Diabetic Seniors » Meters

Diabetic Blood Test

DiabeticSeniors.com — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 02:19:00 +0000

Many people, particularly those over the age of fifty, use a diabetic blood test to better understand their diabetes risk level and then decide on the appropriate steps to take for life health choices. To try to establish and maintain a manageable level of glucose in the bloodstream, you might take a diabetic blood test called an A1c test to measure your levels over a two-four month period. If you have a diagnosed condition or are high risk for diabetes, your doctor will typically ask your to monitor your daily glucose levels with a diabetic blood test that uses test strips and a glucose meter.

The good news for today’s seniors is that whichever diabetic blood test you might be facing in your future, there are affordable options and at-home supplies that can make the process more private, more immediate and more cost-effective than ever before. If you are on Medicare you will be pleased to know that you can receive your diabetic blood test supplies for reduced rates (or even for free) and even get free shipping in many cases. Medicare can also cover 100% of the cost of semi-annual A1c tests in your doctor’s office, making sure you are monitoring your levels with the approved diabetic blood test (standard deductibles and certain restrictions will apply). As we age, there is a naturally increased risk for diabetes and its symptoms, so by using a diabetic blood test and following the advice of your trained health professionals, you can better manage your own glucose levels to enjoy a more normal and fulfilling lifestyle.

Please be aware that this page is meant for informational purposes only; please consult a physician for more specific questions pertaining to individual cases.

Blood Sugar Meter

DiabeticSeniors.com — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 02:04:00 +0000

A blood sugar meter (also referred to as a glucose meter or glucometer) helps diabetics monitor daily blood levels. The blood sugar meter varies in price, functionality, and dimensions. Before making a purchase, consider the degree of blood needed for each test, where samples are taken, storage and speed of the sugar meter.

Liberty Medical, a leading supplier of diabetic testing supplies, has a number of choices to consider. Blood sugar meter brands offered by Liberty Medical are Medisense, LifeScan and Therasense. You may need to have test strips, lancets, control solutions and meter batteries. Most device manufacturers at least provide you with blood glucose testing strips. Consider details like batteries. In some cases, a blood sugar meter may require batteries that are difficult to replace.

Diabetic Seniors recommends consulting your physician before selecting a blood sugar meter.

Diabetes Test Tips and Tricks

DiabeticSeniors.com — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 01:14:00 +0000

By taking the blood glucose diabetes test, you can make smart choices about managing your diabetes. For example, you can decide when and how much medicine to take, when to exercise and when to eat meals or snacks. And you’ll ensure good results when you follow these tips:

Test Strip Tips

1) Always use a fresh test strip. Diabetes test strips are only good for three months after opening the vial.

2) Code your meter. When opening a new container of diabetes test strips, be sure to code your meter using control solution and a new strip.

Sample Tips

1) Wash and dry your hands. Before performing your diabetes test, use an alcohol
pad to clean the area that you’re going to prick. (Washing your hands in hot water gets the blood flowing).

2) Use a fresh lancet. Prick yourself with a fresh, sterile lancet to get a drop of blood.
Reusing lancets can lead to calluses, infections and increased pain.

3) Try the side. It may be easier and less painful to prick your fingertip on one side, not
on the pad — especially if you perform this diabetes test several times a day.

4) Dangle and squeeze. If you have trouble getting a sample, try dangling your hand below your heart for a minute then slowly squeeze from the base to the tip.

Bad Results?

1) If the entire color spot area of the diabetes test strip does not show full color development (not enough blood) or appears “wet” (too much blood), discard the strip and repeat the diabetes test with a new test strip.

2) If your diabetes test results in an abnormally high or low test reading (a number you feel does not match your symptoms), use control solution to check that your meter is coded properly. Then, retest.

Liberty Medical Supply

Liberty knows that diabetes testing is important for your good health. That’s why they offer delivery of diabetes test supplies directly to your home, on time and on a regular schedule. As a Medicare participating provider, we fill out all Medicare and insurance paperwork for you and submit the forms on your behalf. To find out more about home delivery of your diabetes test supplies, just call Liberty toll-free at 1-866-373-8971.

* Co-payments and deductibles apply.
Source: The American Diabetes Association

Duracell Meter Batteries

DiabeticSeniors.com — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:35:00 +0000

Unlike old-fashioned glucose meters, today’s lightweight, portable meters run on batteries.

But, did you know that a diabetes meter operating without sufficient power could deliver inaccurate readings? Duracell offers a special line of Duracell Home Medical Batteries to ensure your meter has the power it needs to deliver accurate readings.

You can use Duracell Home Medical Batteries to get excellent performance out of the following medical devices:

Glucose meters
Thermometers
Blood pressure monitors
Exercise equipment LED displays

For people with diabetes, the good news is that Medicare covers replacement batteries — including Duracell meter batteries. After all, some things are just too important to take chances with. You can depend on Duracell meter batteries to give you the power you need to get accurate readings and excellent performance from your home glucose meter.

Use & Care Tips

Duracell recommends that you always use the correct size and type of meter batteries specified by the manufacturer of your glucose meter.

Each time you replace your meter batteries, rub the contact surfaces and battery compartment contacts with a clean pencil eraser to keep them clean.

If you won’t be using a device for several months, remove the batteries.

Align the positive (+) and negative (-) battery terminals correctly with the device. Note that some devices that use more than three batteries may appear to work properly even if one battery is inserted incorrectly.

Keep your batteries in a dry place at normal room temperature — NOT in the refrigerator. Refrigerating your meter batteries will not make them last longer. Most Duracell batteries will provide dependable long life even after 5 years of storage in these conditions.

To avoid a drop in performance, don’t put battery-powered devices in very warm places.

Power Up With Duracell ULTRA

Duracell ULTRA AAAA batteries optimize the performance of smaller home medical devices, including:

Glucose meters
Blood pressure monitors

Smaller than Duracell AAA batteries, Duracell ULTRA AAAA batteries provide long- lasting power for small home medical devices.

Confused about which Duracell meter batteries to use? Duracell features a handy Battery Finder on its Web site, www.duracell.com. If you have a battery from another manufacturer, you can see if Duracell makes an equivalent battery.

For more information on Duracell Home Medical Batteries, you may also call Duracell Consumer Relations at (800) 551-2355.

Disposing of Your Batteries

Because there is no added mercury in Duracell meter batteries, they can be safely disposed of with normal household waste, according to the company. Some communities offer recycling or collection of alkaline batteries — Duracell recommends that you contact your local government for disposal practices in your area.

Owen Mumford Lancing Devices

DiabeticSeniors.com — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 03:53:00 +0000

You probably know how important a good blood sample is for accurate glucose monitoring. But did you know that getting that sample doesn’t have to be painful?

In 1977, Owen Mumford developed a lancing device that let people with diabetes take what is known as a “capillary blood sample.” A capillary sample is a blood sample collected by pricking the skin (capillaries are tiny blood vessels near the surface of the skin).

Owen Mumford’s Autolet® became the world’s first automatic lancing device, adding a new element of ease and conveneince to blood glucose monitoring.

Owen Mumford began in humble surroundings — a garage — where Ivan Owen and John Mumford made molds and anesthesia equipment. That was in 1952. In 1977, Owen Mumford created its breakthrough lancing device, the Autolet. Next up for Owen Mumford was the Unistick 1, a self-contained, single-use lancing device that protected against cross infections that can occur when lancets are re-used.

Unilet … Because Everyone Is Different

Owen Mumford’s Unilet lancets come in an array of needle sizes to match your skin type — from delicate to calloused. This helps make sure that you get an accurate blood samples for your type of meter without causing unnecessary pain.

Owen Mumford lancets are available in different gauges, which refers to the width of the metal point. The higher the gauge, the smaller the puncture the lancet makes (e.g., a 30-gauge lancet is smaller than a 23-gauge lancet).

Users are free to choose the Owen Mumford Unilet lancets that work best for them and their lancing device. The goal is to find the right needle diameter … one that allows you to obtain a large-enough sample without tearing your skin or causing undue discomfort.

More Lancing Innovation from Owen Mumford

The Autolet Impression is Owen Mumford ’s latest innovation. Using eight raised dots on the surface of the end cap, this lancing device helps mask the pain of lancing. According to Owen Mumford, pain signals can’t get through because the raised dots “load up” the fingertip nerve endings with information that painless pressure is being applied. When the Autolet Impression is fired, the brain is busy processing these messages and doesn’t have “room” for any signals of pain from the fingertip. There is also a feature for adjusting the force of the lancing device as well as seven depth settings and an attachment for testing on alternate sites, such as your forearm.

Owen Mumford and Medicare Coverage

Medicare benefits, insurance coverage and reimbursement can be very confusing. The good news is that Owen Mumford diabetes care products are covered by Medicare. If you are receiving Medicare Part B benefits, you can be reimbursed for most of your costs of eligible Owen Mumford diabetes care products. This applies whether you use insulin or not.

SurgiLance Diabetic Supplies

DiabeticSeniors.com — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 02:57:00 +0000

Getting a good blood sample is the first step in getting an accurate reading on your diabetes meter. Selecting the right lancet — the device that actually pricks your finger to draw the sample — and lancing device is the first step.

The SurgiLance One-Step and the SurgiLance One-Step Plus’s unique pre-armed capability make them extremely simple to use. They are available with either a needle or blade, each with different depths of penetration, to provide optimal blood flow for various applications and skin types.

Improving Safety and Convenience

SurgiLance Safety Lancets are a major improvement compared to regular lancets. SurgiLance Safety Lancets incorporate the lancing device and the needle into a disposable, single-use unit. According to SurgiLance, the needle is not exposed before or after use, minimizing the risk of needle stick injury and cross-contamination.

Protecting the Caregiver, Too

One-Step blood sampling lancets offer safety for the caregiver and greater comfort for the patient, according to SurgiLance. The needle is safely concealed both before and after the finger is pricked.

How to Lance

Follow these tips from SurgiLance to get a proper blood sample each and every time:

Wash your hands with soap and warm water.
Rinse your hands and completely dry them.
Without touching the area you wish to puncture, massage your finger and hand by stroking down towards the puncture site.
Place the SurgiLance lancing device’s adjustable end cap firmly against the puncture site.
Without moving the finger you want to puncture or the SurgiLance lancing device, push the device’s blue release button. The more pressure you apply, the deeper the lance will be.
Wait a few seconds and then stroke down the finger towards the puncture site to form a drop of blood. Do not squeeze around the puncture site.
Apply the drop of blood to a glucose test strip or test sensor, following the instructions that come with your test strips or test sensors.
Wipe the puncture site with a dry, clean facial tissue.
Put pressure on the puncture site until the bleeding stops.

How to Choose a Lancing Depth

With these tips from SurgiLance, you can ensure the best lancing depth for proper sample size and comfort:

For soft, delicate skin, choose a shallow depth. For average skin, select a middle depth, and use a deeper depth for hard or callused skin.
To make a deeper puncture with your SurgiLance lancing device and get a larger drop of blood, turn the device’s adjustable dial so that the line matches up with a picture of a large blood drop.
To make a shallower puncture and get a smaller drop of blood, turn the SurgiLance lancing device’s adjustable dial so that the line matches up with a picture of a small blood drop.

SurgiLance and Medicare Coverage

Medicare benefits, insurance coverage and reimbursement can be very confusing. The good news is that SurgiLance diabetes care products are covered by Medicare. If you are receiving Medicare Part B benefits, you can be reimbursed for most of your costs of eligible SurgiLance diabetes care products. This applies whether you use insulin or not.

Accu-Chek Testing Supplies

DiabeticSeniors.com — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 02:08:00 +0000

Why is regular glucose testing so important? Using a diabetes meter, such as an Accu-Chek glucose meter, can help control your blood sugar level and help you:

Feel better.
Stay healthy.
Have more energy.
Avoid the symptoms of high blood sugar (feeling very thirsty and tired, blurred vision, cuts and bruises that are slow to heal).
Lower your chances of having eye disease, kidney disease, nerve damage and heart disease.
Enjoy a better quality of life.

And the right meter makes testing simple, so you’ll be more likely to test regularly throughout the day. Accu-Chek makes a variety of meters to fit your needs and your lifestyle:

Accu-Chek Active Glucose Meter — About the size of a cell phone, this meter is perfect for people on the go. With just two simple steps, you can receive test results in as little as five seconds. You can also test from alternative sites, such as your palm, forearm, upper arm, thigh or calf. Up to 200 test results can be saved, and you can download test results to your PC with Accu-Chek Compass Software or upload test results to the Diabetes Assistant® Program at accu-chek.com. This accu-chek glucose meter provides a full-featured system at an everyday value. The Accu-Chek Active Diabetes Test Strips require a very small blood sample, and the sample can be applied to the strip in or out of the meter.

Accu-Chek Advantage Glucose Meter — Comfort is the name of the game here. The unique Accu-Chek Comfort Curve diabetes test strip fits your finger, making it easier to apply the blood sample. Like all accu-chek monitors, it requires only a small sample size, and more blood can be applied within 15 seconds if you don’t fill on the first try. You’ll get accurate results even at extreme temperatures, from 57° to 104° F.

Accu-Chek Aviva Blood Glucose Meter System — Along with the Multiclix lancing device, this accu-chek glucose meter and strips make up the first complete system to receive the Arthritis Foundation’s Ease-Of-Use Commendation. The easy-to-use grip and special wide-mouth strip helps people living with arthritis check their blood sugar easily.

The wide strip attracts and absorbs a tiny blood drop, helping almost all testers fill on the very first try — great if you want to avoid the pain of retesting. And with 198 built-in checks, the meter detects and helps prevent unreliable results. With the large-capacity memory, you can create 7-, 14- and 30-day averages. Features include a small sample size, results in 5 seconds and alternative site testing.

Accu-Chek Compact — This accu-chek glucose meter uses a preloaded drum that contains 17 test strips. Just insert the drum and test — coding is automatic. You can test on your fingertip, palm, forearm, upper arm, thigh or calf. The meter is approximately the size of a cell phone and allows you to save up to 100 values at a time and download results to your computer.