3µ (microns) of blood is — frustrating (Breeze2)

Though I have SO LOVED the convenience of the test strip DISCS in the Bayer BREEZE2 monitors — I’m finding that the 3µ (microns) of blood needed to get a reading without that horrible E8 error that means not enough blood (and wastes a strip) is just a HASSLE.. I’m at that point where I have callouses forming on my fingers from all the testing.. and I have to prick deeper and deeper to get enough blood to FILL this dang thing..

Have any of you STOPPED using the Breeze2 because of that? I have a ReliOn Micro as my backup meter and the one I use when my strips paid for by my insurance run out mid month — and it only requires 1µ of blood — the tiniest little drop that I can barely see is enough for the ReliOn and gets sucked into the strip perfectly every time — a perfect reading.. I’m so tempted to go back to that meter – No insurance pays for the ReliOn since it’s cheap to begin with — but still the strips are $42 for 100 and I get 100 for $35 from my scrip for any meter my Insurance is covering on their formulary at a given time. And I still need about 200 strips a month for my testing preferences (6 months into DX).. So doing ‘all’ ReliOn Micro strips would cost more..

So have any of you stopped the Breeze2 because of this ‘conundrum’? The strips are so TINY compared to others — and yet need a BOATLOAD of blood.. Are there any other DISC manufacturers for the Breeze2 that have strips that would need less blood? I thought I saw that the Breeze2 accepted ‘some other company’s’ discs.