Dreaded Blood Drop not large enough for Glucometer to Calculate Glucose Level
It is quite expensive for diabetics to monitor their glucose levels at home. We use the Accu-Chek device(yes that is check misspelled) to measure our fasting blood sugar concentrations for the most part.
The reason for this is that the diabetes diagnose is based on fasting glucose levels in milligrams per deciliter. You are officially diagnosed with diabetes if you have consecutive fasting blood sugar leves of 127 or higher.
Now back to the cost of accurately measuring your blood sugar at home. The picture you see below is a test strip that originally had a small bottom yellow horizontal strip.
Now note that red stain sort of in the middle of the once completely yellow strip. That is my wife's blood which did not quite absorb completely into the yellow strip for a reading! When we plugged that strip into the device, it returned the message "blood drop not big enough....please use redo the test with another strip".
I am here to tell you we paid $50 for 100 of the test strips. Local pharmacy did not honor a 20 dollar promotion that came with the glucose meter we purchased. That would be Walgreens!! So if your blood drop on your lancet pricked finger is not large enough, that is 50 cents down the tubes.
Otherwise, it is an excellent glucometer to test your before and after meal blood sugar levels. It saves a history than you can show your doctor so he can determine if you are being disciplined with your diet between checkups.
Jennifer Gershman does excellent job of explaining this better than me.
The reason for this is that the diabetes diagnose is based on fasting glucose levels in milligrams per deciliter. You are officially diagnosed with diabetes if you have consecutive fasting blood sugar leves of 127 or higher.
Now back to the cost of accurately measuring your blood sugar at home. The picture you see below is a test strip that originally had a small bottom yellow horizontal strip.
Now note that red stain sort of in the middle of the once completely yellow strip. That is my wife's blood which did not quite absorb completely into the yellow strip for a reading! When we plugged that strip into the device, it returned the message "blood drop not big enough....please use redo the test with another strip".
I am here to tell you we paid $50 for 100 of the test strips. Local pharmacy did not honor a 20 dollar promotion that came with the glucose meter we purchased. That would be Walgreens!! So if your blood drop on your lancet pricked finger is not large enough, that is 50 cents down the tubes.
Otherwise, it is an excellent glucometer to test your before and after meal blood sugar levels. It saves a history than you can show your doctor so he can determine if you are being disciplined with your diet between checkups.
Jennifer Gershman does excellent job of explaining this better than me.
Just read that Six in ten adults in large South Asian cities have either diabetes or prediabetes. These data call for urgent action to prevent diabetes in South Asia.
ReplyDeleteKey terms associated with your blood sugar health are Diabetes, prediabetes, dysglycemia, urban, South Asians, CARRS Surveillance