Anyone else?
First - they put them in the bottle upside down, with the deposit side up, which means it is more likely for them to return error if you touch them too much or hands are wet, etc. SO, first thing I do is remove all of them and turn them upside down.
Second - THEY STICK TOGETHER!! In a teeny bottle!! So maddening!!!
Third - The receptacle is not deep enough to hold them in there straight, which can also lead to more errors
Fourth - Even with all conditions right and I’m giving it my full attention (and the wind at my back) - TOO MANY ERRORS!
Now, I am fortunate - I don’t pay for mine - but, I HATE WASTE and I hate that sometimes, when I’m in a hurry, I get errors because it was in there crooked or whatever. I just think, because we test so much (I test 10 x a day) it ought to be more robust and not so fussy.
Are you listening ONE TOUCH?
I am with you there! I actually called them a few weeks ago and complained. I told them that I could understand why they might go from 25 strips per vial to 50 in the same size vial (less waste, less material cost, increased revenue, etc), but how did they expect the user to get a strip OUT of the vial? Without failure, I end up dumping a few strips on the ground trying to get one out when the vial is brand new. Add to the fact that their machining process doesn’t make a clean cut of the plastic on the strips, so you end up pulling out a “chain” of them until they lose the battle with gravity and fall to the floor (or pavement). They said you never want to use a strip if it has come in contact with the floor/ground to which I said, precisely my point. I asked them to imagine how difficult it might be for a user with severely arthritic hands to be able to wrestle with their new vial and getting only one strip out!
I suggested to them a slightly larger vial or a small opening at the top (picture the large powdered coffee creamer containers) to somehow prevent the avalanche of strips. We will see. Times like these makes me miss my old Bayer Dex.
Good for you for calling them - NOT that they are listening, mind you. My own jaded view is that they are FULLY AWARE of these issues - but waste winds up making them more money…sigh…makes me crazy. Guess I’m not feeling very friendly or trusting of corporate America (based on recent history). I’m tempted NOT to use my remote meter and just use the pump itself and go back to a meter that doesn’t compromise my values!
I agree! And they cost more for me - I have the Ping Pump which only uses One Touch and my insurance charges me MORE for them! I can go back to Acu-Check but then I have even more GEAR to carry and then I can’t use the the meter feature on my remote with my pump. Totally stinks! I hope one touch is reading this.
My Ping just came yesterday & I was debating whether or not I would switch to the One Touch strips. I think I will stick to my Aviva - I like that meter.
Oh yeah, one more thing (#5) - the delay once you stick the strip in is TOOOO long - which also creates errors, say if you happen to be talking on the phone or whatever and don’t notice whether it’s ready or not.
Sounds like a good idea to me! Who makes that one?
I often use my cheapo Walgreens brand
It is an Accu Chek meter. I don’t mind carrying it with me since I can trust it. And I especially don’t like annoying strips or having to waste a lot of them.
I actually like both the One Touch and the Aviva test strips. It took me a long time to get used to the Aviva when I had to switch. I hated it at first though. I think like a lot of things if you know their quirks and work with it all you’ll save yourself a lot of grief in the long run. Now I’m glad to be back to using One Touch though. LIfescan was my first meter upteen million years ago and it’s the brand I’m most familiar with and trust. I think that’s based on personal preference though rather than anything objective.
One big disadvantage to using any other meter other than the Ping or other supported meters is that you may not capture all of your data. The Ping is advertised as a blood glucose management system and that’s done through the PIng and not the pump. EZ Manager will input manually entered sugars into the log book but the One Touch Zoom software that dr’s use does not.
Diana
With all due respect, I really don’t come to Tudiabetes to be lectured. I am not an RN or any type of medical person and I’m not responsible for someone else’s care - and I don’t work for One Touch or any other medical company. Do you?
I take my diabetes VERY seriously and don’t really like the implication that because I’m a “normal” PWD living my life, venting about the day-to-day frustrations, that I don’t take it seriously. Gloves? Really? Are you serious?
My last A1c (2 weeks ago) was 5.6 - I think I’m doing ok.
My idea of “pulling together” and “supporting one another” is different than yours. My point is this - we are consumers of diabetes products and our voices need to be heard in terms of pushing companies to make improvements that make our life with diabetes easier.
Yeah, I hear ya about capturing the data - but I have been manually logging everything for years, and then graphing data on the PC, so that doesn’t bother me. Like I said above, it must be working for me (5.6 A1c).
I agree with Cheri here. I don’t see anything in her post to show that she does not take this disease seriously. I also believe that sharing information about a product is pulling together. The fact that she is concerned about waste suggests to me that she is also a responsible person.
I also take this disease very seriously. I have gastroparesis but have managed to keep my A1c’s in the 5’s the last couple of years. I do that by checking my BS 18 times a day and paying very close attention to when my food decides to digest and matching insulin to food. I also have neuropathy in my hands and I don’t want to buy a product that is going to be impossible for me to use. It doesn’t matter how accurate something is, if you can’t get the strips out of the container, it is useless. I am also concerned about waste because my insurance company already spends a fortune on me and I am not into wasting stuff.
Thank you Cheri for sharing your frustrations with the strips - I also think it is important that we share both the good and the bad about stuff. What is important to one person will not be important to another. Being able to get strips out of a container is important to me when I have difficulty with my hands.
Thank YOU, Kelly - for understanding where I am coming from and saying it better than I could myself!
Cheri
That’s great. I’ve always admired people who keep manual logs as it’s something I tend to detest doing. It’s the best at capturing data though because the downloads don’t keep track of details.
My comment wasn’t at all meant to be a criticism of anyone just an observation. What I should have said is that you might not capture all of your data if you rely on downloading as I do.
Diana
Me three in that I didn’t think anything Cherie said implied poor self care. Just personal preferences and frustration with a product. I also believe that the people who most effectively manage their diabetes are those who incorporate all of this into their daily routine which is exactly the impression I’m getting of Cherie. Diabetes doesn’t wait for your undivided attention.
Speaking as an RN I also disagree with your comments regarding who I’d want taking care of me. If I was a patient I absolutely would prefer someone who multitasks taking care of me. Yes I understand that too much multitasking can be dangerous and contribute to errors but in my opinion tunnel vision is just as bad. There is such a thing as not seeing the forest because you’re so focused on one tree that you lose sight of all that’s going on around you. My belief is that the multitasker is much more likely to recognize a patient going south rather than someone who can only manage one thing at a time. I’d much rather have someone who is good at keeping track of the big picture taking care of me. I’m not saying you don’t do this also you may be excellent at this. I’m more pointing out that like anything multitasking has it’s benefits as well as it’s problems. Same with focusing on just one thing at a time.
Diana
Cheri,
Sorry I spelled your name wrong above.
Diana
Hi Diana - I know you meant no criticism and really didn’t take it that way. We all have our quirks and preferences, right? I have always been a “journal” type of gal (I write for a living), so it wasn’t a big stretch - I keep my log in a journal type spiral bound notebook and tend to include not just what I eat (and when), but when I exercise, all my BG readings (10-12 x daily), how I’m feeling, and anything else on my mind.
Sorry to hear you’ve had problems with One Touch Strips and meter. I’ve used their products since their original meter came out in early 1980’s. I had to teach myself to use it, (read and re-read the owners manual) as even the pharmacist who sold it had never seen one before. From that time I’ve had minimal issues with any One Touch Meter I’ve owned and now have the Mini, One Touch 2 and Ultra Smart. When I open a box of strips I shake the vial I’ll use to help loosen them from sticking together - it helps most of the time. Having had Type 1 for 35 years and testing 6 to 10 times a day (I use all 10 fingers) sometimes I don’t get enough blood in the strip and that’s my primary error/waste issue.
Cheri, sorry I don’t have experience or recommendations for the other errors you’ve had. I’ve had good help from One Touch representatives when I called the 800 number and asked them to have the local representative contact me to resolve a problem.
Penny
Thanks for the reply, Penny. The meter is ok - although I believe it is incredibly slow - it’s the strips I have a problem with and I assure you, it’s not a training issue. I also test 10 to 12 times a day. I’m thinking, based on the responses I’ve gotten, it’s a common issue. Maybe I should take this discussion outside the group as many people use One Touch who don’t have a pump.
Cheri, I’m confused by “incredibly slow”; is it getting the strip from the bottle, into the meter, and applying the sample that’s slow? I agree going outside this group may get broader input on the problems you’ve had. I’ll watch for the discussion. Penny