Diabetes Blog – Happy-Medium.net

Back on January 6 (it seems so long ago), I wrote a piece in which, among other things, I lamented the fact that I have to waste time going from my truck back into the house when I forget my meter. In fact, I do the opposite a lot too. Anyway, that post sparked this banter between myself and a reader:

Yes, I was sufficiently shamed. I took to the internet a short time later and ordered up these:

So, for the record, I now own four Accu-Chek Nano® meters: One for the downstairs (it has its own place in the kitchen), one next to my bed upstairs, one for my truck, and one for my desk at work. Granted, with the cold temperatures we’ve been experiencing here in the Land of Pleasant Living, I’ll have to perform sort of a mouth-to-meter resuscitation in the truck to get it to work right now. But the weather will soon turn again, and before we know it, we’ll be back into the balmy upper 30s (single digits Celsius). Given the cost, it was ridiculous for me to not get an extra meter or two. As we all know, the meters are cheap. The test strips, the things most of us use the most, are probably our single largest expense next to the cost of an insulin pump or CGM.

Why the Nano® again? I know I could go out and get a OneTouch® Verio™ IQ, or an iBGStar®(though I don’t have an iPhone), but the fact is: I’m comfortable with the Nano®. The readings, to me, seem pretty accurate. And most of all, they’re consistent. If I see a 191 on my meter and I don’t believe it, I’ll put another strip in from a different lot right away and check again. Always, the next reading is within five points of the previous one. I guess that’s all I can ask for right now, although a light on that thing would be a very nice plus.

The other consideration, of course, is the fact that my strips are still covered by my prescription provider (ExpressScripts). Unfortunately, my 90 day cost for strips, which was $80.00 a year ago, is now $180.00. For the same thing. That’s $400.00 extra per year, if you’re counting, and it’s only about a $60.00 per 90 day discount over the lowest retail price most recently found on Amazon. You’re welcome, ExpressScripts executives. Enjoy your tropical vacation and your sportscar and whatever else your big friggin’ bonus brings you. At least I’m not paying full price. Yet. And I mean that in the most professional way possible.

Now I only have one more problem: I don’t drive to work most days. I take the local subway, which means unless I carry one around, I won’t have a meter in between the office and arriving back at the station near my home. As someone who had a terrible low on the train home one day a few years back, this is not acceptable. So… do I buy a fifth meter? Do I carry one of the ones I have already? I obviously don’t carry a purse, I don’t carry a “murse” (hate that word), or a backback, or a briefcase. I like to keep moving, so I don’t like carrying anything extra. I don’t know. This sounds like the whining of an already spoiled person. I’ll figure something out, but I will have a meter on the train with me.

Where was I? Oh yes… You comment, I listen. Sometimes it might not seem like it. But I try to put myself in the shoes of everyone who makes a comment here, positive or negative. The one above was a good suggestion that got me to make a good decision. Keep ’em coming.