
MrWorfMen's Mom said:
Actually they are the same strips however the ones marketed for the AT2 meter have been batch tested to determine which code will produce the most accurate animal lab equivalent readings. As an interim measure, leaving your meter on the current cat code and using the Freestyle Lite strips is better than no strips even if you don't have enough AT2 strips to do comparison testing. I'd save the AT2 strips you have in case you should have a low reading you want to double check until your new supply arrives.
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Ahh so it's like if you have two bottles of test strips and take a reading with one from each bottle, they're not going to be exactly the same. I knew that :facepalm: :facepalm::facepalm:
 
Yong said:
if you have two bottles of test strips and take a reading with one from each bottle, they're not going to be exactly the same.
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Exactly. We know of 6 cat codes so with the FS Lite strips you stand a 16.7% chance of having the most accurate readings but you'd go through a lot of strips trying to determine the right code for each bottle of strips.:rolleyes:
 
Indeed, I was kind of tired so my default response was to maybe wait to try out FSL strips but forgot I read she was completely out :facepalm:, so yes they would have been better than no strips :D. Need to carefully read late night postings lol.
 
I use freestyle lite strips in my AT2 and find they work exceptionally well, with only 1-2 points of a difference. I was very confident using them.
I did always keep AT2 strips just in case I wanted to spot check, double check or during a hypo event - even saying that I would be happy enough using them during a hypo too.
My local chemist did me a bit of discount on them £10 off so that was nice!

Edited to add you need the freestyle lite strips not the freestyle ones.
 
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