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cholesterol home testing kits
- Thread starter lanzlady
- Start date
- Status
Yes, I'd be interested to see whether anyone has used one and what they think.
Looking online, it looks like it only measures total cholesterol, so you'd be left wondering what the HDL/LDL ratio was. Is that the case with the one you bought?
Andy
Looking online, it looks like it only measures total cholesterol, so you'd be left wondering what the HDL/LDL ratio was. Is that the case with the one you bought?
Andy
I don't really understand the benefit of home cholesterol monitoring. The accuracy of the machines is likely to be quite poor anyway compared to laboratory analysis. Cholesterol analysis by pharmacies using these point of care devices is criticised by many health care professionals.
Home glucose monitoring has a clear purpose and impact on treatment. I can't think of a reason why anyone would need to monitor their cholesterol at home.
Any short term variation in results is likely to be due to the analytical variation of the machine. Cholesterol is monitored over months and years not hours in the way that glucose is. All diabetics should have their cholesterol monitored by their health care team anyway, I don't see that there is any need for additional testing.
The companies that make these machines are just trying to make money from people by trying to persuade them that they need something that they don't.
Home glucose monitoring has a clear purpose and impact on treatment. I can't think of a reason why anyone would need to monitor their cholesterol at home.
Any short term variation in results is likely to be due to the analytical variation of the machine. Cholesterol is monitored over months and years not hours in the way that glucose is. All diabetics should have their cholesterol monitored by their health care team anyway, I don't see that there is any need for additional testing.
The companies that make these machines are just trying to make money from people by trying to persuade them that they need something that they don't.
I don't agree with all the points you make. But any disagreement I may have is predicated on how accurate (or atleast consistent) these cholesterol monitors are. Like you, I suspect they're not that accurate yet, but I have no proof.
For people who currently have high cholesterol levels (like me), I think an accurate self-monitor would be quite useful. It could very well inform me whether any dietry changes were having an effect quicker than waiting for another blood test slot by the health care team. Also, in some ways, it may even be more useful because rather than a single point of time test every 6 months or so, it could enable a more generalised measure (i.e. several readings over several consecutive days).
But, as things stand, I remain to be convinced about its accuracy and won't be running out to buy one yet. Also, for me, it would have to be able to separate HDL and LDL cholesterol levels atleast.
Andy 🙂
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
For me, I think the main advantage would be to test before seeing the doctor so I would know whether to expect a rollicking or not! 😱 I think you'd need to be quite well off to do several consecutive tests as I don't think they are particularly cheap.
You can also get home HbA1c test kits - I wonder how many have/or would buy one of those? I think they are quite popular in the US.
You can also get home HbA1c test kits - I wonder how many have/or would buy one of those? I think they are quite popular in the US.
novorapidboi26
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Was Just looking at the Glucomen Test Kit on www.superliving.co.uk..
17 pounds for 1 test............dont know about that.........
lanzlady
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi,
just waiting on delivery of my cholesterol testing meter.
The meter is half price at the moment I think around ?26 this is one of the reasons I purchased it the strips are exspensive ?12.99 for 5 I just thought it
would enable me to do something about my choleseterol level right away if it was elevated instead of waiting until 1 year on when I have my blood test at
the surgery. Will let you know how I get on.
Lanzlady (meter comes with 5 testing strips)
just waiting on delivery of my cholesterol testing meter.
The meter is half price at the moment I think around ?26 this is one of the reasons I purchased it the strips are exspensive ?12.99 for 5 I just thought it
would enable me to do something about my choleseterol level right away if it was elevated instead of waiting until 1 year on when I have my blood test at
the surgery. Will let you know how I get on.
Lanzlady (meter comes with 5 testing strips)
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Ah, that's sounds like a much better deal than the ones I was thinking of - the technology has obviously advanced. With the ones I was thinking of it was one test for about ?12 with on reusable meter.
Carina1962
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
I've got one which i bought online 2 years ago but the strips are so expensive, i haven't used it for a while as i can't really afford the strips at the moment. I don't think i'll bother now until next year cos i'll be getting my chol checked in January 2011 so i probably won't be buying any strips now till next year.
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