Newly diagnosed but confused by the diabetic nurse

[JackieCarroll]

I had a letter from my GP in June saying my blood test results showed my sugar levels were high. Booked in to see diabetic nurse who confirmed me as officially T2 diabetic. During the course of the very short appointment she told me she didn't want me to use a tester. How can I monitor my blood sugar levels without testing? She's going to see me again in "3 months" to decide if I need treatment but I feel as though they're not that bothered. I'm concerned because about 5 years ago I saw my previous GP because I have numbness and tingling in both my big toes but they didn't seem perturbed by that and didn't test for diabetes at the time. I don't feel I've been offered any support at all. Fortunately my husband is insulin dependent so knows a bit about it. Meanwhile, am I getting more nerve damage the longer I leave it untreated?

 

[Squire Fulwood]

Welcome to the club. I will page @daisy1 to give you some information all newbies get.

 

[JackieCarroll]

Welcome to the club. I will page @daisy1 to give you some information all newbies get.

Thank you. I'd be interested to know why she doesn't want me to test.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Do you know what your HbA1c was? Normally if it is low enough we are given 3 months to sort it out by diet only before medication is prescribed. I am still alive and kicking after over 3 and a half years without medication, and am fully controlled with no complications. Diet is the key, and that means reducing all carbs aswell as sugar.

You do need a meter and will need to buy your own as most non-insulin users are not given one. Without one you are working blind. Your nurse is simply churning out the NHS guidelines, but they are wrong.

 

[Guzzler]

Were you told the results of the HbA1c test (and any other tests that were done at the same time)?

It would, I think, be hard to say if the tingling in your toes is diabetic neuropathy or of an unknown cause. Your diabetes nurse could have been a lot more understanding, of course test your blood so that you know what foods are best for you bg wise. How is your diet? I'm guessing hubby has a lot of advice about that so you're not on your own.

Welcome to the forum and I'm sure that you will learn lots about T2, diet, excercise etc.

 

[Chook]

Hi Jackie and welcome to the forum.

The short but honest answer is that if she told you to test using a meter then the surgery would then have to prescribe the meter and the (expensive) strips. On this forum you will find that most people will recommend that you do test before and two hours after a meal so you can discover how your blood glucose reacts to different foods.

Did your DN tell you to eat carbs with every meal as well?

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Meters are all about cost. You must get a meter. The Codefree on the web is one of the lowest cost ones. Use the results of tests 2 hours after a meal to see what levels you get. It's quite typical of surgeries to 'guess' T2 and tell you to go away for 3 months. A low-carb diet is a must for many of us and meds can be added later if needed. Knowing your HBa1C result is important. If the surgery didn't do this test make sure you get blood tests done a week or so before your next appointment so you have something useful to discuss.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

Thank you. I'd be interested to know why she doesn't want me to test.

They are cheapskates basically and testing costs a lot of money. The official view is that people only need to test if they are in danger of becoming hypoglycemic due to medication powerful enough to bring that about. I agree with that attitude since a hypo can be life threatening for some of us.

The problem is the rest of us who are permanently hyper and have no medication that works. This is not considered life threatening and therefore no provision is made for us to test our blood.

 

[Guzzler]

May I ask if your other half follows a particular diet regime?

 

[Bluetit1802]

May I ask if your other half follows a particular diet regime?

I would also point out that an insulin dependant T2 is likely to have a completely different dietary need from a diet only T2.

 

[Guzzler]

I would also point out that an insulin dependant T2 is likely to have a completely different dietary need from a diet only T2.

I was thinking more along the lines of some insulin dependant people follow a lower carb diet because that is a wise choice for everyone even non diabetics. I know I still have a lot to learn and I appreciate your pointing

out any mistakes I make. ☺

 

[JackieCarroll]

The first test showed HbA1c was 65 - I was asked to do another after 4 weeks and that was 55. I remember her saying at my appt that it needed to be 42 or less. I used to eat **** every evening but of course stopped it all. Of course I still eat carbs because it's part of a balanced diet but I've cut out all the late evening snacks and sweets and lost a stone in the process (so not all bad). I have a tester but they won't prescribe the testing strips. Thanks for all your replies - it's a great help

 

[JackieCarroll]

Do you know what your HbA1c was? Normally if it is low enough we are given 3 months to sort it out by diet only before medication is prescribed. I am still alive and kicking after over 3 and a half years without medication, and am fully controlled with no complications. Diet is the key, and that means reducing all carbs aswell as sugar.

You do need a meter and will need to buy your own as most non-insulin users are not given one. Without one you are working blind. Your nurse is simply churning out the NHS guidelines, but they are wrong.

Is there such a thing as a testing strip free monitor?

 

[catapillar]

Is there such a thing as a testing strip free monitor?

No. Unless perhaps you count the freestyle libre, but the reason that doesn't involve a test strip is because you insert the monitor into you. And you would have to pay for it.

I believer the codefree and the tee2 are the monitors with cheapest test strips and other type 2 users on the forum may be able to provide links of where they can be purchased.

 

[Guzzler]

The first test showed HbA1c was 65 - I was asked to do another after 4 weeks and that was 55. I remember her saying at my appt that it needed to be 42 or less. I used to eat **** every evening but of course stopped it all. Of course I still eat carbs because it's part of a balanced diet but I've cut out all the late evening snacks and sweets and lost a stone in the process (so not all bad). I have a tester but they won't prescribe the testing strips. Thanks for all your replies - it's a great help

Well done on reducing your numbers. About those carbs being part of a healthy diet, well that is fine for healthy non diabetics but for us it is important to limit the amount of carbs especially by cutting out potatoes, rice, bread, pasta and anything made of white flour. Fruit is also high in sugars. By doing this you lower your blood glucose and lose weight. If you are able to take excercise (bearing in mind your angina - best to speak with your gp about this before you start a new regime) then that will speed up your drop in blood glucose.
I know it is a lot to take in at first but stick with us, we are all in this together.

 

[JackieCarroll]

May I ask if your other half follows a particular diet regime?

Well....he eats what he wants and injects accordingly. Maintains a steady level within the acceptable range.

 

[Chook]

Many people in this forum (include me) control their T2 (and sometimes put it in to remission) by restricting carbs. I'll tag @daisy1 who's got a great introductory post which has some very useful information on it.

 

[Daibell]

I would also point out that an insulin dependant T2 is likely to have a completely different dietary need from a diet only T2.

Why?

 

[Guzzler]

Well....he eats what he wants and injects accordingly. Maintains a steady level within the acceptable range.

Good stuff.

 

[AM1874]

Hi @JackieCarroll .. and welcome
You have certainly made a good move coming here. Since joining this forum, the folks here have given me so much info, advice and support that I am now much more confident about the journey ahead. So ask your questions and be assured that you will receive the answers that you need. It can all seem uphill to start with but, in my experience, it gets easier .. very quickly.

There is a lot of conflicting information around but the key point to take on board is that managing and controlling your diabetes (or pre-diabetes) through exercise, diet and testing your Blood Glucose seems to be the best way forward for many people. For me, committing to an LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) lifestyle and testing 3-5 times a day seems to be working and you'll find that there is a wealth of info, relevant advice and positive support about LCHF on the forum ..

I see that others have already tagged @daisy1 for you and I suggest that you read up on the Low Carb Program in the information that she will soon be sending you. You might also find the discussion on the Low Carb Diet forum helpful .. together with the following Diet Doctor websites, which will give you all the info that you need on what and what not to eat ...
Low Carb Intro and Information and Low Carbs in 60 Seconds

Unless you are prescribed a test meter and strips by your doctor (unlikely), it is a top priority that get yourself one and, for this, the following websites might help:
https://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/
for the SD Codefree meter, which costs £12.98 or:
http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/
who distribute the TEE 2 meter, which is free.
I have both which I alternate for comparative purposes and I have never found any significant difference between them.

The costs of testing comes down to the ongoing charges for test strips and lancets. Make sure that you tick the appropriate box on the on-line order form and you won't pay VAT on your meter or strips.
For the SD Codefree, the strips are £7.69 for a pack of 50 and there are discount codes available for bulk purchases:
5 packs x 50 use code: 264086 .. cost is £38.45
10 packs x 50 use code: 975833 .. cost is £76.90
For the TEE 2, the strips are £7.75 for a pack of 50 .. but there are no discount codes currently available

I'm testing 3-5 times a day which works out at around £10 to £12 per month for either of the two packages above but, more importantly, I now know what my BG levels are .. and I can now manage them

Hope this helps