Hi I was diagnosed with dt2, 2 years ago and last year I was put on metformin 750 twice a day, should I be testing my blood sugars I asked my nurse and she said we would discuss it next time I see her but she's now left the practice now with everything going off I can't get an appointment to see anyone about it. If I do which is the best tester kit and where do I get it from.
Should I be testing my bloods
- Thread starter rvdroe71
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ianpspurs
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Yes test before eating and 2 hours after. Look for a rise of less than 2, ideally as little as possible. Would be good to use some form of recording what and how much you ate to evaluate foods/meals/combinations which are good or bad for control. Would also be good to note how much carbohydrate each meal had. Many people use Tee 2 but plenty of meters out there. https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/tee2 Hope this helps
A lot of T2s try to control our blood sugar by diet, espcially low carb - testing helps you understand the maximum carbs you can eat at one meal, and over a day, to keep your blood sugars in range.
The NHS isn't funded to do this, and NICE stated a lot of us wouldn't understand our results but it simple, plus lots of help in here.
The NHS isn't funded to do this, and NICE stated a lot of us wouldn't understand our results but it simple, plus lots of help in here.
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I agree with @ianpspurs. Many of us, me included re not told to test or told not to test but in my view how can you know what changes you need to make unless you know what foods your body can tolerate.
Again I really sympathise with @ianpspurs signature block- I don't enjoy low carb- carbolic here but it keeps my blood sugars in the right range and I have lost weight without trying and without rigorous exercise and also with counting carbs so what else can I do. I take the risk of the complications of diabetes very seriously
Again I really sympathise with @ianpspurs signature block- I don't enjoy low carb- carbolic here but it keeps my blood sugars in the right range and I have lost weight without trying and without rigorous exercise and also with counting carbs so what else can I do. I take the risk of the complications of diabetes very seriously
JohnEGreen
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When diagnosed my doctor said I did not need to test.
On leaving his surgery my first port of call was the pharmacy next door where I purchased a meter and strips.
I have tested every day since and have pretty good control of my blood sugars as a result.
I say test, test and test.
You can get home HbA1c tests from various places if you so desire or wait till you can arrange one with your doctor.
If you go low carb now you may find your test result when you have one may already be in the normal or pre-diabetic range.
On leaving his surgery my first port of call was the pharmacy next door where I purchased a meter and strips.
I have tested every day since and have pretty good control of my blood sugars as a result.
I say test, test and test.
You can get home HbA1c tests from various places if you so desire or wait till you can arrange one with your doctor.
If you go low carb now you may find your test result when you have one may already be in the normal or pre-diabetic range.
HSSS
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https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/home-testing-and-testers.172820/#post-2233903 See post 13 for links to cheaper to run meters
Zeddedhed
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I'm in more or less the same situation as the OP. I've just started testing as I REALLY need to get my HbA1c down. I know that testing doesn't give the same result as a HbA1c test, but by checking fasting sugars and pre and post food numbers I can get a much better idea of what effect the Metformin and diet are having on my BC. Not very scientific I'm sure but it can't do me any harm I guess.
Turns out that if you need practically nothing and take 2000mg of Metformin a day your BC doesn't get too high!!
Turns out that if you need practically nothing and take 2000mg of Metformin a day your BC doesn't get too high!!
HSSS
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You’re right the two tests are different. Measuring different things.
Hb1ac is just an average (weighted to more recent weeks at that) of what your bgl has been doing. It can be erroneously affected by things like anemia and red blood cell lifespan. It can comprise of highs and lows (not good) or steady even levels (good). It is a simple check on the overall picture.
Blood glucose levels are a snapshot of right now. In isolation they mean little unless extreme. Well timed and as means of assessing the effect of food and activity along with progress and improvement of overall levels they are every bit as valid and possibly much more useful than hb1ac. It is scientific, not sure why you think it’s not.
I presume you meant eat practically nothing. And if you eat the right things you can eat plenty.
It’s more accurate to say if you eat practically none of the sugary or starchy foods you may not even need the metformin to get good bgl
See the links at the end of my signature for more details.
