[Diabetes-talk] clever check meter

[Mike Freeman]

Lynn:

I've not seen the for a accessible meter but understand it to be rather like
the Prodigy Voice.

I *have* used the Solo V2; it has the distinct advantage of often (though
not quite always -- no meter is perfect) giving an error indication when
there is too little blood on the test strip.  With a few changes (see the
next sentence), I'd switch to it.  However, I have not done so yet due to at
least two disadvantages, one of which is a show-stopper for me.
Disadvantage 1: there is no obvious "say display" key that allows one to
have anything shown on the display (the current reading, for example),
repeated.  I'm told that there's a way around this short of going back into
memory; I've not found it.  Disadvantage 2 (show-stopper): when reviewing
readings from memory, the visual display shows the date and time of each
reading.  However, the audio only speaks the date.  It's obvious to me that
the BioSense Solo design engineers either were absent-minded geeks, expected
sighted people to be taking care of the blind diabetic users of the Solo V2
or assumed people would be adhering to a standard of diabetic care that no
one wanting to avoid diabetic complications would tolerate, i.e., they
didn't expect meter users to keep a meticulous logbook of their readings.
The meter has some advantages:  the meter case is *far* superior to the
cheap trash Prodigy uses; the meter will speak Spanish and one can tag
before- and after-meal readings.  There's also an alarm to remind one of
when to take the next reading but this seems kind of silly to me.

I'm in contact with a fellow from BioSense who says an improved meter is in
the works.  It was supposed to be available for test last December. Go
figure.

So I still use the Prodigy Voice.  If a reading seems anomalous, I just take
another one.  This can happen with any meter but sighted persons have less
difficulty in that it's obvious to them when they haven't enough blood on
the strip.

As to Jude's question, you can generally get your insurance company to pay
for the Prodigy Voice or Solo V2 or Foracare meter if a doctor writes a
prescription specifically indicating that the person for whom the
prescription is written is blind/visually impaired and needs this specific
meter and if the doctor is willing to jawbone the insurance company a bit.
Don't take NO for an answer.

Mike Freeman, President
Diabetes Action network
National Federation of the Blind


-----Original Message-----
From: diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lynn Baillif
Sent: Friday, April 01, 2011 10:58 AM
To: diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Diabetes-talk] clever check meter

Unfortunately not all meters are created equal  It is true for both
accessible meters and those made for sighted people.  Best to get some
advice from a diabetes educator or other meter users like all the folks on
this list.  I like the Prodigy Voice.  Does anyone use and like the Fora or
Solo versions that are accessible?
Lynn


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