Right now I’m using my dad’s Accu-Chek Aviva but I’ve sent off for a free OneTouch UltraMini.
What kind of monitors do ya’ll use? Any opinions on the UltraMini?
i use one touch ultra 2 or ultra mini, i like them both, i keep one at work and then one at home. The only thing i don’t like about the ultra mini is i can’t download the readings to my computer as it has no data port
I use the Ultra 2 and I think it is ok but I am planning on switching to the Wavesense Keynote. most of the meters out on the market have an average of 15-20% variation. The Keynote states that it is more accurate than any other meter out there. I have had to episodes in the last year because of a bad reading before bed and therefore, I gave myself too much insulin. So I am switching for a little more piece of mind.
What meter we use depends on what is covered by our insurance at any given time. Personally, the one I like best for my daughter is the One Touch Ultra Smart II
This is not my opinion, this is fact: the freestlye flash is the best. It uses the smallest blood sample (by far) and is physically the smallest meter. It has a backlight for the display AND a light that illuminates the test strip for testing in the dark. It also has the widest temperature operating range. It does have a data port, although you need an adapter to use it with any computer made in the last ten years. I guess it lacks the nifty colors and advertising campaigns that OneTouch has.
Right now we are using the FreeStyle lite with uncoded strips and we have been very happy with it.I have had no problems downloading the information to my computer.
I really liked the One Touch Ultra 2, my numbers were always lower which made me smile. Now I use the Contour because of insurance. I have no major complaints. I’m also testing the Freestyle Lite, and I love the size and features, but hate the higher readings.
Hi Mandy. I also sent off for an ultramini. I really like it because of it’s size and fits real nice into my purse.
I was unable to keep using it because my insurance would not pay for the testing supplies. From my under-
standing a lot of the insurance companies are not paying for the supplies for One Touch but will pay for Accu-Chek
testing supplies. I’m just not sure why that is.
Right now I’m using the Accu-Chek compack Plus and really like it. Everything is right there. The lancet device is connected to the meter and the strips are in a drum inside the meter.
I’m using the One Touch UltraMini because they have neat colors… was using BD meters that went with my insulin pump. It’s been giving me troubles so I changed… I only had Pink Glow One Touch UltraMini since Monday… I like it!
I have two One Touch Minis (one at work, one for travel) and One Touch Ultra 2 at home. I found the meters to be accurate, but it seems to require more blood than Contour. I didnt like the freestyle because I found it not as accurate.
That is strange that insurance won’t cover the one touch strips as they are the cheapest strips out there. I use the One Touch and thank god I have no problem getting my strips.
You get free test strips? How because I would love to use my mini.
i use the One Touch UltraSmart. so it’s the best one i’ve ever used in my opinion. so i think the UltraMini will be the best for you
I use the Ultra mini and it is good.What I like best about it is you can go back or forwards to read your previous blood test.It is also small enough so that when I test it’s not that noticeable.And so what!If the person minds me testing my sugar that’s their problem.
There are a lot of people out there that just don’t understand what it is like to be a diabetic. Having to test before you eat, testing 2 hours after you eat. If I have to test where there are people are around and they are stearing I just simply say to them I hope you don’t mind if I test in front of you. Sometimes you can’t just get up and go somewhere else.
I currently use the OneTouch Ultrasmart, since I like being able to put in both my injected insulin (Humalog) as well as the large history…
Meters iv tried …and opinions
TheraSense Freestyle (Original model with dot matrix status display and the AAAA batteries (yech), not bad but 15 seconds for a high, was a bit too long, seemed always slightly off
Bayer Dex… Too much blood required and iv had misreads with this meter…
Bayer Glucometer Elite XL… Actually liked this meter… the strips in peel-away packaging was a mixed blessing… Wish they had the option for bottles… Lot of excess waste…
Accu Check (the original drum model)… Not bad, occasionally wasted strips from the barrel… tendency for the trap door to click open and end up wasting a strip on reload…
Lifescan… One Touch Basic (OUCH… i could never get enough blood for this one… used it till the electrochemical meters came out such as the Fast Take, and then the One Touch Ultra series)… The Fast Take was a bit twitchy… Ended up using the One Touch Ultra II and Utrasmart as my current primary meters
Hemocue B-Glucose… Its big, its rechargeable, it takes a lot of blood, and its supplies are expensive… Its really a professional device… BUT the readings are always DEAD ON… Is considered the reference standard for a lot of glucose meter and device trails… Wish the cost and availability (the 201 was supposed to be avalible for consumers but doesnt seem to have gone anywhere)… the curvettes (reservoir blood is collected in. no drops here people) are about a dollar US a piece…
In-Charge by :LXN… (discontinued)… Liked this meter for doing Fructosamine testing…(google for info… basically its a shorter term A1C-like test in laymens terms)… Its glucose meter didnt use much blood and used a blotter-like strip, similar to Lifescans SureStep, but the fructosamine strips took a LOT more blood and took a LOT of time…
Agamatrix’s Keynote and Jazz… Iv seen a demonstration of the Keynote… I like it… was NOT avalible except relabeled through one of the major mail-order pharmacies on TV… forget who… Now its more accessable im very interested in trying it, but will probably wait for the Jazz… with RF technology… (Bluetooth)… dealing with unplugging/plugging the meter every time you dump it can get a bit tiresome, esp if it locks up periodically (…iv had a few meters from this maker that have eventually done this)… so this could be a really good motivation to dump the meter more often
Iv had excellent customer service dealing with Lifescan, Roche/Accu, and Therasense… I DID NOT like Bayer Diagnostics customer support people (kinda a sucks to be you attitude, its not a bug its a feature atitude)… Just food for thought when considering a meter…
If your thinking of getting the Ultra Mini… wait a little…
There is supposedly a version of the Ultra Mini with data functionality… Cute, small, and can upload! 
Dunno when it will b in stores but theres even a software upgrade for Lifescans software already to support it.
-John
Well since I first replied to this, I have now switched meters to the Precision Xtra. I like the small size of it, it doesn’t start checking your blood sugar until there is enough blood on the strip and it will also check your blood for ketones with the right strips. Ketones show up in your blood faster than it does in your urine.
I’ve been using the Aviva for a couple of years now, and I just bought (a few months ago) the software to upload my results and put them into useful graphs/charts/etc to really identify any trends. I use separate meters for work and home, and this software allows me to combine the results of both very easily.
I just received the Ultra Mini in the mail a few days ago. I ordered it b/c my insurance co. said they would cover more of the cost for strips. So far, I have no complaints. I like the size of the little zippered pack it comes in…fits in my purse nice and the lime green color is pretty cool for this Irish chick. I went to the pharmacy tonight to buy the strips and 200 strips cost me $25. Not bad considering 200 Freestyle strips ran about $75. Geez, these insurance companies have us by the nads.