Using different vial for strips?

Is it safe to use one type of strips in another type of vial?

I just noticed that the vial for my backup meter (Freestyle Lite) strips is quite a bit smaller than the vial for the Contour USB that I use. I think the vial for the OneTouch strips is even smaller than the Freestyle vial, if I remember correctly from when I used it.

One of the things I don’t like about the Contour USB is the HUGE vial they put in there. I don’t understand the point of having a tiny meter if it’s paired with an enormous vial. So I was wondering if it would be safe to use a Freestyle or OneTouch vial instead, and just keep refilling it with new strips (replacing it, say, every six months or something)?

Shouldn’t really be an issue. They do recommend that once you open a vial of test strips that you only keep the strips for 3 months, but I’m not sure how much that really plays. I know that myself I use far more strips than what’s in one vial in much less time than that so I would never have an issue. :slight_smile:

Sure, why not? I have a similar experience switching from the Aviva to the One Touch. Very small strips in a largish vial makes it really hard to get them out. Also the One Touch only put 25 strips in a vial compared to 50…what a waste! Except when I tried to throw 50 in the same vial it made it even harder to get the little guys out!

I think at least for lifescan strips they state that strips shouldn’t be placed in a container other than their original but I’m not sure why (the statement may be there for cya reasons only). Myself and other diabetic runners have placed a few strips in a plastic bag to do testing on the run and it seemed accurate for me. Another strip container is probably even better than a plastic bag.

I believe most test strip vials are coated with a material that acts as a dessicant and keeps the test strips from getting humid. As long as you store them in a fresh test strip vial it is probably fine. But I would not keep reusing a a vial for months as the dessicant will probably be as good as an old wet sock (and I mean that in a nice way).

Good idea. Just keep swapping out the vial every 3-4 months as you use the strips. Probably the best way to guarantee your strips stay good for longer.