[archimeech]

This is not a solicitation! Just my wanting to give everyone some information. I wanted to post this as a thread of it's own. If you're in the US, sorry all in the UK and elsewhere, but I don't know if it works this way for you; you can get just about any glucometer at no charge to you. I have been diabetic for 20 years, in that time I have paid for only 1 meter, and that was because I really wanted it. The drug companies that make the meters and strips are like the cellular phone companies. they offer you a really good deal, if not free, on your phone or in our case the glucometer so that they can make tons of money on the service contract and strips. A meter is a one time purchase but those strips every month really make a ton of money for the companies. If you deal with a Diabetes Educator, and all of you should, then they will either have a good supply of brand new meters in a closet somewhere or they will be able to get you one at no charge from the local sales rep. My educator had so many at one time that she was giving 2 to every person. She needed to clean out the closet and just told us to use the other as a back-up or at work or whatever! I did pay for one, the Therasense FreeStyle Tracker. it is the meter that plugs into a PDA and I loved it. It was easy to use, easy to download, all ready hooked to the PDA (Handspring Visor) After the coupons and rebates that the Sales Rep from Therasense gave me, I wound up paying just the price for the PDA. So for all intense and purposes, it was free to me as well. I changed jobs and my new insurance doesn't cover the Therasense strips so I had to change glucometers. I simply called up my diabetes educator and asked for her opinion on a new one and if she had any available. She suggested the Lifescan One-touch Ultra Smart. The closest thing to a PDA type glucometer. She said to come by and she would leave one at the desk for me. At the same time I asked for another meter, just the One-touch Ultra for a coworker of mine. He is the son of 2 diabetics and checks his sugar every now and then just to watch it. She gave me one for him also. I then went online and downloaded their software for free. The computer cable didn't come with the meter so I called the Educator again and asked her for the reps name, got a hold of her and she mailed me the cable for free. If I would have bought it all off of the website from the manufacturer, it would have cost me at least $160.00 US! My prescription for strips is 300 for a 30 days supply, I think they make enough money off of me and my insurance company. If you don't go to an educator, call up the companies. Tell them your story and see what kind of meter they are willing to send you. We diabetics spend enough money, don't pay for a meter if you don't have to.