Accu-check expert discontinued

[SusieGriff]

I've just read that the accu-check expert will be discontinued in June 2021. They're still manufacturing the test strips. I'm wondering if anyone knows a good meter that calculates bolus the same as the expert. I've had mine now for many years and think I might have to replace it soon. I do have an old Freestyle insulinx meter, not used it much as it was given to me as a backup meter some years ago. Is this still current?? any advice?

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I do have an old Freestyle linux meter, not used it much as it was given to me as a backup meter some years ago.

If you mean FreeStyle Libre then they're still very much available. Whether yours is up to date or not is another question, though it's likely you could ask them for a new replacement. That meter has a bolus calculator (which I've not really used, but it has one). (Using the bolus calculator only works when you use tests trips, so not when you're only scanning Libre sensors.)

 

[MrDaibetes]

The freestyle Linux meter is very old now, and I'm not sure they still make them.

If you use the libre and have a libre reader that has a bolus calculator.

Accu Chek mobile is what some people are being moved to with the app on your phone called mysugar and you can use the bolus calculator on the app.

 

[trophywench]

I had a new Expert in January along with my new Combo pump - only difference between the meter and the handset for the pump is the Bluetooth!

I thought the bolus calc was on the Insulinx not the Linux?

 

[SusieGriff]

I had a new Expert in January along with my new Combo pump - only difference between the meter and the handset for the pump is the Bluetooth!

I thought the bolus calc was on the Insulinx not the Linux?

Yes!!! Its the insulinx ( My auto correct altered it) is it still valid?

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Yes!!! Its the insulinx ( My auto correct altered it) is it still valid?

Judging by https://www.freestyleinsulinx.com/video_uk.php (which seems to be the right website) I'd guess no. The website looks like it was abandoned some time ago. When I try clicking through it goes to a non-existent page on Abbott's website.

It may still be possible to get test strips, I guess.

 

[trophywench]

Ask Abbott if any of their strips can be used in it or if not what they have replaced the meter with!

 

[Lucyr]

If you expert meter is still working then you can continue using it. When it stops working, they are recommending transfer to one of their other meters and use the mysugr app for bolus calculations.

 

[SusieGriff]

If you expert meter is still working then you can continue using it. When it stops working, they are recommending transfer to one of their other meters and use the mysugr app for bolus calculations.

thank you.I'll keep that in mind

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

If you have access to Freestyle Libre, that has the bolus calculator from the Insulinx, and takes optium strips for both blood and ketones. I suspect Abbott more or less see that as a replacement to Insulinx?

But yes, Roche acquired mySugr, so their ‘smart meter’ type offering now involves a smartphone app linked with any of their current meters I think?

 

[simona2021]

Hi - just joined the forum to find out more about the Accu-Chek Aviva Expert replacement options. Only found out yesterday that it is going to be discontinued.

I like all the features of the Expert but I am losing confidence with the Aviva test strips and I am thinking may be it is time to switch to another supplier.

As you may recall, a few years ago, they had bad batches of the test strips. Ever since then, I lost my confidence in them. In fact, I am seeing more and more examples of wildly-out readings - yesterday, for no reason that I can explain, BG readings before dinner were over 20 mmol/L. I looked for an old spare Aviva Nano meter I had and readings were 14 on that meter. Then i switched the test strips and used the old Nano meter test strips with the Expert and the reading was 14 and not over 20 !

And today before lunch, I was feeling a bit hypo and the Aviva Expert using latest test strip batch that I had, the readings were 6.2 and 6.3. I could not believe these readings as I was feeling hypo, so I switched to the old Nano Aviva Test strips and the reading was 3.7! Perfect and more accurate.

If I walk away now from Roche products after over 10 years - what other equivalent products are available ? And accurate and with ability to calculate bolus advice and take into account different QA/CP ratios during the day and corrections. I did try out the mySugr app - I like that they give half hourly bands for settings - but they do not have sickness or exercise adjustments and I don't think it is right to have to pay 20 pounds a year for the reporting functionality that we have with the Expert with a one-time purchase of the bluetooth connection device.

Also having dependency on 2 devices to be operational adds risk - so phone must not be dead as well as the meter. But may be phone apps is the way the technology is going and just need to accept that.

When I switched to Aviva Expert about 10 years they were better than what Abbotts provided - but may be this has been reversed now.

So looking for advice for more accurate measurements and bolus advice calculations meters to move to

 

[simona2021]

Following on from my post just above this one ..

Have been reading about the Accu-Chek Mobile BG Monitor and trying out the mySugr app adding manual entries.

- The monitor uses a test cassette instead of test strips. Do these give better accuracy? Do they have the same quality issues that Roche have with the Aviva Test Strips. I see there were already 2 safety notices, one in 2018 and another in 2020 for faulty Aviva Test Strips batches. With the readings I was getting, there will probably be another safety notice in 2021.

- Data and Reporting from the the Accu-Chek Mobile monitor are also available through functionality similar to the Accu-Chek Aviva Expert using a USB cable and the Accu-chek 360 Diabetes Management Software

- The mySugr Pro functionality appears to be free with no monthly / annual payment if the app is connected to one of the approved monitors eg the Accu-Chek Mobile monitor. The cost is minimal anyway - so not a big issue.

So if I stick with Accu-Chek, do Roche have any reliability issue with the test cassettes ?

Are there any more superior products to consider?

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @simona2021

We have a few mobile users on the forum who like the features and functions of the Mobile. The cassette seems particularly liked as it avoids fiddling with strips.

Accu-chek products have a good reputation for reliability and accuracy - are there specific issues you have encountered?

If you are happy to pay for the mySugr app for bolus advice, then of course you could use any BG monitor. I have found the Countour Next meters very reliable over the years. Initially I used them because they linked with my insulin pump, but I’ve continued using them since moving to a different model as I find them so stable and reliable.

Abbott Freestyle Insulinx, or the Libre handset also offer bolus advice if you ‘unlock‘ the professional options with a freely available code.

Hope you find the gadgets that work for you.

 

[simona2021]

Accu-chek products have a good reputation for reliability and accuracy - are there specific issues you have encountered?

They have had 2 safety recalls in 2018 and 2020 for the Aviva Test Strips. My problem is unexpected high readings and there were a few that seemed to be down to the strips. I had a chat with Accu-Chek about the suspected readings and they explained that there is a +/-15% error margin. I had a couple of cases where the discrepancy was outside that range - comparing readings with different strips. It is interesting that this 15% error margin could be +/- 1 mmol/L to +/- 3 mmol/L depending on how high/low the BG reading is - this variation we should consider when applying insulin corrections.

I now do not believe that my issue with highs is just due to test strips. For some I am actually high - (whenever I reach out for a cold drink it is usually because I am high). I now think it could be the NovoPen Echo (with NovoFine 6mm needles) that is not dispensing the full dose sometimes. I switched to a spare Echo I had 3 days ago and I have not had unexpected high readings since. I do always flush out 2 units before every injection but may be it is actually not getting 2 out. I will get in touch with NovoNordisk.

I am probably going to stick with Accu-Chek and will switch to the Accu-Chek Mobile when my supply of Aviva Test strips runs out. I have been entering my readings into the mySugr app manually and I like the app.

Thanks for the info.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi. Many of us have experienced erratic (some low but mostly high) BG readings as a result of our Covid vaccinations. My basal insulin needs steadily increased by as much as 100% since Feb when I had my first jab and are only just coming back down now. Just wondering if you are looking for a failure of equipment when your problems may be due to the vaccine?

 

[mark king]

As @rebrascora has said my readings also varied following the JAB.​

 

[simona2021]

Many of us have experienced erratic (some low but mostly high) BG readings as a result of our Covid vaccinations.

As @rebrascora has said my readings also varied following the JAB.

That is interesting. Probably some of my issues were down to that but would not explain all.

I have gone through my readings back to mid December and I did have high unexpected BG readings before the vaccinations.

Picking out the high readings plus the 2 cases where I think there was a test strips issue - I had:

Will see how it goes over the next days - now with the different pen and sent the suspect test strips to Accu-Chek. I see that readings accuracy was discussed at length before here The Aviva Test strips control solution tests allow for +/- 15% with Level 1 (2.5 mmol/L) allowing it to be in range of 1.7 - 3.3 mmol/L Level 2 (16.6 mmol/L) allowing a range of 14.1 to 19.1 mmol/L Does the Expert and the mySugr app adjust the insulin sensitivity correction amount to allow for the possible 15% deviation which would be higher in terms of units the higher BG level. I recall on DAFNE being told never to add more than 3 units for a correction - I suppose that is being extra careful.	a

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Does the Expert and the mSugr app adjust the insulin sensitivity correction amount to allow for the possible 15% deviation which would be higher in terms of units the higher BG level.

I wouldn't expect so @simona2021 - it couldn’t know whether the variation was above or below the supplied value.

All BG monitors recommend that you recheck any reading that doesn’t match how you are feeling, or seems unexpected.

And of course 5% of readings can be further adrift than the 15%. Fingerstick monitors are incredibly useful, and give a very powerful and (mostly!) reliable feed of data... but they aren’t perhaps quit the decimal point precision devices they pretend to be - for all sorts of reasons.

Not sure if you've seen this table of possible / allowable results

 

[simona2021]

Not sure if you've seen this table of possible / allowable results

No I have not - I actually created my own which has same ranges for BGs from 6.0 mmol/L and higher. The ISO 2013 set appears to allow more than the +/- 15% margin for readings below 6.0. I see that they say it is +/- 0.83 mmol/L for BGs below 5.6.

Edited.