I had a bad experience last night and want to share the important details with you. A week ago I received my re-order of pods and strips from Edge Park. The strips they sent me were the new version that have an orange label and have the little jabber things at the end to use less blood. I had a very very bad low last night and suffered through a pretty rough night of managing. This am I tried other strips monitors etc and saw MAJOR inconsistencies. I just called Abbott and was informed that the strips sent to me by Edge Park DO NOT work with the meter in the Omni Pod. This is currently being dealt with by Abbott and I do not yet know the outcome.
If you have recently received the orange strips from edge park do not use them you will get bad readings. My readings were off by as much as 55 points.
Wow, that stinks. I get my pods and Dexcom sensors through them. I’ve always used Walgreens for my other diabetic supplies so hopefully things like this don’t happen.
Thanks for posting this. I get my supplies from AetnaRxHomeDelivery, but they could make a unilateral decision to send the new strips too. I have enough problems staying in control - I certainly don’t need incorrect test strips to make it worse.
Could you tell us if we can tell from the outside packaging if we have the new strips or the old? I am just finishing up a three month supply of the correct strips and have received my shipment for the next three months. I’d like to be able to verify that they are not the new style strips.
They may have said that the strips do not work w/ the Omnipod, but I think that’s only a CYA until the FDA approves it. The new strips (w/ the pointy things on the side and the butterfly printed on them) were made backwards compatible (that’s my understanding at least) so they will work with any freestyle meter (at least in the U.S.).
Unfortunately, I can’t explain the large inaccuracies that you had. I have been using the new strips for a couple of months in all of my meters (freestyle lites, freestyle freedoms, flashes, and the omnipod) and have not seen the same inaccuracies.
I hope you’re able to get the issue resolved with getting other strips so that you don’t have any more bad testing problems–we’ve already got enough to deal w/ when we’re low so we definitely need equipment that’s reliable!
The box says New in red letters in the upper right hand corner. In the lower center of the box is a butterfly and right below it they say easier to use in red.
The picture of the strips on the box show the new area where you place the blood.
If you open the box and the containers have the orange label instead of white do not use them.
Interesting but they specifically read off the sheet that these are for the older freestyle and flash meters. I spoke with a supervisor and she definitely said do not use them with the omni pod or the freestyle lite.
I will keep you posted once I get a further response.
Are the new ones “coded?” I mean, does the package have the code number on it that has to match what the meter shows when you insert the strip? I think the Freestyle Lite uses different strips than the one in the PDM; they’re not coded.
The new ones are all coded to 16. Every last one of them. Even though the outside of the box says to only use in a “no code” meter (i.e. the Freestyle Lite).
Coincidence? I think not Why would they put a code on a no code strip?
Yes the new strips are coded. You have to match the code on the strip package to the meter. You are also correct that the freestyle lite meters are uncoded and they are different strips. I know because I have one of those as well. Interesting that the box I have says nothing about No coding and Brads does. Sounds like Abbott needs to get their act together!
Brad, the box you show says no coding required. I am pretty sure the meter in the omni pod needs the codes! The boxes I was sent do not have the No coding required as I would have noticed that statement and questioned the use.
Right. I’m not saying that you suddenly don’t have to code. But all the codes are 16, so put the omnipod (and any other coded meters) on 16…And then of course there’s no code to dial in on a meter like the freestyle lite, so you just stick it in and go (just like w/ the old strips).
I was wondering if this was the issue because I’ve been using the new shape with the butterfly in my OmniPod and haven’t had any problems. I think you just need to make sure that you get the regular Freestyle strips and not the Freestyle Lite strips. Good luck!
I can confirm the problem with the new strips. I just picked up my monthly supply yesterday, and was pretty psyched to use the “new and improved” strips. Then I read this discussion and, as I hadn’t opened my first box yet, decided to call Abbott. Sure enough, they said that for the “time being”, they recommend using the old strips (without the butterfly). I was able to return the new ones to my pharmacy, and they are ordering the old ones. Let’s hope Abbott doesn’t discontinue the old ones before figuring this out.
Incidentally, this is not just an Edge Park problem. Most pharmacies are starting to carry the new strips.
Interesting, my pharmacy gave me a container of these new ones and a couple of the old ones. I think I’m getting okay results, occasionally I use my other meter so I’ll continue to double-check. This might explain the 60 reading I got today and I didn’t feel that low at all ( I can still feel my lows).
I have been using the new ones with the butterflies. NOT freestyle lite, just freestyle new ones. No probs so far. Are people saying they are having probs with the new freestyle strips (vs new freestyle lite)? My impression is that you can’t necessarily even get the old ones at my pharmacy now.
I don’t think there is a new “freestyle strip”. I think there are 3 strip versions out there right now.
Old freestyle strips
(fits old freestyle meters, such as freedom and flash, and the omnipod). They only have one small black segment on the “meter end” and only say “Freestyle”.
Must be coded.
Old freestyle lite strips
(fit old freestyle lite and freedom lite, but is NOT compatible w/ regular freestyle meters). They have the black squiggle thing on them and say “Freestyle Lite”.
No coding required.
New freestyle lite strips
(with the new zipwik tabs–the pokey things on the side–and the butterfly on the strip; fits all freestyle lite and freedom lite meters, and my understanding–which could be wrong–is that they would eventually be approved for backwards compatibility with all freestyle meters, including the omnipod).
No coding (for lite meters) but also are marked with “code 16” on all vials.
There are “new” Freestyle strips. I got several boxes from my pharmacy, but returned them for the old Freestyle strips after Abbott told me they didn’t recommend using the new ones. So it seems there are new Freestyle and Freestyle lite strips.
Really?! Do the new (regular) Freestyle strips have the zipwik tabs (pointy sides)? Or how are they new? What did they look like? When I was at AADE at the end of the summer they made no mention of anything like that. Sorry if I misspoke!
Why would they put a code on a no code strip?