AlphaTrak vs. Reli-on meter

[Sunnyside]

Hi, I've been using AlphaTrak meter for almost 2 years and having a great deal of difficulty getting numbers from the meter. For more in detail, I get blood from the base of tail and meter doesn't give me the result so I waste so many strips just getting one result, if I am lucky. So, I just bought a Reli-On Micro meter and it was easy and requires much smaller blood samples.

I would like to know if anyone using Reli-On meter for your furry babies and how do you convert the number from human meter. I test on my own blood sample, didn't want to stress my girl, Cooky, and Reli-On had 120 and AlphaTrak had 158. So I tried with Cooky's sample this time and Reli-On had 93, and of course I couldn't get anything from Alpha Trak. So am I suppose to make something out of these results? Do I just add 30+ on Reli-On meter?

I would appreciated if anyone give me some advise on using human meter. I'm giving up on AlphaTrak.

Thanks

[CraigM]

Re: AlphaTrak vs. Reli-on meter

I also have the AlphaTrak and a ReliOn meter. Mine is the ReliOn Confirm, which might be a little different than yours, but they appear to use the same test strips.

My testing / comparison between my meters shows a fairly constant percentage difference. I divide the Confirm reading by 0.66 and get a reading that is usually pretty close to what I would see using the AlphaTrak. So a 100 on the Confirm would be about 151 if I tested the same blood droplet with the AlphaTrak. Works for me, you might try and send me a note as to how close it is for you.

Btw, how I came up with the 0.66 conversion was to have both meters ready, and then as quickly as possible, test the same blood droplet. Divide the Confirm reading by the AlphaTrak number. I did this test about 20 different times with AlphaTrak readings between about 90 and 225.

[Diane Roehm]

Re: AlphaTrak vs. Reli-on meter

I love my ReliOn so much easier. I use a calculation as well with the help of Craig and JJ
up to 200 0.66, 200 to 300 0.75 , 300 and above 0.85. That is what I have been doing. I am pretty comfortable with it. I tested it once to my true track is it was within 10.

[Sunnyside]

Re: AlphaTrak vs. Reli-on meter

Thanks so much for your information.
I need to test with both meters and will post some time next week-though I will have such a hard time to get number from AlphaTrak...
Talk to you soon.

[jjefferjo]

Re: AlphaTrak vs. Reli-on meter

tip: When using teh alpha- keep the strip moving in a scraping technique instead of holding it still against the drop

[bowens2]

Re: AlphaTrak vs. Reli-on meter

I tried the TrueTrack, FreeStyle Lite, NovaMax, and now the OneTouch. I loved the way the FreeStyle Lite worked but I used 4 different FreeStyle Lite meters all brand new and felt like they were all over the place. I loved the light on it and it was easy to use and the test strips if you bought them online weren't bad plus it did use a lot less blood. Now I use the OneTouch Ultra 2. While I feel like the numbers are more accurate, the strips are very expensive, and the display is hard to read even if you turn the light on plus I have to stick Monk a minimum of 4 times in a close proximity to get enough blood. My plan was to use the FreeStyle and convert it but I didn't feel like it gave me any type of pattern to establish a clear number.

The OneTouch is getting rather expensive I'm going thru 50 strips in a week and half to two weeks at minimum. You add the Lantus which isn't cheap and the prescription food, milk thistle etc. It adds up. So I was wondering how the ReliOn compares to the OneTouch or if there is any other meter to use except when I am doing a good curve and then I would resort back to the OneTouch. Of course I think it will be hard for me now to trust other meters but I was hoping.

[Diane Roehm]

Re: AlphaTrak vs. Reli-on meter

I have only tried two meters so might not be the one to answer this question properly but I will tell you that after using the true track then switching over to the reliOn. What a big difference. It's like night and day. The ReliOn only needs a little blood. You would probably only have to poke once. I use the conversion I am quite happy with it as Jj and Craig both use the same number. divide by 0.66. That does not mean it is 100% right but I am comfortable with it. I hear some people just add 30

[bowens2]

Re: AlphaTrak vs. Reli-on meter

Diane how is that Levemir working?

[bowens2]

Re: AlphaTrak vs. Reli-on meter

Didn't you start with Lantus? Did you try NPH also? And why did they switch to Levemir? what is the difference between Lantus and Levemir?

[bowens2]

Re: AlphaTrak vs. Reli-on meter

Is Levemir as expensive as Lantus?

[Diane Roehm]

Re: AlphaTrak vs. Reli-on meter

I started with humilin N. We just can't get her numbers down at night. even went two units higher and it just doesn't matter. So I think the thinking is maybe Levemir will even things out. I have not used Lantus but I can tell you that the Levemir was 134.00 at wal-mart. She only gets 3 units instead of 12 and 14 so this bottle will last longer maybe 3 months or so. Not sure how it is working yet, today is day two but she didn't seem as uncomfortable last night or maybe just my wishful thinking.

[Diane Roehm]

Re: AlphaTrak vs. Reli-on meter

How much does Lantus cost?

[bowens2]

Re: AlphaTrak vs. Reli-on meter

Well my Walmart was about $20 higher than my local Kroger but the Kroger about 15 miles away from me was about $15 higher than local Kroger also but it costs me $124 a bottle and keeps going up very quickly it went up $16 in about 4 months. It used to go up about $3 to $6 every 6 month but this last time it was a whopping $16. It was $69 in 2006 when Monk was first diagnosed and now the State of Ohio has added sales tax to Pet prescriptions so it costs me $135. Monk used to go through a bottle about every 32 to 33 days. But since November he is using a lot less so a bottle lasts about 50 days. Monk only weighs 22-23 lbs.

[bowens2]

Re: AlphaTrak vs. Reli-on meter

3 units for a 70lb dog does sound like very much but I think Natalie's dog Chris used a small amount also but not Lantus.

[Diane Roehm]

Re: AlphaTrak vs. Reli-on meter

yes, I don't know that much about Lantus but with the Levemir it is like 4 units of Humilin to 1 unit of Levemir. I sure hope this works, I am at my wits end.