Wasting test strips...makes me so mad!
I have the Bayer contour, for the most part I love it. My biggest issue is if you don't get enough blood on there right away it gives you an error signal and the strip is wasted. It just ticks me off to no end, its like taking a dollar and lighting it on fire! Anyone else have this problem and a similar reaction?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kristina on -
It doesnt matter what meter you use if you dont bleed it wont test -_- Ive run into those problems all the time. You just need to pick the right spot and hold it really. I dont use my fingers to test anymore but my thigh instead. There is a diffrent type of head peice you can swap out to thats clear that allows you to draw blood from other places other than the finger tips. Have you thought about moving your test sites? I use the PDM for omni ( freestyle ) to test my sugars. Ive been through accu check, one touch ( from the original to ultra 2), free style and another one that at the moment flee's my mind. Im very picky with my meters...freestyle and one touch I found out is great for needing less blood to check your sugars. Maybe looking into a new meter might be a better idea as well.
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Permalink Reply by Misty on -
Do you always test in the bathroom? Or do you not wear pants? The thigh seems like it would be the hardest place to test logistically!
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Permalink Reply by Akilah Jordan on -
I use Freestyle Flash, which only needs a little tiny bit of blood. Through the mail-in script option, it's 75 cents a strip, so the savings add up over time. Still way expensive, though. But very little blood is needed. I haven't had a single error since I switched to this brand a couple years ago, and it's still running on the original battery...good luck!
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Permalink Reply by Misty on
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As much as I love the OneTouch for looks I am considering going back to the Freestyle (either Flash or Freedom -- I have both) just because of wasting the strips. I wasted another one this morning. I thought the drop was big enough but it wasn't!
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Permalink Reply by John on -
I use Precision Xtra and haven't had any problems, I think it's fast and your able to add an additional droplet if needed.
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Permalink Reply by Tim Neill on -
Yeah, using the OneTouch UltraSmart. Sometimes I get "Error Code 5" when checking my levels. It's frustrating when you're looking at all the "blood sample sizes" on the chart at the drug store. What they need to do is double it! There's no way that you can squeeze that microscopic amount of blood from your finger without wasting a test strip. You should be able to send back the strips to the pharmaceutical companies and get a refund. But then again, that's probably a biohazard and it'll cost you for shipping. Costing you more money than what it's worth. Maybe they should come up with some sort of frequent buyers club...just a thought.
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Permalink Reply by michael on -
Check out the wavesense line .I use the "jazz" and its allmost imposable to waste a strip , pluss there way beyond the around 20%percend acuracy that the FDA allows these companys to adhere to.
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Permalink Reply by Patrick Hebert on -
I'm with you on that one Justin!! I wish there was a way to suck the blood back out & start over if you mess up.... wonder if there will ever be a reusable test strip... naw, with a 900% mark up the money's too good for reuse. :(
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Permalink Reply by Zoe on -
The thing I noticed with the Contour is that if I didn't check when I put in the strip, the screen didn't come up and then I get an error message. Ugh...
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Permalink Reply by Teena on -
Unfortunately for me, the Accu-Chek Advantage II Control also shows an "E" or error reading when the blood in not enough on the strip It makes me angry too since it costs me about $45 ( 2500 in pesos) per one 50 pcs canister and my insurance does not pay for it. I just make sure I have enough blood before nserting. I usually use my pinky finger too since by personal experience...it draws the most blood as compared to my other fingers.
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Permalink Reply by debb on -
i've noticed that if i'm cold it will take longer to get the blood to come up. especially in the index fingers.
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