Blood Glucose Monitoring

cottonsocks61

Newbie
Messages
3
I have just been diagnosed with type 2. For 3 yrs have been controlling by diet. I am not overweight and do moderate exercise and was very disappointed with my Hbac1 result as thought my doctor had said 7 was the top level and mine was 6.7. I am now taking Metmorfin SR500g. I was so shocked and argued to continue with diet but had to accept the tablets. Everything I should have asked left my head! I have never monitored my blood. No one has suggested I should but every post I read it seems people are. Should I go and ask about this? Maybe my diet is not as good as I think it is.
 

Osidge

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
1,272
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Bullies.
Hi Cottonsocks61

It may be that a change in diet would help your blood sugars but you do really need to be testing your blood sugar levels to see what effect various foods have on you, We are all different in the way foods affect us and you need to know what their effect is on you. It is all part of you managing your diabetes in *partnership* with your health care professionals (it should not be just a case of being told what to do). At the moment, a little bit of medicinal help is probably no bad thing but not as a substitute for the knowledge that you need to build-up about how your body copes with the foods you eat. I would certainly recommend that you approach your GP or Diabetes Nurse to ask for a meter (they often have a stock of them) and a repeat prescription for the testing strips and lancets that you will need for the meter.

Take care and good luck.

Doug
 

Md.rose

Active Member
Messages
43
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hello, I am type 2 on 3 metformin and 2.5 Glicazide, and recently changed my Doctor as my original one retired. The new doctor implements the NICE guidelines on type 2 and I only get one test strip to use a week!

This made me look more closely at what I eat to reduce Sugar and Carbs.

If you have an iPhone or iPad then I would recommend you try that 'myfitnesspal' application. My daily allowance is based on a well man check I had recently. So starting with breakfast I can check the food content.

My Daily allowance. 2 Shredded wheat 2 weetabix
With Soya mild
Calories. 2542. 214g. 218g
Carbohydrates 349 36g 37g
Fat. 85g 3g 3g
Protein. 95g 9g. 9g
Sodium. 2500mg. 10mg. 135g
Sugar. 50g 5g 7g

I do not know how active you are, I am retired and originally choose a sedatory lifestyle, ( and i lost weight which was not the object of the exercise in my case) and then activities, if I put in Say 3 hours of gardening my daily allowance will increase.
Recently I use the figures recommended after an essential male health check and with that I am maintaining my weight AND have very good control.

Do I use my fitness pal all the time answer is no not every day but i used it for a couple of months intensively and learned what I can eat for those first two months, and have cut out certain things like Dolce Gusto Cappachino, and too many potatoes too late at night which used up a lot of my allowance

I have purchased a Code Free meter, as the test strips for the Code Free meter is low compared to the other meters on the market. Some say it can read slightly high but it is withing the ISO standard.
The ISO standard for the accuracy of Blood Glucose Meters is:-
Within ± 0.83 mmol/L of laboratory results at concentrations of under 4.2 mmol/L
Within ± 20% of laboratory results at concentrations of 4.2 mmol/L or more.
I have found the Code Free very consistent in results compared to the one touch ultra that I have been using (still do one day a week)
The only issue with the code free is the finger pricier whose spring catch stopped working consistently after 2 months.
The meter itself is very good and works on a smaller blood sample compared to my other meter. So very pleased with the code free.
Try to get a meter donated but you may have to get lancets and finger pricker and the Code Free is the economic option.
Hope all goes well.
Michael


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LittleWolf

Well-Known Member
Messages
677
Hi, I also use the Codefree which reads the same as my grandma's Accuchek, the Accuchek in the ambulance and my lab fasting results. Order your strips directly from HomeHealth and try are a touch cheaper than Amazon x


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pr126

Well-Known Member
Messages
100
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi

I am recently diagnosed Type 2 diabetes, on 3 x 500mg Metformin.

I too purchased a CodeFree monitor, + 100 lancets, and 50 strips £25 for the lot from Amazon.co.uk

My GP thinks that it is not necessary to test my BG, which I think is in line with NHS money savings. :eh:

However, how can I control my BG without knowing what it is?
It is like driving a car without a speedometer when speed limits are mandatory.
 

Md.rose

Active Member
Messages
43
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I agree pr126 it is such a Post Code lottery for us type 2's. and so unprofessional, I only test once a day at night so that I do not sleep for 6 - 8 hours with high blood sugar, the 'myfitnesspal' has helped a lot.


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pr126

Well-Known Member
Messages
100
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Just got my testing kit delivered, made a test 3 hours after "breakfast" which is always the same every day, 3 spoonfuls of porridge oats in the microwave, and a cup of tea.

OK, first test: before meal 6.3 and 2 hours after 8.5 which I think within limits. At least I know what's going on.