I know I have some bad habits in
writing about diabetes, as a reader reminds me of them. I make
occasionally mistakes in medical terminology, but I have to be
concerned when group like this one fails to follow editorial policy
or at least enforce a good policy. With the errors appearing lately,
the editor may be on vacation.
I am referring to this blog from
January 27, 2015. I know the author should have used blood glucose
meter for most of the blog in place of glucose monitor and uses the
term monitor correctly when talking about continuous glucose monitor.
A monitor does not use test strips.
The only thing I can figure out from
this -Quote - “It will be easier on your pocketbook if
the monitor you chose is popular. You will find the test strips
everywhere with no trouble, often at lower cost because they are
widely available.” - Unquote is that the author has
unlimited funds and can purchase any test strips desired.
Most of type 2 diabetes and type 1 need
to stay with the meter and test strips that are what the insurance
provider will reasonably reimburse or pay. Each insurance company is
different in their formulary and therefore what is popular may not be
the brand that the insurance company will allow.
Quote - “Blood glucose
monitor test strips are sealed in packs and vials. Keep the ones you
are not using in their original packages.” - Unquote.
The author may desire the containers to be sealed, but I have not
found any that are sealed and I have never needed to break a seal to
use them. I have had to open the box, then open the container lid,
and carefully remove the first test strip.
Quote - “Make sure your
hands are freshly washed before handling test strips, and be careful
not to get the strips wet with water or alcohol. After using an
alcohol wipe, let your finger dry before pricking it to get the drop
of blood.” - Unquote. Yes, it advised by most test
strip manufacturers to wash your hands and dry thoroughly and this is
in the instructions that come with each box containing the container
of test strips. Alcohol pads or wipes should only be used when water
and soap in unavailable. Never rely on alcohol pads when you have
been handling or cutting fruit or certain foods and you will receive
very elevated readings. Only washing with soap and warm water will
remove the sugar of fruit from your hands.
Using alcohol pads on your fingers
during late fall to early spring is asking for cracked fingers and
very painful testing. Alcohol dries out the skin and this is a
serious problem.
This is the type of information we
don't need. I have had several emails asking me what the information
meant as they had not heard of glucose monitors requiring test
strips. It is blood glucose meters that require test strips.
Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are
very expensive and very few people with type 2 diabetes can have them
approved for use, but a few do. Mostly they are used by people with
type 1 diabetes.
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