# Hi I am a newbie - what machines for measuring blood glucose do you like and why



## ginny20 (Apr 13, 2020)

Hi I have a wavemaster Jazz machine - but it doesn't upload the data except by using an ipod or an iphone 4- now i dont have either devices. What machines do you like? why?


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## Kaylz (Apr 13, 2020)

Do you get prescribed your test strips? 
If this is enquiring so you can 'choose' a different meter it isnt quite as simple as that, different CCG's approve different machines and strips for use and self funding of meters can become very.expensive xx


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## ginny20 (Apr 13, 2020)

I am fortunate to be prescribed strips in my area and the doctor gave me a suggestion to buy the wavemaster Jazz machine. I did buy it _ but thinking of finding machine that will download the results to a phone.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Apr 13, 2020)

Hello @ginny20 

Welcome to the forum.

Many T2 members here who fund their own BG monitoring like to use the SD Codefree (now updated to the SD Gluco Navii). Others choose the Spirit Tee2, or one of the Caresens meters. But the Gluco Navii generally has the cheaper strips at around £8 for 50.

Others use a wide variety of meters, some because of convenience/dexterity challenges (eg the Roche Accu-Chek Mobile which has an inbuilt finger pricker and ‘strips’ in a cartridge), some have been made to switch following a review at their surgery, and others use one which links to other equipment they use (eg it communicates results to their insulin pump).

There is a lot of choice, and only you will know which is right for you, depending on your individual circumstances


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## grovesy (Apr 13, 2020)

ginny20 said:


> I am fortunate to be prescribed strips in my area and the doctor gave me a suggestion to buy the wavemaster Jazz machine. I did buy it _ but thinking of finding machine that will download the results to a phone.


It might still be worth checking with your Doctor then. I have recently had my strips removed from my repeats as I am not on any medication that is likely to cause hypo's.


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## Kaylz (Apr 13, 2020)

ginny20 said:


> I am fortunate to be prescribed strips in my area and the doctor gave me a suggestion to buy the wavemaster Jazz machine. I did buy it _ but thinking of finding machine that will download the results to a phone.


that's what I mean though, if the CCG hasn't approved a certain brand of strips to be prescribed in your area then you won't get them on prescription, I know for fact in my area that Type 2's that are lucky enough to get their strips prescribed don't have a choice and only have 1 on the prescribing list for them unless they are on insulin then they may use another so you might be better checking if you changed that you could still get strips on prescription xx


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## Robin (Apr 13, 2020)

ginny20 said:


> I am fortunate to be prescribed strips in my area and the doctor gave me a suggestion to buy the wavemaster Jazz machine. I did buy it _ but thinking of finding machine that will download the results to a phone.


I think what @Kaylz is saying, is that there’s no point in choosing a machine that will do what you want, and then finding your GP won’t prescribe the strips because they’re too expensive (and a lot of them are). It’ll work out expensive for you if you have to buy your own strips. Your surgery may have an 'approved' meter that does what you want, so you ought to check out what they say.
You can Google your local CCG prescribing list, which colour codes things like test strips as to whether GPs are allowed to prescribe them, and in what circumstances.
If you want ideas to put to your GP, I’m afraid I can’t help as I’m a technology dinosaur, but I'm sure people will come along and give you some ideas.


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## Robin (Apr 13, 2020)

Ha! Posted at the same time as @Kaylz!


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## brisr949 (Apr 13, 2020)

I use 2. I like the jazz as its quite compact and has a nice finger pricker and use it as my general machine.
I do also have the 4 sure smart duo which is good as it does ketones, the only reason i dont use it as my general machine is i get quite a few error results when checking bloods which is annoying.


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## ianf0ster (Apr 13, 2020)

Hi Ginny20, The type of BG meter people prefer is very dependent  upon |:-
A). Whether they are Type 1 or at least susceptible to Hypos versus Type 2 who have to self-fund. 
B). How much they like new technology for tracking/reporting etc.

Personally, as a Type 2 who is happy with a manual log and food diary, I like the TEE2+ from Spirit Healthcare - purely because it has affordable test strips.


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## ginny20 (Apr 15, 2020)

Hi everyone, thank you for all your advice. I really appreciate the general overview @everydayupsanddowns . From all your responses it seems that I am lucky in my borough that the GP practice will pay for my strips.  As I couldn't find the list of meters the CCG approves, @grovesy @Kaylz,@Robin, I've decided to appreciate what I have already and get to learn my own one better.   Having managed to upload my machine's data onto their app, Ive been able to see some trends so that has been really interesting. So now if I keep up the logging onto the phone at the same time as the glucose monitoring machine, it will not feel like a slog. 
I have also realised that I haven't been told to keep a food diary (yet ( Coronavirus came in between) but that I should be doing it now. Thank you for that clue @ianf0ster.


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## Toucan (Apr 15, 2020)

Hi @ginny20 
Good to hear that you are finding a way through the testing.
Yes I think you will find that keeping a food diary is a big help, and help you identify which foods have most effect for you in putting your blood sugars up. It varies for everyone, and even eating the same foods at different times of day can have a varying effect. 
There is more information on test-review-adjust 
Hope it all goes well for you.


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## SB2015 (Apr 15, 2020)

Hi @ginny20 and a rather belated welcome to the forum.

I haven’t tried any apps on my phone to record results, and I know that if it is not linked to your machine you would have to do this manually, but would that be another option. 

 Until I went into a pump I used a book that I made up myself as I never found a recording system that suited what I wanted.  I liked to have a week to view, with all the breakfast readings under each other, same for lunch and dinner.  I also made a note of my carbs at each meal, and initially what I had eaten.  This helped me see patterns in what I was doing as well as what specific foods were doing to my BG.  I know that that is a bit old hat now, but a hard copy can still help sometimes.  Happy to send a photo if you wanted.


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## NotWorriedAtAll (Apr 15, 2020)

Hello @ginny20

I was given a OneTouch Select Plus by the diabetes specialist GP at my Practice. On looking at it just now I noticed (after more than a year of using it) that it has a USB port on the side. I looked it up online and it says it is for downloading data into a database on a computer.

According to a review online it says the strips for this are cheaper than those for some other meters. I wouldn't know because I am very lucky in that my GP pays for my strips and lancets - I don't use them very often because I mostly know what I should be eating but if I want to introduce a new foodstuff or if I have to eat "off piste" or if I am feeling unwell I use it to monitor and manage my levels.


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## grovesy (Apr 15, 2020)

I would be suprised if the One Touch strips are cheap as when I used One Touch meters the strips, were about £25.00 a pot of 50. That was about 5 years ago.


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## NotWorriedAtAll (Apr 15, 2020)

grovesy said:


> I would be suprised if the One Touch strips are cheap as when I used One Touch meters the strips, were about £25.00 a pot of 50. That was about 5 years ago.


I found them for £15 for 50 online. Don't know if that is cheap or not.


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## grovesy (Apr 15, 2020)

I would think that is cheap. As they used to be the same price in my Pharmacy and in Boots.


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## belfastbiker (Sep 16, 2020)

By way of comparison, that GlucoNavii's strips are £7.99 per 50.  

I'm due for doc appointment tomorrow after a shocking reading yesterday after many months of not measuring (I used to measure as precaution due to severe obesity), the strips I had were 2 years out of date though. Wasn't sure how soon I could get a doc appointment for a test, so ordered the GlucoNavii meter, lancet, and 50 extra strips for less than £20.

Being NHS Northern Ireland, I'm hoping getting a new meter and regular strips on prescription shouldn't be a problem, if doc deems them useful - certainly it was free for a T2 diabetic friend nearby.


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## grovesy (Sep 16, 2020)

belfastbiker said:


> By way of comparison, that GlucoNavii's strips are £7.99 per 50.
> 
> I'm due for doc appointment tomorrow after a shocking reading yesterday after many months of not measuring (I used to measure as precaution due to severe obesity), the strips I had were 2 years out of date though. Wasn't sure how soon I could get a doc appointment for a test, so ordered the GlucoNavii meter, lancet, and 50 extra strips for less than £20.
> 
> Being NHS Northern Ireland, I'm hoping getting a new meter and regular strips on prescription shouldn't be a problem, if doc deems them useful - certainly it was free for a T2 diabetic friend nearby.


I don't know about Northern Ireland, but here in England unless you are on hypo causing medication or Insulin it is not guaranteed you will be given one and also even if you are strips can be restricted.


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## Ditto (Sep 16, 2020)

I like the Codefree that Bubbsy sent me gratis. Never even had to change the battery yet and the strips are only £6 from eBay.


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