Thursday, March 18, 2010

Meters= Diabetes GPS System


TAKE NOTE FDA - This one's for you!
Like all of us, I pay a hell of a lot of money for glucose strips (even with insurance) and I rely on them every single day to stay healthy. I check my numbers between 10 and 15 times a day and I pay hard earned money for those strips - not to mention the fact that I literally and figuratively pay with my blood!
If I bought an antibiotic that might be 10% to 20% of the mark, that would be unacceptable, so why is such a big range “OK” when it comes to my meter?
I consider checking my blood sugar to be my body's own personal GPS system.
I don’t read maps very well and when someone asks me what direction North is, I say "Canada" and point towards the sky, so the whole GPS thing has made my life easier on many levels.
My blood sugar meter and strips are the navigational tools that help me to confirm what where my body is, and what direction it needs to go in.
Sometimes I need to make a sharp turn north towards Canada (when the numbers are dipping fast) and treat a low.
Other times I need to swerve and head south ( here's a visual, I'm currently pointing to the floor and thinking of Florida) when my numbers are going through the roof. I do a correction bolus so I don’t head for the DKA Hills.
The route I love (and prefer) is the road where I’m right on course and all is right in my world.
So here’s the deal FDA- WE,(as in every single person with diabetes) NEED and DEMAND that meters and test strips are accurate. Our health, our livelihoods, and futures depend on it. I It’s hard enough navigating through life with diabetes on a daily basis, but because of these inaccuracies, many of us have to test and test again because the numbers on are meters are somewhere between 10% and 20% off the mark in either direction.
Here’s a crazy thought: IF you pay for something, shouldn’t it work properly?
I don’t know (and I could be little nuts,) maybe I should start paying 10 to 20% less on my yearly taxes? Yes, I pay my accountant boku bucks to figure all that out, but heck, he might be 10% to 20% off in either direction!

12 comments:

Katie from SF said...

Mmmm hmmm. And heaven forbid you test more than usual and run out of strips before you allowed a refill! Been there... had to pay out of pocket. Not fun.

Kellys Blogs said...

I freaking puffy heart you. :D

SarahK said...

*fist pump* YOU GO GIRL!

rachel said...

great arguments here for better meters, better strips.

(and yes on taxes!!)

Anonymous said...

Totally agree. I find it unacceptable that they are 10-20% of and I have to trust them 100%!

Like, What the?

Anonymous said...

I agree!!

Mike Hoskins said...

Exactly. Accuracy isn't too much to ask. We need to do this to live, it's not like we have options here. We pay arms and legs for the high cost already. The least we could get is a little more accuracy, inside a 20% margin, me thinks. Really. What? Are we afraid strip-makers will suddenly start losing money because of the increased accuracy? See above. We MUST make our voices heard to the FDA.

Unknown said...

We need more T1 people in the industry, I think - I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that insulin-typicals have no idea how important accuracy is for us all. Guess we'd better tell 'em!

Also: am love love loving the image of you pointing up and down for Canada and Florida...

George said...

I personally find the strips to be more accurate than the CGM that I used for 6 months and then tossed because it was way worse than any stick I have ever used. The sensors for the CGM I have cost 47.50 each and last for 3 - 4 days. Not only is it really expensive but to be so inaccurate at the same time ... stupid.

Siobhan said...

hey, i just started following your blog (i write one too). great post, i see a lot of people are posting about this too!

Deacon Nicodemos said...

If you demand more accuracy it stands to reason that the already expensive test strips are going to become even more expensive.

k2 said...

Katie-
I am running into that very problem myself as of late~

Kelly-
I freaking puffy heart u 2!

Sarah-
*Bump PUmp* Girl!

Rachel:
Thanks sister!

Charloli-
I know- it's totally crazy!

OliveJooice-
YAY

MHoskins-
Logic says that if you make meters and strips more accurate, your clients ( the people buying them) will be happy AND loyal! It's customer service 101!

Karen-
More T1's in the industry would be great!
And I'm glad you find my directionally challenged images to be funny! Alas, they are true~

George-
I'm just learning the cgm ropes. What find so frustrating is that there are times when I test 3 or 4 times in a row and the range in numbers are HUGE.
I washed my hands and my meter was calibrated.
I'm sorry, but I find a 40 point spread unacceptable!

Shiv-
Welcome and thanks for the comment! Your blogs nifty as well ;)

Dogfather:
The fact that I'm paying top dollar for something that is inaccurate (and that my very existence depends on) is WRONG.
And the fact that the FDA allows it is just as WRONG.

Kelly K