Need help with decision

I read in the Consumer Reports that Accu-Chek Advantage is the best
well tested meter. Another comparison report stated that One Touch
Ultra was the best. Can I have your thoughts? Anyone ever buy strips
from eBay? The prices are very good there.

x-no-archive: yes


wipeout64@hotmail.com wrote:
> I read in the Consumer Reports that Accu-Chek Advantage is the best
> well tested meter. Another comparison report stated that One Touch
> Ultra was the best. Can I have your thoughts? Anyone ever buy strips
> from eBay? The prices are very good there.
>

I always buy my strips on ebay.

I use the Ultra; the numbers must be pretty accurate, they stack up
right with my periodic A1c.

Susan

wipeout64@hotmail.com wrote:
> I read in the Consumer Reports that Accu-Chek Advantage is the best
> well tested meter. Another comparison report stated that One Touch
> Ultra was the best. Can I have your thoughts? Anyone ever buy strips
> from eBay? The prices are very good there.

I personally use a One Touch and have found it to be exceptionally
reliable. There are several good meters on the market and it will
probably just come down to personal choice and availabilty. I have
very good insurance so I don't buy my strips on eBay, however a good
friend of mine does and he tells me the prices there are going up and
up. Many of the strips being sold on eBay are from individuals who
have insurance and get more strips than they need, so they sell them
for a profit. A bit dishonest in my book, but to each his or her own
karma. Keep in mind if you test a lot, which one should, you will need
to order quite a few strips and make sure that you allow delivery time
lag. Also, the prices may seem lower but be sure to double check how
much they charge for shipping and handling because that is something
that can really jack up the price - sometimes it's fair, sometimes it's
way more than what it costs to ship it.

Best,
Kurt

On Tue, 17 Oct 2006 14:37:17 -0700, wipeout64@hotmail.com wrote:

> I read in the Consumer Reports that Accu-Chek Advantage is the best
> well tested meter. Another comparison report stated that One Touch
> Ultra was the best. Can I have your thoughts? Anyone ever buy strips
> from eBay? The prices are very good there.

IMHO - none of them are very good. The FDA requires +-20% accuracy - and,
going by the numbers they all publish with their control solutions, they
are mostly accurate to +-15% - IMHO not good enough to maintain tight
control. I'd be very surprised if Consumer Reports actually checked the
accuracy of the various meters - if they did, I'd use that for critereon
number one.

BTW - a few months ago I was in the market for a new meter. I called Dr.
Richard Bernstein's office (author of "Diabetes Solution". I was told that
the ONLY meter he recommends is the Ascensia Contour.

<wipeout64@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1161121036.975937.15200@h48g2000cwc.googlegro ups.com...
>I read in the Consumer Reports that Accu-Chek Advantage is the best
> well tested meter. Another comparison report stated that One Touch
> Ultra was the best. Can I have your thoughts? Anyone ever buy strips
> from eBay? The prices are very good there.


i have been using Accu-Chek for 4 years with Comfort Curve Strips.
to me there is a big difference between comfort curve and regular strips.
I compared them and will never buy regular strips again.
its comfort curve or i go to another store.

Tom

On Tue, 17 Oct 2006 16:06:45 -0600, ray <ray@zianet.com>
wrote:

>On Tue, 17 Oct 2006 14:37:17 -0700, wipeout64@hotmail.com wrote:
>
>> I read in the Consumer Reports that Accu-Chek Advantage is the best
>> well tested meter. Another comparison report stated that One Touch
>> Ultra was the best. Can I have your thoughts? Anyone ever buy strips
>> from eBay? The prices are very good there.
>
>IMHO - none of them are very good. The FDA requires +-20% accuracy - and,
>going by the numbers they all publish with their control solutions, they
>are mostly accurate to +-15% - IMHO not good enough to maintain tight
>control. I'd be very surprised if Consumer Reports actually checked the
>accuracy of the various meters - if they did, I'd use that for critereon
>number one.
>

I've found the repeatability and accuracy of the ones I use,
both Accu-cheks, very suitable for my purposes. The accuracy
numbers you mention are CYA requirenets IMO.

Ask the old-timers like Guy about the difference between
modern meters and the early ones and you won't think these
current ones are so bad. And they are certainly good enough
to use for following Jennifer's "test, test, test" advice.

>BTW - a few months ago I was in the market for a new meter. I called Dr.
>Richard Bernstein's office (author of "Diabetes Solution". I was told that
>the ONLY meter he recommends is the Ascensia Contour.

Read http://www.mendosa.com/meters.htm

Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia.
d&e, metformin 1000mg, ezetrol 10mg
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com/
latest: Alhambra
--
Everything in Moderation - Except Laughter.

Thanks for your replies. They were very helpful.

I noticed that one of the reason for the good prices on the meter is
that the warranty expiration date is about to expire. Is this a
problem? They are only charging $5 + shipping. I would think it would
be ok as long as it works and was never used, but I don't know anything
about meters.




wipeout64@hotmail.com wrote:
> I read in the Consumer Reports that Accu-Chek Advantage is the best
> well tested meter. Another comparison report stated that One Touch
> Ultra was the best. Can I have your thoughts? Anyone ever buy strips
> from eBay? The prices are very good there.

On 17 Oct 2006 14:37:17 -0700, "wipeout64@hotmail.com"
<wipeout64@hotmail.com> wrote:

>I read in the Consumer Reports that Accu-Chek Advantage is the best
>well tested meter. Another comparison report stated that One Touch
>Ultra was the best. Can I have your thoughts? Anyone ever buy strips
>from eBay? The prices are very good there.

I use the Advantage and OTU, along with every other meter made. The
advantage has a tendency to read a tad high. The OTU is probably the
most accurate. I use the advantage since the sticks are the most
plentiful and cheapest on ebay.

I buy all sticks off ebay for 3+ years. OTU sticks typically go for
$50+ per 100. Accu chek comfort curve sticks typically go for $40+
per 100. Both cost about $90 per 100 at walmart. My last purchase
was for 204 accu check compact sticks for $14. This type of deal is
becoming quite rare since more people are using ebay. This type of
deal was the norm a couple years ago, now, it is the exception. Always
buy from a seller with excellent FB. Gotta use a lot of common sense.

Always pay with paypal backed by a credit card. Never pay by any
other means. If the seller fails to ship, or cheats you, you then can
do a credit card chargeback to get your money back. Never buy from a
seller with a PFB <99.5%. Always read seller negative FB by
http://www.toolhaus.org/ or http://www.goofbay.com/ebay_tools .
Goofbay had a set of nifty tools which has been removed. They could
drill into a seller's history.
_____________________________________
http://www.healthdiabeticsoftware.com/ Free

On 17 Oct 2006 18:18:24 -0700, "wipeout64@hotmail.com"
<wipeout64@hotmail.com> wrote:

>
>Thanks for your replies. They were very helpful.
>
>I noticed that one of the reason for the good prices on the meter is
>that the warranty expiration date is about to expire. Is this a
>problem? They are only charging $5 + shipping. I would think it would
>be ok as long as it works and was never used, but I don't know anything
>about meters.
>

Expired sticks on ebay is where you will get the best deals. The
compact sticks I am currently using expired 10/05 and are dead on. I
found sticks begin to lose consistency after about eighteen months
beyond expiration date.
_____________________________________
http://www.healthdiabeticsoftware.com/ Free

Thanks for all the advice (including eBay). I'm glad you mentioned that
you use several meters. I may do the same as I just got a meter for
$5.00. I don't have health insurance, I have no choice but to use eBay.

Hi_Therre wrote:
> On 17 Oct 2006 14:37:17 -0700, "wipeout64@hotmail.com"
> <wipeout64@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> >I read in the Consumer Reports that Accu-Chek Advantage is the best
> >well tested meter. Another comparison report stated that One Touch
> >Ultra was the best. Can I have your thoughts? Anyone ever buy strips
> >from eBay? The prices are very good there.
>
> I use the Advantage and OTU, along with every other meter made. The
> advantage has a tendency to read a tad high. The OTU is probably the
> most accurate. I use the advantage since the sticks are the most
> plentiful and cheapest on ebay.
>
> I buy all sticks off ebay for 3+ years. OTU sticks typically go for
> $50+ per 100. Accu chek comfort curve sticks typically go for $40+
> per 100. Both cost about $90 per 100 at walmart. My last purchase
> was for 204 accu check compact sticks for $14. This type of deal is
> becoming quite rare since more people are using ebay. This type of
> deal was the norm a couple years ago, now, it is the exception. Always
> buy from a seller with excellent FB. Gotta use a lot of common sense.
>
> Always pay with paypal backed by a credit card. Never pay by any
> other means. If the seller fails to ship, or cheats you, you then can
> do a credit card chargeback to get your money back. Never buy from a
> seller with a PFB <99.5%. Always read seller negative FB by
> http://www.toolhaus.org/ or http://www.goofbay.com/ebay_tools .
> Goofbay had a set of nifty tools which has been removed. They could
> drill into a seller's history.
> _____________________________________
> http://www.healthdiabeticsoftware.com/ Free

Wow! I'm glad you told me this. I'll give it a try because you're right
the expired ones are cheaper.



Hi_Therre wrote:
> On 17 Oct 2006 18:18:24 -0700, "wipeout64@hotmail.com"
> <wipeout64@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> >
> >Thanks for your replies. They were very helpful.
> >
> >I noticed that one of the reason for the good prices on the meter is
> >that the warranty expiration date is about to expire. Is this a
> >problem? They are only charging $5 + shipping. I would think it would
> >be ok as long as it works and was never used, but I don't know anything
> >about meters.
> >
>
> Expired sticks on ebay is where you will get the best deals. The
> compact sticks I am currently using expired 10/05 and are dead on. I
> found sticks begin to lose consistency after about eighteen months
> beyond expiration date.
> _____________________________________
> http://www.healthdiabeticsoftware.com/ Free

On 18 Oct 2006 16:42:59 -0700, "wipeout64@hotmail.com"
<wipeout64@hotmail.com> wrote:

>Thanks for all the advice (including eBay). I'm glad you mentioned that
>you use several meters. I may do the same as I just got a meter for
>$5.00. I don't have health insurance, I have no choice but to use eBay.
>

If you do not constantly control your costs associated with this
disease, it WILL bankrupt your ass a long time before it kills your
ass. I use whatever sticks are the cheapest at the moment. Meters
can be attained for free from the manufacturer or can be almost free
from ebay. It is the cost of the sticks that you have to control.

Be careful using what can be called second tier sticks. Stay away
from generic manufactured sticks. Sometimes called third party
sticks. Use only sticks manufactured by the meter manufacturer.

To minimize cost of generic meds see http://www.rxoutreach.com/,
cheapest place I know of. Walmart is going nationwide next year on
their $4 per month for generics.
_____________________________________
http://www.healthdiabeticsoftware.com/ Free

On 18 Oct 2006 16:43:57 -0700, "wipeout64@hotmail.com"
<wipeout64@hotmail.com> wrote:

>Wow! I'm glad you told me this. I'll give it a try because you're right
>the expired ones are cheaper.
>
>

As with anything, life has its surprises. Be sure the sticks are
mailed in a sturdy box. Mailing sticks in a bubble envelope often
results in the envelope being crushed by other parcels in the US mail
system. This results in the stick box also being crushed thereby the
glued seals on the stick box being broken. If the stick box seal is
broken, you have no idea if the seal was broken in the mail, or if the
ebay seller opened the stick box and possibly tampered with the
sticks. You have no way to hold the seller accountable since it
cannot be proven where the seal was broken. I've been through this
numerous times. But, I've not seen any bad sticks purchased via ebay.

If you intend to use expired sticks, keep an eye out for erratic BG
readings. It is a risk you have to accept in order to save a few
bucks. Dealing with any outfit like ebay where you have no idea where
the product originates from, has inherent risks, keep that in mind. DO
NOT buy any sticks from a seller located outside the US.

There is a fair amount of risk in dealing with ebay - keep that in
mind.

As time goes, you learn the *Tricks of the Trade* in buying sticks off
ebay.