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Contour Next specializes in blood glucose monitoring products. The company’s test strips are only compatible with its own glucose monitors.
This article provides information about Contour Next’s blood glucose test strips, as well as other products from the company and alternatives.
Some people with diabetes benefit from monitoring their blood glucose levels to help identify the cause of any fluctuations. Changes in these levels might result from physical activity or certain foods or medications.
The American Diabetes Association reports that people with diabetes who are pregnant or taking insulin especially benefit from monitoring their blood glucose levels.
To use a test strip, a person first needs a compatible blood glucose monitor and a lancet or lancing device.
A person typically uses their lancet to prick their finger. Next, they put a drop of blood on the end of their test strip. The right amount of blood varies from strip to strip, and a person can usually only use a strip once.
Test strips contain a chemical called glucose oxidase. When this mixes with the blood sample, it produces acid. This acid indicates the glucose level in the sample.
A person loads their strip into their glucose monitor, which shows the results of the test.
Please note that the author of this article has not tested this product. All information is purely research-based.
A person can only use Contour Next test strips with the company’s own range of blood glucose monitors. The strips are disposable and single-use.
Contour Next says that its strips are high quality and its monitors are reliable, checking each sample seven times to ensure the accuracy of the reading.
These strips require a small blood sample, of 0.6 microliters, and they allow for second-chance sampling, meaning that a person can add blood if there is not enough in a sample. This may help prevent waste and save money in the long run.
The company recommends storing these strips in their original containers and at temperatures of 41–86°F (5–30°C). If a person moves the strips into an environment with a significantly different temperature, they should wait 20 minutes before using them.
Where to purchase
A person can buy these testing strips over the counter, often in packs of 20 or 100 strips, at many pharmacies and stores such as Walmart.
FSA and HSA eligibility
Contour Next test strips are eligible for Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).
People put money into FSAs that they can then spend on healthcare products. A person does not pay tax on these funds, and their employer usually manages the account.
An HSA is similar, but the person manages the account, rather than their employer.
The
- incorrect storage
- strips being tampered with
- expiration dates being altered
- inaccurate results leading to incorrect treatment
- another person’s blood being on one or more strips, increasing the risk of infection
Be sure that test strips come from a reputable retailer and in factory-sealed packaging that is completely intact.
Contour Next also sells a range of glucose monitors, including:
- Contour Next One: This model is Bluetooth compatible and has an app that connects to the reader.
- Contour Next EZ: This model has a large, easy-to-read display and a setup that requires no coding technology.
- Contour Next meter: A person may find this to be the most straightforward model in the range.
- Contour Next Link 2.4: The company says that this is the only FDA-approved meter that is compatible with MiniMed systems, which are automatically adjusting insulin pumps.
Contour Next also offers lancet kits, which are made by other companies.
Other companies that make blood glucose testing strips include:
- Care Touch: This brand sells testing strips, lancets, lancing devices, and blood glucose monitoring systems.
- ReliOn: This brand sells various glucose monitoring systems, lancets, lancing devices, and test strips.
- OneTouch: This brand also offers test strips and various blood glucose monitors, as well as lancing devices, but not disposable lancets.
Alternately, a person could use a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). This involves having a small sensor inserted just under the skin, usually in the arm. Having a CGM removes the need for lancets and test strips and allows a person to check their blood glucose levels in real time on a connected device.
FreeStyle Libre and Dexcom sell CGM systems.
Below, we look at some common questions about blood glucose test strips.
Can I reuse test strips?
Contour Next test strips have a second chance capability, meaning that a person can add more blood to a strip if the initial blood sample is too small.
Beyond this, the test strips are single-use, and using them repeatedly may produce inaccurate results. It is crucial to follow doctors’ and manufacturers’ guidelines carefully when testing glucose levels.
How often should I test my blood glucose levels?
A person should discuss this with their doctor, who may recommend testing one to seven times a day, depending on factors specific to each person.
What are regular blood sugar levels?
Generally, after fasting for 8 hours, a person’s blood sugar levels are less than 100 milligrams (mg) per deciliter (dl). Two hours after eating, blood sugar levels should typically be less than 140 mg/dl.
However, each person’s body functions slightly differently, and healthcare professionals can describe each person’s target levels.
Contour Next’s test strips are widely available in large packs and are eligible for FSA and HSA spending. They are only compatible with the company’s own monitors.
Be wary about purchasing secondhand test strips, as