So my meter (my first) is a one touch mini. Like it fine but it is seriously inaccurate. Getting a new one even if I have to buy it personally. Love input on the best one or two to go after based on accuracy and testing strip cost. This one is bouncing from 238 to 137 in one minute not the acceptable +/- 20. So I reviewed it online and apparently this is a common issue with this meter. I read freestyle was good? Thoughts on a good meter?
Thanks everyone!
I like the One Touch Ultra Mini too, it's smaller than the other ones and will fit handliy into RaceReadyShorts which are really handy for running. I don't have those sort of problems with differences in readings. Sometimes it's a bit off 10 minutes later but usually consistent with what's going on for me.
The Contour next EZ and the FreeStyle Freedom Lite would be the ones that I'd try. For some people the One Touch works fine but for others it definitely doesn't. I have a friend that has experienced the same problems as yourself.
I had that problem with OneTouch from the start. I refused to switch until I was forced to by the mail order pharmacy, and now I'm in love with my new meter.
I have the Accu-Chek Nano. It's smaller than the Mini, more accurate, has a better lancing decide, and its numbers are lit so I don't have to use my phone as a flashlight if I test in the dark. (I'd really appreciate a strip light, but that's a separate issue.)
In fact, I think I've had two inaccurate tests from the meter for the whole time I've had it (since late October). The two times I had to switch back to OneTouch for a few days were awful. I will never go back.
My daughter came home from the hospital after dx with a One Touch mini & UltraSmart. When she started on the Animas Ping, she used the One Touch meter/remote. I hated all the errors & wasted strips. We tried the Accu Chek Aviva for awhile & I loved it. She thought it was too big & clunky. For the past 3 yrs we’ve used the Bayer Contour USB. I like the software. She likes the size & cool factor. Bayer sent us a free Contour Next USB that we both liked but insurance won’t cover the strips so…
?? looking at the pics of it, it's not smaller than the One Touch Ultra Mini? I haven't perceived like the One Touch is inaccurate, although my A1C is a shade lower than the meter averages (as reported through my pump, I'm too lazy to check my meter...). To me, that's an ok tradeoff and probably more through reporting skew than anything else?
The Mini is longer, the Nano is about 1/4 inch or so wider. It doesn't look smaller, but it is. (As the proud owner of a purple Mini, a blue Mini, and an UltraSmart, I know the difference.)
I had multiple false lows a week with OneTouch. Everyone's different, but it didn't work for me. I gave up the graphs and averages and analysis of the UltraSmart and I still wouldn't go back--the accuracy, for me, is that much better.
Bayer Contour meters are excellent. I test mine when I get a lab test done and they are right on.
May I ask how you know your mini is seriously inaccurate Nosweettea??
I have read lots and lots of kudos about the Reli On meter, if cost is an issue.
Same with with me. The Contour meters are within 0.1 mmol/L when I go to the Lab. That's a "noise" error. I don't like the meters particularly but the accuracy rocks.
I had a one touch mini, which I liked a lot, it was pretty accurate for me. Then I switched to the ibg star so I could use it with my phone, I have all my records there in an app and I can email/print them from my phone, make custom tags etc. I don't think the accuracy has been tested on this one, but I think it's pretty good. I have several other meters also which the hospital and my endo gave me: bayer contour, and abbott freestyle light which I think Dr. Bernstein just rated as the most accurate. I may test that one against mine now if I can get some test strips for it. The IBG star has its problems, it's a bit fragile, but very small and lightweight, I have had a few break, but they always send me a new one. I have occasionally had some occasional inaccuracy with all of my meters at some point but it has not been persistant. The one touch I liked because the meter sits in a nice little case in the pouch and you don't even have to take it out of that to test. I still use the one touch mini lancet device and lancets because it is great for sensitivity to pain etc.: very thin lancets.
I loved the OneTouch meter's cases. I think Accu-Chek could learn a think or two from them about that.
I prefer the FastClix--I never thought I'd prefer something over the Delica, but I was wrong. This one hurts less and there are no teeny little lancets to change. I never used the Delica on a regular basis, though, so I used the mini lancing device. You probably won't believe me, but it takes me less time to change a drum of six than a lancet of one. AND I haven't stabbed myself under the nail, since I can't reach the needle inside the drum. (Am I the only one who's done that?) The drums take up less space and I don't have used lancets constantly spilling out of my case.
I still have about a thousand OneTouch lancets. My father uses them when he tests (1 time a day? Four or five times a week?), but honestly I think they're only useful for taking out splinters.
Definitely, those little plastic holders are great.
I think I have that one too, I have so many... and I think I used the fastclix and liked it but I found it very confusing to change the drums, as well as not being able to figure out if a lancet was used, back when I was changing them all the time. I gave up. I have also stabbed myself under a nail, not sure how I managed that, lol. And I have gone too close to the nail, so the blood all goes under my nail. I don't change the lancets that much anymore, I guess I'm getting lazy, I try to do it once per day at least now. Changing the lance is a pain for sure.
Trueresult (generic) works quite well for me and is cheap. I started with onetouch— the generic was an upgrade for me
My experience is that the Onetouch is about average on accuracy. I used Onetouch for about 7 years and just switched to the VerioIQ. A found good comparison study of meters last year that may be helpful.
I have to tell you, it took me a while to learn, but many meter errors are "operator error." I always am careful to wash my hands and have them be free of contamination as it really affects readings. That being said, you may just have a bad meter. You can test it using the control solution and it should give readings that are repeatable and acceptable. If it doesn't, Lifescan (and most companies) are happy to replace it for free.
I used to stab myself under the nail while changing the lancet. And I've stabbed myself too close to the nail and got blood under there, too!
I change the lancet every night--but when I was changing them every day, I changed them after I used them. After I got the hang of the drums, it was simple-- pull off the cap, pull out the drum, click in a new drum, put the cap back.
I saw a very interesting glucose meter called Dario. It looks super cool and comfortable. Don't think it is out in the market yet, but I definitely can use this small all in one system, especially when it works with my iPhone. anyone heard of it and knows when it is suppose to launch? on their website - www.mydario.com and on their FB page they don't mention any specific date
Dario is an Israeli company and the meter is not approved by the FDA for sale in the US. I've not heard anything about the timeline for that approval.
Brian - Thanks for the link to the study. I hadn't seen that yet. I'm currently using the Accu-Chek Aviva which performed well in this study but plan to switch to the Abbot FreeStyle Freedom Lite at my next strip reorder. I've started to do more double tests recently. I like it when the tests are within a few points of each other.
They claim it'll be available in the US and Canada in 2013 sometime. Judging by the lack of advertisement at this point, I'm going to guess that they haven't been approved yet.
I think it's a cute little thing, but I don't have a smart phone or an iPod Touch.