Ascensia Contour: how good?

seltaeb · #1 (**permalink**) 11-10-2008, 02:51 PM

I've been using a One Touch Utrasmart since being diagnosed & love it for all of it's features. Unfortunately, my new insurance says they will only pay for strips for the Contour & not my One Touch. I'm guessing most meters are pretty close in their readings, but would like to hear from someone who uses one as to what they think of this meter.

davef · #2 (**permalink**) 11-10-2008, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seltaeb

I've been using a One Touch Utrasmart since being diagnosed & love it for all of it's features. Unfortunately, my new insurance says they will only pay for strips for the Contour & not my One Touch. I'm guessing most meters are pretty close in their readings, but would like to hear from someone who uses one as to what they think of this meter.

I have both the older 15 second to result and new 5 second version. No problems with either. There are some nice features on the new version, you can mark readings as pre/postprandial, if preprandial it will set an alarm to remind to do the postprandial.

Brian J · #3 (**permalink**) 11-10-2008, 05:08 PM

The Contour is a fairly basic meter. In addition to marking results, it gives 7 and 14 day averages.

The advantages compared to the One Touch is that the blood sample size needed is about half as much, there is no strip coding, and you don't have to wait for the coding display to go off so it is much faster and easier to test.

The disadvantages are that you don't get all the extra features like graphing.

I test a lot, so I'd much rather use the contour because of speed and blood sample size needed.

IrishJoe · #4 (**permalink**) 11-10-2008, 06:33 PM

its quite simple and is reasonable accuracte.

Rascal · #5 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 02:22 PM

I also had to quit using the One-Touch and switch to the Countour because of insurance. I was unhappy with the Countour's lack of many of the features of the One-Touch.
The smaller sample size is nice. I just assumed the Countour software would do the same graphing and reporting that the One-Touch software does.

I used them both for a while to compare readings. I know my One Touch was very accurate because I brought it with me when I had lab tests done and compared the lab results to the One-Touch test I did immediately after my blood sample was drawn. The results always matched within 1 or 2 points.

I tested with both for a while and found the Countour was consistently 20-30 points higher than the One-Touch, even with different batches of test strips.

I felt like my BS was low because I was cold and shakey, but the Countour said I was fine at 90 but my One-Touch said I was at 61.

I'm really worried about these inacurracies and it would completely throw off my diet and meds if I believed the Countour meter. I don't feel comfortable just subtracting 25 or 30 points from the Countour readings.

Could I just have a bad meter? It passes the check solution test.

edit: I was using the One-Touch Ultra, not the Ultrasmart.

art · #6 (**permalink**) 12-04-2008, 06:31 AM

my Contour is actually quite accurate.
Twice I've had the chance to compare the meter to a lab reading .
The meter and the lab results were within 2 points of each other both times.

The Bayer software is horrible. No question about that.

But I'd rather have accuracy than anything else.

Art

fgummett · #7 (**permalink**) 12-04-2008, 06:53 AM

I'm very happy with the Contour - especially as I have the Link version to my MM Pump. 5 Second BG reading, no coding... and accurate enough for my needs

xMenace · #8 (**permalink**) 12-04-2008, 08:16 AM

I've been unhappy with the high error rate and high blood sample size of 0.6ml. My pharm says they are coming out with 0.3ml strips. Maybe you Americans already have them¿

I find my Contour Link tests a smidgen higher than my BD Link.

poodlebone · #9 (**permalink**) 12-04-2008, 09:42 AM

I had gotten a free Contour (the older 15 second version) and test strips awhile ago. I thought the meter was fine, liked the strips better than the One Touch by Lifescan. I didn't care for the longer test time but that's not an issue anymore. I found that the Contour read a little higher than my Lifescan meters, but I've found that to be true of all other brands I've tried.

In the end I've gone back to Lifescan. I love my UltraSmart and don't think I'd want to switch unless another company comes out with something similar.

UpNorth · #10 (**permalink**) 12-04-2008, 11:00 AM

I can't help it, but i cringe everytime i even see or hear the word Contour

I've never used it, but there's just something about it that makes me not wanting to even if it was the last kind of meter on the planet

Think i'm the kind of person who wants more than basic, but not too advanced

But try it, and see what you think. If you don't like it, start a verbal war with your insurance company to let you use the meter you want

Brian J · #11 (**permalink**) 12-04-2008, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rascal

I also had to quit using the One-Touch and switch to the Countour because of insurance. I was unhappy with the Countour's lack of many of the features of the One-Touch.
The smaller sample size is nice. I just assumed the Countour software would do the same graphing and reporting that the One-Touch software does.

I used them both for a while to compare readings. I know my One Touch was very accurate because I brought it with me when I had lab tests done and compared the lab results to the One-Touch test I did immediately after my blood sample was drawn. The results always matched within 1 or 2 points.

I tested with both for a while and found the Countour was consistently 20-30 points higher than the One-Touch, even with different batches of test strips.

I felt like my BS was low because I was cold and shakey, but the Countour said I was fine at 90 but my One-Touch said I was at 61.

I'm really worried about these inacurracies and it would completely throw off my diet and meds if I believed the Countour meter. I don't feel comfortable just subtracting 25 or 30 points from the Countour readings.

Could I just have a bad meter? It passes the check solution test.

edit: I was using the One-Touch Ultra, not the Ultrasmart.

I use a variety of meters (Contour, Freestyle Lite, Onetouch Ultra 2) and buy test strips based on what's on sale. That being said, I always get the meters tested against my blood test results. If you think your Contour meter is 20 to 30 points higher than it should be, get it tested, or get a new Contour. Maybe it isn't accurate. I've thrown out meters in the past. Out of curiousity, I tested my Contour against the One-Touch Ultra2 last night. They both had the same readings.