What a cool concept: use a small device that plugs into an iPhone and uses iPhone and a dedicated app to show you the results of your blood glucose tests, plot graphs over time, etc. Right?
So I thought when I got it to see how my blood glucose levels behave. The test strips for this device are cheaper than those of the OneTouch Ultra I was using prior.
Although the concept for this device is cool and the app for iOS is slick, there is a major problem with it. Namely, it just doesn't work.
Yes, the device is relatively easy to use and should be economical too, since strips are much cheaper than those of the OneTouch Ultra meters. And the app shows you all kinds of trends over time. And the lancing device is excellent and painless to use. But the results cannot be trusted.
I used the supplied strips and scanned the cap of the container with my iPhone. On the first (fasting) reading, the app said my glucose was 61. Odd and very low. On the post-meal test, it said my glucose was 75. I immediately retested with reliable OneTouch Ultra 2 and the real reading was 104, not 75. So either the iHealth Align or the strips for it are defective. Either way, it is inexcusable.
After 2 days, the customer support has not returned my emails. Then they did (on the 3rd day), asking for all kinds of information and serial numbers. After I supplied all the info they asked for, nothing. I inquired again. No response. Then, almost 2 months later, I got an email from them stating that the device and strips are in good working order and I might be using an incorrect testing site or maybe need to have my iPhone sleep for a while. What?
I tested one more time, just for fun, and got a reading of 36. Which means I am in coma now. Or their device is pure garbage. Speaking of garbage, this is where I deposited it and its strips.
A side note: how can they know the device and strips are in good working order?
Bottom Line
Do not rely on readings from this device, unless you test it first with the test solution (not supplied with the device). The only possible use I could see for this device is to check for trends and that is assuming it is accurate in terms of trending, e.g. under-reports glucose by certain percentage consistently. But it is not even accurate to that extent as my last reading of 36 shows.
Do not spend money on this garbage. Get something that actually works.
