Diabetic Testing Supplies

Diabetic testing supplies are critical for diabetes management. Primarily they involve strips to put a blood sample on and a machine to analyze the blood and give a blood sugar reading. There is also the lancet that is used to draw blood.

Generally the strips are compatible with one type of analysis machine so you select your machine first. Once you have purchased a machine it will last you for a long time and the only thing you have to replace are the testing strips. Testing strips are usually disposed of after one use so the cost of testing strips might be a consideration when you decide to buy an analysis machine as it will be a recurring cost.

So the major initial expense of testing supplies is the blood reading meter or machine. There is a huge variation in prices and this reflects the number of features that each meter has.

Some things to consider are the number of results that the meter can store. A history of your readings is handy to work out how your blood sugar levels change over a month or year. As you gain more information like this you can take better control of your diabetes. You can experiment with diets to see which diet requires less insulin or you can get an accurate picture of the amount of insulin you might need if you are planning ahead.

You may also be interested in the time it takes to analyze the blood. Most machines will return a reading within 10 seconds so it probably isn't an issue.

The size and look of the machine might be a consideration. If you need to take your blood reading in public you may want to have a small, unobtrusive machine. The power source might also be important. Is the power source a standard battery type, like an AA battery or a more expensive lithium type battery.

The lancet is a way of pricking the finger to take a blood sample. As you test your blood more often you get used to the idea of having to break skin and draw blood but it can be off putting at first.

Lancets are designed to make the process as pain free as possible. Most lancets are operated by placing the device over the finger or part of the body you are using and pressing a button on the top of the lancet. This will cause the needle to enter the skin and retract instantly hence minimizing bruising and pain.

All these supplies can be bought on line or off line. It is advisable to establish the brand of supplies that you like before buying on line so that you know what you are getting and you know that it will suit your needs.
By Adrian Whittle