3µ (microns) of blood is -- frustrating (Breeze2)

[NewdestinyX]

Though I have SO LOVED the convenience of the test strip DISCS in the Bayer BREEZE2 monitors -- I'm finding that the 3µ (microns) of blood needed to get a reading without that horrible E8 error that means not enough blood (and wastes a strip) is just a HASSLE.. I'm at that point where I have callouses forming on my fingers from all the testing.. and I have to prick deeper and deeper to get enough blood to FILL this dang thing..

Have any of you STOPPED using the Breeze2 because of that? I have a ReliOn Micro as my backup meter and the one I use when my strips paid for by my insurance run out mid month -- and it only requires 1µ of blood -- the tiniest little drop that I can barely see is enough for the ReliOn and gets sucked into the strip perfectly every time -- a perfect reading.. I'm so tempted to go back to that meter - No insurance pays for the ReliOn since it's cheap to begin with -- but still the strips are $42 for 100 and I get 100 for $35 from my scrip for any meter my Insurance is covering on their formulary at a given time. And I still need about 200 strips a month for my testing preferences (6 months into DX).. So doing 'all' ReliOn Micro strips would cost more..

So have any of you stopped the Breeze2 because of this 'conundrum'? The strips are so TINY compared to others -- and yet need a BOATLOAD of blood.. Are there any other DISC manufacturers for the Breeze2 that have strips that would need less blood? I thought I saw that the Breeze2 accepted 'some other company's' discs.

[poodlebone]

The Breeze2 manual says that you need a 1µ sample, not 3. Lifescan strips also require 1µ. Still, that's more than many other meters. I had gotten a sample Breeze2 meter from Bayer and used only the sample disc of 10 strips so my experience is limited. Even though it takes the same sample size as Lifescan (my usual meter), it seemed to suck it up much better.

I doubt the Breeze2 accepts other discs. No meter does because this is where they make the money and why they give away free meters. There are some generic strips for the old Lifescan One Touch Profile/Basic meters but those really do need a bucket of blood. Also, Lifescan no longer makes them but I still see the generic strips from time to time. Those are the only generic strips I've ever seen.

The Bayer Contour and the new Contour USB use strips (same strips) that require a .3 sample. Freestyle and Accu-Chek Aviva strips that I've tried required less blood than Lifescan. I think Accu-Chek makes a meter that uses a drum for test strips, so if you're looking for that convenience (not handling a strip for every test) then you might want to check it out.

[NewdestinyX]

The Breeze2 manual says that you need a 1µ sample, not 3. Lifescan strips also require 1µ. Still, that's more than many other meters. I had gotten a sample Breeze2 meter from Bayer and used only the sample disc of 10 strips so my experience is limited. Even though it takes the same sample size as Lifescan (my usual meter), it seemed to suck it up much better.

I doubt the Breeze2 accepts other discs. No meter does because this is where they make the money and why they give away free meters. There are some generic strips for the old Lifescan One Touch Profile/Basic meters but those really do need a bucket of blood. Also, Lifescan no longer makes them but I still see the generic strips from time to time. Those are the only generic strips I've ever seen.

The Bayer Contour and the new Contour USB use strips (same strips) that require a .3 sample. Freestyle and Accu-Chek Aviva strips that I've tried required less blood than Lifescan. I think Accu-Chek makes a meter that uses a drum for test strips, so if you're looking for that convenience (not handling a strip for every test) then you might want to check it out.

Ah -- PoodleBone -- you're right.. That was my error. The ReliOn needs only a 0.1µ (or .3) blood sample and the Bayer a 1.0µ - thanks for the correction. But suffice it to say -- the Breeze2 requires more blood than the other meters I've tried to date..

Thanks for the input.

[fairyblood]

The most popular meter of the day when I was diagnosed was a One Touch II which used 10 microliters of blood. You needed this huge perfectly formed drop of blood and then you had to land that drop of blood into a cycle on the stripe.

There are plenty of meters that use less blood then the bayer breeze. You should see if your insurance covers something else that would better suit your needs.

[NewdestinyX]

The most popular meter of the day when I was diagnosed was a One Touch II which used 10 microliters of blood. You needed this huge perfectly formed drop of blood and then you had to land that drop of blood into a cycle on the stripe.

There are plenty of meters that use less blood then the bayer breeze. You should see if your insurance covers something else that would better suit your needs.

Thanks. I've been thru 3 meters to date. Freestyle had artificially high numbers.. The ReliOn is a little too forgiving on the numbers under 110 and the Breeze2 needs too much blood.. LOL!!!! I'm so hard to please.. The ReliOn micro has been the easiest and most accurate for me... Just no insurance help with it. I'm looking at the Aviva... Insurance will help.. Only 0.3µ of blood required.. cheap strips on eBay for the extras.. No more 'discs' -- but hey... I want to be able to use 'less blood'..

Thanks all!!
Grant

[poodlebone]

The most popular meter of the day when I was diagnosed was a One Touch II which used 10 microliters of blood. You needed this huge perfectly formed drop of blood and then you had to land that drop of blood into a cycle on the stripe.

Yep, same strips as the One Touch Profile and Basic. I'm amazed that I was able to get all that blood from my fingers. I tried Lifescan's Fast Take meter when it first came out and it used less blood and took less time (15 seconds vs. 45 on the Profile) but the results always seemed way off and it was very sensitive to temperature changes. It's the only Lifescan meter I never trusted and I went back to the Profile.

[poodlebone]

Thanks. I've been thru 3 meters to date. Freestyle had artificially high numbers.. The ReliOn is a little too forgiving on the numbers under 110 and the Breeze2 needs too much blood.. LOL!!!! I'm so hard to please.. The ReliOn micro has been the easiest and most accurate for me... Just no insurance help with it. I'm looking at the Aviva... Insurance will help.. Only 0.3µ of blood required.. cheap strips on eBay for the extras.. No more 'discs' -- but hey... I want to be able to use 'less blood'..

Thanks all!!
Grant

I also found the Freestyle meters to read very high, higher than every other meter I tried. I've never tried a ReliOn meter. If your insurance was covering the Breeze2 strips, they should also cover Contour strips. The Contour strips require a .6µ sample which is still bigger than some others, but less than the Breeze2. After using Lifescan strips, the sample needed for the Contour seems much smaller than .6. Maybe it's because the Contour strips suck up the blood much better than Lifescan. The Aviva strips are very good but I found it to also read higher than Lifescan & Bayer, but not as high as Freestyle.

[NewdestinyX]

I also found the Freestyle meters to read very high, higher than every other meter I tried. I've never tried a ReliOn meter. If your insurance was covering the Breeze2 strips, they should also cover Contour strips. The Contour strips require a .6µ sample which is still bigger than some others, but less than the Breeze2. After using Lifescan strips, the sample needed for the Contour seems much smaller than .6. Maybe it's because the Contour strips suck up the blood much better than Lifescan. The Aviva strips are very good but I found it to also read higher than Lifescan & Bayer, but not as high as Freestyle.

Liz, Thanks! That's super helpful info. On my forumlary drug list the COUNTOUR is Tier 2 which would be $35/25day supply@4x/day -- my doc's max he'll allow me..

You're one of several now that's said the FreeStyle numbers were too high. To think I relied on it for the first two months WONDERING when I'd ever see a number under 140. Yes -- a .6µ is indeed better than 1.0µ and not quite as low as .3µ for my ReliOn Micro. But I agree that it's the 'sucking' action of the strip that makes all the difference. So I think you've talked me into the Contour. I'll check eBay and see if there are a ready supply of dealers for cheap strips -- hold on --yes just checked eBay and several reputable dealers offering $37 for 100.. I just ordered another 150 Breeze2 strips for $45 today before considering this change -- that was too good a price to pass up-- so that'll keep me 'til end of January.. then I'll switch. My doc will HATE me for changing my scrip again..

The other thing I DISLIKED about Breeze2 was the 'bulkiness' of the meter.. It's like 3 times as large as these other meters. I guess that's to house the disc advance mechanism.. so I understand.. But it's hard to be 'discrete' with that meter when you're out in public and need to test.

Great info, Liz. So I think you're saying with Contour - real accurate, not artifically high in any way -- and only .6µ of blood required -- and the strip really 'sucks' the blood in well.. Right? No coding?

Thanks again!

[poodlebone]

Liz, Thanks! That's super helpful info. On my forumlary drug list the COUNTOUR is Tier 2 which would be $35/25day supply@4x/day -- my doc's max he'll allow me..

You're one of several now that's said the FreeStyle numbers were too high. To think I relied on it for the first two months WONDERING when I'd ever see a number under 140. Yes -- a .6µ is indeed better than 1.0µ and not quite as low as .3µ for my ReliOn Micro. But I agree that it's the 'sucking' action of the strip that makes all the difference. So I think you've talked me into the Contour. I'll check eBay and see if there are a ready supply of dealers for cheap strips -- hold on --yes just checked eBay and several reputable dealers offering $37 for 100.. I just ordered another 150 Breeze2 strips for $45 today before considering this change -- that was too good a price to pass up-- so that'll keep me 'til end of January.. then I'll switch. My doc will HATE me for changing my scrip again..

The other thing I DISLIKED about Breeze2 was the 'bulkiness' of the meter.. It's like 3 times as large as these other meters. I guess that's to house the disc advance mechanism.. so I understand.. But it's hard to be 'discrete' with that meter when you're out in public and need to test.

Great info, Liz. So I think you're saying with Contour - real accurate, not artifically high in any way -- and only .6µ of blood required -- and the strip really 'sucks' the blood in well.. Right? No coding?

Thanks again!

I actually ordered some Contour strips myself from eBay because I'm really liking my new Contour USB and wanted to play with it some more. I get strips through insurance but I just got my 90 day supply of Lifescan strips so I can't get them again until February. I won the Contour strip auction on the 4th and the strips still haven't arrived, and I'm getting impatient! I think I paid $37 for 100, and that includes the shipping. There is no coding required with the Contour meters. I find that the strips suck the blood up easily and it's very clear where it goes since the strips are kind of pointed at the tip. Lifescan strips are completely flat/straight across the end and I find that tends to make it harder to get the blood on.

I agree about the bulkiness of the Breeze2 although I have to say I was surprised at how small it actually was. I was expecting something much bigger. I don't like that you have to remove it from the case in order to test. With my Lifescan meters I unzip the case and leave the meter where it is.

I know Bayer usually has a free Contour offer on their web site so you should look into that.