I just heard on the radio that there will be a new test for us to use in home to see our 3 month A1C. I know my Dr. already has it and can see what a 1 month BG is but does anyone have that test device in home yet? Also I looked into the 'watch' that checks wour BG all day. I know that the regular way of pricking ones finger must also be used with the watch BUT does your insurance cover this 'watch'? Glucowatch? Think that was its name. Oh and I love the Novopen. The needles are painless much better than BD syrenges.

The "A1C Now" tester is on the market now and a bit pricy. It is a one time use, then throw away. Check with your pharmacist to see if they have it. It may be necessary to get a prescription if insurance might pay for it.

Do an internet search for the above and learn more about it.

Marie

Red,

The price of the watch is not the main thing. The cost of the pads are, wher they get you. It is not as yet completely reliable.

JohnBen.

JohnBen, that's what I figure. When something new comes out the item is pricey and not to reliable. Need some competitors to improve on it. But then blood glucose strips aint cheap either.

My diabetes support group got a presentation on the glucowatch a few weeks ago from a distibuter's sales rep. She said that, although no insurance companies currently include it routinely in their coverage, many will cover it if your doctor fills out a medical necessity form, which is available from Sankyo, the distributer. I assume that would include the cost of the sensors, which cost $8.50 each and have to be changed every day. The sales rep said that the glucowatch is accurate, but the readings lag those from finger pricking by about 20 minutes.

The A1cNow test kit is now available without a prescription, but as Marie said, it's kind of pricey. The price ranges from $22.95 each for a single test kit to about $10.90 each if you buy 10 at a time ($108.95 for 10).

[This message has been edited by moderator2 (edited 12-26-2002).]

The A1cNow test kit is now available without a prescription, but as Marie said, it's kind of pricey. The price ranges from $22.95 each for a single test kit to about $10.90 each if you buy 10 at a time ($108.95 for 10).

Pricey? How much is a doctors's office charge plus drawing the blood sample, and sending out to have a professional lab cost? Many times more I'm sure...

I find the A1cNow tests to be very reasonable...My last four uses of them have been pretty consistent, so I feel I can trust them to be pretty close to real lab results...Maybe not perfectly, but close enough to monitor yourself on a regular basis...They are certainly reasonably priced to allow someone to test more frequently...

GreenWing
Georgia, USA

Red -

I know that one sample does not a test verification make, but I tried the ChoiceDM Home A1c test kit that you are talking about. You can get it for under 20 dollars at your local Walgreen's or other drug store. Check the ChoiceDM website and get a 2 or 3 dollar coupon, too.

Well, I tried the test about 10 days before a scheduled HbA1c workup at my doctor's office. Both tests (home and doctor) showed mine to be 6.4. Had I been smarter, I could have done the home test an hour before I went to the doctor's office, but I was really interested in seeing how I was doing.

I was impressed enough that when I was placing a book order at the "Big Woman" bookstore, :wink: I found the ChoiceDM kits a their site and ordered 2 more. I think they were $16 there, and my shipping is free.

Hope this info helps.

wb