I use the G5 as well, I think what your seeing is that at start up it is mandatory to use 2 sticks. If you read the directions, each time you calibrate, you are not forced to use 2 finger sticks, but you should.
When you read your reports, there is an area that shows how many calibrations you use.
I’ve found that when you calibrate that it is best to do two sticks each time. Then the sensor reading is more accurate. Just be sure to do the 2cnd calibration within five minutes of each other. I usually test and get both readings at once. I enter the highest reading first then the lowest next. Sometimes I will test a third time if the numbers are really way off. Then I still use the two closest readings. It seems to work pretty well. My A1C has never been higher than 6.2, except after my first dx readings.
Try that method. I also use the personal method too. If I see a reading that makes no sense, I won’t use it… example. I have something on my finger that throws off the initial reading because I didn’t wash my hand well enough and I throw something like a 190 and I don’t feel like I’m at 190. I retest, but I always take the readings from the same finger too. I’ve found that using different fingers will throw wildly different readings. Think it has to do with circulation times. All the blood in your hand can’t change out at the same time, there is some delay.
This technology is wonderful, but we can’t forget we are flawed! We make mistakes all the time… Just think about this. In some cases, we are supposed to check our sugars when we drop. If you drop like I do, I’m not always mentally there. I’m in my own world. I’m functioning, but in no way am I at my best. I then have to test, understand the reading and make a life changing decision with my meds. What are the chances that I’m gonna make a mistake? Or choose the wrong thing to do? Greatly increased, I can say that!
But insurance in its wisdom says that I can only use 4 test strips per day to make life altering decisions. Sometimes I’m lucky if I don’t trash the kitchen trying to correct a low. I can’t tell you how many times my wife says what happened last nite. I went to the kitchen food is open trash all over and I can’t remember anything I did!
My only answer is I don’t know, I honestly don’t know why. I can guess, but I really havent got a clue what happened. Or she will be majorly pissed at something I did or said and I have no recollection of saying or doing anything “wrong” or hurtfull.
The point is this… We have to use all the signs signals and any other information we can to calibrate the “machine” to the closest reading we can to represent where we are so that we can make the best decision possible when we are relatively sane and functioning as close to “normal” as we are ever gonna be or gonna be again. I developed T1D late in life, so I suppose I know what normal is! I’ve probably had incidences all my life, but my body hid the signs very well. Still does in fact. My reg Dr went over tests with me and said what’s wrong with these tests? I could see nothing wrong with the results. He agreed and said that’s what’s wrong with them. Nothing here would make me suspect your diabetic. We clearly know you are!
Hope I’ve helped to some degree! I get long winded, but I’ve found that if you understand what your doing with as much info as you can get. You do a better job at trying to manage your life.
Charlie
This may not be ideal, but I have on occasion purchased test strips on eBay - perhaps people switch to a different meter and have leftover strups to get rid of, I don’t know. But I’ve gotten some good prices. Just be sure to check the expiration date.
Thanks for the reply. It’s not the fact that I can purchase extra strips. I can and do that. Walmart sells them. So do many drug stores. The issue as I see it is this.
Why should an insurance company have the right to limit strips! Who are they to say x number of strips per day is enough! No one knows what we need except ourselves. It should be based individually, or case by case. Once established, why do we have to get yearly reapproval to have the same amount? For example my approval ran out on January 5th one year I needed to get approval for strips on January 6th. The very next day! I was only approved for 100 strips for the next 3 months. Why in God’s name can they say or limit test strips like that. All I did was fall asleep. My situation had not changed in any way. I still needed 4 test strips to calibrate my G5 per day.
I then spent 30 days trying to get approvals for the appropriate amount. I had to spend $ 100,00 to get thru the 30 day period, for something that literally I was approved for 1 day earlier. Had the pharmacy called the day before, I would have had no issues, but that did not happen.
I was told by insurance company that it was not that important and they would get to it in due time. That is a load of B.S.,
I cannot understand the reasoning behind this. The retail cost of these strips is $2.00 each.by approving them at $8.00 per day, that stops me from having issues and not going to hospital for a severe hypoglycemic event. One trip to hospital is way more than $8.00 per day and the risk of me dying or going into a coma is way less. How can they have the right to say it’s no big deal!
That’s my point!
My understanding is that with Medicare, you have two options for strips. Part B and the prescription coverage under part D. All your doctor has to do is write a prescription for the amount you want along with a note of medical necessity. I’m not on Medicare, but have read about this issue multiple times and it works. The G5 only requires two calibrations a day. As far as I know, Medicare patients have to get their Dexcom supplies directly from Dexcom, who include 150 strips with the order each month.
Now, the not so good news. There are stories going around the forums now, from Medicare patients who were moved over to the G6. According to them, Medicare is refusing to cover strips once the patient is on the G6, which doesn’t require any calibrations. You can still get them through part D, the copay will be a lot higher.
I am switching to G6 some time in the near future. But that still doesn’t account for the lunacy that is part of the insurance providers.
Since when is it cheaper to pay for a hospital visit, around $1000.00 per day than to pay $8.00 per day for test strips!
That’s my point totally. Give out test strips like candy at $1000.00 per day! No one is gonna test 500 times a day.That is testing approximately every three minutes.
Why should they care how many times a day that someone tests. If they are not in the hospital it saves them money! It makes absolutely no sense to limit test strips for anyone at anytime. They should be free! One or two 3 day hospital stays would potentially cover tests strips for a lifetime. Given the costs of a 3 day stay one can easily spend 15 K without trying.
Why not let people test until the cows come home and keep them out of hospitals and save that money for other more serious conditions that could arise!
It’s no wonder that this is a government run program. Find the stupidest way to do things and spend money like water. Control the most ludicrst items and overcharge as much as possible to make up for the senseless spending!
How is the accuracy with Livongo and the quality of the meter? My problem with the Livongo program is that it’s being dictated that or they cut you back on strips and lancets to an insufficient quantity. It’s Insurance bullying to force a change, taking away patient choice to pick tools that work best. The Livongo meter is much larger than the Verio One Touch that my son prefers. Plus there is no research available to make an informed choice on Livongo. I don’t who the company is and it’s hard to find much data on the tools.
Livongo seems to be pretty accurate and the meter itself is fine. I don’t have to deal with the whole insurance question because my company covers the full cost of the Livongo, no questions asked. I also use the Dexcom G5 (which tends to agree with the Livongo), so I’m only testing 3 or 4 times a day with Livongo. I agree that other meters are smaller and “easier” to use as Livongo has a fairly slow strip recognition time, and it asks a lot of questions each time you test. Other than that, it seems to work well.
My company pays for Livongo 100% as well and I get as many strips as I want. The meter is big and bulky and slower to boot than my Bayer meter but, free is free.