Therasense Freestyle Blood Glucose Monitoring System 1 Kit

Pros: Easy to use; virtually painless; memory holds 250 test results; comes with carrying case.
Cons: Monitor turns off after 2 minutes idle; test quickly. Expensive if not covered by insurance.

My father was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes a month ago. He had complete blood work done within the last six months, so it came as a shock that his glucose reading was over 350. According to healthcare professionals, the normal range is between ...

Pros: Very small blood sample, simple testing, alternative site testing
Cons: Test time longer than the Onetouch Ultra

This meter was given to me by a specialist. I wasn't testing my blood sugar often enough, so she as ...

Pros: almost pain-free, easy to use
Cons: Goes to sleep fast if you don't start a test

A couple of months ago I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes and started testing my blood sugar leve ...

Pros: 97% painless; quick results; well designed
Cons: Test strips can be more expensive; must enter strip code

I discovered that I had type 2 diabetes 11 months ago. My doctor provided me with a popular blood glucose test kit at that time. I was supposed to stick my finger several times each day and test my blood glucose level. During the first couple weeks, I...

Pros: Fast and painless
Cons: Expensive if you don't have insurance; forearm testing may not reflect rapid fluctuations in glucose

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in November 2001. My fasting blood glucose was just under 300. I have learned a LOT since that time. I had a lot of the classical symptoms, and when they took the first blood sample, they lanced my finger to get...

Pros: Fast, small sample, small monitor size and relatively consistent.
Cons: Strips more expensive, unit "times out" too quickly (waste of strip).

After being warned of my risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, I took it upon myself to monitor my Blood Glucose levels. What little research I did (the Internet and talking to the pharmacy), I decided to try the Thereasense Freestyle monitor. It, also,...

Pros: Easy, compact, big display, pain-free
Cons: The indicator "beep" is low sounding even on the highest setting; expensive test strips

My 71 year old mother was recently diagnosed with diabetes. I ended up doing alot of research on this topic and one of the first things I researched was the glucose monitors. I used this site to determine the best type of monitor for her and am so very ...

Pros: a small drop of blood is needed can be used on forearm or leg
Cons: 4AA batteries are hard to find

We are so happy with the Freestyle Meter.

I purchased one last summer for my 11 y.o daughter. We had heard from our physician about it because we were concerned about her callous finger tips because she plays the cello.

We were...

Pros: small, fast
Cons: Not dependable, Unacceptable Quality Control

I am a Type I Diabetic on an insulin pump. I started using glucose meters when they were the size of a block of Velveeta Cheese, had huge strips, required a large amount of blood from a finger and took 3 minutes to get a result. It is great that the ...

Pros: None
Cons: Very Inaccurate!

We just spent 2 days at the hospital where they thought my 2 year old daughter was diabetic due to completely inaccurate results from a FreeStyle meter. Her doctor gave us a FreeStyle meter last week so that we could monitor her at home and when she was...

Pros: Supposedly requires less blood than others
Cons: Seems to use same amount of blood as others; not painless

I was originally given a free Ascensia Elite monitor by my dietician, but my local pharmacy didn't sell their strips and lancets, so I had to buy another monitor. After reading rave reviews on epinions about the Freestyle monitor, I bought one. ...

Pros: Pain-free and accurate testing.
Cons: test strips are expensive if insurance isn't footing the bill.

I was recently diagnosed as an insulin-dependent gestational diabetic ... and more frightening than the insulin shots were the numerous finger-tip pokes I would have to subject myself to throughout the day. Imagine how happy I was that the Freestyle was provided to me by my insurance and that it allows for alternative testing sites! I use my forearm and it is absolutely PAINLESS. I do use my fingertips for the morning fasting number (most accurate) or if I fear hypoglycemic reactions -- and even that isn't painful. However, the forearm is truly pain-free.

I highly recommend this great monitor!

Pros: Less blood means easier arm sample
Cons: None

One Touch emphasizes speed. But they are vampires that require too much blood for testing. Freestyle is great. I'll wait!

Pros: Virtually painless, easy to use, quick and simple.
Cons: There is no mark indicating how far to insert the lancet into the device.

I am not actually even pre-diabetic, but I decided to start monitoring my blood glucose levels due to the number of diabetics in my family. I found this meter on eBay for less than $20. The enclosed instructions are very helpful, there is a full-color cheat sheet of sorts, showing where you can test (which is just about anywhere, but more on that later) and all the error codes.

This meter is incredibly easy to use, you just load the strips in the meter, load the lancet and slide the strip next to the site to soak up the blood sample. It beeps when you have enough and it beeps again when it tells you your reading.

You can test practically anywhere, which I like because I hate pricking my fingers. I test on the side of my leg and I barely feel it.

The meter stores your 14-day average as well as keeps your last 250 readings.