Have you been told not to test your blood sugars?

[Tabbyjoolz]

If they have recommended the wrong diet, there won't be any improvement I'm afraid

The doctor joked that I may not fancy the Newcastle Diet and directed me to the Diabetes UK website. The nurse told me a load of rubbish about not eating egg yolks or chicken! I've found far more useful ideas on this site and I'm now eating a low-carb diet. OK so far...

 

[dbr10]

The doctor joked that I may not fancy the Newcastle Diet and directed me to the Diabetes UK website. The nurse told me a load of rubbish about not eating egg yolks or chicken! I've found far more useful ideas on this site and I'm now eating a low-carb diet. OK so far...

Good. My experience is exactly the same.

 

[walnut_face]

The doctor joked that I may not fancy the Newcastle Diet and directed me to the Diabetes UK website. The nurse told me a load of rubbish about not eating egg yolks or chicken! I've found far more useful ideas on this site and I'm now eating a low-carb diet. OK so far...

Nurse probably intended you visit the diabetes.org.uk site - the message differs thats for sure

 

[sheldon11]

This is not about whether the NHS should, or can afford to, provide test strips on a permanent or temporary basis to non-T1 diabetics. Having read #EveryCloud ’s post, and so many more like it over the years on this forum, I wonder whether we could gather together examples of Healthcare Professionals who have told people that it is either unnecessary or just plain wrong to test their blood sugars. It is a scandal that needs highlighting.

Yes, told T2 don't test by DESMOND seminar. Then given a monitor with enough strips for 1month but then new strips refused by GP. Tried to get them privately but seemed complicated if I'm not a medical professional (this in 2012). So I don't test. Getting a bloodtest form every 3 months is difficult as GP receptionists act as if they don't know what I'm talking about and frequently give me the wrong form that gets refused by the hospital bloods dept. Think my last test was over a year ago

 

[loznew]

I was diagnosed T2 mid July 2016 and was told not to test my blood sugars. I was given a monitor by someone at work who is Type 1 but had only used it once when first diagnosed. When I was very ill a few weeks ago I tested my blood sugar and it was 2.6. I phoned my GP Practice and the nurse who phoned me back was very abrupt when I told her I'd checked my blood sugar. I had to see my GP right away and was told I wasn't eating enough. As I'm newly diagnosed I wasn't sure if I was just ill or if the symptoms I had were related to my Diabetes. I can't understand why the nurse was annoyed at me why shouldn't I check my blood sugar level?

 

[peter7]

This is not about whether the NHS should, or can afford to, provide test strips on a permanent or temporary basis to non-T1 diabetics. Having read #EveryCloud ’s post, and so many more like it over the years on this forum, I wonder whether we could gather together examples of Healthcare Professionals who have told people that it is either unnecessary or just plain wrong to test their blood sugars. It is a scandal that needs highlighting.

Oh Yes, but support is lacking. I desperately need to understand the cycles of glucose bloods. When people quote a reading they cheerfully state a figure ie 5.6 but they never say when it was taken. After using a freestyle libre, quite unnecessary some might say, I get cycles ranging from 17 at 8.0am to 15.6 at 11.am to 7.2 at 2pm average 10 and 4.0 between 2am to 5am. This of course is proof that an haemoglobin of 52 should be regarded as satisfactory. I have glicazide, metformin and lanagliptin (sic) but it seems to me the cycles are wildly out of control and I don't know why. I wouldn't worry but at a recent op I was 16.6 and the operation was almost called off, I have another next Tuesday and cannot afford a high reading, followed by a critical one a week later. I have asked my diabetic nurse who says 10 average is OK, and cannot find help anywhere. My Gp requires 3 weeks notice if I need to see him and telephone advice is almost impossible to get, I might add warfarin but that is equally difficult to change due to a department that doesn't talk to other departments. Two ops coming up and trouble balancing blood sugars.

 

[Freema]

no only once in a while... I think it is a disaster that the GP doesn´t tell that testing is one of the most important Things in diabetes also in diabetes 2 ... the people that do test the most and notice what food they can eat easily I will bet they are the ones surviving the longest with most toes and eyes in behold

 

[bigdougr]

I was diagnosed T2 mid July 2016 and was told not to test my blood sugars. I was given a monitor by someone at work who is Type 1 but had only used it once when first diagnosed. When I was very ill a few weeks ago I tested my blood sugar and it was 2.6. I phoned my GP Practice and the nurse who phoned me back was very abrupt when I told her I'd checked my blood sugar. I had to see my GP right away and was told I wasn't eating enough. As I'm newly diagnosed I wasn't sure if I was just ill or if the symptoms I had were related to my Diabetes. I can't understand why the nurse was annoyed at me why shouldn't I check my blood sugar level?

Hi like yourself I was diagnosed with T2 in mid July this year, but nothing was even mentioned about testing my BG level at all by my GP when I was told. I was given as the GP almost implied a wonder drug called Metformin and a little Yellow book which would explain all I needed to know, and of I went. I only have one friend who suffers with T1 and asked them about BG testing, they are supplied with a test kit and test strips on the NHS and take insulin so sadly they could not answer my questions.So earlier this week I contacted my GP and asked about testing my BG and was told it would only make my fingers sore and was not needed to be done. I trolled the internet and and found lots of sites that said it is best to test your own BG. After reading this I have purchased an Accu-Chek Performa testing kit. This only has one problem the price of the test strips, I looked on Ebay to try and cut the cost but found the only way to really cut the cost was to buy them from places like India, China, Eastern block countries, USA or Australia.This made me wonder if they are the proper thing or cheap copies. Does anyone know if they are ok to use or dangerous as they do not give the correct reading.

 

[mallins]

I was told by my diabetic nurse not to test because if I got a high reading it would only put my blood pressure up! She also said I shouldn't go on a low carb diet. After doing a lot of research on the diabetes site and internet I decided to ignore her and I went on the 8 week blood sugar diet. I managed to get my bloods down into the normal range and when I asked her if I could come off metformin she said no as it protected my heart. At my last 3 month review my bloods were still within the normal limits.

 

[luttie]

This is not about whether the NHS should, or can afford to, provide test strips on a permanent or temporary basis to non-T1 diabetics. Having read #EveryCloud ’s post, and so many more like it over the years on this forum, I wonder whether we could gather together examples of Healthcare Professionals who have told people that it is either unnecessary or just plain wrong to test their blood sugars. It is a scandal that needs highlighting.

I

 

[luttie]

Hi like yourself I was diagnosed with T2 in mid July this year, but nothing was even mentioned about testing my BG level at all by my GP when I was told. I was given as the GP almost implied a wonder drug called Metformin and a little Yellow book which would explain all I needed to know, and of I went. I only have one friend who suffers with T1 and asked them about BG testing, they are supplied with a test kit and test strips on the NHS and take insulin so sadly they could not answer my questions.So earlier this week I contacted my GP and asked about testing my BG and was told it would only make my fingers sore and was not needed to be done. I trolled the internet and and found lots of sites that said it is best to test your own BG. After reading this I have purchased an Accu-Chek Performa testing kit. This only has one problem the price of the test strips, I looked on Ebay to try and cut the cost but found the only way to really cut the cost was to buy them from places like India, China, Eastern block countries, USA or Australia.This made me wonder if they are the proper thing or cheap copies. Does anyone know if they are ok to use or dangerous as they do not give the correct reading.

Hi I was told not to test as I could not alter the medication myself. I bought everything myself and found testing most useful. If I felt unwell I could determine whether my sugars were high or low. I do find a food diary really useful as you are able to pinpoint the foods that most effect you

 

[luttie]

I worked hard to get my own Blood Glucose levels down and under control only to be told that I needn't bother to test anymore and that the test strips would not be available to me (I'm Type 2) on the NHS.
Unfortunately they are far to expensive to buy outright so I'm simply forced by the NHS to give up testing altogether.
The irony of this policy is that careful B/G monitoring saves the NHS money in the long term and if I were to let thing go out of control I would get my FREE B/G test strips and cost the NHS much more.
Seems to me like the lunatics have finally taken over the Asylum.

I agree. It is far better to let us have the strips and do the tests so we the patients can control our health

 

[bigdougr]

Hi like yourself I was diagnosed with T2 in mid July this year, but nothing was even mentioned about testing my BG level at all by my GP when I was told. I was given as the GP almost implied a wonder drug called Metformin and a little Yellow book which would explain all I needed to know, and of I went. I only have one friend who suffers with T1 and asked them about BG testing, they are supplied with a test kit and test strips on the NHS and take insulin so sadly they could not answer my questions.So earlier this week I contacted my GP and asked about testing my BG and was told it would only make my fingers sore and was not needed to be done. I trolled the internet and and found lots of sites that said it is best to test your own BG. After reading this I have purchased an Accu-Chek Performa testing kit. This only has one problem the price of the test strips, I looked on Ebay to try and cut the cost but found the only way to really cut the cost was to buy them from places like India, China, Eastern block countries, USA or Australia.This made me wonder if they are the proper thing or cheap copies. Does anyone know if they are ok to use or dangerous as they do not give the correct reading.

 

[bigdougr]

Hi this is more an update than a reply I have now been testing myself for a week and found all my results point to Prediabetes and not type 2 as told by my GP.

 

[mafg]

This is not about whether the NHS should, or can afford to, provide test strips on a permanent or temporary basis to non-T1 diabetics. Having read #EveryCloud ’s post, and so many more like it over the years on this forum, I wonder whether we could gather together examples of Healthcare Professionals who have told people that it is either unnecessary or just plain wrong to test their blood sugars. It is a scandal that needs highlighting.

I agree that it's a scandal as I was doing really well until I stopped testing and now have high triglycerides. If they are willing to pay for poisons like metformin; why won't they pay for strips that can aid us in coping without metformin at a quarter the cost?

 

[mafg]

How can they get away with telling a hgv driver that testing is unnecessary is quite beyond my. Reasoning: proven by my high trigyceride levels which mean possible heart attack and carnage on a motorway.

 

[mafg]

I am pretty responsible but there are those that are not and govt complacency should be held accountable in any incidents caused.

 

[Bangkokian]

Like most replies, I have been told that type 2s do not need to test bs levels more than twice a year to "keep an eye on things". A visiting colleague from Thailand is type two and has a meter which he finds invaluable to determine what he should eat by experimentation. I am so sick of being a first world country with third world health service budgets. I'm going to buy my own and to he'll with the cost.

 

[jpr3323]

I worked hard to get my own Blood Glucose levels down and under control only to be told that I needn't bother to test anymore and that the test strips would not be available to me (I'm Type 2) on the NHS.
Unfortunately they are far to expensive to buy outright so I'm simply forced by the NHS to give up testing altogether.
The irony of this policy is that careful B/G monitoring saves the NHS money in the long term and if I were to let thing go out of control I would get my FREE B/G test strips and cost the NHS much more.
Seems to me like the lunatics have finally taken over the Asylum.

This is not to do with money. If you are eating a sensible diet in moderate sized portions, all you are doing by measuring your blood sugar is adding completely unnecessary pressure to your life.

 

[Jaylee]

This is not to do with money. If you are eating a sensible diet in moderate sized portions, all you are doing by measuring your blood sugar is adding completely unnecessary pressure to your life.

... And by the same token, motor vehicle manufacturers could omit speedometers from dash design. Thus cutting a little manufacturing cost & pass it on to the consumer..?
And we (as drivers.) could just wait for those endorsements/fines & bans to come rolling in?!

To which these "observed" speed limits are set to potentially "save lives". Or at least limit the collision damage..