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SD Codefree

What do you think of the SD Code free?

  • It's great

    Votes: 10 66.7%

  • It's OK

    Votes: 3 20.0%

  • About as much use as a chocolate teapot

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I dunno

    Votes: 2 13.3%
  • Total voters
    15
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
AlisonM

AlisonM

Much missed Moderator
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1.5 LADA
We've been suggesting this meter as a cheap and cheerful option for those of us who can't get strips and stuff on prescription. I'm curious to know if any of you are using one and how it works for you. What do you think of it?
 
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I'll jump in.

The fact of the matter is, my SD Codefree has been pivotal in shifting my HbA1c from 73 through the following iterations:

October 13: 73 or 8.8% (How did that happen?)
February 14: 37 or 5.5%
May 14: 34 or 5.3%
August 14: 32 or 5.1%
November 14: 33 or 5.1%
May 15: 31 or 5.0%

Quite clearly, I amended my diet, and had to impose my own compliance to that strategy, but the Codefree gave me the immediate and ongoing feedback I needed to make and maintain the changes.

As a T2, who has never taken any diabetic medication, I would never be entitled to free prescriptions, so costs were always going to be a consideration - however deep my pockets might be, and whichever route I acquired my supplies.

I need to know what my scores are, in a consistent way. I need to be able to track my trends. I need to be able to access supplies easily. I need to know if something goes wrong, I can talk to a person.

My Codefree does all of that.

Just to clarify. Several months ago, I had a supply of strips which behaved peculiarly and inconsistently. Because I often travel for months on end, I usually buy significant amounts of strips at any given time. When I contacted Homehealth to raise my concerns, I received an email back, with a proper person's name on it; not signed Homehealth Customer Services, and that individual saw the issue through to it's resolution. They also undertook some additional QC testing and forwarded me the full results for my perusal. Such is their desire to have open and truthful relationships with their customers.

I rate Homehealth, and their product does what I need, at a decent cost.

Codefree strips are available on prescription, and the GP/NHS pays the same price as the single consumer. Whilst not discounted to GPs, they are still cheaper than the big name competitors. It does work. Pharmacists sometimes can't work out how to order them, but I have that process, if anyone needs it.

Yes, I am an advocate for Homehealth/Codefree. I have no commercial or familial connection with them. I have just built a decent relationship.
 
This is what I wanted to know AndBreathe. It occurred to me we might be recommending something that's not fit for purpose and, if so, I would have tried to find our members an alternative because we want folk to have the best tool possible
to help manage this frustrating (in so many, many ways) condition. Your review has put my mind at rest.
 
You're welcome Alison.

To be clear, the Codefree isn't a sophisticated meter, with a coloured screen and whizzy bolus calculators and the like, but as a T2 who needs consistent, immediate data feedback in order to learn and manage my condition, it's ideal.

If I make a car comparison, it's the small compact Korean car, with decent reliability, cheap consumables and excellent customer services, versus a BMW or Mercedes, where you might get the reliability, customer services, and certainly more bells and whistles, but like the car comparison, I don't pay £40,000 for the car, or £400/500 per tyre, but it is a car, it has tyres, and it sure as heck would take me to ASDA every week to buy my shopping.

I'm just a bit disappointed that more people haven't voted; even without writing anything. Don't any of the regular posters actually use the meter?

Nice to see you back, by the way Alison. I rarely post, but I check in and read every couple of days.
 
whoa! give us a chance, I've only just seen this! I use a codefree when I want to test more often, because I chickened out of requesting more strips from my GP. i don't notice any difference in the readings between it and my Accuchek Aviva. The only disadvantage is that the strips are quite narrow, and harder to get out of the pot, but at the price, I'm not really quibbling!
 
I am type 2 on insulin, I do use these as extras occasionally rather than ask for more test strips from GP.

I think these are great and are always in the same range as my accu chek Aviva. I am going away on holiday in a couple of weeks so have ordered a pack of these as extras to take with me as I know I will need to test more, with more walking and eating and a little bit of alcohol! I actually really like the meter and strips, though admit they are a little fiddly to get out of the pot.

It wouldn't bother me in the slightest if my Gp prescribed them for me as a cheaper alternative to the accu cheks.
 
Apologies, Robin. My expectations for posting frequency are probably influenced by another forum I frequent where the footfall is probably quite a bit greater.
 
The sad fact is that many GPs won't prescribe the Codefree as Homehealth don't provide them (the GPs) with free meters. Their argument is that their margins are somewhat narrower than the big boys, as it could be suggested is reflected in the costs of strips, in particular. But, I reiterate, the Codefree strips have their own PIP code, making them available to order, by your pharmacist, via Alliance, via their specials list.

For those of us self-funding, if we buy directly from Homehealth, as opposed to Amazon or eBay, we can achieve a decent discount, provided we buy 5 or 10 tubs at the same time. The impact of the discount is to reduce the costs from £6.99 per pot, to £5.20 per pot. I always ensure I buy in that way.

The discount codes are usually on a sticky label on the box, and you enter it at the checkout.

If you would like any further information about any of the foregoing, drop me a note.
 
AndBreathe said:
Apologies, Robin. My expectations for posting frequency are probably influenced by another forum I frequent where the footfall is probably quite a bit greater.
Click to expand...
that's Ok, I think I just missed it because it had slipped down the page by the time I was browsing.Perhaps this post will bump it back to the top for a bit.
 
That's why I posted a dialogue, rather than just voting.

(Bumped again. 🙂)
 
I bought one on recommendation from here and found it to be great. Was very happy with the much cheaper strips.used it for the 6 months before being diagnosed type 1 and it gave me all the evidence I needed to seek a review and get sent to hospital. It is one of my back up metres and I return to it like an old friend when I run out of strips for me expert. Hum, perhaps I should get out more?!😉
 
I have been using this meter for over a year now and like it. Even though I am T1 my doc would only let me have 4 strips. a day for accuchek mobile as they are expensive so I use the codefree for the extra tests I want/need to do. I like the mobile for convenience so use it when I'm out and first thing in morning. Have just put in a script for strips and insulin for the Omnipod I expect soon. It will be more than 4 strips a day but I have to do it. I will prob still use codefree for 'peace of mind' tests.
 
Bessiemay said:
I have been using this meter for over a year now and like it. Even though I am T1 my doc would only let me have 4 strips. a day for accuchek mobile as they are expensive so I use the codefree for the extra tests I want/need to do. I like the mobile for convenience so use it when I'm out and first thing in morning. Have just put in a script for strips and insulin for the Omnipod I expect soon. It will be more than 4 strips a day but I have to do it. I will prob still use codefree for 'peace of mind' tests.
Click to expand...

I have to say, as a T1, 4 strips a day is utterly outrageous, surely? If he finds the accucheck mobile too expensive, could you consider another?

The letter in the following link outlines the Department of Health view on testing for Type 1s, and could be useful to print off and give to your GP?

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa.../Safe-care-of-people-with-type-1-diabetes.pdf

Alison, apologies for rather derailing this thread, but it seems an important aside to me.
 
I responded to the survey a few days ago but wasn't sure comments were wanted and thought I'd hang back to see.
I changed from a very expensive to 'run' accu check aviva to a Codefree about a year ago and am so pleased with everything about it. I buy strips in bulk and use the special code for even more discount.
Personally I don't need or use any complex functions so this meter ticks all the boxes.
 
My GP surgery has just sent me a letter stating the usual blah, blah regarding that as a T2 there was no need to prescribe test strips, just rely on my 6 monthly HbA1c test and have arbitrarily removed them from my repeats. They did not have the courtesy to wait for my next checkup in July to speak to me.

I have now ordered the SD codefree meter, I was quite amazed the the cost saving not only of the test strips but also the lancets.

I was going to write to my GP practice manager to explain my reason for pro-active testing as opposed to the reactive position IMO of the HbA1c test, but I would probably be wasting my time, not worth an increase in my blood glucose level or my BP
 
Do macabee, and copy in your CCG.

I agree it's drip drip at the stone of course - but we'd have no ox-bow lakes in the world to enjoy today if glaciers hadn't bothered eroding resistance, would we !
 
My Codefree is just fine.
As for paying for strips, that is a biggy.

I am thinking of ways to start the massive trail of having that looked at.
 
I voted on the SD Codefree. My only reservation is for me as a partially sighted user it is very difficult to fit the strips into the slot. It's my only meter so nothing to compare with.
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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