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Some questions for those in the know!

N

Newyorker

Member
Messages
17
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi all,

Just been recently diagnosed, and have a few questions, have looked on forums, but having trouble finding specific answers!

1. What do you do with your lancets? If you have a sharpsafe - where do you dispose of that?

2. Are all prescriptions free once you are diagnosed with diabetes?

3. Should my dr. have prescribed a bg monitor? He said I didnt' need one and that they give inaccurate results, should I still get one? How many testers will I go thru on an avera day?

Thank you!!!
 
Prescriptions are not free until you get your exemption card in your purse.

You should have completed a form, given to your GP and then have to wait to grt your card. Until then you must pay.
 
If your T2 most Drs will not give out meters .. You will need to self fund if you want to test.
 
Some local councils have a clinical waste collection system going, in this case where they give out sharps bins and collect them when you let them know its full and ready to collect. Contact your local Council and see if they have a similar system in place.
 
Prescriptions are free if you are taking medication to control your diabetes.Get the form from the doctors surgery. Sharps bins differ from area to area. Your surgery or chemist or council can advise on this. I am assuming you are T2. If you are T2 and not taking insulin, you will be lucky to get a meter and prescribed test strips. Some do but most don't. If you control your diabetes by diet only you're going to be lucky to get anything, let alone for free. Sorry but that's how the N.H.S. money tree works.
Do test. Even if you fund it yourself. Test before a meal and before going to bed. Until you know how different foods affect you, it's best to test 1hour after eating also at 2 hours and then 2 1/2 to three hours after eating. Keep a food diary for future reference. When you know how different foods affect you,it's then possible to reduce testing after a meal. There is plenty of information on this main website and in the forums. No question is silly or unimportant. Always ask.
 
Hello Newyorker
Very few of us T2's are lucky enough to be given a meter and test strips on prescription. Quite a few of the forum members use th SD Codefree meter because the test strips are fairly cheap compared to others.
All meters only have to be accurate to + or - 15% which is perfectly adequate for our purposes. For example, if you test before your breakfast porridge and you get a reading of say 6·2 mmol. Then 1hr after you are 9·0 mmol and at 2hr's it's reading 12·0 mmol. Then your meter has shown that your porridge breakfast is doing you no favours, and you need to drastically reduce the portion or maybe try something else with less carbs
Here's a link for the SD Codefree meter http://www.homehealth-uk.com/medical/blood_glucose_monitor_testing.htm
And here's some discount codes for the strips --5 packs 264086-----10 packs 975833
This link will explain how to use a meter to lower your blood sugar levels
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045524.php
 
Just been recently diagnosed, and have a few questions, have looked on forums, but having trouble finding specific answers!

@daisy1 has a comprehensive advice post. She should respond to this.

1. What do you do with your lancets? If you have a sharpsafe - where do you dispose of that?
I use the tub the lancets come in - I don't replace the lancet for every test. Unless I test someone else!

2. Are all prescriptions free once you are diagnosed with diabetes?
You need an exemption certificate - or face a fine of £100.

3. Should my dr. have prescribed a bg monitor? He said I didnt' need one and that they give inaccurate results, should I still get one? How many testers will I go thru on an avera day?
Yes, but most don't for bad reasons. They rely on the 6 - 12 month HbA1c measurement that indicates how the disease is progressing.
Once you have established a diet plan - probably reduced carb, increased fat & plenty of veg, nuts, cheese, etc, you will know what food affects your blood sugar. Perhaps then 3 tests one day at least once a week would be a minimum. On rising, 1 & 2 hours after a meal.

Hope that helps. Feel free to ask questions. But remember, our answers are from experience - we are not medical practitioners, & we don't know your general health.
 
Hi @Newyorker and welcome to the forum.

IanD said:
Yes, but most don't for bad reasons. They rely on the 6 - 12 month HbA1c measurement that indicates how the disease is progressing.
Click to expand...

This doesn't necessarily mean your diabetes is going to progress, your Hba1c will likely show improvement with a low carbohydrate diet and a little exercise.

Feel free to ask any questions
All the best
Daks
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thank you all so much for your well informed responses! My questions have been fully anwered - you are all GREAT!!!
 
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