Why do you need a meter?

[Yerusha]

I am curious why people has meters to take readings.. I asked my DN at the Desmond Program about the need for measuring your levels daily, and she told me that i will only need to do so if my Doctor recomends me having a meter.. If you have a meter can you explain why you have one, how does this help you to lower your BG throughout the day? Seems to me that you will spend all day pricking your finger after everything you eat.. that would totally stress me out.

 

[Totto]

I'm diet controlled so I test. Without testing I wouldn't have a clue how food affect BG. As I aim for normal BG at all times testing frequently has been the way I've chosen but it's a free world, you do as you please.

 

[copey399]

I'm diet controlled too and without my meter I wouldn't have a clue whether I was getting the BG levels down. I don't want to wait til I get my test results and then find out that I've got worse. Even folks on meds like to know what's going on with their BG on a more regular basis and how certain foods affect them.

GPs won't give them out because of cost, unless you're on insulin or anything that can cause hypos.

 

[ally1]

i,m type 2 and test
i find it helped in the beginning to see what i could and could not eat
also if i feel unwell, i find testing, would know if it was diabetes related

 

[Daibell]

I think the main reason is to see the effect of different foods and if you doubt the low-carb advice on this forum using a meter will prove to you how problematic carbs are for most of us. The NHS love to be in control but it's your choice whether you want to see how your blood sugar varies with different foods and with silly NHS advice to have carbs with every meal if becomes essential to avoid long-term damage. You don't need to use the meter that often. Once you have got used to knowing what foods affect you then one check per day or even every few days may be all you need. If like me you are one of the 'T2s' who are mis-diagnosed T1s the meter can spot that your blood sugar is rapidly rising and avoid you ending up at A&E and this can happen more quickly than the 6 month or so period between HBa1C tests.

 

[Robbity]

Why wouldn't I use a meter? As a type 2 I need to see how different foods affect me so I can manage my diabetes with a sensible and suitable diet.

My HbA1c will only tell me my average glucose level over the last few months and I may only be checked twice a year at most - quite useless if I don't or can't manage my diabetes well! My meter tells me daily how I'm doing - whether I have large spikes (which I don't like or want ) or a nice steady levels (which I prefer), it tells me what foods I can or shouldn't eat, it tells me how my body is responding not only to food, but to exercise, stress, illness, and so on. I can't see or generally feel my diabetes, so my meter is my guide to what evils it may doing to my body.

Pricking my finger a few times a day (which I was terrified of doing initially) is a very small price to pay for being able to manage my invisible disease.

Maybe you should ask your DN whether she'd be testing if she was diabetic.

Robbity

 

[britishpub]

For me personally, pricking my finger multiple times is penance for allowing myself to develop this disease in the first place

 

[clinton137]

You only test before you eat and two hours after you have taken your first bite, the reason for tihs is to see how the food you have eaten affects your BS levels. Once you have a grip on what you can/cannot eat then you need only test if you are going to introduce something new into your diet. Your levels should not increase more than 2 points from the reading taken before you eat to on one taken after two hours. If it does then the food you just eaten is not for you. After eating your BS level should not be above 8.5 (T2), ideally you should keep them between 4 & 7 (Non Diabetec range), LCHF (low carb and high fat) diet can help you achieve this.

 

[mikej1973]

You only test before you eat and two hours after you have taken your first bite, the reason for tihs is to see how the food you have eaten affects your BS levels. Once you have a grip on what you can/cannot eat then you need only test if you are going to introduce something new into your diet. Your levels should not increase more than 2 points from the reading taken before you eat to on one taken after two hours. If it does then the food you just eaten is not for you. After eating your BS level should not be above 8.5 (T2), ideally you should keep them between 4 & 7 (Non Diabetec range), LCHF (low carb and high fat) diet can help you achieve this.

Or two hours after your last bite. Or a different time depending on your individual insulin response. Some people aim for 1.5 or lower in a spike others not at all. Some keep below 8.5 some below 7.8 some even lower.

Point is we all do it differently but a meter helps us define and maintain those boundaries.

 

[clinton137]

Or two hours after your last bite. Or a different time depending on your individual insulin response. Some people aim for 1.5 or lower in a spike others not at all. Some keep below 8.5 some below 7.8 some even lower.

Point is we all do it differently but a meter helps us define and maintain those boundaries.

Agree, I only quoted in my post as it seems to be the average and most people recommend taking the post meal test after the first bite, as for the range difference between before and after, again this is a NICE recommendation. its a starting point and can be adjusted according to individual needs and cirumstamces.

 

[Bluetit1802]

A meter is the single most important tool we can have. Testing before and after food is the ONLY way to see which foods spike you to what could be dangerous levels, and teach you which foods to avoid and which to seriously reduce in portion size. How else can you do this? Why do this ...... because we need to know which foods we, as an individual, can cope with. The nurses can't tell us this because each one of us reacts differently to the same food. Gravy and pastry make me spike, even a small amount. Potatoes aren't too bad in small quantities. You may find just the opposite.

 

[mikej1973]

l

Agree, I only quoted in my post as it seems to be the average and most people recommend taking the post meal test after the first bite, as for the range difference between before and after, again this is a NICE recommendation. its a starting point and can be adjusted according to individual needs and cirumstamces.

Absolutly! Your post just seemed an ideal place to make the point that however we do it a meter helps!

 

[Pulsar]

Hello

 

[Enclave]

Its about taking control, without my meter how would I know what my bs reading are. I am not going to learn much for a twice yearly blood test am I ! and that would be far more stressful than testing a few times a day.
I am diet controlled .. vegetarian .. LCHF ..

 

[Munkki]

My meter helps me to know what I can eat without a bad conscience. For example, I am fine with my courgette porridge in the mornings, but I need to be careful with beans. Too much protein also gets my BG up.

 

[hankjam]

Hello @Yerusha a number of responses pointing in the same way. I would agree with all, it's about knowing how your body reacts in the short term to specific food items and taking control medium term... tracking changes in diet and other activities.
Be interested to know what you think to how the thread has developed.
Good luck Hj