In the world of diabetes, management and monitoring go hand-in-hand. There are a seemingly endless assortment of ways to help manage type 1 and type 2 diabetes through using various types of insulins, oral medications, non-insulin injectables, lifestyle modifications, and so on. In parallel, there are a countless array of products available that can be used to monitor glucose (sugar) levels.
However, there’s one thing in common for many glucose monitoring products: they’re very expensive.
There have been advances in certain types of monitors that fall under a subset called continuous glucose monitors (CGM). In general, diabetes management is trending toward the usage of CGM products as these products can analyze glucose readings over time which is preferable. By comparison, traditional glucose monitoring systems take ‘snapshots’ in time of a diabetic patient’s glucose levels. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetics should monitor their glucose levels.
Although CGM is more ideal than traditional monitors in a perfect world, the realities of finances and/or accessibility are honest burdens for many patients. In that breadth, testing glucose levels with a traditional monitoring kit is far superior than skipping out on testing entirely.
To test glucose levels, four pieces of equipment are typically needed: a meter, test strips, lancets, and a lancing device. A lancet goes inside of a lancing device, and together the lancing device allows the lancet (small needle) to pierce the skin for a small blood sample. The blood sample can then be placed onto the end of a test strip and the test strip with the blood sample is then placed into the meter for the glucose reading to be interpreted.
Similarly to how there are many different brands of cars and their corresponding auto parts need to be compatible together, the same rings true for glucose monitoring products. This specifically is true for test strips and meters. In order to be able to use a glucose monitor, the test strips associated with it must be the same brand and subtype. For example, the Accu-Chek Aviva Plus Meter must be used with Accu-Chek Aviva Plus Test Strips. If Contour Next Test Strips were used with the Accu-Chek Aviva Plus Meter, it would not work.
Thankfully, most insurance companies in the United States cover at least one brand of diabetic testing products. However, this is not always the case and not all patients have health insurance. Thus, below are 5 examples of available glucose testing kits that are available for $20 or less (as of the publishing date of this article).
Disclaimer – always follow the instructions and recommendations of a prescriber and/or pharmacist prior to purchasing any specific product(s). Also, ensure to test glucose levels at a daily frequency determined by a prescriber or pharmacist.
Cost: $13
Includes: meter, test strips (other supplies sold separately)
Cost: $13
Includes: meter, lancing device, lancets, test strips
Cost: $17
Includes: meter, lancing device, lancets, test strips
Cost: $20
Includes: meter, test strips (other supplies sold separately)
Cost: $20
Includes: meter, lancing device, lancets, test strips
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