Glucose meter views! - Diabetes Message Board

DanUK · 02-25-2005, 04:37 PM

Hi there.

I now have two glucose meters (and I hope I'm not breaking any rules in this post! - I couldn't see anything obvious), these are the AccuChek Compact, and OneTouch UltraSmart.

Which do you guys prefer, any why?

I'm genuinly interested in how you guys have found them.

Regards,

Linda1629 · 02-25-2005, 05:51 PM

Hi Dan!

My daughter uses the One Touch Ultra Smart. She likes it and I bought the cable so I could download the information to the computer. That's okay but the log report prints differently than it looks on the computer screen. On the screen everything is nice and compact and you get one line for each day but when you print it you get one line for each READING....that makes for a lot of lines and a lot of pages! I called the company and they said that's just the way it is. That's probably the only complaint we would have.

How is the AccuChek? Does it require more or less blood than the One Touch? Where do you test? Do you always use your fingertips? My daughter now uses her forearm. Much less painful. I've heard of people using their wrist too but she hasn't tried that. The One Touch allows for forearm testing. Does the AccuChek allow for that?

vortech-bird · 02-26-2005, 08:59 AM

One touch ultra. The key to the meters is staying with ONe touch or accucheck, I have been type 1 for 18 years and they are the only two companies that have been around. The money is not in the meter its in the test strips. Either company will basically give you the meter with rebates etc.. What I have seen is that if a small company comes up with a better mousetrap one of these companies buys the technology. Minimed (insulin Pump company) Is testing a bloodless meter. You basicaly can insert a probe under the skin and it sends the reading via rf to the meter.

DanUK · 02-27-2005, 08:22 AM

Hi there.
Thanks for the replies.

The AccuChek Compact uses a 'drum' with 17 strips in it, so you don't have to physically insert a strip. It doesn't allow for forearm testing, just fingertips. I'm not sure on how much it requires, but my fingers bleed nicely so I haven't tried it with small amounts!

vortech-bird, how long do they think until this is brought out? I read about this before, and it's something like it will send a reading every 60 seconds wirelessly to the meter, and it'll yell at you if you go under a set level, or over. It sounds absolutely brilliant. If I remember rightly, it's just as painless as a fingerpricker test to insert under the skin, and it can remain there for 3 days or something?

Luckily for me, in the UK, I have a NHS (national health service) 'exempt' card since I was diagnosed with Type 1 which means I get everything free on prescription, including eye tests, foot examinations etc etc etc. Basically everything relating to diabetes, and the resources I need for it...

Many thanks.

blondy2061h · 02-27-2005, 03:14 PM

I have both. Both of mine allow for forearm testing. I like the Ultrasmart a lot better. The Accu-chek is big a noisy. The Accu-chek also requires a little more blood, and is a little slower. The meter I use most of the time is the Freestyle Flash.