How many BG meters do you have?

[shekov]

We only have the one they sent us home from the hospital with. It sounds like everyone here has multiples. Just curious if you feel everyone should have a back up? Also a back up lancet device? What else am I missing?:eek:

[momandwifeoftype1s]

Well, that's a funny answer in our house. We have too many...

Three at home: one for son, one for husband, one blood ketones meter
Three at school: one at nurse's clinic, one at classroom for emergency lock-downs, one at school office for emergency kit
One at my parents' house (just in case) - they live 5 minutes away

But, I think it's whatever you're comfortable with. Just make sure you have extra batteries and extra strips and lancets. I like to have a complete back-up kit at home that has everything ready to go.

[funnygrl]

I have 40+. *sigh* True story. I paid for none. My insurance paid for 1.

[miss_behave]

I have 6. I only use one, I got the others for free and tried them but stick with the Precision Xtra (Optium Xceed in Aust) I use it for both bgs and ketones.

[allisa]

this is a good question.....because we should have at least two backups....and it is sooooo easy to just ask your endo for some.

I, too have been lucky enough to not pay for any. Our endo gave and we got some of the mini-ultras for free.

Ty has one he keeps at school. I have 1 we use all the time at home and 2 backups in case we lose the regular one. We also have a 3rd that we use for Ketones.

When he was first dx I only had 2....one that stayed at school and one for home.....and my home one " broke" ......It wasn't reading right and I was panicked to realize how important that little machine is !! LOL The meter company called my pharmacy and asked them to give me one free of charge.....

Not to steal your post....but curious .....has anyone paid for a meter ? I am grateful and thankful to say I never have....

[zell828]

My husband had an older FreeStyle one before because he's a type 2. We got one free with the hospital with my daughter, so my husband ended up asking the doctor for a prescription for another one (same brand) so we would have 2 the same kind in the house. We didn't get another p oker with that one, just the meter, so I went to Wal-Mart and saw it was cheaper to buy the whole kit, meter and all, so I picked up another one. Then I requested a free ultratouch one I carry in my purse. That way I always have 2 with us or when my daughter isn't with us, I have one with us for my husband if he needs it.

The school has one, and bio Mom has one we know of.

That makes 5 we have in our home and 2 otherwise.

[MamaC]

I think we have 4 here, one at school, and 2 unopened on the shelf. I always use coupons in the Sunday papers to get a free one, usually the Mini.

Becky

[zimbie45]

ok..
at home we have at least 6, at school we have 4 ( nurses office, one in class room just in case, music and PE just in case for emergencys and lockdowns stored with quicksugar tabs) grandparents 1

YUP to many..

[fredntan2]

there's been some links on here recentl;y to get free ones.
freestyle and one touch are offereing free ones now. just do a search for them. the links were in the last week.

if you call who ever makes your meter they should send you out 2 free ones also. or maybe they don't want your business.

[liasmommy2000]

Goodness I have no idea (am at work so can't check).

We have three that get used fairly regularly. All Ascencia Contours, new style. We also still have 2-3 of the old style. A Freestyle Lite. An Ultra Smart, Ultra 2, Ultra Mini, Precision Xtra....

All but two of those were freebies from the mfg and or endo's office. One is the original covered by insurance and another I paid for a few days after hospital release but before our first endo appt when they told me to never ever pay for a meter lol.

[Skyefire]

I have 2, got one from my D Clinic, and then at costco if you have a prescription for 100 strips they will give you the meter for free, so I now have 2 different colored One Touch Ultra mini.

Which tester do you guys use for Keytone testing? I have heard of them but not seen them, would like to get one Phoenix is so little the cotton balls bug me..lol

[miss_behave]

Which tester do you guys use for Keytone testing? I have heard of them but not seen them, would like to get one Phoenix is so little the cotton balls bug me..lol

The only meter that tests ketones is the Precision Xtra. It has different strips for ketones and bgs. I have heard that many pharmacists are completely clueless about the ketone strips, so they may give you the bg ones or tell you that ketone ones don't exist. So make sure you get the right ones, they may have to order them in for you.

[shekov]

I'm curious about the keytone meters as well...until reading on CWD I didn't know there was such a thing. I'm calling about getting a back up meter today. Thanks everyone:)

[miss_behave]

I'm curious about the keytone meters as well...until reading on CWD I didn't know there was such a thing. I'm calling about getting a back up meter today. Thanks everyone:)

Definitely get a blood ketone meter. Urine ketones lag several hours behind, so you're not getting a picture of what your child's ketones are right now, but what they were several hours ago.

[valerie k]

probably about 7-10??? We got the first in the hospital, bought the second, before the endos told us never to buy one either... and have had severel sent to the house.

we have one at school, one on the counter, one in my purse. keytone meter on the counter as well... the rest, reside on a shelf in the utility closet.

[Tigerlilly's mom]

We have MANY meters, and have paid for none. Tyler has two in school, one in his classroom and one in the nurses office. I have a backup in my pocketbook (well more like diabetes/diaper bag with one small pocket for my license/creditcards and cash - can't even fit my wallet in there anymore lol). We have one that we use on a daily basis (easier to download information) and then we have about 8 in the "diabetes" cabinet.

The only reason I carry a backup meter in my bag now is because one day right before Tylers hockey game his meter decided it was too cold to work, I was in a panic!! I stuck it under my shirt to try to warm it up - it did work finally, but I learned my lesson! The Onetouch mini is nice and small - so it's a good meter to carry around as a backup.

You can get meters for free from almost every company that makes them, and most endo's offices will give you backups too. Test strips aren't usually free, but the meters are.

[CJ's Mom]

We have, I believe 8. One Touch Ultra Smart we use at home and a Ultra Mini he carries at school. a backup at school, dad's, grandma's, in my purse, and two in a drawer at home.

[wendyc]

One main at home, two back up and two old ones the girls use for role playing:D

Two at the school

One ketone at home and one at school

You should never ever have to pay for a meter! Ask your endo for an extra to have in case of failure, they always have samples. May not be the exact same one, but they always have extras. If for some reason they won't give you one, purchase one (check around for specials, Walgreens is always having meter sales) but then call the meter company and ask for a rebate. One Touch did this for me when I had to buy an emergency meter in NYC (the one time I didn't carry a spare on a day trip!).

[momofphoenix]

I have 3 One Touch, 2 percision, and 8 other misc. meters. Our insurance doesnt pay for meters so I ask our Endo for new ones when we are in need of them, if the Endo wont give you one (ours does not give them out) you can find them on sale at Walgreens, CVS and other pharmacys.

[Stacey Nagel]

we have lots.. he uses the freestyle flash meter
1 in school at the nurses office for emergencies( when he loses or forgets his)
1 in jesses backpack that he takes to school
1 in his small blue pack that he takes to friends or when he goes out.
1 in my purse.. for when he forgets...lol.
1 in the bathroom closet( he must have misplaced 1 and I opened a new 1)
and last but not least-
1 in a tupperware that he keeps in the house..
plus I have 3 unopened ones in the closet...
and............ I have 2 prescision xtra meters at home for ketone testing and just recently gave one to the school nurse.....

[Lee]

t

Not to steal your post....but curious .....has anyone paid for a meter ? I am grateful and thankful to say I never have....

We have way to many to count - I just can't seem to get rid of them...and yep - I paid for 1 once - on a Girl Scout sleepover just recently...we left the meter sitting next to the breakfast plate I for got to wash! The spare one in my car was out of strips and the spare one in my purse was dead...so, I go to the RX to buy strips for my ketone meter becuase it does Blood Sugar to, but it was cheaper to buy a new meter with test strips included...

[Missouri Mom]

I think we have six or seven meters.

I know I have two at school, and an assortment around the house.

The endo will offer one every once in a while and I take it.

I guess you could say I'm a bg meter collector.

[Abby-Dabby-Doo]

I've never counted?!
1 in her kit that goes everywhere with her.
2 at school plus a ketone meter.
1 at daycare.
In each vehicle (2)
2 at Grandparents house.
Spare and ketone meter in our supply cabinet at home.
And there is 2 or 3 unopened in the hall closet.
That makes around 15?! :rolleyes:
She really only uses the one in her kit, all the others are "just in case"!:cwds:

[Jacob'sDad]

Eight.

Oops, message too short. This should do it.

[Bsbllmom]

I have 4, one at school, one in my purse, one that Christian carries in a small fanny pack at ALL times, and a spare here at home. I have multiclix for all of them.

[momtojess]

We have 2 at home (we only use one on a daily basis, it goes to/from school too), two back ups at school (one in the nurses office, one in the cubby room), one at G"mas in Ohio.. and about 10 old ones in a drawer that we dont use. Plus I gave a new one to OSUMOM a few months ago to give to the girl she works with.

[abacobaby]

We have 2 right now. Sounds like a small number, but for our lives, we actually don't have a need for more than that and 1 of them is actually still in the box, unused.

[jules12]

We have:
2 ultra 2 at home
1 ultra 2 at school (nurse called company and got two extra ultra2 free at school - gotta love her)
1 ultra mini in backpack at school

2 extra ultra mini's for backup
1 ultra mini at Grandmas for backup
3 other brands that we do not use
1 precision for blood ketones - got it free but haven't filled a script for the ketone strips yet.

So I guess we are up to about 11 :eek: I also take at least 2 ultra 2's and 1 mini with me when we go out of town and carry extra batteries just in case.

How long do you keep your meters? or should that be on another thread?

[abacobaby]

We have:
So I guess we are up to about 11 :eek: I also take at least 2 ultra 2's and 1 mini with me when we go out of town and carry extra batteries just in case.

How long do you keep your meters? or should that be on another thread?

Can I ask a question? Where do you buy extra batteries? What kind of batteries are they exactly?

[coop]

We have 4 - 2 one touch ultra's, one from the Dr.'s and the other when dx'd and 2 mini's we were sent for free. How do you get the blood ketone meters? My endo said "we don't use those".

[jules12]

Can I ask a question? Where do you buy extra batteries? What kind of batteries are they exactly?

I don't know about other brands but for the lifescan's Ultra 2 and mini, they use the round batteries about the size of a quarter but you will need to open the back of the meter to get the number because there are two different types when you go to the store! The Ultra 2 takes two batteries and the mini just takes one.

We buy the batteries at Walmart, etc. You usually find them at the pharmacy too but they may cost a little more.

[momandwifeoftype1s]

Can I ask a question? Where do you buy extra batteries? What kind of batteries are they exactly?

For the Accu-check Aviva, the batteries are Energizer CR2032 that I bought at Walgreens.

[Abby-Dabby-Doo]

How do you get the blood ketone meters? My endo said "we don't use those".
Sorry your Endo doesn't use one, but my Type 1 daughter does. That isn't meaning to be sarcastic towards you:o- Ketone's show up in the blood much faster than it takes for your body to spill them out in your urine. It's convenient because it takes blood and not urine. My daughter isn't a pee on demand type kid, I don't have to wake her up to test, or you don't have to deal with cotton balls in a diaper (age appropriate).
I called Abbott and asked for one. With the price of the strips, they don't have a problem sending you a free one. Watch the local flyer's (Sunday ads) you see free meters often (with mail in rebate).

[Noel]

right now 12 in the house...

Plus.....

one in my car

one in Aidan's backpack

one at school

one at my moms

one at my cousins (she watches my boys for 15mins before and after school)

one at DH's moms

one on DH's bicycle (he rides 25 miles at a time)

one at DH's work

we have 2 of the Precisions for Ketones.....one is in Aidan's backpack (a mini one that goes everywhere with him) and one in the nurses office at school.

We have been really lucky we haven't had to pay for any....I had a coupon 1 time for $20.00 off and it (the mini) was only $18.88.....so I guess you could say.....they paid me??

That is about all I can think of right now....but I know if I look....I will find more.

They are not as plentiful as test strips but they do run a close second. ;)