Blood glucose monitors

[Catey]

Good morning
as a newly diagnosed prediabetic, I’m still in very early learning stages about diabetes.
Having said that I’ve already started the low carb diet, hoping to change the outcome.
I also want to be able to test my blood sugars but am not sure about which monitor to buy, so would like any info as to which ones are deemed good
I have downloaded the app carb manager and was doing fine until I noticed the grapes I had scanned were coming up with 0 carbs, 0 protein and 0 fat. This was after I’d eaten nearly 200g and my eyes got blurry and head started to hurt.
I went onto investigate and noticed the app had so many varieties of green grapes, that I could potentially be messing up the whole low carb thing, if I input the wrong one.
Anyway, as I said my eyes began to get blurred (which hasn’t really been an issue for a few days until the grapes) so i’d like to be able to test when things like this happen.
Hope this makes sense x

 

[Diakat]

Here’s some info on meters, stolen from @Rachox. 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, 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


Or the SD Code Free which has the cheapest strips available.

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 thatyou have diabetes so you can buyVAT free. (for all meters and strips)

 

[Catey]

Here’s some info on meters, stolen from @Rachox. 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, 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


Or the SD Code Free which has the cheapest strips available.

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 thatyou have diabetes so you can buyVAT free. (for all meters and strips)

Thanks so much, it’s like a minefield when you look online. There are so many and so hard to know which is best (so to speak)

 

[Alexandra100]

I noticed the grapes I had scanned were coming up with 0 carbs, 0 protein and 0 fat. This was after I’d eaten nearly 200g and my eyes got blurry and head started to hurt.

Poor you, when you were doing your best, too! Maybe check your app against the info. on Diet Doctor. DD only evaluates grapes in general, not particular varieties, but imo it would be a very unusual type of grape that could find much of a place in a low carb diet. Most people here I think stick to berries, and not too many of them, but of course it depends how many g carbs you are aiming to eat daily / per meal. https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/fruits

 

[Alexandra100]

as a newly diagnosed prediabetic, I’m still in very early learning stages about diabetes.
Having said that I’ve already started the low carb diet, hoping to change the outcome.
I also want to be able to test my blood sugars

You have made a terrific start to controlling your pre-diabetes. Congratulations!

 

[Catey]

You have made a terrific start to controlling your pre-diabetes. Congratulations!

Thanks Alexandra
I want to try and avoid medication if I can. Not because I don’t want to take any, but I already have tables for other things and this would just be more, so I can control it another way, hopefully it will work

 

[jjraak]

Hi @Catey

for what it's worth i chose the code free.
works well for me.
meters are cheap enough... but it's like printers ...it's the strips or ink that costs the money.

Not had a real issue with mine.
gives me a figure and that figure
forms a trend that i can follow
and say ..yep that's higher or lower
then yesterdays...or it helps gives a pre food score ...that post food should be less then a 2 mmol Rise.

if it is over that, it tells me i NEED to change out that food/OR limit the amount

Great start for YOU so far..BTW.

..
i did LOVE grapes..Nom, nom, nom.. ..and bananas...
however i fell more attached to my feet... so decline to eat them like i used to

And that's where the meter comes in.
it tells you
....................THIS is OK
OR
...................THIS is NOT ok..

Otherwise your just guessing.

and when it comes to bits of me staying or (Gulp) being cut off or seriously damaged.
i .personally DO NOT WANT TO BE GUESSING,,,:***:

Good luck on your journey
the road is long
but Oh SO worth travelling

 

[VashtiB]

Hello and welcome,

I think getting a meter and testing g regularly is the best thing you can be doing for your health.

The meter lets you know how many carbs your body can tolerate.

I think going lower carbs will make such a difference in a few years when you don't develop diabetes- congratulations on being so proactive- I wish I had known then what I know now so I could have been that proactive.

 

[jjraak]

Hello and welcome,

I think getting a meter and testing g regularly is the best thing you can be doing for your health.

The meter lets you know how many carbs your body can tolerate.

I think going lower carbs will make such a difference in a few years when you don't develop diabetes- congratulations on being so proactive- I wish I had known then what I know now so I could have been that proactive.

Got to agree there @VashtiB
Not sure I would have been wise enough to listen, then though ..

Shameless use of a little retort I posted elsewhere.

It's like a treasure hunt, and our El Dorado
Is the promised land of Normal BG's

So I think that the
HBA1c.. Is the location,
BUT the meter is the map

So we know where we want to go, we just need to know how to get there as quickly and as safely as possible.

And without a meter we COULD just be going around in circles, lost in the wilderness of misinformation and blind guesses.

 

[Catey]

Thanks guys, I’m feeling a little sorry for myself at the minute.
I think the reality might be starting to kick in, that this is a forever change and
I guess I’m missing not being able to eat carbs, and so sick of feeling forever thirsty.
On the plus side I’ve not had hypos or false hypos for over a week now
I went for an ecg the other day and the nurse has told me to come to the diabetes clinic, so thats a help too.
I have a huge low carb ingredient shopping list being delivered tomorrow, so time to start experimenting

 

[Resurgam]

I'm afraid that the usual response to grapes is 'too high in carbs' - about double the maximum I set my limit at, even though botanically a berry, its not on the list, and 200gm would be more than my total daily allowance of carbs.
I hope though, that you find the low carb foods help to lower your blood glucose, and that you like them.
This evening I boiled up a pack of frozen seafood, and had a salad - celery, beetroot, tomato, a few peas, a bag of ready made salad, radishes, cucumber, a little linseed, a sweet pepper, with olive oil and vinegar dressing. Delicious.