ReliOn Confirm human meter???

[Teddycaregiver]

Hi all, My newly diagnosed cat Teddy and I are working together to control his diabetes. I took him to the vet today to test him with the meter I use against the vet's machine. There were almost 100 points difference, with the vet's machine results being the higher number! I had read that my ReliOn Confirm meter was good to use on cats because it was supposed to be accurate enough. Now, after this vet visit, I'm confused. I can easily do the home monitoring, but need to have confidence in a meter. How long do those ReliOn meters last before starting to break? I used it 3 years ago with another diabetic kitty for about 3 to 4 months until he went into remission, with no meter problems then. Would appreciate any advice on how I can proceed with my caregiver job here at home. TIA.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Human meters and pet meters are calibrated differently. One isn't really better than the other - they are different. It's like comparing Fahrenheit to centigrade. Pet meters typically run higher than human meters and the difference becomes very pronounced at higher numbers. The big advantage of using a human meter is that the strips are way less expensive than those for a pet meter. The other advantage is the most of the dosing methods used here are based on a human meter.

FWIW I used a human meter, a Bayer Contour, for 6.5 years with no problem.

 

[Teddycaregiver]

Human meters and pet meters are calibrated differently. One isn't really better than the other - they are different. It's like comparing Fahrenheit to centigrade. Pet meters typically run higher than human meters and the difference becomes very pronounced at higher numbers. The big advantage of using a human meter is that the strips are way less expensive than those for a pet meter. The other advantage is the most of the dosing methods used here are based on a human meter.

FWIW I used a human meter, a Bayer Contour, for 6.5 years with no problem.

Thank you for your info. Yes, I would prefer to continue using my human meter and strips, but I need to have more confidence in those numbers without wondering if they are truly accurate. Which do you believe: the human meter or the pet meter or the vet's machine?? The vet is trying to have me come in each time Teddy needs a sugar test. Difficult (and expensive) to shop around for a vet to work with here! I will be insistent on home monitoring to avoid so much stress for kitty and to save money.

 

[Sarah&Soph]

I had the same dilemma when I switched from the AlphaTrak to the ReliOn Prime. I was sooo worried that the numbers on the human meter weren’t “accurate” and trying to compare the two just made it worse. I finally had to just decide to stick with the human meter and it has been perfectly fine

 

[Teddycaregiver]

I had the same dilemma when I switched from the AlphaTrak to the ReliOn Prime. I was sooo worried that the numbers on the human meter weren’t “accurate” and trying to compare the two just made it worse. I finally had to just decide to stick with the human meter and it has been perfectly fine

That's what I think too, but what's confusing is that they say the normal glucose range for cats is 60 to 120. So which method should I rely on most with this normal range in mind? I tested my other cat (who's not diabetic) to actually test my ReliOn meter, and it said 62 which seemed too low. I am guessing I should add to this meter's results each time but not sure how much.

 

[Sarah&Soph]

That's what I think too, but what's confusing is that they say the normal glucose range for cats is 60 to 120. So which method should I rely on most with this normal range in mind? I tested my other cat (who's not diabetic) to actually test my ReliOn meter, and it said 62 which seemed too low. I am guessing I should add to this meter's results each time but not sure how much.

If you’re using a human meter, normal range for a cat on insulin is 50-120. For a pet meter it is 68-150. Non-diabetic cats can be lower, sometimes even in the 40s.

You should not add or subtract anything to the readings, just accept the number that you get as the “real” number. There is too much variance between meters, even using the same meter with the same drop of blood, to be able to do this safely or reliably. The best thing to do is to pick the meter you’re comfortable with and can reliably afford and stick with that meter and the appropriate range for it. Otherwise it will drive you insane!

 

[Teddycaregiver]

If you’re using a human meter, normal range for a cat on insulin is 50-120. For a pet meter it is 68-150. Non-diabetic cats can be lower, sometimes even in the 40s.

You should not add or subtract anything to the readings, just accept the number that you get as the “real” number. There is too much variance between meters, even using the same meter with the same drop of blood, to be able to do this safely or reliably. The best thing to do is to pick the meter you’re comfortable with and can reliably afford and stick with that meter and the appropriate range for it. Otherwise it will drive you insane!

Sounds smart. Thank you!

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Keep in mind, given the prevalence of diabetes, human meters need to be accurate. True, we're testing a cat! However, there are differences in feline, canine, and even ferret blood. (We've had ferrets on the board!!) The issue to me is more reliability and consistency -- are you getting reliable and consistent readings from whichever meter you opt for. There will be a difference between your numbers at home on a human meter and the values in the vet's office due to the difference in the ways a human meter or a pet meter or a serum chemistry analyzer that's calibrated for animals as well as due to the stress your cat will experience just from being at the vet's office.

If you will be using Lantus or Levemir, the dosing methods we use are based on the use of a human meter. The Tight Regulation Protocol which was developed for these 2 insulins was published in a leading vet journal and the methods were based on the use of a human meter and home testing.

And I agree that it's expensive and generally useless to bring your cat into the vet's office for a curve. Most cats are in higher numbers at the vet's office than home. This can lead to the vet suggesting too large of a dose increase given that the numbers are artificially high.

 

[Teddycaregiver]

I'm using ProZinc and am going to continue using my ReliOn Confirm human meter for home monitoring. Teddy's reading tonight before his shot and food was 325. I'll test again tomorrow at 8 and 8, and maybe the middle of the day too at peak time.

Also, the vet wants to do a fructosamine test in 3 weeks. I had another diabetic cat a few years ago, and this special test was never suggested for him. Is this test really worth another vet visit and more expense for my kitty now?

 

[Sarah&Soph]

I spent A LOT of money on fructosamine tests and honestly the only thing they’re good for is the initial diagnosis. It’s a test that essentially tells you the average BG over about two weeks, so it can’t tell you anything about how high or low your cats BG is. If you’re home testing, there’s really no need to take your cat in for any type of BG related tests

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

If you are home testing and have sufficient data, there really isn't any need for a fructosamine test. The test is an average of your cat's blood glucose over about a 3 week period. (It's very similar to a human's hemoglobin a1C test.) I would suggest you save your money!