# Accu Check Lancet Drum



## LHW (Aug 5, 2017)

Hello all, I am new here and recently diagnosed Type 2 due to start of Metformin as struggling to get blood sugars down despite good diet. 
I bought a new accu check mobile tester yesterday. It has a cartridge that does 50 tests, but the lancet drum says only 6 lancets are in each drum and only 2 drums are in the box. 
This surely can't mean I can only do six tests with each drum? I looked online and in the leaflet, but it doesn't say how often each lancet in the drum is used. Anyone else got one? I went back to the chemist today and they don't sell replacement drums and are as confused as I am about them. Based on only 6 lancets per drum, that would mean only two days testing! That can't be right.
Anyone able to help or advise? Thanks, Lorraine


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## goosey (Aug 5, 2017)

Welcome
Sorry i cant help but someone will be along soon i am sure


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## LHW (Aug 5, 2017)

goosey said:


> Welcome
> Sorry i cant help but someone will be along soon i am sure


Thank you. So kind of you to answer  x 
Oh and how on EARTH have you managed so much weight loss in that time? I wish! Well done to you. Excellent and hope it's helping you.


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## Kaylz (Aug 5, 2017)

You don't HAVE to change the lancet everytime, I do but that's me, others on here rarely change them, to use the same lancet just don't turn the bit round to move to the next one  x


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## Matt Cycle (Aug 5, 2017)

Hi Lorraine

Although they say use a new lancet for each test in reality not many do.  Most use each lancet until it starts to become a bit blunt and this can be days or weeks.  With the Accuchek drum you can then wind it on to the next one.  If the chemist sold the Mobile they should sell the drums themselves but otherwise you may need to go a larger chemist or look online.

As you are paying for this yourself the Accuchek Mobile is an expensive meter when self funding and most T2's on here go for the SD Codefree from Amazon or Homehealth which works out a lot cheaper in terms of strips.  All meters have to meet a certain standard as regards accuracy so the results will be the same whatever meter you use.


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## goosey (Aug 5, 2017)

LHW said:


> Thank you. So kind of you to answer  x
> Oh and how on EARTH have you managed so much weight loss in that time? I wish! Well done to you. Excellent and hope it's helping you.


Thankyou, i go to Slimming world but also eat low carb-ish , i was DX end of march , went for 3 month check and now my numbers are really good  all down Hbac1, cholesterol everything, i am one happy bunny


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## LHW (Aug 5, 2017)

goosey said:


> Thankyou, i go to Slimming world but also eat low carb-ish , i was DX end of march , went for 3 month check and now my numbers are really good  all down Hbac1, cholesterol everything, i am one happy bunny


Excellent. It helps doing slimming world once we know to watch the carbs. Lovely to hear your success. Hope it continues for you


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## LHW (Aug 5, 2017)

Matt Cycle said:


> Hi Lorraine
> 
> Although they say use a new lancet for each test in reality not many do.  Most use each lancet until it starts to become a bit blunt and this can be days or weeks.  With the Accuchek drum you can then wind it on to the next one.  If the chemist sold the Mobile they should sell the drums themselves but otherwise you may need to go a larger chemist or look online.
> 
> As you are paying for this yourself the Accuchek Mobile is an expensive meter when self funding and most T2's on here go for the SD Codefree from Amazon or Homehealth which works out a lot cheaper in terms of strips.  All meters have to meet a certain standard as regards accuracy so the results will be the same whatever meter you use.


Thank you for the reply. That has already helped enormously. I thought once it had done the first one the counter automatically went to number five. I never realised we had to manually do it. That makes more sense. Thanks also for advice on the cheaper option. I'll take a look on Amazon, but am hoping the chemist was right and I can get the drums and cartridges on prescription now. Worth a try to see. I've looked everywhere and this is the first time I've heard of the one you mentioned. Another diabetic site they all talked of accu check.


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## Matt Cycle (Aug 5, 2017)

By all accounts it seems to be a bit of a thorny issue as regards T2's and blood glucose testing.  Many are not prescribed strips and meters and therefore have to self fund but have a word at your surgery and see what they say.  They may say no, they may restrict them, they may say yes but for a specific meter or they may say yes - as you say it's worth a try.  I used various Accucheks for years but T1's are allowed strips on prescription. There are plenty of other makes that do the job as equally as well.  The SD codefree as far as I know isn't prescribed but seems to be the cheapest.  NHS contracts, who knows?


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## LHW (Aug 5, 2017)

Matt Cycle said:


> By all accounts it seems to be a bit of a thorny issue as regards T2's and blood glucose testing.  Many are not prescribed strips and meters and therefore have to self fund but have a word at your surgery and see what they say.  They may say no, they may restrict them, they may say yes but for a specific meter or they may say yes - as you say it's worth a try.  I used various Accucheks for years but T1's are allowed strips on prescription. There are plenty of other makes that do the job as equally as well.  The SD codefree as far as I know isn't prescribed but seems to be the cheapest.  NHS contracts, who knows?


Thank you. A whole new world


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## Northerner (Aug 5, 2017)

I don't use a mobile, but I have been using the Accuchek Multiclix lancet device since diagnosis 9 years ago - I'm still on my first box of lancets


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## Ditto (Aug 5, 2017)

Hello LHW, welcome to the forum.  I very rarely change my lancet; I have a Codefree now and much prefer it.


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## pav (Aug 5, 2017)

Welcome to the forum, as already mentioned you can use each lancet multiple times, some only change them when they go blunt, others every time or once a day.

The biggest problem will be getting the test cartridge / strips on prescription as most GP's won't give type 2's them but it's always worth asking as there is one or two GP's that will give strips on prescription. These days G's when supporting meters tend to support ones with low cost strips and on the list of meters that they can support, where the GP will normally provide the meter.

The mobile is possibly one of the most expensive meters to support, the SD code free is one of the most popular and cheaper to support with the strips around £8 for 50 against the mobile and other brands at around £25 + per pot of 50.


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## Maz2 (Aug 5, 2017)

HI LHW. I have an Accu Check machine which I bought before I joined the Forum and now know there are much cheaper machines.  I only had one drum and one spare.  I managed to buy some more from Boots but I am sure you would get them online or from Accu Check themselves.


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## LHW (Aug 6, 2017)

Thanks all very much for the warm welcome and your answers with tips and advice. Such a new world isn't it with so much to learn


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## Northerner (Aug 6, 2017)

LHW said:


> Thanks all very much for the warm welcome and your answers with tips and advice. Such a new world isn't it with so much to learn


You learn something new every day!


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## mikeyB (Aug 6, 2017)

How very true, Northie. And I've been playing this game 21 years


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## Steff (Aug 6, 2017)

Hi and welcome Lorraine


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