I'm sorry you have had such unpleasant experiences with Lifescan.  The
only time I called them was to ask if I had permanently ruined my One
Touch Ultra by getting apple juice in it. <yeah, I know,
dddduuuummmbbbb question : )>
After the rep quit laughing she said they'd mail me a replacement
meter, which I recieved 2 d later.  I hadn't asked for the replacement,
they just offered it.

As with many large organization the quality you get may depend on the person
you contact and how they feel that day.
Some days I'm a crabby a.shole on the phone, others I'm just an ordinary
a.shole. =;)

How depressing. Yesterday I hit the wall with Roche.  They are pleasant
on the phone, and send me free strips to replace those that are
obviously wrong, but when I buy their damn strips in the store (instead
of having them mailed by customer service)they are way out of range
(though the control solution test always says they are fine.)

Now I have 3 vials of strips that read 10- 20% higher than the 2 vials
of strips they sent me to replace the ones that were 49 mg/dl higher
than the lab draw.

The strips I bought at the pharmacy a different lot than the defective
ones, but read in the same range. 25% higher on a reading near 100 mg/dl
but not in any predictable manner. It looks like the only Aviva strips
that aren't defective are the ones they send you from customer service.

I have had a recalled meter replaced, by their customer service, too.
One that read identically as the replaced meter. <sigh>

I am using insulin. Yesterday I started feeling shaky and low. The Aviva
strips read "109" (two different strips.)  My back up meter (whose
strips aren't paid for by insurance) read 88. Subsequent readings showed
I was indeed dropping as eventually the Aviva was reading in the 90s
after I'd eaten about 20 grams of carbs. Who knows what it really was?

So I called my insurer and got permission to ditch the Aviva and change
to an Ultra.  I hope it isn't going to be the same thing all over again.
It's very hard to adjust basal insulin doses if you don't know if your
108 reading is really an 88 or a 78 or a 128, which seems to be the case
here.  Customer service, BTW, insisted that a reading of 249 on their
strips was "within range" for a lab draw that was 201. With a range like
that, who needs strips. Dowsing would probably be as accurate.

--Jenny

http://www.geocities.com/lottadata4u  Diabetes Info

http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/newlydiagnosed.htm Get Your Blood
Sugar Under Control

I've used Lifescan products for all but three years of my diabetic life.
I've never had an encounter with a company representative that hasn't
been respectful, helpful and acted on promptly to my satisfaction.

Vicki

No. I've always found them to be quite helpful, replacing meters,
sending extra strips with the meters etc. Maybe you just got a baytch on
that particular day. :-)

--
Cheri

Hi_Therre wrote in message ...

DAMN!

You must have caught that person on a really bad day or just after she
had a very rude caller.

I have only found it necessary to call them a couple of times. On both
of those occasions they were very friendly, polite and cooperative.

I have run into people in other fields with attitudes like hers.
That's when I calmly ask to speak to their supervisor and I don't take
no for a answer. If they are not willing to do that I ask for their
name, employee number, supervisor's name and the mailing address of
the customer service department. I haven't had one yet who did not
immediately change their tune and become extremely cooperative.

No, I never have. They've always been very nice to me. They've replaced a
meter that I dropped & broke (& admitted it was my fault -- I just called to
ask if the cracked screen was a problem), sending me a new one free + a paid
return label for the old one. They've sent me a free meter when I said I
*might* have to abandon mine in the hospital after cancer treatment (because
it would be radioactive & I'd been told I'd have to leave things behind,
which turned out not to be the case -- but by then Lifescan had long since
sent a pre-replacement -- & I'd told them that I did have backup meter!).
They've sent me control solution a couple of times
when I called with a problem & didn't have any & had been having trouble
finding it (& would have to wait several days or a week, maybe more, for a
special order). They've been nice about it when I called with a "problem"
that turned out to be "user error" (I forget what it was), and courteous
while explaining what I needed to do, without a hint of "stupid customer"
attitude.
bj

Hi There, no I did not have a problem wtth LifeScan,  I dropped my meter
and it broke,  I called them and they overnighted me another one for
free.  I found them very accommodatng.  You probably just had a rep who
had a bad day or has pms. lol

Loretta

--
In tribute to the United States of America and the State
of Israel, two bastions of strength in a world filled with strife and
terrorism.