Top critical review
1.0 out of 5 starsVERY inaccurate meter - RN verified Not due to user error - the rest of the kit is good
Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2021
As a diabetic undergoing chemo treatment which uses Decadron (dexamethasone), a steroid 6x more powerful than prednisone (which majorly raise blood sugar), I had to start monitoring my glucose. The bad:
I received the clear touch meter last night, and measured 1 hour after eating. I wasted 5 strips right out of the box. The first to see it if the 'code' matched, per the instructions, the rest due to "error 1 - the strip is used or damaged", probably due to my own ineptitude.
The strips are short, narrow and flimsy. It's quite hard not to touch either tip while pushing the strip - without bending it - into the meter.
When I finally got the first reading, it was 316. This seemed too high, so I took two more. The second reading was over 430, the third 468! So, within 2 minutes I got three different readings, on e higher than the other!
I then decided to rule out "user error" - for which "stpaulmercantile" so readily blamed all other authors of derogatory reviews in his/her glowing review of this item - and take the meter with me to the hospital this morning.
After my infusion, I had the RN watch me prick the right side of my middle finger and take a reading with the Care touch - she confirmed that I did everything right. Immediately thereafter, she then took her own reading, with the Nova hospital meter, pricking the opposite side of the same middle finger. As you can see in the picture the readings were taken within 1 min of each other on 9/25/2010.
At 10:09 of 9/25 my Caretouch registered 314. The hospital Nova meter, last calibrated earlier this month (left hand side, also showing my name) registered 263. This is a HUGE difference folks.
The manufacturer guarantees 95% or better accuracy. That's why I bought this meter, but clearly it does NOT work as stated, and Not due to anything I did wrong.
On to the other "bads" - meter calibration testing fluid" is over $10, and does not come with the kit, hence it was impossible for me to determine if the meter was simply off calibration or totally messed up without spending More$.
Also, the much touted ability of the meter to upload data to a computer can only be accomplished by purchasing a special cable - price unknown till you call sales - and downloading their app.
Overall bad: the meter does not work accurately, strips are a nightmare, there is not computer cable or calibration fluid included.
- What about the rest of the kit? Good to excellent
The good - the bag is just the right size to fit the meter, strips canister on one side, pen in the middle, and on the opposite side the quick instructions, and 2 small plastic squeeze-type pill holders I bought here on amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09CGLSX5L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 that respectively can holds 5 lancelets, and 5-6 used lancelets, plus a couple of disinfecting swabs.
The best - The lancelets are easy to load into the pen and remove. I set my pen to the depth of 3. I have been terrified of needles for half a century, and poking myself was truly beyond me till now. By the second time I did it last night my fear was gone. Just remember the lower the setting, the less the penetration, the smaller the bead of blood that will come out. Wipe off the first drop of blood and take the reading off the second drop. The skin on the side of the tip of your finger (ring finger or middle finger) is the least painful and thinner. I'd recommend setting the pen at 2 or 3 depth and if it does not bleed enough, work your way up (using the opposite side obviously) till you find your comfort zone. You should not have to squeeze for the blood to come out. When you do, it messes up the readings, because there's subcutaneous fluid that mixes with the blood and thins it out.
So, this is all I learned about this kit, which Amazon kindly refunded today (no returns allowed...it's blood stuff folks). Clearly, I wanted to love this kit and would have if not for the lancelets and meter - the star of the show - which proved utterly unreliable. Nonetheless, I'd still highly recommend purchasing the amazingly painless pen and lancelets, which are available separately, and can be used regardless of the meter you choose to use. I poked myself for the first time and a total of 9 times last night....my fingers are not sore at all. I strive to be honest and base my opinions strictly on my own experience.
If you think this review was helpful, please say so. Thanks and best wishes on your low-glucose journey.
