Diabetic test strips to five things to know before you buy

Diabetic test strips have come a long way since diabetics used the urine tests, on home leave tests. And there are some things you really should know, before you who decide to buy glucose monitor. If you get it home, it is important, it correctly handles, so they give you accurate readings. Here is a list of five things that you choose and use your diabetic test strips.

Number-one - what will it cost

Looking for a good glucose monitor is only half of the research you need to do before on the counter to pay, your needs. Even if you find a free monitor, it is a one-time purchase, but who are diabetic test strips a monthly costs for, as long as you have the brand monitor.

Medicare and Medicaid will pay for your monitor and test strips, durable medical equipment be considered. It separates them from your recipe needs (such as insulin and needles). Make sure you fall and you can choose from the options available from your DME provider.

But if you buy the strip itself, it's good to know, where you the lowest price to get. Go to Amazon.com and compare their rates on diabetes test strips with, you'll find at a discount store. The Amazon prices are to store typically half as much as the cost of the same brands.

By the way, it is easy to check prices in shops that have a website. This type of knowledge arms you with the information, the choose you want the best diabetic test, as well as the best glucose monitor strips. In addition, you can decide where you get them. Remember to read the fine print when you buy online because prices often add much the price of shipping.

Check the expiration date number two-

Their meter readings if your test strips out of date are possible. Check always the data when you receive in the mail, or buy at the store. Expiration dates are printed clearly on each vial and CD. Send back, if they are old.

Make sure your old strips first hitting, if you, so you don't accidentally save some until they are up to date a new stack. It is often useful, but it is easy to ignore small details like this, if you are in a hurry or distracted.

If you have a type 2 diabetes, only tests that every day, and new just watch your expiration date in bulk,. Buy the Strip, which have removed the date most widely, so that you don't have to worry about.

Number three - forget you not, programming

A lot of diabetic meters must be coded for each new lot or vial. Many newer monitors must be encoded, so if you, who, as search for the words "no coding" If you buy a new blood glucose meter. Get less means a monitor that must not be encoded, to remember a thing.

If your monitor shows encoding, a number every time must be, put into a test strip. Make sure that the number of matches one on the bottle or package. Skip this step if you open a new vial of test strips, will make your blood sugar readings unreliable.

Number four - protect your diabetes test strips

Humidity, moisture and warmth are the Strip unusable. They come to you in sealed bottles or packs, and you can save it the same way. Let never open, in the air. Do not store well at room temperature, in the refrigerator. If they stay too cold or to a heat source near not being not more accurate.

Wash your hands before you touch them, and make sure that alcohol does not get on it either. Alcohol contaminate the test strip, and so will dust and dirt. Clean hands that do not wet are all that should ever touch of water or alcohol.

Number five - know how to use your diabetic test strips

Test strip discs must be inserted correctly in the monitor, or she will not work. Individual strips before they turn on the device be complete, and must be inserted. Curved strips are useless. And add the amount of blood that is needed. Too little and the test is not running. Get too much blood smeared on the Strip and it displays an error message.

If you problems when using your test strips, issues you the nurse at the Office of the physician, ways to show your difficulties. They deal with diabetics that are testing all the time, and they know what they are doing.

Type 2 diabetes work symptoms of as peripheral neuropathy with test strips more difficult because you have lost sensitivity in your fingertips. Keep away the vial and meter on a clean surface, so that if you delete the stripes do not take.

Talking about type 2 diabetes symptoms, if you use the test strips more than once per day, have you probably better control of your blood sugar and which leads to better results with all the complications of diabetes.

Continuous glucose monitors have not yet perfected. And the monitors, blood, to read the glucose numbers need a drop still unavailable to us. You need to use test strips. Good for them and good for your health.