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Recommendations for Bluetooth Glucose Meters (not CGMs)

J

Jasmin2000

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
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Hi all, I've dumped the Libre 2 and am now I'm looking for a good glucose meter (glucometer) with Bluetooth and a smartphone app and is known to be reliable. Would also help if the test strips were affordable, say £25/pack of 50. I currently use an Abbott Freestyle mini and a 4Sure Smart Duo - neither of which are suitable for downloading results to an app. Thanks J.
 
I’ve never used the app, but I’ve been using Contour Next One style meters for a number of years (with the XT strips) and the reproducibility of results is better than any other meter I have tried. I think the connection to the app is wireless.

I could always get other meters to offer a different number by checking again with another strip - but the Contour Next just keeps giving the same number from the same sample
 
Jasmin2000 said:
Hi all, I've dumped the Libre 2 and am now I'm looking for a good glucose meter (glucometer) with Bluetooth and a smartphone app and is known to be reliable. Would also help if the test strips were affordable, say £25/pack of 50. I currently use an Abbott Freestyle mini and a 4Sure Smart Duo - neither of which are suitable for downloading results to an app. Thanks J.
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Have you tried the Dexcom which some people have found more satisfactory than the Libre and will generally be funded which you should be entitled to as Type 1 and in any event you should not have to self fund a glucose monitor anyway.
 
Leadinglights said:
Have you tried the Dexcom which some people have found more satisfactory than the Libre and will generally be funded which you should be entitled to as Type 1 and in any event you should not have to self fund a glucose monitor anyway.
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No, I can ask my GP but I fear the NHS has signed itself over to Abbott now. Maybe I should buy one for testing.
 
Jasmin2000 said:
No, I can ask my GP but I fear the NHS has signed itself over to Abbott now. Maybe I should buy one for testing.
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You can get a free trial to see if it suits you and if it does then fight for it as you should be entitled to suitable technology for your needs.
 
Jasmin2000 said:
No, I can ask my GP but I fear the NHS has signed itself over to Abbott now. Maybe I should buy one for testing.
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Dexcom 1+ is available under the same system as Libre 2+

It’s only Dex G6 and G7 that need the extra sign-off. But the underlying innards of G6 and One+ are pretty similar I think - it’s just the extra connectivity bells and whistles and calibration option it doesn’t have I believe?
 
As an aside you should have a normal finger prick meter anyway and your GP should just give you one and put the strips on prescription.

If you drive then having one is mandatory anyway to check low BG readings from a CGM and in any event, any hypo events flagged by a CGM should always be confirmed by the finger prick reading anyway.
 
Jasmin2000 said:
No, I can ask my GP but I fear the NHS has signed itself over to Abbott now. Maybe I should buy one for testing.
Click to expand...
It should be that Freestyle Libre 2 Plus and Dexcom One+ are available similarly. (If not, Partha Kar would like to know!) I believe Dexcom One+ actually works out slightly cheaper than Libre 2 Plus, though not enough to make much difference.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
But the underlying innards of G6 and One+ are pretty similar I think
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As I understand it the One looked suspiciously similar to the G6 (so is at least speculated as being pretty much the same), but the One+ sensor is the same size as the G7 (and similarly doesn't have a separate transmitter) so is presumably a cut down G7.
 
dannybgoode said:
As an aside you should have a normal finger prick meter anyway and your GP should just give you one and put the strips on prescription.

If you drive then having one is mandatory anyway to check low BG readings from a CGM and in any event, any hypo events flagged by a CGM should always be confirmed by the finger prick reading anyway.
Click to expand...
Yes, I have two - one "pocket" sized Freestyle mini and one dual BG + ketone tester from 4Sure, but neither have a phone app.
 
Bruce Stephens said:
As I understand it the One looked suspiciously similar to the G6 (so is at least speculated as being pretty much the same), but the One+ sensor is the same size as the G7 (and similarly doesn't have a separate transmitter) so is presumably a cut down G7.
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Ah that makes sense. I hadn’t realised that + made such a difference!
 
When our ICB stopped funding strips for Contour Next, I was so unimpressed with their only approved meter (Finetest) that I started funding my own. I found Contour Plus Blue every bit as good as the Next - it even uses the same app - but the strips are much cheaper. I have been paying £8.49 for 50 at Chemist4U. Fortunately, the ICB have now added Contour Plus strips to the formulary.
 
JJay said:
When our ICB stopped funding strips for Contour Next, I was so unimpressed with their only approved meter (Finetest) that I started funding my own. I found Contour Plus Blue every bit as good as the Next - it even uses the same app - but the strips are much cheaper. I have been paying £8.49 for 50 at Chemist4U. Fortunately, the ICB have now added Contour Plus strips to the formulary.
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I think I might consider self funding one. I have the Caresens Duo as my official meter and it is hopeless during the cooler months of the year. It goes through batteries in no time at all and wastes so many test strips because it gets half way through the test sequence and then shuts down before it gives me a reading, unless I put it down my bra for 5 mins first, which isn't always convenient. Thankfully, Libre is really reliable for me so I hardly ever need to double check, but when I do, it never wants to work first time and usually those occasions are when I really don't want to wait 5 mins to warm it up to get a result. 😡 I got a replacement from Spirit Healthcare a couple of years ago when I complained about it, but the replacement is just the same.
 
Jasmin2000 said:
Hi all, I've dumped the Libre 2 and am now I'm looking for a good glucose meter (glucometer) with Bluetooth and a smartphone app and is known to be reliable. Would also help if the test strips were affordable, say £25/pack of 50. I currently use an Abbott Freestyle mini and a 4Sure Smart Duo - neither of which are suitable for downloading results to an app. Thanks J.
Click to expand...
Surely the more important question is which strips your GP will fund? The hospital I’m with has all T1s on the 4sure smart duo meter because it tests ketones as well as glucose.
 
Lucyr said:
Surely the more important question is which strips your GP will fund? The hospital I’m with has all T1s on the 4sure smart duo meter because it tests ketones as well as glucose.
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Thanks @Lucyr
Yes and no. GP will fund a variety of strips, but not Abbot freestyle, which is on the go meter, so I buy these myself. GP pays for 4Sure strips but they need a big drop of blood and don't have a "second chance" slot like Abbot freestyle. I'm trying to convince the GP that the economics work out better with Abbott freestyle but it's an uphill battle.
have you tried the app that comes with the 4sure smart duo meter?

Lucyr said:
have you tried the app that comes with the 4sure smart duo meter?
www.nipro-diagnostics.co.uk

Free access code to download the app

Nipro 4SURE - Medical Europe - Sure and simple
www.nipro-diagnostics.co.uk www.nipro-diagnostics.co.uk
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Yes. It's not a NIPRO app, it's a commercial app from Diabetes M and not worth the cost for me but others may like it.
 
Jasmin2000 said:
Thanks @Lucyr
Yes and no. GP will fund a variety of strips, but not Abbot freestyle, which is on the go meter, so I buy these myself. GP pays for 4Sure strips but they need a big drop of blood and don't have a "second chance" slot like Abbot freestyle. I'm trying to convince the GP that the economics work out better with Abbott freestyle but it's an uphill battle.
have you tried the app that comes with the 4sure smart duo meter?


Yes. It's not a NIPRO app, it's a commercial app from Diabetes M and not worth the cost for me but others may like it.
Click to expand...
There is no cost to the app, it’s free with the 4Sure Smart Duo meter if you look at the link I sent you. The meter connects to the app via Bluetooth
 
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