FreeStyle glucose meters are manufactured by Abbott Diabetes Care. They make and sell the FreeStyle Flash, FreeStyle Freedom, FreeStyle Lite and Precision Xtra models of glucose monitors.
With so many different makes and models of glucose test meters, why should you be interested in FreeStyle brand meters over other brands?
Small Test Samples:
Their line of meters boasts the tiniest blood samples with only 0.3 microlitres of blood required for an accurate reading. This makes these glucometers the best for diabetics who hate having to squeeze their finger tips in order to pry out more blood for a sample. Mothers of diabetics will really appreciate this feature if they have young children that get upset when they apply pressure to their small finger tips during testing. The flyspeck-sized samples mean less pain, speedier tests and less hassle for mom.
Continued...Speedy Results:
All FreeStyle glucose meters display results within 5 seconds except for the FreeStyle Flash which takes 7 seconds. This makes them among the fastest meters in the marketplace. Speedier tests mean less toe-tapping while awaiting test results.
Accuracy:
Freestyle glucose meters are one of the few meters that use the enzyme "Glucose Dehydrogenase" to measure sugar in a blood sample. This differs from the widely used "Glucose Oxidase" which requires oxygen to create a reaction. Oxygen contamination can interfere with measurement but FreeStyle glucose monitors overcome this problem and are more accurate as a result. Greater accuracy translates into tighter glucose control and eventually better health.
Alternate Site Testing:
All Freestyle monitors allow alternate site testing which results in little or no pain. Glucose testing on arms or thighs can be much more pain-free than continually pricking your fingers to get a blood sample. Diabetics employed in an office understand how dreadful it can be to tap on a computer keyboard after pricking your finger tips many times. Alternate site testing reduces or rules out this problem.
Customer Service:
Abbott Diabetes Care is second to none. Reps are warm and accommodating and do everything conceivable to solve any problem you may have. Recently, my Freestyle Lite fell down a staircase and refused to work. I called Abbott to see if I could somehow get a discount on a new meter. I was pleasantly surprised when the rep sent me a brand-new FreeStyle Lite meter at no charge. It arrived 2nd day air and I was able to quickly resume testing. All at completely no cost to me.
If you join Abbott's "Friends For Life" program you get a Lifetime Warranty, Free Lifetime Meter Upgrades, a Welcome kit and more. All at no charge. This could offset the higher cost of the test strips but then again, most meter companies I've dealt with have very good customer service as well. Not surprising given that there's a lot of money to be made selling glucose test strips.
If they're such good meters, why would I avoid them? Why doesn't everyone use them?
High Cost Strips:
The cost of FreeStyle strips averages 80 to 86 cents per strip, putting them at the upper range for pricing of glucose test strips. If insurance doesn't cover your supplies this may put the cost of testing out of your reach.
You can try reducing this cost by shopping for bargains on websites like http://StripsForLess.com. They offer discounts of 30 to 70 percent, but be sure to read their buying guide before you commit to a purchase. It could help you avoid severe health problems.
Conclusion:
FreeStyle glucose meters use the smallest blood samples and are "child friendly" as a result. They have a high cost of testing but their exceptional customer care offsets this cost to some degree. They have better accuracy than most meters due to their different engineering. If you have problems or pain in testing, these are meters you should consider. But the high cost of tests might prohibit frequent testing required for tight glucose control and optimal health. If cost is a problem you might want to opt for a TrueTrack glucose meter instead.
