It seems the TrueYou range of glucometers has been discontinued, but this is what was provided by my surgery and I would like to buy a spare one to use with my prescription strips. I do not suppose there is anywhere which sells old stock of such things, as I cannot be the only person to have been in this position? Unfortunately there is nothing on eBay, just the strips.
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Can you buy old meters?
- Thread starter Becka
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grovesy, I did try looking to see if anything else uses the same strips but they were only used by the TrueYou meters from Trividia Healthcare. But they have replaced that range with a True Metrix one which uses different strips.
As there will be people still using discontinued meters — and they still produce strips for them rather than force people onto different models — I just thought there may be places which buy unused stock or refurbish second-hand ones for use as spares.
Kaylz, asking my surgery what to do was the backup plan, with possibly a reasonable chance they will change me to a different meter. When diagnosed I was originally given a OneTouch meter, but eventually the lancing device broke. When I asked them what to do is when they moved me over to the TrueYou.
Thanks.
As there will be people still using discontinued meters — and they still produce strips for them rather than force people onto different models — I just thought there may be places which buy unused stock or refurbish second-hand ones for use as spares.
Kaylz, asking my surgery what to do was the backup plan, with possibly a reasonable chance they will change me to a different meter. When diagnosed I was originally given a OneTouch meter, but eventually the lancing device broke. When I asked them what to do is when they moved me over to the TrueYou.
Thanks.
trophywench
Well-Known Member
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- Type 1
Oh blimey Becka - if anything like that occurs again, just ring the meter manufacturer and tell them - bet they'd have just sent you a finger pricker free.
They all make the vast bulk of their income on BG meters, from the strips, not the hardware.
They all make the vast bulk of their income on BG meters, from the strips, not the hardware.
nonethewiser
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Chances are strips for meter will be discontinued soon so better look for alternative.
I never thought of just asking the manufacturer as I got mine from the surgery rather than buying it myself. Only in hindsight it made sense they would have helped anyway to keep me on their system.
But having to change was not a problem, and though the One Touch was slightly better it was not in any important ways that I would have fought to keep using it.
Although asking the surgery might be worth it in hope they do switch me again, as maybe I will get something a bit better. Although based on cost I think only the True Metrix stirps are cheaper.
But having to change was not a problem, and though the One Touch was slightly better it was not in any important ways that I would have fought to keep using it.
Although asking the surgery might be worth it in hope they do switch me again, as maybe I will get something a bit better. Although based on cost I think only the True Metrix stirps are cheaper.
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I have a case for all my medical bits that I take to bed with me, and I keep my glucometer and sweet things in that. That way I am covered for hypos, but I there is also a tablet I take first thing as I cannot eat until an hour afterwards, so it is helpful having access when I wake up.
But as I ride a motorcycle I am worried about losing or breaking my glucometer. Obviously I always took it with me when on Gliclazide, but then I could just pack it away as it was only needed in case of a hypo. Which thankfully never happened.
Yet as I now need to follow the D.V.L.A testing requirements I will need to keep it in a pocket for regular use, where it will be more vulnerable. I once lost a set of keys because I forgot to zip up the shallow pocket on my summer jacket. And though my winter one has deep pockets, they are outside of the waterproofing!
As I am not going out other than essential medical appointments I have not contacted the surgery yet, as I would not be able to collect anything. Besides, they know I am shielding, so telling them the reason I want another one may not be quite as convincing at the moment. My eye screening is tomorrow, but other than collecting a posted prescription next week (against shielding advice, but I am going to risk that I now have immunity from the first vaccine dose) I am then unlikely to go outside again until April for the second vaccination.
But as I ride a motorcycle I am worried about losing or breaking my glucometer. Obviously I always took it with me when on Gliclazide, but then I could just pack it away as it was only needed in case of a hypo. Which thankfully never happened.
Yet as I now need to follow the D.V.L.A testing requirements I will need to keep it in a pocket for regular use, where it will be more vulnerable. I once lost a set of keys because I forgot to zip up the shallow pocket on my summer jacket. And though my winter one has deep pockets, they are outside of the waterproofing!
As I am not going out other than essential medical appointments I have not contacted the surgery yet, as I would not be able to collect anything. Besides, they know I am shielding, so telling them the reason I want another one may not be quite as convincing at the moment. My eye screening is tomorrow, but other than collecting a posted prescription next week (against shielding advice, but I am going to risk that I now have immunity from the first vaccine dose) I am then unlikely to go outside again until April for the second vaccination.
I requested a spare meter. Not because I feared I would lose mine but because I have experienced a meter failing. I do not want to risk going without a meter so I was given a spare. The spare takes the same test strips as I previously had a spare with different strips and the strips went out of date before I used them.
As has been mentioned many times, meter manufactures make money out of the strips, not the meter so the meters are often cheap ... or even donated to diabetes clinics by the manufacturer.
As has been mentioned many times, meter manufactures make money out of the strips, not the meter so the meters are often cheap ... or even donated to diabetes clinics by the manufacturer.
I finally have the closure which no one has been waiting for.
On Saturday morning I went to test my levels, pulled back the end of the lancing device, then kept pulling because it was no longer connected as a piece of plastic flew into the distance to be never seen again. And that was in the corner of a room.
With the stay at home requirement ending yesterday in England, and shielding ending on Thursday, it is the time I said I would contact the surgery anyway. A second meter being wanted so I would have a spare to use on my bike to meet the D.V.L.A. requirements.
So I emailed the surgery straight away to ask if they had replacement lancing devices and also to ask what to do about not being able to buy a meter that works with my prescription strips. As I had an appointment with a G.P. yesterday morning anyway, my email was passed on to her. The surgery is still using TRUEyou meters, it seems that although they are no longer sold direct to the public, the regular (non-mini) model is still being produced for healthcare use.
They had some available now, but as they are expecting a delivery soon one from each batch would be put aside from me. Because of the lancing device problem — stabbing yourself manually is hard, although much easier with an insulin needle on an empty pen than with a lancet — I did not want to wait so collected a new glucometer this morning. The regular meter also has a different lancing device which, though still a lump fo the same plastic, seems much better designed and feels less likely to explode. Just a shame it is longer so will not fit in the mini's pouch.
Originally I was not expecting to be able to ride until next month at the earliest, at step two of the relaxation. When the government first announced their timetable they said that for the second step (which is part of step one, because why start communicating things properly now) you should still avoid unnecessary travel. However the legislation has no such restrictions, and a government spokesperson confirmed in the Evening Standard yesterday that, so long as you follow the other rules, you can travel where you like for leisure.
I probably would still wait, but riding is something I do to look after my mental health. And after a difficult year with shielding, and now I am fully vaccinated, it is probably time to start making use of my new glucometer. Which will probably begin with putting the bike's battery on a charger after several months of non-use.
Also, maybe it is because I complained about he surgery directly to the N.H.S., but after all my problems with them last year, they have been very helpful recently.
On Saturday morning I went to test my levels, pulled back the end of the lancing device, then kept pulling because it was no longer connected as a piece of plastic flew into the distance to be never seen again. And that was in the corner of a room.
With the stay at home requirement ending yesterday in England, and shielding ending on Thursday, it is the time I said I would contact the surgery anyway. A second meter being wanted so I would have a spare to use on my bike to meet the D.V.L.A. requirements.
So I emailed the surgery straight away to ask if they had replacement lancing devices and also to ask what to do about not being able to buy a meter that works with my prescription strips. As I had an appointment with a G.P. yesterday morning anyway, my email was passed on to her. The surgery is still using TRUEyou meters, it seems that although they are no longer sold direct to the public, the regular (non-mini) model is still being produced for healthcare use.
They had some available now, but as they are expecting a delivery soon one from each batch would be put aside from me. Because of the lancing device problem — stabbing yourself manually is hard, although much easier with an insulin needle on an empty pen than with a lancet — I did not want to wait so collected a new glucometer this morning. The regular meter also has a different lancing device which, though still a lump fo the same plastic, seems much better designed and feels less likely to explode. Just a shame it is longer so will not fit in the mini's pouch.
Originally I was not expecting to be able to ride until next month at the earliest, at step two of the relaxation. When the government first announced their timetable they said that for the second step (which is part of step one, because why start communicating things properly now) you should still avoid unnecessary travel. However the legislation has no such restrictions, and a government spokesperson confirmed in the Evening Standard yesterday that, so long as you follow the other rules, you can travel where you like for leisure.
I probably would still wait, but riding is something I do to look after my mental health. And after a difficult year with shielding, and now I am fully vaccinated, it is probably time to start making use of my new glucometer. Which will probably begin with putting the bike's battery on a charger after several months of non-use.
Also, maybe it is because I complained about he surgery directly to the N.H.S., but after all my problems with them last year, they have been very helpful recently.
Well this has just become slightly confusing. I was not expecting anything, but the pharmacy just turned up with a prescription. WaveSense Jazz test strips and lancets!
Maybe I misunderstood and that is the brand that they are expecting soon? But then why give me the TRUEyou meter now? Surely not just for the sake of a lancing device, which can be bought on its own for £5.99 in Boots?
This morning I also got an email for the surgery apologizing for taking so long to reply, and that they would forward my glucometer request to a clinician. Although I old them they had already helped, maybe a different doctor intended to give me the different device and changed the prescription?
Thankfully I still have enough TRUEyou test strips so can wait and see if I get given a Jazz meter, as my repeat prescription list has changed too. But as it sounds a much better meter, I am hesitant to ask the surgery for them to say it was a mistake and to switch my prescription back. And as the meter is only about £16, in the worst case I can buy a couple myself, as the main thing is not having to pay for the strips.
What a very confusing day. I now have to unpack my Sainsbury's delivery, they said there were no substitutions but now I am worried about what I may find!
Maybe I misunderstood and that is the brand that they are expecting soon? But then why give me the TRUEyou meter now? Surely not just for the sake of a lancing device, which can be bought on its own for £5.99 in Boots?
This morning I also got an email for the surgery apologizing for taking so long to reply, and that they would forward my glucometer request to a clinician. Although I old them they had already helped, maybe a different doctor intended to give me the different device and changed the prescription?
Thankfully I still have enough TRUEyou test strips so can wait and see if I get given a Jazz meter, as my repeat prescription list has changed too. But as it sounds a much better meter, I am hesitant to ask the surgery for them to say it was a mistake and to switch my prescription back. And as the meter is only about £16, in the worst case I can buy a couple myself, as the main thing is not having to pay for the strips.
What a very confusing day. I now have to unpack my Sainsbury's delivery, they said there were no substitutions but now I am worried about what I may find!
Doing more research I found this interesting table from one N.H.S. trust listing all the different models available:
Not particularly helpful in determining which is best, mind. It also says the TRUEyou only meets the older ISO 15197:2013 standard, however the box and manual both state it meets the 2015 update.
This situation has really messed me up. I am Burridan's Ass at the best of time, now I feel I need to make a decision and cannot just refer it back to the surgery in case they make the wrong one for me! But I am sure it was not my G.P. getting confused as, though I said I did not care about brands, she said on the phone how the meter she put aside uses the same strips as my current one.
Best it seems to me the WaveSense Jazz can do everything the TRUEyou does, plus a few things more. While both can download to a computer, the TRUEyou needs a dock which seems impossible to buy, but neither work on a Mac so I cannot use those features anyway. The Jazz also comes in a small £20 bluetooth model for using with a smartphone. It would be a perfect travel size, though my super old iPhone would need updating to work with that. But it is something I will have to do eventually, so that seems a more flexible system to go with. Especially as the TRUEyou is effectively discontinued, they probably only continue to sell it to healthcare providers so they do not have to make change everything when they need to add or replace a meter.
So I guess I should just buy the Jazz meter to use with my prescription, see what the surgery does next. And if they try to give me another TRUEyou meter just say they changed my prescription and were supposed to give me a Jazz meter.
Not particularly helpful in determining which is best, mind. It also says the TRUEyou only meets the older ISO 15197:2013 standard, however the box and manual both state it meets the 2015 update.
This situation has really messed me up. I am Burridan's Ass at the best of time, now I feel I need to make a decision and cannot just refer it back to the surgery in case they make the wrong one for me! But I am sure it was not my G.P. getting confused as, though I said I did not care about brands, she said on the phone how the meter she put aside uses the same strips as my current one.
Best it seems to me the WaveSense Jazz can do everything the TRUEyou does, plus a few things more. While both can download to a computer, the TRUEyou needs a dock which seems impossible to buy, but neither work on a Mac so I cannot use those features anyway. The Jazz also comes in a small £20 bluetooth model for using with a smartphone. It would be a perfect travel size, though my super old iPhone would need updating to work with that. But it is something I will have to do eventually, so that seems a more flexible system to go with. Especially as the TRUEyou is effectively discontinued, they probably only continue to sell it to healthcare providers so they do not have to make change everything when they need to add or replace a meter.
So I guess I should just buy the Jazz meter to use with my prescription, see what the surgery does next. And if they try to give me another TRUEyou meter just say they changed my prescription and were supposed to give me a Jazz meter.
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