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Glucometers.

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Whydoineedone

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I can't get a glucometer from my GP as I'm Type 2. Any ideas as to what the best one is to buy, bearing in mind price and speed of result? I'd only want to check maybe once a week.
 
You want to test before every meal and 2 hours after the first bite. That way you can determine how that meal affected you. Testing a couple of times a week will tell you nothing.

Tagging @Rachox for her blurb.

I currently use the Tee2. I phoned them up, ordered 200 and they threw in the meter for free.
 
Whydoineedone said:
I can't get a glucometer from my GP as I'm Type 2. Any ideas as to what the best one is to buy, bearing in mind price and speed of result? I'd only want to check maybe once a week.
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Once a week is a waste of strips. Sorry. :( It'd just be a random number that won't tell you anything.

If you want to start testing, test before your meals and 2 hours after the first bite. You're looking for a rise of no more than 2.0 mmol/l, anything over that means your meal contained more carbohydrates than you could process back out. You need a bunch of numbers to complete the picture, you see... So if you want to buy a meter and test in a way that actually helps, get one where the test strips are as cheap as possible. Especially if you go for a diet change, you'll prick maybe 6 times a day, and then, strips go fast. (Check the same meal twice and you don't really have to check it again though, so it's a lot of testing at the start, but it tapers off.). I hear good things about the Tee2+ and the CodeFree... There are discounts and such if you buy in bulk and you're exempt from taxes if you're diabetic, but @Rachox will know more, so I'm tagging her in.

I know, it all sounds pretty hard core, but it would help you immensely if you tested more than once a week. Up to you though, of course. But I don't know how I would've managed without my meter.
 
Here’s some info on meters, and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned. For a meter with cheap strips go for the Tee2 + found here:

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-plus-blood-glucose-meter/ with the strips found here:

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-testing-strips/


With more expensive strips is the Caresens Dual which I currently use, this one has the advantage of glucose and ketone testing in one machine, it’s to be found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/caresens-dual


And to be totally transparent I used to use the SD Code Free which has the cheapest strips available. However I found it to be becoming less and less reliable, although I hear reliability may have improved now. Here it is for anyone wanting to give it a go:

http://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/blood-glucose-monitor/

and here for the extra strips

http://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/sd-codefree-test-strips-to-be-used-only-with-the-sd-monitor/

There are discount codes if you buy in bulk.

5 packs 264086


10 packs 975833


Don’t forget to check the box that you have diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)

Home Health have recently bought out this one too, but I haven’t heard any reviews yet:

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/gluconavii-blood-sugar-meter-glucose-monitor-starter-kit/
 
You won't get it. Don't prick the pointy bit of your finger. It hurts and that is where the nerve endings are. Prick the side of the finger just below the nail.

Testing is not forever. When you have your blood glucose under control and you know what foods to avoid there is no point. Then you would test when you tried a food you hadn't eaten before.
 
Whydoineedone said:
Thank you all! Yes, once a week probably nowhere near enough, just want to avoid peripheral neuropathy from all those prickings!
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Peripheral neuropathy in T2's is caused by nerve damage due to high blood sugars... The most you get when pricking often is callous. ;)
 
And @xfieldok is right. In the stock photographs online you always see people getting pricked in the middle of their finger pad... Heck, my old GP did it there too! You want to stick with the side of your finger. I did it on the tip for a while, and it made typing hell. Live & learn. ;)
 
Thanks all. So bought a glucometer finally, after my HbA1C shot up dramatically. Talk of Glyclizide or insulin in the air…..quite honestly you can understand why folks decline either (as I will) when it will involve DVLA and pricking your fingers each time you pop to the shops or whatever. I sometimes use my car several times a day - that’s a lot of fingerpricks. No thank you. I’ll just plough on. I’ll stick to other medication and see how I go.
 
Whydoineedone said:
Thanks all. So bought a glucometer finally, after my HbA1C shot up dramatically. Talk of Glyclizide or insulin in the air…..quite honestly you can understand why folks decline either (as I will) when it will involve DVLA and pricking your fingers each time you pop to the shops or whatever. I sometimes use my car several times a day - that’s a lot of fingerpricks. No thank you. I’ll just plough on. I’ll stick to other medication and see how I go.
Click to expand...
If you're in the UK both Libre and Dexcom regularly have free trials - one sensor which can be eye opening

https://www.freestyle.abbott/uk-en/getting-started/sampling.html Libre
https://www.dexcom.com/en-GB/dexcom-one-plus-sample Dexcom

Personally I prefer the dexcom - the sensors are smaller and you can calibrate them to a finger prick, but if they're free you can use both
 
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