Re: BG test Meters for Canadian Members (was) Re: Introducing Me

[Guest guest]

Hi larry; I'm interested as I'm a canuck; I would like to find a talking meter

that is also very easy to run as I tried one meter and even though it talked it

was very difficult to get the blood in the exact spot. My wife reads another

meter which does not talk but is very easy to get the bloodlet to run down the

strip aEtc. Please let me know what you've discovered if anything ok? Ken B

BG test Meters for Canadian Members (was) Re:

Introducing Me

Thanks Ruth and everyone for the warm welcome. If you don't mind me asking,

I'm curious as to what meters you and other Canadians on the list are using for

testing. My research has shown that Canadians have far fewer choices than

Americans. Furthermore, it appears that nothing is being done about it.

Take for instance the Prodigy meter, developed in conjunction with the NFB.

That one is not on the approved list here.

I won't go further with my findings as I realize that this topic has limited

interest, aside from Canadian members, but I am curious.

Larry

[Guest guest]

The Prodigy Voice is what many Canadians are using Larry. I'm forgetting, but

perhaps you are sighted, and your wife is blind? Anyway, any of the prodigy

meters should be available to you. Ruth should be able to chime in here.

Dave

BG test Meters for Canadian Members (was) Re:

Introducing Me

Thanks Ruth and everyone for the warm welcome. If you don't mind me asking,

I'm curious as to what meters you and other Canadians on the list are using for

testing. My research has shown that Canadians have far fewer choices than

Americans. Furthermore, it appears that nothing is being done about it.

Take for instance the Prodigy meter, developed in conjunction with the NFB.

That one is not on the approved list here.

I won't go further with my findings as I realize that this topic has limited

interest, aside from Canadian members, but I am curious.

Larry

[Guest guest]

Hi Larry,

I work for Diagnostic Devices here in Canada and we are working on bringing

the Canadian papers to bring the Prodigy Voice and Auto Code blood glucose

meters to Canada. Have a little patience, our government is slow with the

process. If you want a meter before we get the approval, contact me off

list at ruthhogue@... and I will give you more details and info.

Ruth

From: blind-diabetics

[mailto:blind-diabetics ] On Behalf Of Larry Naessens

Sent: Monday, July 07, 2008 5:29 PM

To: blind-diabetics

Subject: BG test Meters for Canadian Members (was) Re:

Introducing Me

Thanks Ruth and everyone for the warm welcome. If you don't mind me asking,

I'm curious as to what meters you and other Canadians on the list are using

for testing. My research has shown that Canadians have far fewer choices

than Americans. Furthermore, it appears that nothing is being done about it.

Take for instance the Prodigy meter, developed in conjunction with the NFB.

That one is not on the approved list here.

I won't go further with my findings as I realize that this topic has limited

interest, aside from Canadian members, but I am curious.

Larry

[Guest guest]

And here I thought Canadians were able to get the Prodigy meters as easy as we

can. Although, I gather getting the meter is not as much the issue as getting

it covered through some kind of insurance.

Dave

BG test Meters for Canadian Members (was) Re:

Introducing Me

Thanks Ruth and everyone for the warm welcome. If you don't mind me asking,

I'm curious as to what meters you and other Canadians on the list are using

for testing. My research has shown that Canadians have far fewer choices

than Americans. Furthermore, it appears that nothing is being done about it.

Take for instance the Prodigy meter, developed in conjunction with the NFB.

That one is not on the approved list here.

I won't go further with my findings as I realize that this topic has limited

interest, aside from Canadian members, but I am curious.

Larry

[Guest guest]

Dave, having lived on both sides of the border, though not at the same time of

course, I understand your confusion.

In the States, several talking meters are available that are not available as

yet in Canada. This can be the case for a couple of reasons. First, the Canadian

government has, thus far, not approved as wide a selection of talking meters for

use in this country. . Second, health Canada declines to reveal how far along

they are in the approval process for any specific audible meter, thus making it

difficult for blind diabetics to get a handle on what might be available to us

around the corner. In fact, they will not telk us what meters are being

considered, citing the right to privacy of the companies involved. Third, I am

told that some companies choose not to applied for the right to market their

medical devices in Canada.

As for insurance based issues, government health coverage varies from province

to province. In Ontario, where I live, diabetics are covered for insulin and/or

oral medications. Test strips and related equipment would either be handled

through group insurance at work or would be an out of pocket expense. Talking

meters are covered in part if one is on insulin. For those on oral meds, it is

an out of pocket expense.

Right now, I'm looking at the likelihood of insulin due to limited success with

oral meds. Meanwhile, the only meter that I've had any success in working

consistently without having it error out frequently, is one designed for sighted

people. That is a problem because my wife works an hour away while I work from a

home office. My meter is therefore read when my wife gets home from work. This

won't be ideal if I go on insulin, which is why I'm exploring options.

Larry

[Guest guest]

Ken, I'll be happy to pass along what I learn to anyone here on the list who

might be interested.

Larry

[Guest guest]

Ken, I'll be happy to pass along what I learn to anyone here on the list who

might be interested.

Larry

[Guest guest]

I hope Ruth will pop in here with news on how to get the Prodigy. She is

frm Canada and has one. Iven if you have to buy one, it is not terribley

expensive and the test strips are considerably less expensive than the

previous machin's was.

Re: BG test Meters for Canadian Members (was) Re:

Introducing Me

Hi larry; I'm interested as I'm a canuck; I would like to find a talking

meter that is also very easy to run as I tried one meter and even though it

talked it was very difficult to get the blood in the exact spot. My wife

reads another meter which does not talk but is very easy to get the bloodlet

to run down the strip aEtc. Please let me know what you've discovered if

anything ok? Ken B

BG test Meters for Canadian Members (was) Re:

Introducing Me

Thanks Ruth and everyone for the warm welcome. If you don't mind me asking,

I'm curious as to what meters you and other Canadians on the list are using

for testing. My research has shown that Canadians have far fewer choices

than Americans. Furthermore, it appears that nothing is being done about it.

Take for instance the Prodigy meter, developed in conjunction with the NFB.

That one is not on the approved list here.

I won't go further with my findings as I realize that this topic has limited

interest, aside from Canadian members, but I am curious.

Larry

[Guest guest]

I've never heard anything negative concerning the prodigy meter. I understand

it's a big step forward from the hit and miss method of testing blood. I find

now that I often use a couple of strips before successfully completing a test.

Larry

[Guest guest]

Well, Larry

Even with the Prodigy I sometimes have to use more than one strip. If I

don't get enough blood on the end of the strip, I have to do a repeat. You

know wehen you don't have aenough because the machine gives you a

ridiculously low BG reading and sometime I will put the blood on the strip

and a few seconds later, rather than immedicately, it will say " testing " and

then give you a low BG reading. I don't know of any meter, however, that

tells you when you don't have enough blood on the strip-talking ones or not.

Re: BG test Meters for Canadian Members (was) Re:

Introducing Me

I've never heard anything negative concerning the prodigy meter. I

understand it's a big step forward from the hit and miss method of testing

blood. I find now that I often use a couple of strips before successfully

completing a test.

Larry

[Guest guest]

Pat, is there something that you can feel which helps to guide your finger to

the appropriate action spot on the strip? Maybe a tangible notch or something?

It seems to me that I read somewhere that there was. Is this true?

Larry

[Guest guest]

Hi . Thanks for that suggestion. If it's one thing I've learned since

moving to Canada, it is that things are much different here than they were in

the States. This is only natural as we are talking about 2 separate countries,

but the differences surprised me.

Larry

[Guest guest]

Ths trip sticks out of the machine and is it is real easy to feel the end.

You just wipe the end of the strip against the spot whre you have stuck

your finger. My biggest problem is getting myself to bleed enough!

Re: BG test Meters for Canadian Members (was) Re:

Introducing Me

Pat, is there something that you can feel which helps to guide your finger

to the appropriate action spot on the strip? Maybe a tangible notch or

something? It seems to me that I read somewhere that there was. Is this

true?

Larry

[Guest guest]

Yeah, I sure understand that problem. I'm a lousy bleeder myself. So there's me,

touching an unbleeding finger to an unsuspecting strip yielding unsatisfactory

results. This does not make my day.

Larry

Larry Naessens

Vinyl Trans4mations

A Division of Jalana Enterprises

Bradford, Ontario

Phone:

Vinyl Trans4mations, a Burn Above the Rest

At Vinyl Trans4mations, we turn old records and tapes into brand new CDs that

you can listen to for a lifetime. Visit us at www.vinylguycafe.com. We welcome

all of your enquiries by phone or email. Before sending us your media, please

contact us for important shipping instructions.

Re: BG test Meters for Canadian Members (was) Re:

Introducing Me

Pat, is there something that you can feel which helps to guide your finger

to the appropriate action spot on the strip? Maybe a tangible notch or

something? It seems to me that I read somewhere that there was. Is this

true?

Larry

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I don't seem to give up my blood willingly either, I haven't got my meter yet,

still waiting to hear from this person at the Royal New Zealalnd Foundation of

the Blind, who is in charge of getting our meters for us, lucky my doctor and

the diabetic staff at our local hospital don't seem to think it enecessary that

I test myself each day, although I am looking forward to being able to do that,

it will help give me more guidelines I think. But when I did the blood thing at

the doctor's, the nurse said it was hard to get my blood, and at the lab they

found the same thing, felt a bit like a pin cushion when I came out of there

lol.

Hugs, Maggie.

There's music in a horseshoe, there's music in a nail,There's music in a tomcat,

when you stand upon his tail.

Re: BG test Meters for Canadian Members (was) Re:

Introducing Me

Pat, is there something that you can feel which helps to guide your finger

to the appropriate action spot on the strip? Maybe a tangible notch or

something? It seems to me that I read somewhere that there was. Is this

true?

Larry

[Guest guest]

My wife is like this too. the lab people told her some time back to drink water

before having blood drawn, and this does seem to help.

Dave

Re: BG test Meters for Canadian Members (was) Re:

Introducing Me

Pat, is there something that you can feel which helps to guide your finger

to the appropriate action spot on the strip? Maybe a tangible notch or

something? It seems to me that I read somewhere that there was. Is this

true?

Larry

[Guest guest]

My wife is like this too. the lab people told her some time back to drink water

before having blood drawn, and this does seem to help.

Dave

Re: BG test Meters for Canadian Members (was) Re:

Introducing Me

Pat, is there something that you can feel which helps to guide your finger

to the appropriate action spot on the strip? Maybe a tangible notch or

something? It seems to me that I read somewhere that there was. Is this

true?

Larry

[Guest guest]

My wife is like this too. the lab people told her some time back to drink water

before having blood drawn, and this does seem to help.

Dave

Re: BG test Meters for Canadian Members (was) Re:

Introducing Me

Pat, is there something that you can feel which helps to guide your finger

to the appropriate action spot on the strip? Maybe a tangible notch or

something? It seems to me that I read somewhere that there was. Is this

true?

Larry

[Guest guest]

For those who have trouble getting enough blood for the test strip, you might

try something that seems to help me. Before testing, just run warm water over

the hand with the finger that you plan to stick for the test. When I do that for

a few seconds, I seem to have a little better luck in getting enough blood for

the job. I can't promise improvement for anyone with the problem, but it's worth

a try.

Larry

[Guest guest]

For those who have trouble getting enough blood for the test strip, you might

try something that seems to help me. Before testing, just run warm water over

the hand with the finger that you plan to stick for the test. When I do that for

a few seconds, I seem to have a little better luck in getting enough blood for

the job. I can't promise improvement for anyone with the problem, but it's worth

a try.

Larry

[Guest guest]

For those who have trouble getting enough blood for the test strip, you might

try something that seems to help me. Before testing, just run warm water over

the hand with the finger that you plan to stick for the test. When I do that for

a few seconds, I seem to have a little better luck in getting enough blood for

the job. I can't promise improvement for anyone with the problem, but it's worth

a try.

Larry

[Guest guest]

I do that too Dave-unless it is afasting blood test, then drinking water

before hand does not make it a true fasting blood sugar.

Re: BG test Meters for Canadian Members (was) Re:

Introducing Me

My wife is like this too. the lab people told her some time back to drink

water before having blood drawn, and this does seem to help.

Dave

Re: BG test Meters for Canadian Members (was) Re:

Introducing Me

Pat, is there something that you can feel which helps to guide your finger

to the appropriate action spot on the strip? Maybe a tangible notch or

something? It seems to me that I read somewhere that there was. Is this

true?

Larry

[Guest guest]

I do that too Dave-unless it is afasting blood test, then drinking water

before hand does not make it a true fasting blood sugar.

Re: BG test Meters for Canadian Members (was) Re:

Introducing Me

My wife is like this too. the lab people told her some time back to drink

water before having blood drawn, and this does seem to help.

Dave

Re: BG test Meters for Canadian Members (was) Re:

Introducing Me

Pat, is there something that you can feel which helps to guide your finger

to the appropriate action spot on the strip? Maybe a tangible notch or

something? It seems to me that I read somewhere that there was. Is this

true?

Larry

[Guest guest]

I do that too Dave-unless it is afasting blood test, then drinking water

before hand does not make it a true fasting blood sugar.

Re: BG test Meters for Canadian Members (was) Re:

Introducing Me

My wife is like this too. the lab people told her some time back to drink

water before having blood drawn, and this does seem to help.

Dave

Re: BG test Meters for Canadian Members (was) Re:

Introducing Me

Pat, is there something that you can feel which helps to guide your finger

to the appropriate action spot on the strip? Maybe a tangible notch or

something? It seems to me that I read somewhere that there was. Is this

true?

Larry

[Guest guest]

Not true. Water has no affect on the fasting blood work. Or so the doctors and

nurses at my medical facility say.

Dave

Re: BG test Meters for Canadian Members (was) Re:

Introducing Me

Pat, is there something that you can feel which helps to guide your finger

to the appropriate action spot on the strip? Maybe a tangible notch or

something? It seems to me that I read somewhere that there was. Is this

true?

Larry