About Diabetic Testing Supplies

If you have been recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the most important tool you'll need is the ‌‌‌glucose meter.

Some companies offer free meters, which sounds like a great deal, except that each meter also requires test strips. Every time you test your blood sugar level, you'll need to use a new test strip. These can be expensive, costing up to several dollars each. When looking for the best glucose meter for you, be sure to check the price of test strips.

Cutting Expenses

If you are on a tight budget, or if your health insurance does not pay for all of your diabetes test supplies, you may want to estimate how much it is going to cost you to monitor your blood sugar each day. If you get a rebate on a particular glucose monitor but you pay $3 for each strip, this can add up to a substantial amount of money. If you test four times a day at $3 per strip, testing your sugar level could potentially total more than $300 per month. This is beyond most people's budget. You could potentially cut your monthly expense down by half by purchasing a glucose monitor that uses less expensive strips.

If you are in your local pharmacy, you may be tempted to grab a box of test strips without comparing how many strips are in a box. Some strips may cost about the same amount, but one box has 50 strips while the other has 100 strips. Many people choose to buy a store brand meter and test strips. These diabetic testing supplies can be far less costly than popular name brand supplies, and they are often just as accurate. You may be surprised to find that large drug stores and grocery stores often sell test strips for $4 or $10 per box.

A Key Tool

Your glucose monitor is the most important tool in controlling your diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, improvements in glucose monitors over the past years have enabled patients to have more flexibility in their daily schedules and in managing their diabetes. When you test your blood sugar level, you can avoid the problems caused by low blood sugar levels. You will also know when you have eaten too many carbs if your sugar level is too high after a meal. Buying diabetes test strips that are accurate is important to help you know maintain a healthy blood sugar level throughout the day.

Diabetics know that poking their finger to test their blood sugar three or four times each day is one of the worst parts of having the disease. Some companies are working on developing glucose monitors that do not require a blood sample. Instead, they measure your blood sugar level by shining a light beam on your skin. However, it will still be some time before researchers are finished with this process and it is available at your local store.