What's your favourite glucose meter, why?

Yes, it’s the same strips as the old Contour. I just downloaded and installed the software and it’s great. Now I can start up the software and then plug in the meter and off it goes. So I’m even happier with it now!

I suspect they used the Java to make it easier to port the software over to other operating systems. I’ve installed the software onto my Mac which makes it easier for met to use, as I can start the software up and then plug in the meter. Not exactly autostart but it works. My GP is good but always defers to the diabetic clinic. They just want printouts and don;t care about the meter itself.
The joys of doctors!

" They " are offering free bee’s now…Contour USB . As a matter of fact one of the Pharmacy technicians from Safeway called me last week , that she has one available for me ; Shoppers Drug Mart Pharmacy has tomorrow a finger poking event and free A1C test for those , that live here in the area and sign up and a few chances to win a Contour USB !

I like my Animas remote, because of the Calorie king database, and I can bolus at the same time… BUT… I like the Freestyle meter better, because it’s small & it has a light at the bottom were you insert the test strip, so I can test in the dark…

:slight_smile:

-Yogi

The advantage of the 523 Revel pump over the 522 (or 722) which I know that you have is that meter readings are not automatically used to callibrate the CGM. After a reading is beamed to the pump, you are asked whether you want to use it to callibrate. The default is “No”, so that if you don’t respond, the reading is not used to callibrate. Only if you select “Yes” is it used for callibration.

I had never used my UltraLink meter until I got the 523 pump. I thought that I didn’t miss the automatic link with the pump, but now that I’m used to it, I think it’s the best. In fact, I’ve gotten to like it so much that I paid out of pocket for a 2nd UltraLink meter so that I never have to enter BG readings into the pump or into any spreadsheet. (I always use two meters. One in my upstairs bathroom and one in my purse for downstairs use and when I’m out and about.) One reason for doing that is that the crappy OneTouch software does not work with Windows 7 (nor did my USB cord for my Ultra2 meter) and I was very tired of pulling out my old and slow laptop computer whenever I wanted to enter my meter readings into Carelink. Now all of my meter readings are in the pump and easily transferred to Carelink now that Carelink is Windows 7 compatible.

I keep an UltraMini in my golf bag and only use it when on the golf course. One reason I don’t like it is that when I am really low, I have a hard time figuring out which way to hold it to read the numbers right. If you’re low, it can read 69 looking at it one way and 96 if you turn it over. There are some other numbers that work that way too. I can remember one horrible low being in the bathroom and not being able to figure out how to turn it to read the BG reading. I do better with meters that are more similar to what I’ve always used and the top is easier to figure out when one’s mind is absolutely fried.

I used Contour meters for many years for insurance reasons. I have a lot more trust in One Touch products. If I tested twice in a row with the Contour, very rarely were the results similar. Often they were 20-40 points different. Usually with One Touch, they’re within a point or two of each other. So I’m a happy camper with One Touch. The UltraLink is large and heavy, so if I were a guy and had to carry it in my pocket, I’d probably not be as happy with it. But in my purse or bathroom drawer, it’s not a big deal.

thanks for your feedback,It does seem the Ultramini has a problem.

as for the Ultralink,I’ not using the CGMS yet,but I don’t see the problem with calibrating.

I feel exactly the opposite even though I have no solid reason for it,I hate One Touch,feels like they’re too much into design and software more than accuracy,but I have nothing to compare them to seeing that I’ve nerver used a one touch meter.but the contour seems to be more dependable,I LOVE their test strips while I hate one touch’s.

I use the freestyle lite and love it. I have been a freestyle person for many years. Tried to switch to the One touch when I got my pump as it was compatible, but I hated it. It was big, used a gallon of blood and didn’t have a back light, which I use all the time.

I have switched meters many times and always end up going back to the OneTouch Ultra 2, I have two meters, that one and the OneTouch Ultra Mini, The mini is convienent to fit into a small purse or pocket when space is an issue and the the Ultra 2, for me is the perfect combo of features, the meal flags are great aswell as the chart tracking features. I also like the big screen and backlight, they are handy in the dark. Hope this helps.

I like the Bayer Contour USB. The reasons 1) it is always lit up when in use. 2) You just plug it into your computer for records and such. No cords. 3) The battery is rechargeable by plugging into a wall or your computer.

It is much more convenient and as small as a One Touch Ultra Mini.

While I don’t consistently use any of the meters your thinking about, I LOVE my Freestyle Lite meter. It’s small enough I can put it in my pocket, can connect to my computer, takes a teeny amount of blood, and the new test strips have little “straws” on the ends, that help suck up the blood. You can buy cute covers to go on it so it’s more you, instead of just plain old blue.

I am looking too. I liked my Freestyle lite but my pharmacy made me change to OneTouch Ultra 2. I have not been able to get a cable for it at all. I’m concerned about my future health coverage - for awhile i was out of pocket for strips - so I’m looking for the cheapest strips and the Target up & up which seems to be by wavesense has a good price. it looks like there may even be some hope for connectivity too. anyone with experience to share there? I’m seeing the big names represented in the thread so far.
also is it just me or couldn’t the vials be flattened out like tic tac boxes?

Onetouch UltraLink. It’s big and bulky, unfortunately, but it works with the pump, and automatically correlating those BG’s with the sensor BG’s is invaluable. I used to use the UltraMini, which I really loved (mostly because of its small size!) but I lost them (probably because of their small size!). One of my newest complaints about the UltraLink, though, is the OneTouch test strip vials. I’ve always gotten them with 25 strips in a vial (four vials per 100-pack) but now am getting 50 strips in a vial (1 vial in a 50-strip pack). I’m all for consolidation and eco-friendliness, but the only way to get strips out of a near-full vial is to pour them out in the palm of my hand and hope too many don’t spill out. I can’t fit my finger in there with 50 strips! But, such is life…

If you do try the Bayer USB meter, let me know how that works out. I’ve been curious, but not curious enough to pay for one!

You can get a cable for the Onetouch from Drugstore.com here: http://www.drugstore.com/onetouch-software-v2-3-2-cd-with-usb-cable/qxp165502?fromsrch=onetouch, if you’re willing to shell out $30 for it!

Freestyle lite uses the smallest drop of blood, if you do many measures you get about the same value, it’s small, you never waste a strip because it can wait a lot until you put enough blood without errors.
Strips are small but thick: i can handle them well. It’s the only one which has a light where you insert the strip to check in the dark, it has backlit LCD, only when you need it to not waste battery.

My first glucometer was an Aviva Nano: it uses 2 batteries but has a very readable display, it takes good measures (same values as Freestyle lite) but needs double the blood and sometimes it gives error for too much, too little blood.

Bayer Contour USB is really nice and easy to use. I don’t like its strips (small and prone to errors) and it happens it gives you wrong measures or measures lower then Nano or Lite.

Interesting about the strips - I switched from a OneTouch UltraSmart to the Bayer USB and, as I had some strips left over for the OneTouch, I did two tests for a week to compare. The results were within 3% of each other, with the OneTouch normally a bit lower than the the Contour. I’ve also had far fewer problems with the Contour strips than the OneTouch. Oh, the Contour also has a light where you insert the strip.

This is an interesting discussion - funny how attached we get to out meters!

An interesting option for you to consider if you don’t need the linked meter to your pump would be the

Contour USB… I used to use the One Touch Ultrasmart, but thought with the more frequent BG checks it used way too much blood…It comes with software you can use on your computer, and the screen is bright and lets you tag meals, plus it has a alarm to next bg test…as well…



Didnt like the mini. thought it was too light on features and no backlight



If you didnt want to go for a completely new meter im a fan of the Presto/Jazz meters from Agamatrix but the strips for the Jazz are a little hard to find retail (but the Presto strips are avalible at Target under their name)… Requires a propriatary cable but the software is nice… Not windows 7 compatible yet but has a lot of charts, and its pretty detailed…



Aviva is too big (size) and no backlight and no features… its really for a different audience

Accu Chek nano is cool but still not avalible in US, otherwise id use it because it would work with my pump software a bit better…(I have a Spirit)

Compact Plus is a nice screen, has tagging, but its just too big, and uses too much blood…



I do use the Multiclix (the accu check 6 shot lancing device), Its convienent, its smooth, and well made)



I don’t like the Freestyle software, and think the meter needs meal tagging, It does have a great sample size and strip technology… Some of them have testing alarms, some backlights, but NO ONBOARD TAGGING or some of the additional averages/standard deviation,etc)… And the response i got when i mentioned this to abott is well you can meal tag in software… Like i want to go through all my readings and tag them once they are uploaded… and oh yes they dont support windows 7 yet

Didnt know the Optimum Exceed did ketone testing… The Optimum Exceed is a relabled Precision Xtra meter… I do not think the glucose strips are interchangable…

Iv been using the Novamax Plus for ketone testing. Its not a great meter for glucose, but for ketones it seems to work fine…(its basically the old BD Logic glucose meter)…

Target up and up works with ZeroClick software… Softwares free to download, you can get the cable usually by asking Wavesense tech support nicely, At most i think it was 24$ so far most of the people who have just called and asked have gotten it…its not a standard mini usb cable…Also the Target/Presto/Jazz all use the same propriatary USB cable…Its not fully windows 7 compatible, but i use it in a virtual machine (avalible free with some versions of windows 7)

Favorite meter? They all kind of suck and perform the same function the same. I must have dozens of different meters (onetouch and freestyle and a ton of old meters that no longer have strip manufactures) - I keep them scattered (home, work, different bags). I highly suggest that you do not pay for a meter. The drug reps give them away to doctors in vast quantities. Save your money for test strips and get free meters from your doctor.

I hadn’t realize they were putting 50 in a bottle…when did they start this? I’m still getting 25 in a bottle. Though maybe my Walgreens hasn’t gone through its supply of 25-strip vials yet!

I use the OneTouch Ping most of the time (at home, usually take it to work with me as well), but have a backup OneTouch Mini at work, and keep another OneTouch Mini in my car.