Test or not

[DazedSheep]

I was told not to test my blood anymore 5 months ago. I'm far from controlled and recenly tested anyway 3 hours after a meal and was 23 (360 in american?) My clinic hate me because I can't go there so a nurse takes my blood at home for now. Is testing your blood pointless or do you find it helps? I prefered being able to test

[belyro]

Hi There!

I'm having a lot of trouble understanding why you would be told not to test. I assume you're Type 2, am I right? I really really think testing your bloodsugar is a very important.....EXTREMELY important part of controlling your diabetes. I think you need to find a new doctor who will support you on this.

[seacomp]

I don't know what options are available to you in England, but you must change your situation immediately. 23/360 is far too high at any time. You are young, so I assume you are type 1 on insulin. How can you control your BG without testing?
Years ago people could not test, and some managed, the lucky ones, to get thru without testing to managing their BG. There is NO reason why anyone should have to do that today.
There are many members here from England who can give you more specific advice. The best to you.

[Funnygrl]

Nah, don't bother. Testing is just a scam by the meter companies to make more money. There's no value to it.

[Cyborg]

Testing your bg is the core of a successful treatment plan and the key to getting your bg under control. :listen:

[Bratty1]

When I test my blood sugars I am better at controlling my diabetes because it keeps me "real". I can't pretend there is no problem when there obviously is.

[DazedSheep]

Thanks for the advice everyone.I started out on insulin as a type1 but they changed my diagnosis to type2.I know I have to tackle this problem and my last habc1 test was in August so i'm due any week now. The NHS saved my life last year so I wouldn't dream of pulling it apart in public but the standard of care i'm receiving is low. Metformin isn't enough and I upped my dosage in June (of my own accord). Maybe I should go back onto insulin :rolleyes:

[JasonJayhawk]

Or maybe you're Type 1?

If you're not overweight, you would more likely be considering Type 1 again.

[Geoff]

Hi DazedSheep, Who is giving you the advice as to not test? Is it your GP or the Specialist at your local hospital? If it is your GP then I would disregard this advice, as many GP’s have little understanding of the special needs and requirements of a type 1 diabetics. At my own surgery they have more than 300 people who are diabetic, but only a handful are type 1, and the diabetic nurse there told me that they have little experience giving advice to type 1, or the use of insulin.

To be running levels of 23mmol/lt is a dangerous thing to do. You can run the risk of developing ketoacidosis (DKA) where your blood becomes acidic, because of excess buildup of ketones due to lack of insulin which encourages glucose uptake into cells and hence suppress ketone production.

[Lex4153]

Or maybe you're Type 1?

If you're not overweight, you would more likely be considering Type 1 again.


No, it's very possible to be type 2, young, and not overweight. I'm example of that.

It's certainly NOT pointless to test your blood sugar. It's very important. I've heard of doctors telling type 2's to test LESS, but not to stop all together. That's really odd. I know my doc told me to just test a few times a week but I refused and asked for more test strips. She gave it to me with no problem, a little surprised that I wanted to test MORE.

Are you able to go see a different doctor? I don't really know how your healthcare system is set up in England. Hopefully someone from that neck of the woods will come by and talk about that aspect.

[mg_2204]

My mother was T2 and on oral meds and BACK THEN she was told it was useless and pointless to test at home. This was back in 1987. Needless to say, that doc didn't give a rat's behind about my mother either. So with that said...

Test! :thumbsup: Even if your doc tells you not to, do it for your own sake!!! That way you can keep an eye on things, and see for yourself how you're doing. By testing you'll also learn how your body reacts to different foods, diff stresses, and how it does when you have the flu for example.

Your health is your wealth. Never forget that!

23 mmol/L three hours after a meal... there is something wrong here. If need be, seek another doctor. It is you who will suffer from complications, not your doc. You might want to remind this to your doc when you see him (her?) again too.

When I was living in England, I had the best of care. My healthcare team was great! This is very worrying to me. Maybe your healthcare team needs to have its cage shaken a bit as we say here...

The very best to you!

[DazedSheep]

My mum said I should test so I might put a prescription through when I run out.The nurse on my healthcare team said the consultants at the closest hospital now advise type2s not to test. My bf's parents who live in the same city are told to test. Might see a Dr this week cos i've discovered a lump near where I was operated on last year. It's our bodies but some doctors and nurses seem to go out of there way to make our condition worse. If they refuse to give me test strips on the NHS guess i'll have to accept it

[ladytaz]

I'm sorry but I just don't understand these people telling their patients not to test, for ANY type of diabetes!! Um HELLO McFly ... how in the **** else are we all supposed to learn...

Firstly: if the medicine they've prescribed us (oral or insulin) is doing it's job or not, and therefore may or may not need adjusting.

Secondly: how different foods affect our BG numbers, so we can learn what we can and cannot eat. Every one of us is different, and a diabetic "diet" or "way of eating" or whatever you want to call it, is NOT an across the board thing! Just as med dosages isn't! What works for one doesn't always work for another!

My other favorite is: Oh, you only need to check your morning numbers! Um, HELLO I'm not only a diabetic in the morning! I'm diabetic 24/7/365!!!

This isn't just for OUR knowledge it's for THEM as well, so they can do/prescribe what is necessary for us to get our numbers where they NEED to be, and so we can do OUR part (eating properly, exercise) to get our numbers where they NEED to be!

This pisses me off to no end, to keep hearing this over and over and over again out of these docs and nurses and such!

I am utterly disgusted with the medical community these days! The more I hear, the more I believe that they all got their medical education from a $9.95 Walmart course or something!

It's a VERY sad state of medical affairs when patients know WAY more than the doctors about this disease! THEY went to medical school, not us! They're supposed to know this stuff! ESPECIALLY the ones who SPECIALIZE in Diabetes!

[DazedSheep]

I'm sorry but I just don't understand these people telling their patients not to test, for ANY type of diabetes!! Um HELLO McFly ... how in the **** else are we all supposed to learn...

Firstly: if the medicine they've prescribed us (oral or insulin) is doing it's job or not, and therefore may or may not need adjusting.

Secondly: how different foods affect our BG numbers, so we can learn what we can and cannot eat. Every one of us is different, and a diabetic "diet" or "way of eating" or whatever you want to call it, is NOT an across the board thing! Just as med dosages isn't! What works for one doesn't always work for another!

My other favorite is: Oh, you only need to check your morning numbers! Um, HELLO I'm not only a diabetic in the morning! I'm diabetic 24/7/365!!!

This isn't just for OUR knowledge it's for THEM as well, so they can do/prescribe what is necessary for us to get our numbers where they NEED to be, and so we can do OUR part (eating properly, exercise) to get our numbers where they NEED to be!

This pisses me off to no end, to keep hearing this over and over and over again out of these docs and nurses and such!

I am utterly disgusted with the medical community these days! The more I hear, the more I believe that they all got their medical education from a $9.95 Walmart course or something!

It's a VERY sad state of medical affairs when patients know WAY more than the doctors about this disease! THEY went to medical school, not us! They're supposed to know this stuff! ESPECIALLY the ones who SPECIALIZE in Diabetes!
Hear Hear! Makes me wish I had trained as a Dr

[Lorna]

Part of the reason whay type 2s are being encouraged not to test is the amount of money it cost the NHS envy of the world. From your point of view this is bad advice- you cannot control what you cannot measure! I am type 1 and about 5 years ago was advised by my GP only to test once a day, as the NICE guidance is only 50 strips a month. This does not work, I personally need about 6 tests a day.

[jjordie]

DazedSheep
I too was told by my GP that I could not have any more test strips because I was T2 on diet alone- "and besides they cost too much".
Well, I was not very pleased and for about 6 months I bought them myself from Medisense (Abbott Diabetes Care) - cost about £13.87 per box of 50. You can ring their freephone order/helpline number 0500 467466.
If you buy them from a pharmacy they are nearly twice that price.


Since I have had to go on meds he has now agreed that I can have some strips but I still buy some to make up the amount I feel I need to use as I test 4 times a day at least. 50 strips a month is laughable isn't Lorna?
We need to test to be in control!

Best of luck DazedSheep, keep insisting you need to test to be in control!

[Dan Gato]

I agree with all saying that we should test as frequently as needed.
Probably not less than twice a day, more often if your BG's change constantly. depends also on your carbs intake, body weight and your
BG's averages, I'm testing now about 4 times a day, a few months ago
I was doing it once a day, which was a mistake, because I didn't know the effect of the diet & the meds.
So, regardless of what they told you, buy your own strips and test yourself as needed.

Even have an A1C every 3 months & you pay it, get a test-at-home-kit.

Visit this forum daily, ask questions. get a diabetes pal, or join-up a support group. read about a low carb diet, exercise, supplements & taking care of your feet too.
:top:

[DazedSheep]

£13 FOR A PACKET OF 50?! I refuse. I spent last christmas in intensive care and haven't gone through all that to be treated so badly. I think its an NHS thing. So sad and will cost them more long term when people turn up in A and E with ketones,leg ulcers etc

[DazedSheep]

I agree with all saying that we should test as frequently as needed.
Probably not less than twice a day, more often if your BG's change constantly. depends also on your carbs intake, body weight and your
BG's averages, I'm testing now about 4 times a day, a few months ago
I was doing it once a day, which was a mistake, because I didn't know the effect of the diet & the meds.
So, regardless of what they told you, buy your own strips and test yourself as needed.

Even have an A1C every 3 months & you pay it, get a test-at-home-kit.

Visit this forum daily, ask questions. get a diabetes pal, or join-up a support group. read about a low carb diet, exercise, supplements & taking care of your feet too.
:top: Thanks. My feet swell up alot now and i'm only 27. Not sure if its my diabetes or a side effect of where they put venflons in when I was in hospital

[DazedSheep]

DazedSheep
I too was told by my GP that I could not have any more test strips because I was T2 on diet alone- "and besides they cost too much".
Well, I was not very pleased and for about 6 months I bought them myself from Medisense (Abbott Diabetes Care) - cost about £13.87 per box of 50. You can ring their freephone order/helpline number 0500 467466.
If you buy them from a pharmacy they are nearly twice that price.


Since I have had to go on meds he has now agreed that I can have some strips but I still buy some to make up the amount I feel I need to use as I test 4 times a day at least. 50 strips a month is laughable isn't Lorna?
We need to test to be in control!

Best of luck DazedSheep, keep insisting you need to test to be in control!
Why are they so expensive anyway? The NHS wont be here in 10 years at this rate.

[ladytaz]

£13 FOR A PACKET OF 50?! I refuse. I spent last christmas in intensive care and haven't gone through all that to be treated so badly. I think its an NHS thing. So sad and will cost them more long term when people turn up in A and E with ketones,leg ulcers etc

£13 .... that's GPB right? If so ... that converts to about $24.66 USD .... That's about 1/2 of what a box of 50 costs here!! I wanna know why they're so CHEAP over there!!

Well that's for OneTouch Ultra strips anyway. Yes, different brands, different prices. But seems that most of the big name brands are in close range of the same price ... here anyway.

[lilituc]

Well that's for OneTouch Ultra strips anyway. Yes, different brands, different prices. But seems that most of the big name brands are in close range of the same price ... here anyway.

Well, my OneTouch strips say they're made in the UK! Perhaps that would make them cheaper over there.

[ladytaz]

Well, my OneTouch strips say they're made in the UK! Perhaps that would make them cheaper over there.

Yea, but double the price??? I seriously doubt it costs $20+ per box of 50 strips from the U.K. to the U.S. That's a just a lil bit extreme don't ya think?

[Peter Lee]

Thanks for the advice everyone.I started out on insulin as a type1 but they changed my diagnosis to type2.I know I have to tackle this problem and my last habc1 test was in August so i'm due any week now. The NHS saved my life last year so I wouldn't dream of pulling it apart in public but the standard of care i'm receiving is low. Metformin isn't enough and I upped my dosage in June (of my own accord). Maybe I should go back onto insulin :rolleyes:

You need a second opinion from a hospital diabetes consultant. You are entitled to this under the NHS.

When I was first diagnosed at 23mmol/l I was treated as an emergency and the my diabetes nurse wanted tests at least three times a day. The consultant, once I was down to 6.5 wanted only once a day - the fasting test.

I am now allowed to test whenever I feel it necessary depending on how I feel and what I'm doing - as long as I always do the fasting test.

My doctor gives me 150 strips a month, which covers my needs from once or twice a day to six times a day.

Don't blame the NHS - it's the individual doctors playing around with their budgets and saving money where they think they can.

Have a look at - just click on the underlined bit - NSF Diabetes : The Department of Health - Pubs and stats: Publications (http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/PublicationsPAmpGBrowsableDocument/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4096591&chk=R41ZhQ) - this shows that Government policy is that diabetics should be enabled to look after themselves.

[Phranky]

Since I was diagnosed in Jan 06 with an a1c of 11.7, they put me on metformin (2 x 1000), my a1c in July 06 was 5.0

Doc said I was very much under control and the a1c was the big indicator of how your doing. He suggested that once or twice a week I could do my usual several tests a day, but that he felt that my diet etc., was controlling me very well.

I test once or twice a week a couple of times and I'm usually 4.7 - 5.5 before a meal, one hour later I go as high as 7-9 (usually around 7 though) and two hours I'm at 5-5.6.

Seems never to change. Doc says he thinks, based on my previous files, that we caught the T2 in months rather than years so I'm responding well.

Phrankly, next visit I'm hoping he can reduce the metformin a bit.

[DazedSheep]

I was diagnosed in hospital(non diabetic related) with HABC1 of 16. Its strange that whenever I reached 20 plus the nurses would give me an extra shot (act rapid I think) but now i'm alone on Metformin. I've also realised that they're testing me every 4 months (Dec,April,August) I thought it was supposed to be every 3 months. Maybe it's different up north? Though my mum had hers 2 weeks ago. My clinic hate me .

[DazedSheep]

Since I was diagnosed in Jan 06 with an a1c of 11.7, they put me on metformin (2 x 1000), my a1c in July 06 was 5.0

Doc said I was very much under control and the a1c was the big indicator of how your doing. He suggested that once or twice a week I could do my usual several tests a day, but that he felt that my diet etc., was controlling me very well.

I test once or twice a week a couple of times and I'm usually 4.7 - 5.5 before a meal, one hour later I go as high as 7-9 (usually around 7 though) and two hours I'm at 5-5.6.

Seems never to change. Doc says he thinks, based on my previous files, that we caught the T2 in months rather than years so I'm responding well.

Phrankly, next visit I'm hoping he can reduce the metformin a bit.
Hope yuou continue responding well. I was 19.7 after a bowl of cereal so my treatment isn't going too well

[DazedSheep]

£13 .... that's GPB right? If so ... that converts to about $24.66 USD .... That's about 1/2 of what a box of 50 costs here!! I wanna know why they're so CHEAP over there!!

Well that's for OneTouch Ultra strips anyway. Yes, different brands, different prices. But seems that most of the big name brands are in close range of the same price ... here anyway.

Can you not buy them via the net from here? I use the Ascensia Contour

[mg_2204]

If you buy them from a pharmacy they are nearly twice that price.

£22 at the pharmacy! I almost fainted when they told me. I was diet controlled at the time and strips weren't covered of course.

As soon as I was put on oral meds they GAVE ME a meter and some strips. I never had probs getting prescriptions for strips either later on. They even REPLACED my meter for a new one after a while, because I wasn't pleased with the strips (too much blood needed).

[ladytaz]

Can you not buy them via the net from here? I use the Ascensia Contour

Yes, I do indeed purchase mine via the net, but from a place here in the U.S., still at a cost of $33.46 per box of 50 strips. With 2 - 3 day shipping it costs $40.41 (21.11 GBP). So I save myself approximately $13.00. Getting them from over there? I don't know, and the shipping would probably end up adding up closely to what I pay now. Not to mention, the added time it would take to get them across the pond to me ;)

I don't have insurance, so I have to pay for all my diabetes meds and supplies out of my own pocket! I would purchase them by the box of 100 and save myself a little more money, but I hardly ever have that much extra money at any given time. I use the OneTouch Ultra.

[DazedSheep]

Got 100 ztrips without any bother from nurse and other medicine for my other current illness. Thanks for your replies everyone

[DazedSheep]

The nurse also said she couldn't tell me my last habc1 results cos she wasn't at the right page of her computer..A tad strange

[Stuboy]

what kind of nurse or dr would tell you not to test? It's the key to good control!!!

Change dr!!

[ladytaz]

what kind of nurse or dr would tell you not to test? It's the key to good control!!!

Change dr!!

The idiot kind! Which is seems to be MOST of them out there now a days! UGH