Verio IQ..our opinion

At the beginning of the school year, our diabetes nurse suggested that we try out the Verio IQ meter.  She thought it was really "neat" and very teen friendly. I watched and watched to see if it was going to be given away free with test strips.  I know how many strips we use in a month so I was hoping that there would be some sort of an offer made...but there wasn't.

I had a contact with LifeScan that I could ask for a sample of the meter. I have known him for years and he knows that we test a LOT but I had long since lost his contact information despite seeing him only a few months before.  I really have to be more organized!

I was forced to listen to stories and drool at the thought of playing with a new toy...until the George Canyon Heroes Tour! My luck changed! LifeScan was displaying "OUR" meter!! Better still, they were giving them away! I happily went away with a new white Verio IQ meter and of course the rep's business card to be able to keep in contact.

My son, as I have mentioned, has inherited my love of new gadgets. Its the benefit of life with diabetes--cool new stuff! He began using it sooner than me and based on the fact that it is now his meter of choice when he is home, I am thinking that he likes it.

The first week of use was a learning curve for us.  Part of the problem is my son is male--in my experience this means that he does not believe in reading directions. He will figure it out on his own.  This meant that for at least a week, we had no idea how to turn off the meter and he would let it go off on its own causing the battery to die very quickly.

I finally decided to check out the meter myself.  Note to self, 3am is not the time to try out a new meter. Joel had shown me the amazing light for this meter so I was certain that I could test completely in the dark.  I could open the test strip canister without a light on in the room. I could use the light of the meter to insert the strip, to lance my son's finger and get the exact right amount of blood. You can see where this is heading right? Yes, to complete disaster!

The light was incredibly bright but when I opened the strip canister I grabbed multiple strips rather than one.  The extra strips found themselves scattered all over the floor...and did I mention that this was 3am? I finally got a hold of a test strip and tried to put it in the meter.  It didn't work.  I had two strips in my hand.  I got rid one and tried again.  I put it in upside down.  The light had turned off on me and things were not looking good. When I finally had the strip in and blood on my son's finger...well there was not enough blood for the strip. I gave up!

I decided to learn in the light of day.  I would be prepared next time around. Despite my stumblings, my son kept using his meter and marking off his tests as before or after meals. He was a little disappointed that there was nothing to indicate that he was stressed when he tested. This was an option he found and used on his Contour USB. 

I was impressed at how easy it was to read the history.  At a glance, I had a great view of his tests for the day.  With a click of a button, I could see where the meter saw trouble spots.  It was great! I have to admit that I haven't bothered to sit down and log because when he exclusively uses this meter, its all there. It tells me trends and I can make decisions based on what was going on during that time frame. Its great!

Our rep told me that the meter can be uploaded to some online software at One Touch.  I haven't tried it. I am not great at that sort of stuff. Perhaps if he chooses to use the Verio IQ for school next fall I will have to check it out so we can sync data from the two meters. I never thought I would stop logging with paper and pen but I will say that this meter is beginning to convert me!

Strips on the floor

The Verio IQ is definitely a meter for those who love gadgets.  Its great for night testing as the backlight is amazing! Its actually a front light that lights up the strips and the space in front of it. The downside, I do have a hard time grabbing test strips at night and think that anyone with dexterity issues may find this a problem.  I also find that these test strips walk more than any other we have seen. Perhaps its the fact that they are gold and they have a superior attitude but they can be found anywhere at any time! It amazes me.

The Verio IQ is definitely a keeper! We love it and will definitely be using it to spot trends over the summer and possibly beyond.