How often should I test?

[Goonergal]

Diagnosed December Type2 (don't have my HbA1C). Just got my codefree meter (thanks to advice on here). How often should I test - once a week? Every day? Any advice would be welcome. Thanks.

 

[GrantGam]

Diagnosed December Type2 (don't have my HbA1C). Just got my codefree meter (thanks to advice on here). How often should I test - once a week? Every day? Any advice would be welcome. Thanks.

The optimum amount is really as much as possible. However, as a T2 you're probably going to have to fund your own strips - so it's more of a financial predicament as to how often you decide to test.

Ideally you'll want to test first thing in the morning, last thing at night and before each meal. Further to that, you should also test 2 hours after eating - to ascertain how your blood glucose has been affected by that meal. That I'd however a lot of testing and may cost a bit on the strips side of things...

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/blood-glucose/blood-glucose-testing-for-type2-diabetes.html

The link below will give you an insight as to what numbers you should be aiming for:

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood-sugar-level-ranges.html

If you take a look at my post on this thread, you'll be able to pick up some test strips cheaper (when purchased in bulk) by using the discount codes. I think they're still valid.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/carbs-and-feeling-blah.111785/#post-1310694

I'm sure you'll get some feedback from fellow T2's wrt how often and when to test

 

[miahara]

Hi Goonergal and welcome to this exclusive and very friendly and supportive club.
To start with you really need to test before and a couple of hours after each meal and this will start to give you an idea about how different foods affect your blood glucose levels. You'll then be able to see which foods to avoid and just as importantly what foods don't spike your BG. If you keep a record of your results, and even better still a graph you be able to see how your BG is improving as the weeks and months go by.
When I started testing 12 months ago, to start with I tested more or less every day before and after each meal, but as time went by my results showed me what foods to avoid so I now test only every second day and for only for one meal on that day. The only exception to this testing pattern is that the evening before I'm due a pre-breakfast test I usual test just before bed and this gives me an indication of how my BG has changed overnight.

 

[Goonergal]

Thanks guys, that's helpful.

 

[miahara]

@Goonergal If you want a really informative and very readable book about diabetes (there's a good section about testing in it) then I'd recommend - "Reverse Your Diabetes" by Dr David Cavan. You can order it via DCUK and I found it immensely useful.

 

[Goonergal]

@Goonergal If you want a really informative and very readable book about diabetes (there's a good section about testing in it) then I'd recommend - "Reverse Your Diabetes" by Dr David Cavan. You can order it via DCUK and I found it immensely useful.

Thanks so much