So I did a really dumb thing and bought a meter without doing proper research; because of that, I thought I'd do a product review so that you can hear what I think.
The Positives:
The meter was really cheap. I've seen some of my "friends" post pictures of their blood glucose readings from their iBG Star meters and I thought it looked like a nice meter. I found a really good deal on Walgreens and ordered it. I think the meter cost me $5, shipping included! Score.
I just discovered that I can use the meter WITHOUT plugging it into your phone. So, it is a very, very small meter. But don't forget the test strip vial and your favorite lancet delivery device AKA poker.
I did like the log book. That is easy to use, easy to read, and easy to make changes in my insulin and basal adjustments. I really like that. The graphs, logs, and statistics are all very easy to read and use. I can email my data to my HCP if he even has an email address and then we can use that at our appointment.
It's a crowd pleaser. Everyone loves that I can plug my meter into my iPhone and test my blood sugar. And it does a really fun graphic while it's processing.
The Negatives:
The strips are VERY expensive. I called my Endo and asked one of the nurses to call in an Rx for strips to my pharmacy company. Another mistake I made was that I did not look in to the price of said strips. I was charged $318.00 for 90 days worth of strips. My usual co-pay for 90 days (One Touch Ultra Link) is $50. So, wow. I was kind of shocked by that. Once I'd received the strips, I could not return them. So I was stuck using these expensive strips, hopefully making them last as long as possible.
I cannot use a case of any kind on my phone. I use the iPhone 4s. It is really not a good thing to walk around with my case off all of the time but this is what I've resorted to due to the fact that I don't want to be taking my case off an on 6-10 times daily. I know there's a case which keeps the meter plugged in all of the time but I OFTEN plug my phone onto a radio and listen to music in my home, office, and wherever I'm at. So.. yeah. Don't like that.
I really don't like haivng to charge a meter. Finding a battery, even a weird battery, every, what? 5 years? is FINE BY ME. But having to plug the meter in to charge, ANNOYING!
I don't like how long the meter takes. It technically only takes about 5 seconds to register a blood glucose, but you have to plug in the meter to the bottom of your phone (or iPod if anyone is still using one of those) and wait. It has to register the clock, register your last reading, and THEN it's ready for a test.
The graphic on it is pretty cool, but HONESTLY, I do not need a meter to do that. I don't even need a meter to be in COLOR. Just tell me the number.
There is no pump sync. What a pain in the butt. I hate having to remember the sugar, and scroll up or down to tell my pump what my reading was. Meters which sync to pumps are MUCH better. I know this may sound totally snob-ish but Diabetes is a big enough pain, devices which make it easier, I love you!
Errors. I've had more errors with this meter than with ANY OTHER METER I'VE EVER USED. When you're paying more for strips than you have for any others, that's just a real, big drawback.
The last thing is Apple's fault. The meter will not work with the new generation of iPhones and iPods due to the different port they've put on their new devices. iBG Star will have to go through the FDA again to get approval on a meter with the new port. That's really lame, Apple.
Overall, I think the meter is too much of a gadgety gimmick. It's not a practical meter at all. The cost is outrageous and I'll be happy when I run out of strips so I can go back to my old meter.
Sorry for such a negative post. If someone had been honest like this about the meter before I bought mine (totally my fault because I didn't read any reviews) then I definitely wouldn't have purchased it.
Showing posts with label supplies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label supplies. Show all posts
Monday, June 17, 2013
Sunday, January 7, 2007
Diabetes Supplies
Diabetes Supplies: A Day in the Life
When you become diabetic, there are so many supplies that you have to buy. Many of them are extremely expensive. However, if you were to go without them, you're life expetancy would shorten to less than a couple of months. Insulin is, of course, the most vital; and along with that comes many necessary delivery items. Here are the supplies that I use most frequently. I feel as if after my diagnosis, I've become a new person, mostly because of all this baggage that I have to carry, in form of diabetic supplies.
Here is an important diabetic supply. It is the Glucagon pen used for emergency hypoglycemia (low blood sugars). Colin would likely be the person to use this, if I ever needed him to. I've luckily never had a low so severe as to be incoherent or unconscious. What he would do is mix up the solution and inject the entire dose into a muscle group. The result would be a dramatic rise in blood sugar. This is actually my first ever prescription for the pen, and as you can see in the next picture, I've never had to use it either.
The inside of the glucagon pen. At the bottom (left side) is the powder wich is mixed with the salene solution inside the syringe.
These are lancets. Notice they aren't in any official box or packaging. I bought a supply of lancets when I was first diagnosed back in 2001 and I think I've only ever bought one or two boxes since then. I guess you are supposed to switch lancets every time you test, but who has time for that? I change my lancet each time I get a new bottle of test strips out, so that is 25 pokes or "lances" per lancet. I've found that they have other uses than poking fingers though, they've come in handy for many things around the house. This amonut of lancets will probably last me a couple of years at least. They are very inexpensive.
These are bottles of test strips that I use to test my blood-glucose levels. Each bottle holds 25 strips and this is my 3 month supply. This will actually last me about 4 and a half months or more, and I do a considerable amount of testing. I usually test at least 4 times per day, sometimes as many as 8. When I was pregnant, the minimum amount of testing per day was 10 times! This is where the pharmaceutical companies make bank, these come in boxes of 2 or 4 bottles (50 or 100 strips) and those run about $65 per box! So, to add it up for you, right there is about $815.00 worth of test strips. Of course, I have health insurance so, I only pay $30.00 for the same amount of strips.
Here are three months worth of tubing/ infusion sites. I keep all of my diabetes supplies in a tuperware drawer in the bathroom. It all comes packaged sterile. The tubes are 43 cm long and they are like a hose with insulin inside them. Then there is a canula part that goes inside my body. I have to switch this out whenever I run out of insulin. They recommend every three days and I do a pretty good job of that. The needle is only 6mm long so it doesn't hurt too bad when it is injected. The needle comes out right after you insert it because then the canula is inside your body.
This is about 3 months worth of insulin (slightly less). I take the brand Humalog, made by the Lilly diabetes company. They rake in the dough! This stuff cost about $30 per bottle retail. This supply only costs me $30 though because I use mail-in prescriptions and have great insurance coverage. Each bottle holds 100 units per ml wich means 1000ml. I use up one in about 9 days. I take about 60-80 units per day.
These are called reservoirs, they hold 300ml of insulin inside my pump, the Medco Mini Med 508. This is three months worth, I just got a shipment.
Here is an important diabetic supply. It is the Glucagon pen used for emergency hypoglycemia (low blood sugars). Colin would likely be the person to use this, if I ever needed him to. I've luckily never had a low so severe as to be incoherent or unconscious. What he would do is mix up the solution and inject the entire dose into a muscle group. The result would be a dramatic rise in blood sugar. This is actually my first ever prescription for the pen, and as you can see in the next picture, I've never had to use it either.
The inside of the glucagon pen. At the bottom (left side) is the powder wich is mixed with the salene solution inside the syringe.
These are lancets. Notice they aren't in any official box or packaging. I bought a supply of lancets when I was first diagnosed back in 2001 and I think I've only ever bought one or two boxes since then. I guess you are supposed to switch lancets every time you test, but who has time for that? I change my lancet each time I get a new bottle of test strips out, so that is 25 pokes or "lances" per lancet. I've found that they have other uses than poking fingers though, they've come in handy for many things around the house. This amonut of lancets will probably last me a couple of years at least. They are very inexpensive.
These are bottles of test strips that I use to test my blood-glucose levels. Each bottle holds 25 strips and this is my 3 month supply. This will actually last me about 4 and a half months or more, and I do a considerable amount of testing. I usually test at least 4 times per day, sometimes as many as 8. When I was pregnant, the minimum amount of testing per day was 10 times! This is where the pharmaceutical companies make bank, these come in boxes of 2 or 4 bottles (50 or 100 strips) and those run about $65 per box! So, to add it up for you, right there is about $815.00 worth of test strips. Of course, I have health insurance so, I only pay $30.00 for the same amount of strips.
Here are three months worth of tubing/ infusion sites. I keep all of my diabetes supplies in a tuperware drawer in the bathroom. It all comes packaged sterile. The tubes are 43 cm long and they are like a hose with insulin inside them. Then there is a canula part that goes inside my body. I have to switch this out whenever I run out of insulin. They recommend every three days and I do a pretty good job of that. The needle is only 6mm long so it doesn't hurt too bad when it is injected. The needle comes out right after you insert it because then the canula is inside your body. 
This is about 3 months worth of insulin (slightly less). I take the brand Humalog, made by the Lilly diabetes company. They rake in the dough! This stuff cost about $30 per bottle retail. This supply only costs me $30 though because I use mail-in prescriptions and have great insurance coverage. Each bottle holds 100 units per ml wich means 1000ml. I use up one in about 9 days. I take about 60-80 units per day. 
These are called reservoirs, they hold 300ml of insulin inside my pump, the Medco Mini Med 508. This is three months worth, I just got a shipment.
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