What would you do if your meters break on the weekend.

[rayray119]

I'm posted some messages on another thread but realized it should probably go in it's theard.

So this morning both meters in one way or another decided they would pack in.). And I currently have nothing to back my dexcom up if I needed over the weekend.

Just wondering if anyone else has been in this situation and what you have done about it or have you waited until you were able to get one(weather from the manufacturer from your hospital) and just go a few days purely going of what your seasor says?

 

[Satan’s little helper]

I'm posted some messages on another thread but realized it should probably go in it's theard.

So this morning both meters in one way or another decided they would pack in.). And I currently have nothing to back my dexcom up if I needed over the weekend.

Just wondering if anyone else has been in this situation and what you have done about it or have you waited until you were able to get one(weather from the manufacturer from your hospital) and just go a few says purely going of what your seasor says?

Hello, some companies like Roche will send a meter for free. The money they make is on the consumables like the strips. I’d advise asking for a spare, too?

 

[rayray119]

Hello, some companies like Roche will send a meter for free. The money they make is on the consumables like the strips. I’d advise asking for a spare, too?

Yeah thanks Agamatix have been funny in the past about that. It just because it's weekend I'm not Abble to get one straight away so I was wondeed if anyone has found a way around that.

 

[rayray119]

I have now emailed Agamatix asking for some replacements

 

[rebrascora]

As I said in my post on the other thread, you need to report it to the manufacturer and they will usually send you a replacement and you should always have a back up meter, so yes, ask for two. It doesn't matter if they make you feel uncomfortable about reporting faults, you need to report them, because it is a medical device which has been supplied to the NHS and it is no longer working. Tell them you will yellow card it if they are difficult, especially as this is not the first failure you have had with them and offer to send the broken one(s) back if they send you postage. That should make them more amenable.

As mentioned above, they make their money from the test strips and their reps often supply the diabetes clinics with a few for newly diagnosed people but you should be dealing with the manufacturer's customer services if there is a problem.

I don't think there is a lot you can do over the weekend now, but do make sure you get a spare in future, so that you aren't caught short again.

Out of curiosity, what problems are you getting with the meters? Are they just not firing up at all when you insert a strip?
I have problems with my Caresens cutting out half way through testing and saying the battery is low, but if I warm it up down my bra for a few minutes (even though room temp in the house isn't that cold) they will happily work. It just isn't always convenient to warm them up when I need a reading, especially when I am hypo! Thankfully, Libre works really well for me so I very rarely need to use it anymore and I have a box of Optium strips that I bought that will work with my trusty Libre reader as a back up.

 

[rebrascora]

I see our posts crossed as I am a slow typist!

 

[rayray119]

Out of curiosity, what problems are you getting with the meters? Are they just not firing up at all when you insert a strip?
I have problems with my Caresens cutting out half way through testing and saying the battery is low, but if I warm it up down my bra for a few minutes (even though room temp in the house isn't that cold) they will happily work. It just isn't always convenient to warm them up when I need a reading, especially when I am hypo! Thankfully, Libre works really well for me so I very rarely need to use it anymore and I have a box of Optium strips that I bought that will work with my trusty Libre reader as a back up.

Ones not turning on at all the other one is saying error1 when I put in the strip in which is supposed to mean the test strip in damaged but it does it with every strip I put in even if I open a new box. I tried the old battery warm trick so it's not that 🙂. I should be able to get a spare one from somewhere and another 🙂. I do have my dexcom which seems pretty good so far. It did seem to miss an hypo(2 figer pricks) yesterday day even but as it meter decided to not to work afterwards it could have well been that(or I wasn't hypo for long so dexcom hadn't had a chance to catch up) and I'll just be aware of that for the next few daysthat if dexcom is reading in the 4s like 4.8 it could be could mean I'm in the in 3s so just have some jelly babies anyway 🙂 which I offen would at that number anyway

 

[Satan’s little helper]

Yeah thanks Agamatix have been funny in the past about that. It just because it's weekend I'm not Abble to get one straight away so I was wondeed if anyone has found a way around that.

I have to admit “office hours” are the best time slot to deal with this. Which is of no help to you right now.
Could you find a chemist & purchase a meter “starter pack” as a tide over?

Ones not turning on at all the other one is saying error1 when I put in the strip in which is supposed to mean the test strip in damaged but it does it with every strip I put in even if I open a new box. I tried the old battery warm trick so it's not that 🙂. I should be able to get a spare one from somewhere and another 🙂. I do have my dexcom which seems pretty good so far. It did seem to miss an hypo(2 figer pricks) yesterday day even but as it meter decided to not to work afterwards it could have well been that(or I wasn't hypo for long so dexcom hadn't had a chance to catch up) and I'll just be aware of that for the next few daysthat if dexcom is reading in the 4s like 4.8 it could be could mean I'm in the in 3s so just have some jelly babies anyway 🙂 which u offen would at that number anyway

OK. The meter with the strip error. Is it possible a bit of lint, fluff, or dirt has got into the slot where the strip is inserted?
I’d take a vacuum cleaner nozzle on high speed then try and suck it out.

 

[rayray119]

OK. The meter with the strip error. Is it possible a bit of lint, fluff, or dirt has got into the slot where the strip is inserted?
I’d take a vacuum cleaner nozzle on high speed then try and suck it out.

I'll see if I can give that ago thanks 🙂

 

[Satan’s little helper]

I'll see if I can give that ago thanks 🙂

I fixed the charging point on my wife’s phone like this a few months back. (It was not charging & dead.)
Try to keep the slot facing down. It sounds like me the strips are not making contact or completing the circuit?

 

[rayray119]

I fixed the charging point on my wife’s phone like this a few months back. (It was not charging & dead.)
Try to keep the slot facing down. It sounds like me the strips are not making contact or completing the circuit?

I tried it unfortunately no luck but it was worth a shot. At least I do have my dexcom as long as that doesn't decide pack in as well(things do tend to happen at the wrong time haha)

 

[Satan’s little helper]

I tried it unfortunately no luck but it was worth a shot. At least I do have my dexcom as long as that doesn't decide pack in as well(things do tend to happen at the wrong time haha)

If it’s any consolation. I’m planning a “Viking funeral” for a Novopen, later. I do have spares.
Do you have spare Dexcom?

 

[rayray119]

If it’s any consolation. I’m planning a “Viking funeral” for a Novopen, later. I do have spares.
Do you have spare Dexcom?

Sensors and a spare transmitter yes I do. However only have one receiver.(also there's a 2 hour warm up for dexcom)

 

[Satan’s little helper]

Sensors and a spare transmitter yes I do. However only have one receiver.(also there's a 2 hour warm up for dexcom)

I trialled the G6 once. It was good. But it stopped transmitting about 8 days in? (Or there appeared to be no data.) I pushed the transmitter back into the cradle & felt a slight click, and it was working again. It may help you if something happens in the Dexcom department?

 

[rayray119]

I trialled the G6 once. It was good. But it stopped transmitting about 8 days in? (Or there appeared to be no data.) I pushed the transmitter back into the cradle & felt a slight click, and it was working again. It may help you if something happens in the Dexcom department?

Thanks I'll keep that in mind if something happens in that way. It's dexcom one I'm on . As saud u only have a one receiver(my phone doesn't work with the app) though and don't your able to get spares of them without forking put £50

 

[Satan’s little helper]

Thanks I'll keep that in mind if something happens in that way. It's dexcom one I'm on . As saud u only have a one receiver(my phone doesn't work with the app) though and don't your able to get spares of them without forking put £50

You could try a free download app like xDrip & try the Dexcom with your phone? That’s how I trialled the G6.

 

[rayray119]

You could try a free download app like xDrip & try the Dexcom with your phone? That’s how I trialled the G6.

I actually tried to set xdrip with when I used the libre but for some reason I couldn't work it (saying something for someone with a computing degree haha). I'm also not a huge fan of third party apps because I hate barking rules but if worst comes to worst I probably will see if I can use one of them as there won't be another option 🙂

 

[RBZ5416]

Are these meters identical? If so, take the battery out of the one with errors & try it in the dead one.

 

[Satan’s little helper]

I actually tried to set xdrip with when I used the libre but for some reason I couldn't work it (saying something for someone with a computing degree haha). I'm also not a huge fan of third party apps because I hate barking rules but if worst comes to worst I probably will see if I can use one of them as there won't be another option 🙂

To my mind xDrip is a little over complicated for Libre. But I got it going for the G6.
I like to think, whatever the problem, there’s always a “workaround.” 🙂

 

[rayray119]

Are these meters identical? If so, take the battery out of the one with errors & try it in the dead one.

Yeah already tried unfortunately no luck so it's not a battery issue with either of them 🙂