Questions about coding on AlphaTrak strips

[Bichonluver3]

Re: Buying Alpha Track..need advice before!

Hi Yunhee!
Just curious - Did Dr Evans say why the alphatrak strips are so much more expensive? It would seem that once you have a prototype, what's the big deal???

[HarrysMom]

Re: Buying Alpha Track..need advice before!

They are so expensive because they can charge that much.
Human strips with the same technology are cheaper because there is much more competition.
I actually noticed this with all pet products - why would Greenies be so expensive compared to a regular human bag of candy - it is because pet owners are willing to pay them.
This did not come from Dr. Evans, of course, but my observation.

Yunhee

[JakeMcCall]

Re: Buying Alpha Track..need advice before!

Hi There-

We also use the Alpha Track, and maybe our Jake is just super tolerant of us, but we prick him right along the inside of his ear. I rub a little bit of vaseline on the inner edge of the ear, and then hold it between my thumb and forefinger, quickly prick him and then squeeze his ear between my fingers on both sides of the prick point. The vaseline causes the blood to come out as a little bubble, which makes it super easy to hold the test strip up to it. He knows he gets a little treat afterwards, so he has grown used to it now, although the tail and ears still go down when he sees me coming.

Warning: I live in Chicago- blood does not flow easily in their ears after they've been outside in this frigid weather! We try to test his blood before we take him out, and preferably when he's at rest- just laying down for a nap. The ear is warm and ready to go.


Hope this helps!

~Emily (Jake's mom)

[Bichonluver3]

Re: Buying Alpha Track..need advice before!

Hmmm, you're probably right but you would think other companies would jump on the band wagon. Anyone here think we should go into competition with Abbott?? lol

[HarrysMom]

Re: Buying Alpha Track..need advice before!

I think the pet market is too small for large pharma companies to enter into it.
After a day of using One Touch Ultra, I am amazed how much better the meter is. The strips make it also very easy to visually see that enough blood is seeping into it unlike Alpha Trak (where I don't know until it beeps).
Given the hypoglycemic risks, I think I would rather have my meter run low like the new OneTouch than possibly high like my Alpha Trak.

Yunhee

[jesse girl]

Re: Buying Alpha Track..need advice before!

It amazes me that the best of meters for dogs may have some problems I know the vets treat it as such and I would have thought the same thing but we could not afford it with the amount of testing we did

you guys do wonderful work you are the ones double checking these devices and giving the info back to all of us thank you

[Bichonluver3]

Re: Buying Alpha Track..need advice before!

Somehow, I lost my "beep". It was there when I first set up the meter but then it just disappeared and I don't know how to get it back. I just watch for the short lines going around and around.

[Bichonluver3]

Re: Buying Alpha Track..need advice before!

I think I was going crazy trying to decide on a meter. I would hear good things from one person and then bad things from another. This happened with every brand so I ended up even more confused than ever. I think you have to choose one and just use it. If there are no problems with your particular meter, then you keep using it until the time there is a problem. Or, maybe, I'm missing something

[abbeyroad]

more Info Alpha Trak and American Diabetes Wholesale

Per Abbott and my previous post, they do not sell to American Diabetes Wholesale. That put the question in my mind as to whether or not the ones I bought from American Diabetes Wholesale were indeed genuine.

So I finally got to the president today of American Diabetes Wholesale and he was a terrific fellow. He researched and got back to me regarding the Code 7 strips that they have in their warehouse. He took the fact very seriously that I was having problems with these strips.

Anyway, he confirmed that what Abbott told me is true. Abbott only sells to veterinarians. How did American Diabetes Wholesale get the test strips then from Abbott. Well the president of American Diabetes Wholesale, Mr. Edelson's son is guess what.....a veterinarian.

I think the moral of my babbling story is, if you want to purchase your strips through your Vet as Abbott suggests that is a very good option. If you wish to purchase through American Diabetes Wholesale I am now satisfied that they are absolutely legite and 100% authentic and that the company has offered incredible customer service. My concern was extremely important to them and they called me back when they said they would, with a more than satisfactory answer and they are going to make it right with my order. You cannot ask for anything more actually from either Abbott or American Diabetes. they both want to do the right thing and get the best product available out there to us.

I will be seeing test strips in my dreams.

Mary Jo

[CraigM]

Re: Buying Alpha Track..need advice before!

Of course many of us have been using coded 7 strips for years without any problems. I have not tried coded 6 strips yet because I still have two packs of the 7s.

I use FreeStyle Lite strips most of the time in the AlphaTrak, and only use the AlphaTrak strips from time to time.

[Bichonluver3]

Re: Buying Alpha Track..need advice before!

Hey, Mary Jo,
Testing, testing, 1,2,3....
Ooops it's 1:30. Got to run to test Sparky. we're doing our 1st curve

[Bichonluver3]

Re: Buying Alpha Track..need advice before!

Oh, Mary Jo, forgot to ask....since you are now on speaking terms with Mr Edelson, do you think he will give a special discount to our little family here?

[HarrysMom]

Re: Buying Alpha Track..need advice before!

Carrol,
I am glad I have two meters - if one reading is funky, then I could check with another.
I was surprised that I got help at Abbott fairly quickly. Not sure if I would have gotten such a help at One Touch.
I will continue to use both.
Since I only paid $16 for my One Touch meter, it was a relatively low risk investment for me. Since I found out that the readings are relatively predictable between the two meters, I will primarily use One Touch given the ease of use and less expensive strips for daily spot checks.
If I am doing a curve, I will probably use Alpha Trak to be consistent with my previous curves.

Yunhee

[Bichonluver3]

Re: Buying Alpha Track..need advice before!

Oh, I see!! Yunhee, what do you think of Sparky's numbers so far today?

[pat3332]

Re: Buying Alpha Track..need advice before!

Again, like Craig, I haven't had any problems with my AlphaTrak using the strips still coded 7. Maybe we're just lucky. I checked it at my vet's again a couple of weeks ago and his and my AlphaTrak read within 1 of each other and within 10 of his office analyzer.

I'm still going to call and get my strips that are coded 7 changed out just to make myself feel better, even though I haven't been getting the high and erratic readings others have. With my luck, I'll get the new strips and then start having problems.

This has been a very interesting and helpful subject. I really appreciate everything that Yunhee, Mary Jo and others have done to bring this to our attention and get it corrected.

The important thing is to use a meter you trust. A lot or us end up with several meters sitting around the house in our search. For me, the AlphaTrak works great and I trust it, but it only takes one bad experience to shake that trust and make you start looking elsewhere . I agree that the AlphaTrak and it's test strips are over priced, mainly due to being one of the only players in such a small arena when compared to human diabetes. There is another meter designed for animals, but it gets terrible reviews and I'd be afraid to try it.

It would be great if ADW would give us a break, but I doubt it since they are already the least expensive seller I've found.

Thanks again to everyone for all of your work and effort

Pat