FAQ Listing

It is possible to use the Accu-Chek Spirit Combo Insulin Pump during air travel. However there are some aspects which need to be considered: Please disconnect your infusion set during take- off and landing. Rapid and extreme changes in air pressure, for example in an air plane that is taking off or landing can influence insulin delivery, especially if there are air bubbles in the cartridge or tubing. Turn off Bluetooth on both devices (pump and meter) to prevent communication between pump and meter to comply with flight safety instructions.

The Accu-Chek infusion sets offer a Luer-lock connection. It can be connected to all Accu-Chek Insulin Pumps.

Your healthcare professional will prescribe the insulin that is appropriate for you. 

Make sure you have a new 3-volt, lithium coin cell battery (CR 2032), to insert. Open the battery door on the back of the meter, remove the old battery for at least 20 seconds, and press any button on the meter. Insert the new battery with the “+” sign facing out. Snap the battery door back into place. Press the on/off button, and the meter will beep. Setup and hour are flashing on the display. If the date and time are correct, press and hold the on/off button for about 4 seconds. Release the button, and you’re done.

The user will receive an E-4 error code.

The disconnectable Accu-Chek infusion sets allow you the freedom to disconnect from your insulin pump altogether for the duration of your activity. Talk to your healthcare professional about time off the insulin pump for sports or a day at the beach.

Be sure to clean the areas around slots and openings, while being careful not to get any moisture in them. You should also wipe down the entire meter surface, including the meter display. To clean your meter: DO Ensure meter is off Gently wipe the meter’s surface with a soft cloth slightly dampened with 70% isopropyl alcohol Squeeze out any excess liquid from the cloth before you wipe the meter surface DO NOT Get any moisture in the test strip slot Spray any cleaning solution directly onto the meter Immerse the meter in water or liquid Pour liquid into the meter

Yes, as with any test strip, heat, humidity and other environmental conditions can affect strips.

Visit your meter's Screen Messages page for a list of messages and definitions or refer to Accu-Chek Performa user manual for more information.

Failure to test could cause a delay in therapy decisions and may potentially lead to a serious medical condition. Therefore it is strongly recommended to: Have a spare set of batteries, because battery life may vary due to factors such as temperature and battery manufacturer. Have a back-up testing method available. An example of a back-up testing method would be a back-up meter and strips. Ask your healthcare professional or pharmacist about other possible back-up methods. If you have further questions, please contact our Accu-Chek ExtraCare customer service line at 6272 9200 to obtain further support.

It is not possible to  delete stored results from meter end. Once 500 blood glucose results are in the memory, adding a new result causes the oldest one to be deleted.

Yes, at least 720 results will remain in the meter’s memory at all times.

Your battery should last for approximately 2,000 tests.

Your meter comes with the batteries already installed and a preset time and date. You may need to change the time to match your time zone to reflect the time change. To change these settings: Press and release the On/Off button to turn the meter on. The flashing test strip symbol appears. NOTE: If this is the first time your meter has been turned on, it will automatically enter the set-up mode, and "Set-up" and the hour will flash on the display. Skip to Step 3 to change the time or, if the date and time are correct, press and hold the On/Off button to exit the set-up mode. To enter the set-up mode, press and hold the On/Off button for about four seconds. “Set-up” and the hour flash on the display. Press and release the arrows to decrease or increase the hour. Press and hold the arrows to scroll faster. Press and release the On/Off button to set the hour. The minutes flash. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to set the minutes, AM/PM, month, day and year. The flashing field is the one you are changing. Once you set the correct time and date, press and hold the On/Off button until the flashing test strip symbol appears.

The meter uses 1x 3-volt lithium coin cell battery (CR 2032) found in many stores.

To replace the batteries: Open the child-resistant battery door by inserting a narrow object, such as a pen, into the slot. Push the tab in the direction of the arrow and lift the battery door up. Remove the old batteries. Slide the new batteries under the black tabs with the (+) side facing up. Put the battery door back in place and snap it closed. Immediately discard the old batteries.

No. Accu-Chek Performa blood glucose meters are designed exclusively for use with Accu-Chek Performa test strips.

The meter includes an additional internal battery that retains the time and date for up to 72 hours. So when the battery is changed, no memory is lost.

Yes, the target ranges in the meter can be changed using the device settings on the Accu‑Chek Connect Online system or the Accu‑Chek Smart Pix system.

The Accu-Chek Instant system was designed to assist users to easily conduct a test. Several features were designed for this purpose: Easy-edge test strip has a wide application area compared to leading brands Strips are placed electrode end down in the vial, so that they can be inserted easily into the meter with minimal handling The used strip can easily and hygienically be removed from the meter with the strip ejector

Optimal control requires a balanced approach. Insulin pump can certainly help you control your blood glucose level, but eating properly, monitoring your blood glucose and regular activity are equally important. The insulin pump doesn't take care of your diabetes—you do.

Move the meter to a more moderate environment (e.g. room temperature) to ensure optimal battery life performance. Perform a meter reset by doing the following: Remove the batteries, Press and hold the Power/Set/OK button for at least 2 seconds, Wait at least 20 seconds before reinserting the batteries Reinsert the batteries. If the problem still occurs after performing a meter reset, then replace the batteries with new ones according to the instructions in the user manual. Use high quality batteries in the meter, such as Panasonic.  If replacing the batteries does not correct the situation, please contact our Accu-Chek ExtraCare customer service line at 6272 9200 to obtain further support.

Clean and disinfect your meter once a week, or any time blood gets on the meter. You should also clean the meter before allowing anyone else to handle it.

Performing a control test lets the user know the meter and test strips are working properly. Perform a control test when: You open a new test strip box You left the test strip container open You think the test strips are damaged You want to check the meter and test strips The test strips were stored in extreme temperatures, humidity, or both You dropped the meter Your test result does not match how you feel You want to check if you are performing the test correctly If your Accu-Chek® Performa blood glucose meter requires a control test, contact the Accu-Chek ExtraCare Line at 6272 9200.

The Accu-Chek Spirit Combo Insulin Pump can withstand brief accidental water contact such as rain, water splashes or accidental immersion (IPX8). Before taking a bath or going into a whirlpool, shower or swimming pool, you should disconnect and remove your pump. Your Accu-Chek Performa Combo meter is not waterproof and must be kept dry at all times.

The Accu-Chek Spirit Combo Insulin Pump is fully functional without the meter and can be operated manually. If you forget the meter, you will be unable to perform a bG check or receive bolus advice. You will need to calculate your insulin requirement manually and deliver the bolus using the pump.

You'll need infusion sets (the tubing and connectors to attach the pump to your body), cartridges for the insulin, adapters (which connect the cartridge to the infusion set), batteries, battery covers and blood glucose monitoring supplies.

Like other electronic and communications equipment, the Bluetooth service on the Accu-Chek Combo system must be switched off for the pump and meter if directed by the airline. While the Bluetooth service is off, the Accu-Chek Spirit Combo Insulin Pump can be operated independently of the Accu-Chek Performa Combo meter. To turn Bluetooth service off on the Accu-Chek Spirit Combo Insulin Pump, go to the Bluetooth Settings menu. On the Accu-Chek Performa Combo meter, go into the Settings menu, then Meter, then Bluetooth. Follow the instructions given on the screen.

The system warranty coverage is against manufacturing defects. If your insulin pump or meter malfunctions due to intentional or unintentional misuse or mishandling, or if it is lost or stolen, any repair or replacement to the pump and meter is not covered under warranty. 

Using hypoallergenic materials is a high priority for Accu-Chek. Our infusion sets are latex- and PVC-free, and glues and solvents are used as little as possible. The adhesive tape is also specially designed to allow the skin underneath it to breathe. However, allergic reactions can never fully be ruled out. Sometimes they develop suddenly, even if you have used the same product for years. If an allergic reaction should occur, ask your healthcare professional about products that can help you continue a comfortable therapy.

An E4 displays on the meter, indicating not enough blood was drawn into the test strip for measurement or blood was applied after the test had started. You should discard the test strip and repeat the blood sugar test. 

You can only pair the Accu-Chek Performa Combo meter with your Accu-Chek Spirit Combo Insulin Pump.

There are a few ways you can improve blood flow and make blood glucose testing easier: Warm your fingers by washing with warm, soapy water, then rinse and dry completely. Let your arm hang down at your side to increase blood flow to the fingertips. Grasp finger just below the joint closest to the fingertip and massage gently toward tip of finger, then squeeze for 3 seconds. Use an Accu-Chek lancing device set to the right penetration depth for your skin type. Refer to your User's Guide for additional information.

Yes. Simply go into setup mode and turn the beeper off.

No, there is no ability to squeeze extra blood from the finger to dose a strip a second time.

No, check the use by date on the test strip container. Do not use test strips past the use by date.

No. You should never use your insulin pump near electromagnetic fields such as x-ray, computer tomography (CT) or MRI. Disconnect and remove your pump and leave it outside these areas. If you do not follow this instruction your pump can be damaged and quit operation. Regarding infusion sets, there is no need to remove a steel needle infusion set for X-Ray or CT. However, we do recommend you completely remove a steel infusion set for MRI scans.

The Accu-Chek Spirit Combo Insulin Pump will not be affected by walk-through metal detectors. We recommend you do not put either the pump or the meter through the carry-on baggage X-Ray machine. For full body scanners, we recommend putting your pump into STOP mode to avoid the chance of any interference with a body scanner machine. We recommend you obtain a letter from your healthcare professional stating you have diabetes, will be wearing an insulin pump and will be carrying consumables. Theoretically a strong magnetic field can lead to a permanent defect in the pump but we have no known case of such defect.

Accu-Chek Guide Me system uses Accu-Chek Guide test strips. The Accu-Chek Guide test strip has a wide dosing area that makes blood application effortless by applying a small blood sample anywhere along the yellow edge of the dosing area. The test strips are packed in a spill-resistant vial that makes it easy to remove just one strip at a time.

If the Accu-Chek Smart Pix device reader fails to appear on the computer as a drive: Check that the blue LED light on the front is lit. Check whether your computer and operating system satisfy the system requirements for the Accu-Chek Smart Pix device reader system. Check to make sure the USB connector is firmly plugged into the correct socket on the computer. If the Accu-Chek Smart Pix device reader is still not recognised as a drive, plug the device into a different USB socket. If the Accu-Chek Smart Pix device reader fails to emit any display signals and if the above tests don't solve the problem, try testing the device on a different computer, if available. If there is still no sign of operation, the device may be faulty.  This also applies if there are error signals flashing in the center of the display that are not associated with data transfer.  Please call Accu-Chek ExtraCare Line at 6272 9200.

No. Insulin pumps are worn outside the body. They do not require any surgery or invasive procedures and can be disconnected as needed.

Similarily to all the other Accu-Chek test strips, the Accu-Chek Instant test strip can be used until printed expiry date with proper storage and handling.

Move the meter to a more moderate environment (e.g. room temperature) to ensure optimal battery life performance.  Turn the meter off, then turn the meter back on. If the problem still occurs, perform a meter reset by doing the following: Remove the batteries Press and hold the Power/Set/OK button for at least 2 seconds Wait at least 20 seconds before reinserting the batteries Reinsert the batteries.  If the problem still occurs after performing a meter reset, then replace the batteries with new ones according to the instructions in the user manual. Use high quality batteries in the meter, such as Panasonic.  If replacing the batteries does not correct the situation, please contact our Accu-Chek ExtraCare customer service at 6272 9200 to obtain further support.

Yes. In addition to the fingertip, you can collect blood samples from the palm, forearm or upper arm. Talk with your healthcare professional before deciding if alternate site testing is right for you.

Yes. This enables you to reach hard-to-access infusion sites, e.g. on your lower back.

In order to help keep sites free of infection, we recommend that sites be changed at least every 2 days (48 hours) for steel needle sets and every 3 days (72 hours) for soft cannula sets. It is important to always check your blood glucose level 1-3 hours after inserting a new set, to make sure that it's functioning properly. Talk to your healthcare professional about how often should you change your infusion set.

It's a small sample—just 0.6 microliter.

Due to its special drum mechanism, only the Accu-Chek FastClix lancet drum can be used in the Accu-Chek FastClix lancing device.

The Accu-Chek LinkAssist insertion device has been developed exclusively for the automatic insertion of Accu-Chek FlexLink infusion sets.

Pain at the infusion site may be a sign that you are using a set which does not penetrate at the right depth for you (this can especially affect children or very lean users).  For 90° insertion sets, talk to your healthcare professional about the possibility of switching to a different cannula length.