Has anybody tried the self test kit? It costs $25 and I don't know if that is for 1 use or multiple uses. My BG readings are from 70-150 and that is where my Endo wanted me. When I started insulin, my BG readings were 450-550 and my A1C was 14.5 and I felt awful. Two months later, I had blood work and my A1C was 10.Not great but an improvement. I would like to monitor the A1C every 2-3 months, without going to my endo. I feel terrific now which is nice ;-)
The test kit is for two tests, Beatricec. I think they are reliable and I like the convenience. But then my doctor wants me to get an "official" lab test so I've stopped using them. So you might want to see what your endo expects. Congrats on the improvement which is major! You should go ahead and do a test just so you can get excited! And don't forget to change your A1C on your profile when you do!
Err, ahem. HOw do I get to my profile? I tried the Home Page but that didn't help?
I have found the Bayer A1cNow Kit to be very accurate. Matches my previous month's Lab Test to within 0.2%. It costs me $175 for 10 tests.
Thanks. Done
I’ve used the relion home a1c tests from Walmart. Thy are about $9 for an individual test. They work well but you really have to get your finger bleeding pretty heavily to get enough to saturate the test swab… Then they get mailed off and the results get mailed or emailed to you about a week later. The Bayer tests look like they might be a little smoother operation, but I think they are also more expensive.
Our local drub store has the Bayer kit. So, I'll try it.
The BayerA1c ihas been found to be pretty inaccurate. The National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program (NGSP) program evaluates these tests and the BayerA1c just does not meet the standard. The Walmart branded Relion A1c test on the other hand is evaluated as being highly accurate. Although you have to mail the results off, it is still pretty fast and just as cheap.
Some think the Bayer is not accurate and others think it is accurate. I'll probably try it since my local drug store has it. My endo will probably want to do complete blood work which will answer that question.
I think you should do at least 3 months in between any testing to allow news cells to develope. I have used this test to also give myself a guide of how I am doing. Nancy
Yes, I agree.
The NGSP "certifies" by running reference studies. While they certified (i.e. evaluated the BayerA1c Now) as you can see the latest results, it didn't do well. For a reference reading of an A1c of 7.11%, it had an average reading on 16 sampled labs (and presumably hundreds of tests) of an A1c of 6.34%, that is an error of 0.74%. The BayerA1c is by far the worst method among all those evaluated by the NGSP. The one performed by the Relion test on the other hand employs the Roche Cobra Integra 800, which is top of class.
My endo said that these would be "fine", as good as the lab however when I looked at the box, I noted the 2 tests and buy another one and was kind of "meh" and read around and found a few people who'd had issues that sounded analogous to the "not enough blood" type of meter stuff which, if you only have two, would be really annoying.
I am also obsessed w/ numbers and if it went up a couple of points b/c of the change, it would bother me so I decided to stick with the lab.
I switched Docs and ended up with 2 Lab sessions, 13 days apart at the same hospital. The first one came back with an A1c of 5.5% and the second came back with An A1c of 5.0%. A change of 0.5% in only 2 weeks?? Me thinks not. I haven't a clue to how this happened. Kind of undermined my confidence in Lab tests.
I don't have much faith in home A1C test products. A couple of years ago, after my Dr. had their lab test my A1C it was 6.0%. I was curious to see what kind of accuracy I could expect from a Bayer kit which was only $30.00 for two tests. It indicated 6.8%. I contacted Bayer & their representative told me "Up to .9% error rate is acceptable." I found that really stupid; almost a full point error rate - especially when it says on the box: "Lab Accurate."
The problem with the relion test (I just did one moments ago). Is that they state repeatedly how important it is to get the sample applied perfectly, totally saturating the paper with no double applications or overlap, etc. it is essentially impossible to follow their directions precisely, which they say is critical… That being said I’ve made my best attempt at several and their results were pretty close to my doctors who also uses some kind of instant test apparatus in his clinic.
You know what? I am going to call my endo and see if his office will do a test.
Sam I've also had major trouble getting enough blood out. And, one was lost at WalMart after I sent it in.
I'm going to try it because the nurse at my geriatric doctor's office is not calling me even though my doctor assured me she would. ????? When I went to an endo, he told me what my A1c was before I left his office. I'm having a very hard time getting lab results at all from this geriatric. He insists patients supply a stamped envelope or else!!!! My endo never asked me to supply him with anything. I addressed an envelope he supplied and stamped. Weird. Am thinking getting my own tester and telling my geriatric doc to forget the A1c the next time he asks the nurse to take blood.
Oh, Yvonne, that's frustrating. I have not yet asked my endo or nurse for an A1c test. But I don't anticipate a problem. I will make an appropriate fuss if necessary. Can you speak to that nurse in person (with a stamped envelope in hand) and stand there and wait until you get a response? That is awful.