So when will it become widely available? How much will it cost? And how much will the strips cost? (It would be nice if they were cheaper than other strips!) David's Response: The Wave 1 meter is already widely available, Vicki. Liberty, which is the biggest diabetes distributor, is the exclusive agent for the manufacturer, AgaMatrix. Both companies have told me that insurance companies reimburse both the meter and the strips.

I called Liberty to purchase a Wave 1. I had to go through two levels of people before I found somebody that knew that they sell the Wave 1. After all that they wouldn't let me buy one! They said I have to be on Medicare to get a Wave 1. I think AgaMatrix needs to add othere distributors.

I am really interested in their Wave 3 meter. A lancet device which is also a meter? That sounds to be one of the most useful changes I can think of. I certainly can't be bothered to carry around a meter during the day (with, lancets and vial of strips), but this product actually looks like this would actually be possible. I wonder which will actually happen first, a smaller version of the Dexcom sensor or the wave 3 meter? Either one would get my money as soon as its announced. David's Response: A combination lancing device and blood glucose meter, particularly one as small as the one AgaMatrix is developing, sure sounds like a winner. As soon as I get my hands on one I will be sure to write about it.

David, Great article & right on the spot w/ the accuracy. Once question, Does the wave 1 (or 2 or 3) have a data port to download values? Most of the physicians I've seen want them on paper. A download capability would be great! David's Response: Excellent question, Rich, that I should have addressed in my article. Yes, the Wave 1 has a data port. And it's not just any serial data port, like most meters have. It is a USB port, which modern PCs have. I haven't seen the specs yet for the forthcoming Wave 2 and 3 meters, but I am confident that they will also have USB ports.

I spoke with "Frank" at Liberty Mutual today. I am not old enough for Medicare, but I have private insurance. He told me the meter would be free, with only the strips and control solution needing to be paid for by my insurance. He took my inusrance info. He called me back to say my insurance company had too low of a reimbursement rate to take my application, and I can't pay cash. It has to go through insurance. This is ridiculous! So I called HemoCue in Sweeden and they are checking into the cost and shipping for me to get a meter.

I received my Keynote meter yesterday afternoon and so far am not impressed.

 

The reason I decided to switch from my freestyle Flash to the Keynote was because of the cost of the strips (38.00 vs. 55.00 per 100) and because of its reported accuracy but after using the Keynote, I think that I may have made a mistake as I am finding that I can't get consistent readings. I have talked to their Customer service department but got absolutely no help.

 

History:

When I received my meter I checked it using the control solution and got a reading of 134 ( right in the middle , I tried it out on myself. I took two samples within one minute ands the readings were exactly the same. I then tested with my freestyle and it read 16 points lower than the Keynote but I had read that the Keynote is more accurate and will read higher than other meters.

 

Later in the evening I took a reading with the Keynote and was shocked by a reading of 131. ( I eat to my meter and was expecting a much lower reading around 100 on my freestyle) I rechecked using the Keynote and got two subsequent readings of 114 and 116. This was closer to what I expected given the difference I had seen earlier between the two. I tried my Freestyle and got a reading of 96.

 

This morning I took a reading with the keynote when I woke up and it was 142! I retested and got a reading of 128. testing with the freestyle was 102. at ten am I did three tests with the Keynote and got the following: 130, 124, and 141.

 

I was concerned with the difference in the readings and contacted Agamatrix. Their response was that their meter was the most accurate on the market and the reading variability I was seeing was within the FDA allowed error range.

 

I decided to test using the only control solution. I put 5 drops of the control solution on a clean surface and tested them one after another. The results are as follows:129, 135, 131, 136, 143. All readings are within the normal range for the vial of strips but I am concerned about the difference between readings.

 

I did the same test with my Freestyle when I first got it and found a difference of 2 between the readings. Much more consistent than the Keynote.

 

I think that WaveSense has some quality issues to overcome with their strips before they go bragging about having the most accurate meter.

 

My problem now is what do I do with the 300 strips I purchased with the meter? I guess I could test twice and take the average but that defeats the purpose of going to the Keynote in the first place.

 

If anyone else has a Keynote I would like to hear from them on what they are seeing for readings.

 

You can reach me at crepuscular@qwest.net