[Diabetes-talk] HELP USING THE PRODIGY AUTO CODE METER

Tue May 10 20:48:18 UTC 2016

Hi all! I am new to this list. I am not blind, but I am a type 2 diabetic and work as a diabetes educator for the blind and vision impaired. I have found great value in being a part of this list serv, because learning from all of your experiences helps to make me not only a better self-manager of my diabetes, but also a better educator. 

Anita, I could only locate a pdf version of the Prodigy meter, but below I have pasted the instructions for the alternate site testing for the Prodigy meters.  I hope this helps.

Prodigy Auto Code Alternative Site Testing
There are important limitations to Alternate Site Testing (AST). Please consult your healthcare professional before performing AST.
What is AST? Alternate Site Testing (AST) means you can use parts of the body other than your fingertips to check your blood glucose levels. Prodigy(r) meters allow you to test on your palm, forearm, upper arm, calf or thigh.
What is the Advantage? Fingertips feel pain more readily because they are full of nerve endings (receptors). At other body sites, nerve endings are not so numerous and you will not feel as much pain as you will experience at the fingertip.
When to use AST? Food, medication, illness, stress and exercise can affect blood glucose levels. Capillary blood at the fingertip reflects these changes faster than capillary blood at other sites. Therefore, if you are testing your blood glucose level during or immediately after a meal, physical exercise or stressful event, take the blood sample from your fingertip only.
Use AST only:
Two hours or more after your last meal. 
Two hours or more after taking insulin. 
Two hours or more after exercise.
During a relaxed and calm state.

Do not use AST if:
You have reason to believe you have hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.
Your routine glucose results are often fluctuating.
You are pregnant.
To increase accuracy when using AST, rub the puncture site before extracting blood.

Kim Ladd, RN, BS, CPHQ
Diabetes Educator
Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind & Vision Impaired
401 Azalea Avenue
Richmond, Virginia 23227
Email: kim.ladd at dbvi.virginia.gov

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mike Freeman via Diabetes-talk
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2016 4:35 PM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
Cc: Mike Freeman
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] HELP USING THE PRODIGY AUTO CODE METER

Anita:

Insofar as I am aware, there is no accessible copy of the Autocode manual.
This isn't surprising as the Autocode is nowhere as accessible as is the Prodigy Voice. You will have to have sighted assistance to set up the Autocode and you won't be able to review readings in memory nor will you be able to repeat the speech of the last reading; reviewing readings from memory requires sight. In other words, the autocode speaks the current reading *Once* so you'd better be listening closely and be ready to write it down.

All is not lost, however. The Prodigy Voice can use Autocode strips so just get a Prodigy Voice and get the Autocode strips from your pharmacy; no one will be the wiser. That's what I do.

As for alternate site testing, I know of no blind person who has successfully done this precisely because one can't feel where one poked. I ran into a diabetes educator once who maintained that it could be done but, as I say, I've never known any blind person who did this because one has to let the blood flow up into the tube when you poke.

So for most people, finger-sticking it is. We can help you with this.

Pharmacies/doctors most often have *no* idea what it takes to make an accessible meter and they tend to think that if it talks at all, it is accessible. Balderdash!

Mike Freeman

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Anita Ogletree via Diabetes-talk
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2016 1:00 PM
To: diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Anita Ogletree
Subject: [Diabetes-talk] HELP USING THE PRODIGY AUTO CODE METER

Hello.

I haven't commented on this list for a while but I believe some of you remember me.

I was diagnosed as being pre-diabetic, which a lot of folks have suggested that really means that I am a diabetic. At my last doctor's visit and according to the lab results from March, my A1C was down from 6.3 to 5.7.

I have switched from the Prodigy Talking meter to the Prodigy Auto Code because the insurance I have now uses it's own pharmacy and the Auto Code was recommended.  Other than the fact that the Auto Code can be used to test on alternate parts of the body, does anyone know if one is better than the other? Or is it a matter of personal preference?

I also am going to confess that when I only had the Prodigy meter with speech that only allowed the testing on the fingers, I was unable to do the testing myself because I could not steady my hand in order to stick my finger. So it has been a long time since I've kept up with testing. I've only recently received the Prodigy Auto Code this past weekend and I have been trying to read the user's manual that is to difficult to scan. I found one online but it seems only to refer to the one without the Auto Code.

Can anyone direct me to accessible instructions for the Auto Code or does anyone on the list have an accessible format that you are willing to share?
I really want to start monitoring my blood sugar so that there are no surprises when I visit my doctor again. I have experienced a lot of pain in my legs and feet over the past couple of days but that may be due to the fact that I was doing a lot of walking last week wearing sandals.

Thanks.

Anita

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