Meter

Review: Contour Next One Blood Glucose Meter

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Back in August, Ascensia Diabetes Care convened a group of diabetes bloggers in Adelaide for the launch of their new blood glucose meter, the Contour Next One. You can read more about what was discussed during the actual event in this post.

Blood glucose meter accuracy isn’t something I’ve really considered prior to the past two or three years where I’ve taken a more active role in managing my blood sugars. When I was first diagnosed, I just accepted that a blood glucose meter was a blood glucose meter. Since connecting to other people with diabetes, and the emergence of new choices, I’ve come to realise that I can actually choose the devices that best suit my needs.

I was most impressed by the 8-ish percent accuracy that the Contour Next One boasted, which even beats out Roche’s AccuChek Guide which is my meter of choice. I’ve been using it on and off over the past couple of weeks, and I have to say that overall I am impressed.

I really like the sleek design of the meter. There’s a strip port light for testing in the dark, which is a little tricky to find as it does not automatically illuminate when you insert a strip. You’ll need to press your menu button twice before inserting your test strip. Readings are colour coded as red for ‘low,’ green for ‘in range’ and yellow for ‘high.’ The port light will also flash with the corresponding colour to reflect your blood sugar if you wish. I found that annoying and turned it off.

Like the Guide, the Contour will wirelessly transmit blood glucose readings from your meter to the Contour Diabetes app on your phone. It’s a really visually pleasing experience, and my readings seem to sync to the app with more ease than the Guide does.

My favourite feature is being able to see all of my readings plotted on a 24 hour graph, which is the next best thing to having a FreeStyle Libre or CGM. The colour markers are handy in this context. It will also produce time period averages, which can also be further classified (before meal, after meal, exercise etc.) if you place a ‘marker’ on each of your readings.

So far, the Contour also wins out over AccuChek on battery life. Since August, I’ve probably gone through four or five boxes of test strips using the same meter and batteries that came with it. I can’t give you an exact statistic, but it does feel like I’m constantly seeing the low battery icon pop up on my Guide.

Another thing I learned at the summit is that apparently I shouldn’t be paying for meter batteries, much to the amusement of others in the room. Ascensia have explicitly stated that replacement batteries are included with the meter, and can be ordered online. Apparently the same applies to most other brands of blood glucose meters, too!

The test strips come in capped vials, which do seem quite bulky after using AccuChek’s impressive spillproof vials. The meter does give you more time to apply more blood to the strip if your sample is inadequate. I’ve only just pulled out my Guide today and have already been met with a few pesky strip fill errors, making me appreciate this feature even more.

The lancing device also feels very ordinary, albeit with multicoloured lancets.

I have to admit I haven’t purposefully done a lot of testing in regards to the accuracy, but the few times that I have it’s come up very close to the Guide. I’ve also tested on a few dusty fingers at work and the results have been very trustworthy. The readings match with how I am feeling, as well.

One area where the Contour Next One would really excel is by adding a bolus calculator to the app. I feel like I’m flogging a dead horse here in repeatedly saying that diabetes apps have no value for me without one!

Ascensia also expressed their vision of supporting interconnected diabetes management systems, and another area where their meter would excel is in capabilities to transmit blood glucose readings into insulin pumps.

All in all, it’s a really neat meter and I will most likely continue to use it. Ascensia are also offering free meters through their website here, if you wish to try it for yourself.

Disclosures: Ascensia provided me with a Contour Next One meter at the Diabetes Social Media Summit I attended in August. I also accepted hospitalities during the event, details which can be found in this post. I have not been asked or paid to write this blog, and all thoughts expressed here are my own.

Red Light.

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I glance at the watch on my wrist. I know that it will only take me a minute, but it’s 4 o’clock and I really want to get out of here already.

I make the trek outside, where my car is conveniently parked in its usual spot at the end closest to the centre door. It’s a longer walk in the morning, when I have to come in through the back entrance, but completely worth it at the end of the day.

I hop inside my car, and place my belongings on the vacant seat beside me. I know that it will only take me a minute, but I really just want to start making my way home where afternoon coffee is calling my name.

I place my keys in the ignition, lock my doors and wind down my windows. I reverse out of my spot and make my way out of the carpark, cutting through some of the quieter residential areas in order to avoid the pile up of traffic on my way out of the centre. I make one final right, which takes me back out onto the main road and in a far better position traffic wise.

Finally, I have what I’ve been waiting for as I begin to apply my brakes, slide my gears back into neutral and cars begin to bank up in front of me. A red light.

I only have a minute, but I know I can do it.

I dive into my bag, pull out my travel case and grab my meter, strips and lancing device. I quickly pop open the cap on my test strip vial and slide out a fresh strip, sticking it into my blood glucose meter. I prick my finger with the lancing device, and squeeze my fingertip. A little drop of blood appears on my fingertip, but I know its not enough. I squeeze again, harder, like I’m holding on tightly for dear life.

Part of me knows I don’t have enough blood, but the other hasty part of my brain watching the traffic light tells me I can do this. I bring the meter closer to my fingertip, and let the blood slide onto the end of the test strip.

A shrill BEEEEEEP! Sounds from my meter as a strip fill error appears on the screen. My absolute pet hate when it comes to living with diabetes.

I furiously rip out the useless test strip, pop open the cap on my vial of strips and slide out a new one. I stick it onto the end of my meter, shove my lancing device right up against the tip of my finger and prick again. This time, blood flows more freely. Satisfied, the test strip laps it up and decides to give me a blood glucose reading.

I quickly wipe the excess blood on my fingertip against the side of the test strip as the light changes to green and traffic begins to move. I fling everything on the passenger seat beside me, which I’ll clean up during the next red light.

Goodbye, Gwen

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A diagnosis with type 1 diabetes back in May 2010 changed my life.

I remember how awkward I felt around my new condition at the time. Carefully finding a spot on my stomach and willing up the courage to insert the needle and administer an insulin injection. Standing in the kitchen eating a white bread sandwich at bedtime, feeling uncomfortable as soon as someone walked in and saw me. The way I tried to carefully follow the very vague instructions I had been given upon my discharge from hospital – 20 units of Lantus at dinnertime, 5-10 units of Novorapid at meal times, and a white bread sandwich at bedtime to stop me from going low.

I remember how “different” I felt at the time. The reality that this condition would be around for the rest of my life was still sinking in. Nervously walking into diabetes clinic for the first time, and seeing other patients there reminded me that I was now a “diabetic” – something I felt very labelled by at the time.

It was there that I first met my diabetes educator, Gwen, a straight talking woman with plenty of diabetes knowledge and experience. My Mum was there with me at my appointments, and Gwen made her feel very much included as well. I’ll never forget her famous diagram of the mouth, the liver and the pancreas, as she demonstrated the role of a functioning pancreas when food entered the body. A diagram that she still uses to this very day.


In the months that followed, Gwen went on with helping me to fine tune my insulin doses, so that I wouldn’t need that white bread sandwich at bedtime. When she saw how complex and spontaneous my meals were, she taught me how to carb count. She always made herself available to me outside of appointments by phone and e-mail, despite how busy she was. When my first endocrinologist told me that I had very poor control, Gwen was the first to see the look of disappointment in my face. She was prepared to go and have a word with him, and she made sure that I didn’t see him again in future.

Gwen often reminded me that the first year was biggest hurdle to get through, in terms of education and clinic appointments. Her job was to make her role as my diabetes educator redundant. After the first year or so, I went on managing my diabetes without regular education sessions.

As I began to consider insulin pumping last year, I felt that it was time to touch base with Gwen again. Nerves after such a long space of time were immediately relieved, as Gwen proceeded as though our last appointment was only yesterday. She approached the matter with the seriousness it deserved. She never sought to influence or sway my decision either way, and respected the decision that I eventually made.

It’s hard to imagine starting out on an insulin pump with anyone other than Gwen. Nerves were eased going into it with someone I was so familiar and comfortable with. It was fantastic to be able to chat with Gwen over the phone every day during that first week. I was very comfortable uploading all of my data to Diasend for her to see.

Last week, I had my final education session with Gwen before she retires at the end of the month. Even though there has been considerable distance between our sessions over the years, I still find it hard to say goodbye to someone who’s been there since the very beginning.

Gwen has been a huge part of my diabetes journey. She is the professional who has the time for me. Who sits down with me, and has my undivided attention for a whole hour. Who knows me, and the very hands on approach I take towards managing my diabetes. My GP, although excellent, doesn’t often have the time for me and is quick to dismiss my concerns. I don’t always see the same endocrinologist on clinic days. Too often, they are quick to sign off on my six monthly checkup and move on to a higher priority patient.

There have been a lot of changes over the past six years.

Back in the beginning, I managed my diabetes with a meter, insulin pens and a paper logbook. Today marks four weeks since I first started using an insulin pump. I also have access to a logbook meter, Diasend software to analyse my data electronically, and a FreeStyle Libre.

Back in the beginning, I was a nervous newly diagnosed teenager who used to shy away from his diabetes. Today I am a confident, passionate and knowledgable person who is empowered to make his own diabetes decisions.

In some ways, I feel as though I am reaching the end of a chapter in my diabetes journey. And it feels nice to have been able to close that chapter with Gwen.

Goodbye, Gwen. Wishing you a very happy and fulfilling retirement that you deserve.

Thursday Night, Diabetes Style

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When I last visited my diabetes educator in February, I brought my meter along in order to show her my numbers. I was stepping outside of my comfort zone. I was essentially exposing myself, and all of my highs and my lows. I wouldn’t be able to choose what I would share with her. I wouldn’t be able to summarise. It was a big step for me, but one that I felt ready to do.

Unfortunately, the focus seemed to be more on what I hadn’t done – logging my insulin doses into the meter. I apologised, and promised that I would send through two weeks worth of meter reports before my pump day, so that she would be able to work out insulin ratios and settings.

It was a simple task, yet one that has been weighing heavily on my mind for weeks.

Every time I have attempted to make a start, something gets in the way. In March, I got sick and was rage bolussing stubborn highs like crazy. A week later, Easter rolled around and I was eating more than I should have. I took some holidays, and the numbers didn’t reflect my regular routine. But most of the time, I’ve just been telling myself that the numbers aren’t perfect enough to send through.

I can probably guess what a healthcare professional might think. Lazy, slack, non-compliant (insert your favourite word here). But when diabetes already takes up so much of my time and energy, a simple task like stopping to log my insulin doses is a big deal. It’s hard to carry the same meter around with me, rather than rely on the others that are stashed in convenient places. It’s hard to stop and punch in the insulin dose, when all I really want to do is sit down and eat.

But I knew that I was going to honour my promise. I knew that I wasn’t going to lie.

Come Thursday night, I generated 14 days worth of Insulinx meter data on my computer and printed it out. I took a seat at my desk for what would be somewhat of a long night.

I went backwards, day by day, reflecting on the past two weeks of my diabetes life. Recalling exactly where I was, and what I was doing on that particular day. Thinking about what I’d had for dinner that night. Remembering the circumstances surrounding that stupid low, that stubborn high, or that victorious overnight result. It took me a few hours. It was a little confronting, staring at those numbers on paper and being reminded of where I had gone wrong.

I attached a note to my meter reports, apologising to my diabetes educator for not directly logging the insulin doses into the meter. I explained that I had thoroughly gone through my last two weeks, and provided what I believe to be a very comprehensive overview. I wrote notes about my typical day. A work day, where I was on my feet, moving around and lifting things. Night times, where I was often chasing post bedtime highs from things like Pasta, Fat and Protein foods. Insulin to carb ratios, correction ratios and Lantus doses.

I carefully folded my paperwork, placed it into an envelope and stuck an express stamp onto it.

As I placed my letter into the Post Box on Friday afternoon, that big weight that had been sitting on my shoulders for weeks was finally gone.