There are a ton of these out there. I’m currently using the bayer contour next and the only reason is that it pairs up with my medtronic pump and I don’t have to enter the sugar into my pump as it does it automatically. However, I find these meters needing a lot more blood than the accuchek that I used before it.
I don’t know whether there has been any advancement in BGM in the last 4 years. Is there one you prefer? The bayer meter I use needs no calibration.
Accu-Chek meters and Contour meters both require a sample of 0.6 microliters, except the Accu Chek Compact Plus (1.5 microliters). I use a Contour Next and I like it. It’s also consistently rated as one of the most accurate meters.
The Contour is among the most accurate meters, probablythe most accurate.
Accu-Chek in my experience reads slightly lower and is slightly less consistent, but is very thoughtfully designed. The FastClix lancet is the absolute best (although you can obviously use the lancet with any meter). The lancets are always contained in the drum so you never have them rolling around accidentally sticking yourself or someone else. The Accu-Chek strip container is also great. It’s easy to open and you can’t accidentally spill strips.
My insurance only paid for Accu-Chek so I switched from Contour. The loss of accuracy is small and doesn’t make much difference to me personally and I appreciate how well designed the system is.
Contour Next because my model communicates the readings to my Medtronic 670G pump. Though my Endo needs to request special approval Every year, the test strips have no copay under my Medicare Advantage program.
I also use Contour Next, which is not covered by insurance. But relatively low cost when averaging 1 Bg/day and using Dexcom G6.
It is very accurate based on several studies, and I have double checked using 2 tests on same drop of blood and typically are within a couple points and close to Dexcom.
I second @MM1 's comments. I buy strips on the net and find the accuracy\ consistently of readings to be very good
I use the Contour Next. I find it is VERY accurate. In fact, I check the meter every time I have blood work done. When they draw my blood for a BMP, I use a drop of that blood and check my sugar with the meter. When I get my results back, the Contour Next has never been more than 2 points different from the glucose level on the BMP. Also, it is a more affordable meter. My insurance only covers 1 brand of test strips and the copay is more than paying out of pocket for Contour Next strips.
I think there is a new one out (well not that new because i think it came out over 12 months ago) called the contour next one. I just ordered one, will see how that goes.
I find my contour next link (with the medtronic pump) needing more blood. Alot of the time it counts down to give me the reading, and tells me my strip is underfilled and to use a new strip. Its 4 years old now so I think it’s kind of gone a bit wonky. The reading seem fine and I love that it syncs to the pump and not need any calibration.
Have they removed the callibration insertion piece from the other brand meters? Accucheck used to need to stick a piece of plastic with a chip in.
Countor next rocks. I also really like the Accu-Chek Glide is cool beans. I only use the Accu-Chek FasClix Lancet. That dude rocks even more
I don’t know of any meter currently available on the market that requires calibration. The last meter I had that did was a one touch meter and in the last year I was using it all of the strips were the same code anyway but I would assume that any of their newer meters phased that out as well.
I use a freestyle lite because that is what my insurance pays for but I prefer the contour next/next one. BTW, they have the same accuracy but the next one is just nicer looking. I have also used the meter provided with the Onedrop service and it was also very accurate and about the size of a usb memory stick.
The real accuracy of a meter actually depends on the strips it uses so contour next brand meters will all have basically the same accuracy, freestyle meters, one touch, etc.
I’ve used the Freestyle and Contour over the years and like the Freestyle the best. The problem is my insurance keeps changing the brands they cover every few years and now it’s Onetouch and so I had to change to it and do not like there meters. I can test and retest and they can be up to 20 mg/dl different! I also don’t like the delay after I put in a stick before I can apply the blood. They have newer meters don’t have this delay but from what I read they still are not very accurate.
I use a OneTouch Verio Flex as this is what my Medicare insurance pays for.
Nancy50
I use Contour Next because it produces very consistent readings and seems to be the most accurate with the smallest systematic, bias towards low readings. I previously used Freestyle Freedom and ran duplicate finger sticks for multiple weeks. The Freestyle test strip gave results 12% higher than Contour Next.
My insurance only covers the One Touch. Problem for me is that I am anemic and the One Touch has been shown to read higher than actual. This resulted in my making corrections for high bg’s I wasn’t experiencing. My 12-15 fingersticks a day made for bad decisions. The meter was often 40 - 80 points higher than my Dexcom. I have managed to be on the invitation list for Endo CME and I go! One of the topics was the issue of the accuracy home monitoring meters. That’s where I learned about the One Touch issue. I purchased a Contour Next (rated highest for accuracy) and using the same sample compared the Contour meter, the One Touch meter and my Dexcom. The CGM and Contour were within 2-5 pts of each other consistently. I can’t afford retail for 12-15 fingersticks a day (the health plan refused to cover any other meter. They did offer one alternative - a One Touch for those with vision impairments - that’s not gonna help). I’d consider myself lucky if my health plan covered Contour. I did reach out to Bayer-Ascenia to offer my story if they wanted to include it when it is time for the RFP with my health plan.
I have been using a pump for about 30 years and a diabetic for 40. I am in my late 70’s and have used many meters. Being on Medicare, the only CGM covered as of last year was Dexcom. I tried it for a year and it just wasn’t accurate enough for me. I switched to the Libre 14 which is covered by Medicare. Interestingly, Medicare would not allow the use of the smart phone apt with Dexcom but does with the Libre. The Libre seems to be quite close to my Bayer Contour next link.
Medicare does allow smartphone apps with Dexcom. Please fact check. Cheers.
I always try to maximize the benefits from my insurance plans, with a few exceptions here and there, for meters, I try to research the one they prefer that also uses the least amount of blood…however, I currently rarely use the meter after 2018 due to the relatively affordable libre/blucon/miao miao combo… I was on the Dexcom g4/g5, but was told by blue cross/ shield that although it was covered last year, your company has decided to use a different health plan where it is no longer covered, and prior authorizations won’t help due to the plan, your only hope is your corporation’s hr department… good luck…with my current Insurance, the Dexcom would roughly cost me $3650 per year, and the libre will be $240 for 4 90 day pharmacy copays(had to have a medical necessity letter From My dr) and about $200 for the miaomiao2, so I chose the miaomiao2…I hope you are using A Cgm, if not, many Insurance companies have prior authorisation games you can try to play, or many pharmacies have access to libre coupons where it’ll cost about $70 for 2 14 day sensors which is probably barely more than the test strips
I am wearing Freestyle Libre. Love it
No finger sticks,faster
I need to know if anyone uses Novolin R I just started using this insulin; It lasts longer is cheaper
Less amount of lows.
Tell me what you think
Karen Slatus
Definitely not. I used it for 27 years (a drop in the hat compared to some around here.) Personally, I think it’s best suited to those with gastroparesis, or any other condition which makes you digest especially slow. You’ll often see the R method (usually mixed with slower acting NPH) described as the “eat now or die” regiment. It is very slow to start acting, but hits hard when it does. You must dose well in advance, and then be ready to eat the moment your insulin starts dropping your sugar. If you don’t eat at that exact moment, you will plummet like a rock. This is why we did “carbohydrate exchanges” when that was the only insulin available. You had to learn to eat the exact amount of carbs your insulin dose demanded. And those doses were usually generalized, not specific to your desires or food needs. You ate to whatever dose you were assigned (plus we were given a sliding scale to adjust high blood sugars), rather than the modern technique of dosing for your meal.
That’s not to say R isn’t still a viable insulin choice. I used it up until three years ago because I couldn’t afford the terribly expensive analog insulin. I was in the weird middle ground where I made too much money to qualify for any assistance, but still couldn’t afford the insurance premiums, let alone the healthcare expenses on top of it. It is definitely a more dangerous means of controlling your diabetes, though. You’ll see comments all over this site about “surviving” the R days, but almost nothing about thriving then. Personally, I NEVER ONCE had an A1c below an 11 until I switched to analog insulin.
You have some significant advantage over those of us who used it before CGMs or FGMs were available, though. Also, my perspective is from Type 1. I’m not sure what you are, but if you’re still making your own insulin and only need a little help, that too might minimize the disadvantages.
They allow it now, but didn’t to begin with.
The series of government-logic decisions that led to the original decision, and the trouble that Dexcom went through to explain how it REALLY works (vs how Medicare thought that it worked) makes you want to bang your head on a wall.