As far as I know, Insulet is still waiting for FDA approval for the new-style test strips (as per http://www.myomnipod.com/test-strip-update/)
Do you go out of your way to get the old-style strips or are you just using the new ones?
I tested the old and new strips each time I tested my sugar for a few days and my results between the 2 strips were never out of range. I’ve been using the ones for quite a while now with no problems.
Ahh, those stupid strips!
In my experience I get numbers 30-50 points lower on those new strips. I did some experimentation of my own and those were the results I got so obviously I just get the old strips. I don’t want to be making bolus calculations on inaccurate numbers. Some people though have no discrepancy so maybe there is something different with the PDM.
Anyways, after MUCH trouble, phone calls and possibly some tears I found out that Abbott still makes the old strips specifically for Omnipod users and they can only be purchased online through “Mini Pharmacy” or “Liberty Medical”. Just give them a call, tell them you use Omnipod and you want the Freestyle Classic strips and you’re good to go. No hassles they’ll get them for you. Plain and simple. Once I found that out it’s far easier to get those strips. I used to bounce from pharmacy to pharmacy stealing as many old strips as I could, and squirreling them away like…well… a squirrel!
So if you like the old ones that’s a hassle free way to get them but if you try and like the new ones I would go for the new ones. They require far less blood and are just awesome in general. I’m hoping someday they’ll work with my PDM or maybe a new PDM is in order. Who knows!
Good Luck!
We also use the new ones and I also tested them against the old ones with very little variance. Sometimes the new ones were a little lower, but I figure that didn’t necessarily mean they were less accurate - maybe they are just better and more accurate! Who knows. My rationale is that if Omnipod has already requested FDA approval, they think they work fine, and just needed separate approval since it’s a separate device. I could be wrong, but that’s how I rationalized it. : )
I’ve been getting them through Mini Pharmacy, until this month when my insurance company is saying I’m not allowed to buy these retail and must go through Medco from now on. I don’t think Medco have them, so I’m going to have to file for an exception. So many hoops to jump through!
I buy my strips through Medco.com, and your correct, they are not carrying the old ones. Personally, I haven’t had a problem with the new ones on my numbers or my PDM, my numbers between the old ones and the new ones were around 3 or 4 points.
I tested with both the new,the old and my one touch meter when I got my omnipod back in Feb. My omnipod trainer said there would be no problems udying the new strips but I tested between the 3 because of ask that I had read here. I was within a few points on all 3.
No problem with the new strips here. They test right along side with one touch and the MANY other meters I have. You should be fine.
Lucky you! Maybe there is something wrong with my pdm.
Maybe the people who are having issues using the new strips are people with older PDM’s. Mine was new in February, so maybe that makes a difference?
The new strips with the Omnipod seem to give consistently lower readings for me. They are still within control range, so I will use them with the pod if I’m out on the town and want to cut down on the amount of hardware I’m carrying around.
With the standalone Freestyle, I get the typical readings.
We use the new ones… they work great… from what I hear it is more "labeling and red tape that is holding off the FDA"
Not how they work. Something about the pamphlet wording that goes in the box.
I too, get my test strips from Liberty. I just started on Omnipod on June 10, 2011. I had not heard anything about the difference in test strips from “old” to “new” before I read this post. I ordered my new “old” test strips from Liberty on 6/14 and my order arrived yesterday. It was the “new” test strips, not the “old” ones that I had specified on 6/14. I called yesterday and told the Liberty rep that I received the wrong ones. She will overnight the strips to me and I can send the wrong ones back. I will admit that I have not tried the new strips in my PDM, but I just got a Freestyle Lite meter from Abbott, so I will try the Freestyle Lite strips in the PDM and I will see what I get for readings. I also understand that there are actually 3 Freestyle strips, the “old” one marked Freestyle, and Freestyle with butterfly, and Freestyle Lite, also with butterfly. Question: are the Freestyle Lite the newest that everyone is using?
Julie,
I also use the new strips. When I was first sent the new ones, I tested a new strip with an old strip for a bit to see and there really was no difference, so I just use the new ones.
Linda
I, too, get the new strips from Medco. I have compared my results to those I get on my back up meters. The results do not yield any real difference, so I just use the new ones also.
I just got my replacement “old” Freestyle strips and I looked at the box and compared it to the “new” Freestyle strips (with butterfly) and they have the same UPC code (bar and numbers on the bottom of box). i called Freestyle and could not get an answer as to why, if they supposedly are two different products. That may be why some are reporting that the butterfly strips work ok in PDM. The boxes also show the same NDC # and Cat No. The difference may be that the “old” strips are made in USA and the butterfly strips are made in Ireland?
I can only get the new strips from Aetna Rx Home Delivery. I didn’t do a comparison before I used up all my old strips. The new strips seem to be working fine for me. I go my PDM in September of 2009.
This whole “strip” issue in my opinion is much to do about nothing. I have used the new strips through three cycles to my endo, each three months apart. My Hba1c’s mirror my 90 day bg averages precisely. I don’t rely on the opinion of other Omnipod users or there experiences. I rely on science. The science tells me the new strips are fine.
The problem with getting the new strips through Medco is that they are tier 3 with my insurance, and I don’t think Medco allows you to use the Freestyle Promise card so that would be $60 per month for me. I just got approval to buy the old strips through a retail pharmacy seeing as Medco doesn’t have them. With my Promise card I’ll be paying $15 per month! Happy that my insurance is doing the right thing!
Hi Julie. Call the Freestyle Promise program support number listed on Your Promise card. They will mail or email you a rebate form that you can use with Medco orders, Takes about ten days for the rebate check to arrive but that’s pretty fast as rebates go. I’m in the same situation as you are. No idea as to why some test strips are listed as tier three, a test strip is a test strip.
Jeff