Recommendation for device to check blood sugar (FBS)

[connda]

My wife is borderline Type 2 diabetic and she checks her blood daily and modifies her diet to get her Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) reading lower.

Her last FBS test at the local hospital was very good. 

However.

I bought a Sinocare FBS monitoring device on Lazada a couple of years back.  The primary problem with this brand of blood sugar monitors is that I can't find the calibrating liquid that show you how accurate you're strips are.  You should be able to calibrate the device to a standardized sugar level and then add/subtract the difference based on the reading of your testing strips.  I've noticed that the older the testing strips are, the higher the blood sugar reading.

Without the ability to calibrate the strips?  You can't tell how accurate the actual readings are.

Can anyone recommend a brand of blood sugar testing devices that can be calibrated to a known blood sugar standard so we can get accurate FBS reading for my wife.  The primary issue here is having a device that can be calibrated so we can get accurate reading.

Background:

I've got two bottles of Sinocare strips.  Both my wife and I tested using a test strip from each bottle.  There was about a 75 point difference in the reading between the different bottles of strips.  So - being able to calibrate to a "known sugar level" is imperative to get accurate reading.  Supposedly Sinocare has a calibrating fluid, but I can't find it online.  I'd rather use a device where I can find test strips and calibrating fluid at a local pharmacy instead of ordering online.

Thanks!

[connda]

Price isn't an issue.  My wife's health is what is important.

[OneMoreFarang]

Buy something like this:

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/beurer-blood-glucose-monitor-gl-44-i454472488-s838888111.html

Beurer is a good brand, there are others.

 

These devices are accurate when used according to the instructions.

If you measure regularly then the cost of the test strips sums up. The device is a one time investment.

 

If you want to pay less for the device: In Europe they are often cheaper or even more or less given away to the patients - because the companies make the money with the test strips.

 

Edit: Some devices have a computer connection (USB or maybe Bluetooth). With that it is easy to keep the records from every day.

Edited February 20, 2023 by OneMoreFarang

[Sheryl]

Most people use Accucheck. readily availabel at pharmacies here.

 

However for someone who is pre-diabetic I would recommend instead of daily FBS an Hb1Ac every few months - any lab can do it, no need to fast. In fact that woudl also suffice for most Type 2 diabetics, only exception being thoseo n insulin.

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

Most people use Accucheck. readily availabel at pharmacies here.

 

However for someone who is pre-diabetic I would recommend instead of daily FBS an Hb1Ac every few months - any lab can do it, no need to fast. In fact that woudl also suffice for most Type 2 diabetics, only exception being thoseo n insulin.

Maybe my personal addition to Sheryl's advice:

I have Type 2 diabetes and I take oral medication. I visit the doctor about every two months. He checks my blood sugar and HBA1C. That gives the doctor enough information about the status of my diabetes.

 

Additionally, I bought some time ago a blood glucose monitor from Beurer. I did this to understand better my blood sugar level. I can measure it right away after I wake up. And I can measure it before any meal and direct after a meal and maybe an hour or two later. I can also do things like eating something and looking how that influences my blood sugar.

I think for such personal discovery it's nice to have a blood glucose monitor to see which food and drinks have a big impact.

[MJCM]

My wife has Type 2 diabetes and I have bought a Accu Chek Guide Set at a one of those bigger Pharmacies (Boots / Watson).

 

You can also buy them at Lazada for example, but we like to buy it at a retail store as we hadn't any experience with it and the Pharmacist explained everything.

 

The Set came with Lancets and test strips and the Device. It's powered by 2 CR2032 (those round batteries) and it lasts a long time.

 

Price for everything around 2000 THB (but this is 1 - 2 years ago already)

[connda]

17 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Maybe my personal addition to Sheryl's advice:

I have Type 2 diabetes and I take oral medication. I visit the doctor about every two months. He checks my blood sugar and HBA1C. That gives the doctor enough information about the status of my diabetes.

 

Additionally, I bought some time ago a blood glucose monitor from Beurer. I did this to understand better my blood sugar level. I can measure it right away after I wake up. And I can measure it before any meal and direct after a meal and maybe an hour or two later. I can also do things like eating something and looking how that influences my blood sugar.

I think for such personal discovery it's nice to have a blood glucose monitor to see which food and drinks have a big impact.

My wife is doing the same for the same reasons.  She is interested in what influence her blood sugar.