Yorkieabroad

My wife has just been diagnosed with gestational diabetes (26 weeks pregnant) and has been advised to buy a glucose monitor to keep track - quick check online revealed models ranging from less than $20 to several hundred bucks.....does anyone know whether there is any significant difference in these? Ie differences in technology? userfriendliness? Do the cheap ones give reliable results? Any recommendations on what to go for?

Thanks for any advice

fatbrit

Rather than look at the cost of the meter, I would look at the cost of the related consumables -- they can really add up.

bored-silly

Someone at the OB office may be able to lend you one, reps give them out. Or if your wife is a member of her local mothers club, email them, they always have some clever way of finding these things cheaply!

NC Penguin

Have a look for any reports/user reviews on these devices from Consumer Reports (US qv. of Which) or www.epinions.com.




NC Penguin

Yorkieabroad

Thanks for the tip - Do you mean the strips? I saw some somewhere that were 100 for $6. Assuming she is doing 3 tests per day, and she has another 14 weeks to go, 3 pkts should just about see us through. Is there anything else? The lancets?

NC Penguin

Why not drop by your local pharmacy tomorrow and ask what consumable would be needed?



NC Penguin

Yorkieabroad

Yeah, we'll be doing that, but having been rogered left right and centre by the extortion machine that masquerades as a health system over here, I was just keen on any views from people that weren't looking to empty my wallet

Yorkieabroad

Hadn't thought of the moms club - I'll try them, they may help, but I've only been in contact once before, and that was to ask if I could join (i'm a stay at home dad ). I was given a swift middle finger on that one!

bored-silly

Another thought....your local 'lactation centre' may be able to lend you one or point you to someone who can. Ours had an abundance of equipment like that.

honeymommy

Accu-chek is a good make, but to be honest any unit will do as long as it's FSA approved... You can get a basic monitor for about £20 the strips will cost aprox $30 for 50

There are cheaper units also.... The only reason some of them cost more is because they have built in memory or computer link cable etc.... A simple one reading monitor will suffice and a pen and paper to write the result for record.

Wall Mart and rite aid will have them cheap for sure, any drugstore near you also... just go have a look you may be pleasantly supprised....

remember simple readout... basic model.... check strip costs... If you really are having trouble then ask the doctor.... They do sometimes loan them out if a rep has called... It is harder to get one for gestational though as they don't see you as a money making opportunity as it's a short term problem.

Hope this helps....

honeymommy

Here's a couple.

http://www.testsymptomsathome.com/HD...s_supplies.asp
and......
http://www.accu-chek.com/index_topic.do if you click on accu-chek products it will guide you to the stores that sell the items you want... Must say I was impressed... loads of choice...


confused now? LOL

Rete

Don't buy

Call your hospital or ask your doctor ... nearly evey hospital has a diabetes education center. Been there, done that and now living with it. They will give you a free machine and you will have to buy the strips which I found to be very very expensive.

Rete

They tell you not to do this, but I use and my friend who is also diabetic use the same lancet over and over again (at least 6 uses for each lancet). After all it is only our blood on it.

Rete

Rete

BTW, the diabetes classes are paid for by healthcare. She can drop in after a quick call usually to talk with someone and set up the classes. During this talk they will give her the machine and a few lancets and strips. You want a machine that uses the least amount of blood for an accurate reading.

Also SHE WILL BE DOING MORE THAN THREE TESTS A DAY for the first week or two. Why? Because she needs to know how her body reacts to different foods, and lack of food, which is just as important as what you eat. Diabetics have to eat three meals a day, at the same time each day, and two snacks as well. The issue is to maintain even glucose readings throughout the day with no peaks or valleys. This takes time and testing to discover.

She also needs the classes to inform her of what to expect with a high glucose and a low glucose reading. She can do serious harm to herself if the levels peak and valley dramatically as well as to the baby. She needs to attend the classes. Exercise is all important as well. Moderate, low impact exercise three times a week for 1/2 hour is recommended. I go to Curves for Women and find that by testing before and after exercising there is a difference of 15 to 20 points in glucose.

She needs to read labels and learn about carbs. She needs carbs. NO ATKINS. Recommendation is 45 to 60 carbs per meal and 15 to 30 carbs per snack. One banana is 30 carbs. A bagel is over 50 carbs without butter or cream cheese. You have to watch what you eat, when you eat and portion size.

If you need any information please PM me.

At the risk of raising someone's blood pressure ... now is not the time to bemoan the cost of the disease. Your wife and child could die from this disease. Aren't your family members worth the $200 it might cost you for the next six/nine months. You can buy the strips on e-bay BTW. That is where I get mine.

honeymommy

Rete...

In some areas they say you can reuse the syringe also... There have been clinical studies regarding reusing lancets and syringes.

For the lancets... As long as it is not dull and is recapped there is no problem according to a lot of research sites... I know a number of long term diabetics that reuse and they have never had any problems. 6 ot 7 times as long as it's OK.

Never knew anyone to reuse a syringe but I have read a couple of studies that say it is OK... Recap the needle immediately. Do not clean the needle with alcohol or other substance, do not use a bent or dull needle... basically thats it... There are loads of people practising this, mostly due to the cost..