How often do you test your blood sugar?

silky1

Active Member
Messages
39
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I was diagnosed at the start of the week and saw the nurse on Thursday, leaving laden down with information and a brand new testing meter (as I walk with two sticks - glad my OH was with me)

Anyhow, my question is how often do you test and are there are specific times of day that you do test.

My last "official" blood tests which triggered all hell let loose were a blood glucose of 17.9 and a Hb1AC of 106 - and a seemingly good cholesterol of 4,7 (but actually consisted of predominantly horrendous tri-glycerides)

After a few failed attempts - thanks to my sister (an ex-speciallist diabetic nurse) - I finally managed to test it last night about 2/2.5 hours after food and it was 10.7 - high I know - but considerably lower than my last two official tests.

I know my nurse told me not to test every day unless I was concerned my numbers were rising - but now I'd got the hang of it - I decided to do a 12 hour fasting test which came in at 7.8 - again I know it is higher than it should be - but already a huge improvement on recent readings

I'm on 500mg Metformin with the dose to be titrated weekly until we get proper control and I will also shortly be starting on a low dose statin - I'm already on BP meds and have been for 15 years - in the main this is under control - it was 132/76 on Thursday.

Sorry for all the waffling - but from those who've "been there" - how often do you test?
 

britishpub

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,722
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
A fasting blood test is always a good place to start, and then if you are making dietary changes 1 and especially 2 hours after eating so that you can tell what foods have a good or bad affect on your levels. Initially that may mean a lot of checks but over time as you get used to which foods do what you will test less and less.
 
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fred1234

Well-Known Member
Messages
118
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Your taking the bill by the horns. Great your sister has experience.....handy to have around. I'm type2 insulin and I test fasting, before eating and 2 hrs after and at bedtime. Good luck, a lot to take In but this site is great.....plenty good advice....lots to read and digeSt xx
 
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Alzebra

Well-Known Member
Messages
604
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi Silky, welcome to the forum. I tested up to 10 times a day to begin with, until I worked out which foods I could eat without causing huge rises in BG. http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045524.php this link basically explained the process, although I often test before a meal to see what the rise is, not just the overall level.

My DSN refused to give me a meter and still maintains that I don't need to test at all. She's wrong, it's only by testing that I have lowered my BG to non-diabetic levels. I bought my own meter and test strips, so if you can't get enough test strips on prescription come back and ask about the SD Codefree meter (the cheapest out there!).

Good luck x
 
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silky1

Active Member
Messages
39
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thanks both - the surgery have given me an "Aga Matrix Wave Sense Jazz" (No Code) - not sure if that is the one you are referring to Alzebra?

I did waste a couple of lancets before getting it right - one thing I am intrigued about is that the box contains 25 strips and 10 Lancets which makes a lot of sense - I've had blood sugar tests previously when I've been in hospital with pancreatitis - but as a needle phobic I felt I had to grab the bull by the horns sooner rather than later - I'm uncertain whether I can get more supplies from the surgery - I suspect I will have to buy them (and they do look like "Amazon only" products.

I really like the idea of testing before and after eating and I got the sudden urge to test when I woke this morning - needless to say being 10 points lower than my last fasting sugar did cheer me up somewhat even though I know it has to come down further - my nurse feels that I need to titrate the Metformin and said she would have started me on 1000mg (but the way I tend to react badly to some meds we know to take things very slowly.

Another reason I want to keep a careful eye on things is I take a ludicrous number of tablets already because of spinal stenosis / spondylolisthesis with pars fractures and excessive spinal degeneration from L3 to S2 - I know (Begrudgingly) I have to take a statin and continue my BP meds (which are doing their job very well) and Omeprazole to protect my stomach

Thanks for the info - certainly some food for thought
 

Robbity

Expert
Messages
6,683
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Thanks both - the surgery have given me an "Aga Matrix Wave Sense Jazz" (No Code) - not sure if that is the one you are referring to Alzebra?
No the Codefree is a brand name for a meter that many people on the forum as the test strips are very much cheaper than most other brands - important when you have to buy your own..
Meters used to require a code to be input when starting a new box of strips, but generally now no longer require this, i.e.they're now code free models! A bit confusing though, isn't it!

I test when waking, and before and two hours after meals. It's sometimes useful when testing new foods to test at 1, or 3 hours for certain foods, e.g if they contain fast or slow release carbohydrates.

When I was first diagnosed I was another (of many!!) who had a real fear of using lancets! I use an Accu-Chek Fastclix device - the lancets are contained in a little replacement drum cassette of six,so you never have to see any pricky bits. You don't have to use the lancets and devices that come with your meter, so can choose any other brand that you might be happier with using - they're not too expensive. The devices may be available for sale separately, but often it's much cheaper to buy a cheap on offer meter kit (eBay or Amazon).

Robbity
 
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Sirmione

Well-Known Member
Messages
477
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Donald Trump
In the early days you will probably do a lot of testing, and use a tub of 50 strips in week, once you learn about your own bodies response to various foods you will feel less need to test. It won't take long to get used to finger pricking, it may help to use the side of the finger to reduce the discomfort. The lancing device supplied with the SD Codefree meter isn't bad but all of these devices need to be set to suit your skin and the place on your body where you test. There is also supplied in the meter pack an alternative lancing device tip that allows the lancet to penetrate deeper to draw blood elsewhere on the body - don't use this on your finger as it will cause excessive scaring and pain. You will very quickly used to finger pricking and adept at loading strips and using the meter even in a public place.

The SD Codefree is a good meter low cost and much cheaper to run than others n checking mine against control solution it appears more accurate than my other meters.
Because of the process by which these meters work none of these meters are 100% accurate, the readings can also be affected by dampness and contaninents on the surface of the skin and the strips. If you test and get an unexpectedly high reading wash and dry your hands and test again.
 
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oldnevada

Well-Known Member
Messages
328
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Sugar, in all it's iterations.
I test 6 to 8 times a day.
 

Phub

Well-Known Member
Messages
83
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Other
Dislikes
Hate the doctor's surgery. The Doctor is okay though.
I test 6 to 8 times a day.

I am supposed to be a type 2. Yet, I don't have any symptoms of diabetes whatsoever. I don't know what it's like to have the shakes, what it's like to have hypo levels, and the only times my readings are above 6.8, are immediately after a meal (Which I'd expect) and strangely whenever I forget myself and eat some sugar. I don't ever feel any ill-effects from the sugar, other than I feel tired about half an hour after if I eat too much of the stuff. This is a normal raction to eating sugar, I am told. (It's a great way of getting to sleep if you suffer one of those nights when you can't 'switch off'. Two or three teaspoons does the trick.

I would just like to know how I can have type 2 diabetes, as my doctor said; or is this just another way of selling more Metformin to the NHS, so your Doctor's practice gets funding?

When drug companies actually produce a cure for certain diseases, instead of addicting us to 'management drugs', I'll have some faith in them.
 

drakman

Active Member
Messages
41
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
racism, bigotry and fashion
I was told to check my bloods when I get up and adapt what I eat based on the figures, then randomly as in before a meal one day and 2 hours after another day varying which meal daily also sometimes after certain foods I was uncertain about to learn the effect, after about 6 months I had good control and monitored less often until a month ago when I was put on insulin.
I had other issues too so put on weight now I go to Slimming World which has been great I have good control and am losing weight also I can reduce my insulin on lower days now. I have to test more and always will now but I may actually get off insulin if I continue how I am going.
 

oldnevada

Well-Known Member
Messages
328
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Sugar, in all it's iterations.
I am supposed to be a type 2. Yet, I don't have any symptoms of diabetes whatsoever. I don't know what it's like to have the shakes, what it's like to have hypo levels, and the only times my readings are above 6.8, are immediately after a meal (Which I'd expect) and strangely whenever I forget myself and eat some sugar. I don't ever feel any ill-effects from the sugar, other than I feel tired about half an hour after if I eat too much of the stuff. This is a normal raction to eating sugar, I am told. (It's a great way of getting to sleep if you suffer one of those nights when you can't 'switch off'. Two or three teaspoons does the trick.

I would just like to know how I can have type 2 diabetes, as my doctor said; or is this just another way of selling more Metformin to the NHS, so your Doctor's practice gets funding?

When drug companies actually produce a cure for certain diseases, instead of addicting us to 'management drugs', I'll have some faith in them.

Phub,

Maybe your MD caught your diabetes in time and that is why your BG is so good because you are taking your Metformin as directed? There is another test they do as well to determine your diabetes situation. I forget what it is, and my MD never told me about it. I'm was advised here to ask at my next check-up.