Product Review: True Track Smart System Blood Glucose Monitor

Last year we received a phone call from Len’s G.P. to head over to his pharmacy to pick up new blood glucose test strips. We asked “Why” as it had only been a few months prior that Medicare gave him the Accu-Chek Aviva Blood glucose monitoring system. We were told that his H.M.O. wanted him to use the cheaper test strips.

We went to the drug store and after awhile they found the test strips. There were 3 packs of 100. So the question was “Will these work with all the different monitors he has?” The answer came back “No”, and so he was given the TrueTrack Blood Glucose Monitoring System. To me the H.M.O. and Medicare don’t know what the other one is doing. Now he has the Accu Chek Aviva, Accu Chek Advantage, One Touch Ultra, and is unable to get free strips for them.

The TrueTrack Smart System Blood Glucose Monitor is being advertised at all the local drug stores, and with rebates or taking your old machine back, you get it for as little as $19.99 and in some cases free. The test strips are almost half the price of others at $49 for 100. So I see in the long term it will save his H.M.O. money.

The monitor is blue and silver. It has a large display screen on the front with TrueTrack above and below it.

On the top in the middle is the S button for selecting settings, viewing blood sugar averages and checking your results in the memory. Either side of this button is the decrease and increase button, to check back on previous readings, and then to forward them.

At the bottom of the machine is the place to insert the test strip. The right side has the data port, the left side has the code chip port to insert the code chip, and the back has the battery compartment, meter label, and the serial number of the machine.

I am not going to explain how to do the initial set up as most machines are very similar and all of them come with the owner’s manual. However always make sure that the coding on the test strip label and the machine is the same. It is best to do a quality control test before you actually do one with your blood. This will ensure that the machine is accurate.

To check your blood sugar, remove a test strip and insert it into the bottom of the machine. When taking any blood sample always wash your hands and dry them well before you start. Prick your finger with the lancing device. Squeeze the finger so a drop of blood forms then touch the edge of the test strip. Allow the blood to go into the strip until you hear the meter give a beep. The machine will show your sugar reading with the date and time.

When you remove the test strip the machine will automatically turn itself off. All the results are stored in the memory.

Len checks his blood sugar as many times as needed. Lately he has been getting sugar lows so it can be up to 4 times a day. I asked him if I might use the machine as I only go to my doctor once a year for a check up. Actually we have checked mine twice.

It was so easy. Len used the lancet to draw blood. Only a small amount was needed. The test strip actually drew the blood onto it. Just amazing. Then there was a 5 second count down and I had my reading. This machine, and the ease of using the test strip, made it so simple for me, or anyone just starting to use a blood glucose machine.

The TrueTrack Owner’s Booklet has 30 pages of instructions and diagrams to make every step simple. On page 31 it has a 5 year limited warranty, but I guess we won’t be needing that with Len’s H.M.O. Then there are several pages for notes. The back half of the booklet is in Spanish.

Sometimes cheaper means inferior quality, but not in this case. This machine compares to the more expensive machines and if you are self-pay then this would be a great deal. Also having the test strips at around half the price of Accu Chek and the other brands is a big savings too.

I would recommend this machine as it does everything all the other machines do. With health care prices going up this puts money back into consumers pockets.