OneTouch Ultra VS Accu-chek Active VS FreeStyle Optium

So, the doctor has advised you (or a loved one) to start monitoring your blood sugar levels at home because your FBS (fasting blood sugar) was pretty high during your last check-up?

Or, perhaps you (or a loved one) is about to be discharged from the hospital and the doctor has (yet again) advised you that it would be better to keep a close watch on your blood sugar levels?

The doctor or nurse simply tells you to buy a blood sugar machine, also known as a glucometer. You go to the leading drugstore just to find out that there are numerous brands available in the market. You want to buy the one that will give you your money's worth. But the machines look different; the prices are different. So really, what's the difference?

I would like to share about my experience with three of the leading brands of glucometers available in the Philippine market today. (Prices indicated below are based on Mercury Drugstore's.)

1) OneTouch Ultra

OneTouch Ultra

This is a product of Johnson & Johnson. The starter kit costs around P2,200.

Pros:

-It is one of the most commonly used and trusted brands in the US.

-It takes only 5 seconds to read your blood sugar levels.

-The strips are widely available in most drugstores.

-OneTouch UltraSoft lancets have thinner needles, which make pricking less painful.

Cons:

-A bit costly. 25 strips cost P1,090 while 50 strips cost P2,020. Lancets cost about P125 for 25 pieces.

-Strips are packed in tubes. 25 strips are usually contained in one tube. Once a tube is opened, strips must be used within 3 months.

2) Accu-check Active

Accu-chek Active

This is a product of Roche. The starter kit costs around P1,850.

Pros:

-It takes only 5 seconds to read blood sugar levels.

-The strips are widely available in most drugstores.

-The strips are less expensive compared to OneTouch Ultra. 25 strips cost P800.

Cons:

-Strips are packed in tubes. 25 strips are usually contained in one tube. Once a tube is opened, strips must be used within 3 months.

-The strips, once exposed to air, can be difficult to read for the machine. I've often encountered E-5 error using this machine (but I've discovered a solution for this so that your strip does not go to waste).

-The default lancing device requires flat type lancets, which can be more difficult to find.

-Blood drop needs to be placed on top of the strip instead of sideways (which can be a challenge at times).

3) Optium Freestyle

FreeStyle Optium

This is a product of Abbott. The starter kit costs around P1800.

Pros:

-Strips are individually packaged, which means that you don't have to worry about needing to consume all of the strips within 3 months.

-The strips are widely available in most drugstores.

-The strips are less expensive compared to OneTouch Ultra. 25 strips cost P1,010 while 50 strips cost P1,670.

-The default lancing device uses cross-type lancets, which are easy to find.

Cons:

-It takes 20 seconds to read blood sugar levels. (This is probably the longest waiting time that I have encountered.)

-It needs more drops of blood compared to the other two glucometers above.

WHICH IS THE BEST?

Well, it all depends on what factor you would deem to be most important. You need to consider not only the machine, but the strips as well. The strips are what you will be buying continuously in the long run.

All three glucometers read blood sugar levels with more or less the same accuracy. All come from reputable companies. All are well-supported and well-supplied by leading drugstores nationwide.

Here's my recommendation: 

If money is not a big issue, go with OneTouch Ultra brand. It's definitely user-friendly and the strips are less prone to errors. It can also read high blood sugar levels, which you can record and report to your doctor.

But if you are considering blood sugar level monitoring at home to be a long-term deal, then small savings can go a long way. You can try either Accu-chek Active or FreeStyle Optium.

OTHER WAYS TO SAVE MONEY

Once you have chosen a brand, you can also try looking for other sources to buy the machine and strips from, aside from leading drugstores. There are online sellers that sell legit items at big discounts (maybe 60-75% the price at Mercury Drugstore). You can buy strips in bulk if you will use them regularly. There are also sellers that have near-expiry strips that you can buy at a cheaper price. Don't buy expired strips.

As for the lancets, you don't necessarily need to buy branded lancets. There are generic lancets that sell for as cheap as P1 per piece. However, they are thicker and slightly more painful to use.

You can save money by buying lesser known brands of glucometers (they are way less expensive) BUT ONLY IF you are a diligent person who wouldn't mind making the extra effort to look for the strips. Because there is a chance that the strips might be difficult to find and you would end up having to go from store to store just looking for this particular brand of strips.

EXTRA NOTES:

There are plenty of other brands available out there. Some people receive glucometers as gifts from relatives abroad. This is fine, as long as the strips are available and affordable here in the Philippines (because there are some strip brands/models that are so expensive or difficult to find that it would be wiser just to buy a new glucometer instead). Or you could just ask your relatives to keep supplying you with the strips. (^__^)

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Hope this helped somehow. Feel free to share your experience. :)