Meters

Anyone use a one touch veto meter? I am looking at one. Nancy

I used to use a One Touch Verio. I found that the readings were not very accurate or repeatable (meaning if you took two readings in a row they would be quite a bit different). The problem got bigger when you were over 150 (8.3). The big display was nice though.

The Verio meters are not bad, but you can get more accurate meters. I use the Contour Next One which I find to be good for me. My son uses the Contour Next USB.

I gave my old Verio to my Dad who tests infrequently (he is not diagnosed yet) and it works well enough for his infrequent use.

1 Like

I’ve not tested the One Touch Verio. But your comment that “two readings in a row could be quite different” could be the result of incorrect testing. Our blood sugar is not constant throughout our bodies or from minute to minute. The ONLY way to ensure you are testing ONLY the meter/ strips, is to run tests on a single large drop of blood. I’ve gone into more detail in several other posts, so I won’t go through all the details again here. It’s certainly possible that the Verio/strips are inaccurate, but I’d want to run a proper test before concluding that.

Errors do get a bit larger as the absolute value of BS increases. If we think of error as a percentage, the percentage of a big number is going to be greater. However, my test results in the 150 range have been pretty spot on.

Also, if I have really high numbers, I’m less concerned about the accuracy. If my BS is at 220 say, I would take four units of insulin (assuming no insulin on board.) But the chances of sticking a perfect landing four hours later are pretty slim. It will be close, but I will need to check again when my sugar drops to a range where the meter will be very accurate. Also, I would take four units, not 4.3 or 4.6. Unless you are taking fractional units, your correction may only be correct to one digit of accuracy.

My insurance only covers one touch . I am looking for something that syncs with my iPad giving me more information. I thought the screen and information would be helpful for me. Nancy

I have used the OneTouch Verio for years. A recent 2016 study found that the VerioIQ was among the best of 17 meters tested and ranked third behind the Contour and Starstrip. The MARD (a measure of systematic bias) overall was only 7.1%. Below is the result of that study:

Hm. The AgaMatrix JAZZ is second worst! Considering that the One Drop meter I’m using is that meter in pretty “clothing”…

… though, to be fair, I also own an AgaMatrix JAZZ - and it does seem to be more off than my One Drop meter, plus, my One Drop was spot on target with my endo’s office last week - so I’ll hang tough! :slight_smile:

Brian,

Thanks for the graphic. Certainly a much different picture than the one published in Sept 2012 which is still floating around. I personally gave up on the Verio meter several years ago because of cost/perceived accuracy/ and personal ease of use and significant quantity of strip errors. I went to the Contour Next USB because I could get strips on Amazon for pennies (600 strips/$80) and I was able to get all the reporting data without purchasing a $40 proprietary cable. Now that I have insurance again (Thank YOU Mr Obama!) I am using the Freestyle meters - my insurance prefers them so my overall cost is lower, and they have a copay card which lowers my cost down by an additional +50%/month.

1 Like

I kindly disagree with your statement about “incorrect testing”. When I started to use a CGM, I had to do the two blood tests in a row thing for the initial calibration. I used a single large drop of blood. Always washed my hands to make sure that they were clean because I wanted to get the initial calibration right. With the Verio the numbers were usually different by about 10-15% when below 180 (10) and 20-40% when over 180 (10) (as expected - and yes it is not a good idea to calibrate with a high blood sugar). With the Contour Next, the numbers are generally very close - roughly 0-2% difference – and usually I get the same number for both tests.

With the Contour Next, the CGM began to be more useful as the calibrations were better and the meter generally agrees with the CGM during “flat” period.

I agree with this. But with the Verio, once I was over 180 (10) it was pretty much a random number generator for me. So for example I would feel high and do 3 tests in a row and get (and this is a rough recollection) something like 200 (11), 300 (16.6), 250, (14). So which number do you use? :slight_smile: I use a pump now so I would be taking fractional units but when you have a difference of 100 (5.6) it is easy to get the dosing wrong one way or another. The Contour next also has less accuracy at higher numbers, but the numbers are generally more repeatable and in my opinion more accurate.

The good news is, after some changes (CGM, Pump, getting rid of the Verio :slight_smile: ) I rarely see a number over 180 anymore…

I think everyone has their own priorities when selecting a meter. Mine used to be “smallest meter possible” followed by best design for meter case. Some people may select a meter based on what strips their insurance covers, or and easy to read screen, etc.

I was trying to be polite in my response by saying the Verio is not a bad meter, but there are more accurate ones on the market, if accuracy is the number one priority.

1 Like

The experience of @AE13 matches exactly my experience with the Verio. The two start-up readings for my Dexcom were sometimes close together but often farther apart than I was comfortable with. Based on this study shared on Diabetes Daily, I switched to Freestyle Lite and I was very impressed with the repeatability of readings. IMO more consistent meter results lead to better CGM results.

The recently published evaluation of BG meters by the Diabetes Technology Society showed that the One Touch Verio failed according to its criteria.

I thought that the Verio was a beautiful meter and given all of Lifescan’s advertising that it was so accurate, I was really surprised when I did not have great results with it. I have arthritis in my hands and I found it difficult to get the strips out of the vial. Plus they tended to stick together. At the same time, it was fine and if it was all that insurance would cover, I would use it.

4 Likes

Thanks,it does get confusing. I loved my bayer contour but they won’t cover it. Just ag rivaling. Nancy

I’ve been using the Precession Express. That’s what I was issued. They used to have the Acua Chek then went to the Acua Barrel ones with what six lancets in them? I loved those. But now they issue out the Precession Express instead. Sucks but that’s what they get.

Not bad hate those damn lancets that I get to use. I could go buy the ones for the Acua Chek pen I have but so far have decided to go with what I have.

It is too bad insurance plans don’t let us have a choice of meters. One that we want to use. Nancy

I’ve used the One Touch Verio for about a year and am happy with it. Only occasional glitch is my pharmacy always has to scramble to refill my test strips, most of their customers seem to still use the One Touch Ultra.

The download option with the Verio lets you plug it into a computer and print off all your test results in various formats. I used that data to win an insurance appeal fir a CGM.

After reviewing the meter evaluation linked above (Thanks Laddie!) and looking online at prices for test strips, I realized that the insurance copay for my Verio test strips exceeds full retail price of strips for some potentially more accurate meters.

So I will be trying a few other meters and, if I get good results and if the meters are user friendly, might make a switch.

2 Likes

I would stay far, far away from any meter by One Touch unless you absolutely must due to insurance reasons.

Here is a link to a Diabetes Daily repost of the 2015 Consumer Reports Top 10 list of blood glucose meters when they tested them for accuracy and consistency. https://www.diabetesdaily.com/blog/2015/06/consumer-reports-glucose-meter-ratings-2015/

When looking at blood glucose testing systems (meters & strips) the test strip has more to do with the accuracy level and for something like the Bayer Contour Next that is #3 on the list, The Contour Next USB, Contour Next One and the Contour Next EZ would all give comparable results to the standard version of this meter.

If you must pay out of pocket for strips, PRICE IS NOT AN INDICATOR OF QUALITY. Up & Up (Target’s store brand) is #6 and ReliOn (Walmart’s store brand) is #8 on the top 10 list. Both of these have strips that are less than half the cost of more well known diabetes brand products.

The origianal Consumer Reports article didn’t publish the test results for any meters that were not included in their top 10 recommendation. I would pick one from the Top 10 list and avoid anything that is not on the list…even if it may have been #11.

I have to say, I’ve used One Touch products for years. And for the last 5 years or so, the VerioIQ. I also have followed closely the studies of meter accuracy, most specifically those reported in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology. The Consumer Reports article has some real issues and the fact that it didn’t even cover the One Touch VerioIQ should not be a reason to conclude that the Verio is a bad meter. In fact it rates very highly in the DST studies. For my detailed comment on the DD article by Ginger you can read it here.

1 Like

I don’t plan to transition away from One Touch any time soon, in part because that’s what I get from my insurance. But more importantly, my One Touch Ultra Mini tracks VERY closely with four other meters I have or have had. This included two of the meters on the “top ten” list. So, if those are accurate, I believe the One Touch is also. Note that I am NOT talking about the Verio, since I have no experience with that.

I contacted Consumer Reports a few years back and asked about their criteria for “Excellent” vs “Very Good” or “Good” regarding accuracy and precision. They explained that this information was proprietary and could not be shared. I asked them a few other questions and found their response somewhat unsatisfactory. While, I’m a long-time subscriber to Consumer Reports, I don’t rely on their ratings alone.

1 Like

When I used OneTouch, I was happy with the accuracy, which matched up nicely with my lab results. I did not like the large samples, etc. My insurance since moved me to Accu-Chek, which took me some time to become “less disappointed” with - though I love their lancing device! Lately, my insurance wants me to switch back to OneTouch, but I’ve tired of UHC calling the shots, which is why I was using LIvongo last year and One Drop this year – these are driven by MY decisions.

We have so few decisions left that we can make ourselves – I’m glad to have one that I can!

I can’t speak to the accuracy of the VerioIQ product. I don’t know if in preparation for their 2015 article, Consumer Reports tested that meter and strips. Unfortunately the article only published their top 10 list and not the test results of all meters/strips that they tested. In terms of the One Touch Ultra Blue that I had such unreliable test results, it has not been discontinued and is the only option on the formulary list covered by a major health insurance company. My question about the DST studies that you site is who commissioned the study? Who funded the study? I know the Consumer Reports tests products were conducted in independent labs and received no funding from any company involved in the manufacture or sales of the products tested. Your suggestion that the Consumer Reports article is obsolete doesn’t make sense. The meters that made their top 10 list are all still available. Are you suggesting that the meters that made the top 10 are no longer of the same high quality that Consumer Reports found them to be in the 2015 independent lab testing?

I am not a health care professional so I don’t spend much time at all reading medical journals for the latest and greatest info. That is why I go see a doctor for instruction in my treatment plan. I also have no financial incentives for encouraging selection from the Consumer Reports list. But your dismissal of the Consumer Reports article combined with your singular push of the VerioIQ makes me question if you have a financial interest in people using this meter.