I have a problem at the moment. I got a wonderful continuous glucose monitor. I know some people have had difficulties with it but FOR ME it's been awesome (sorry). Biggest thing was it saved my life last Saturday because I had such a major hypo. I would have slept through it. I have already had Ketoneuresis and I REALLY don't want ketoacidosis after THAT experience. So my team (FINALY been changed to one that SUPPORTS me. I can call if I have a problem, get advice, not simply be told, "Stop eating sugar!" During that hypo I called 111 and they told me to eat 2 TABLESPOONS of honey/syrup! That's a lot of sugar! Believe me, I love honey (and syrup if it's in a recipe) but at 4 a.m. and feeling absolutely awful and terrified - that tasted disgusting! I had to have a coffee to wash the taste down - the handler said that was an excellent idea as coffee brings sugar up apparently. I should have been through the ceiling but nothing touched it. "Keep doing it." Every 10-15 minutes she got me to check my blood. Same result ... 2 or lower! I was terrified. never felt so alone because my mum has Covid so she was in isolation. My dad ... well, he finds this difficult to handle (I asked him to pour me some orange juice and he FLIPPED. If - as he suggested - I had it on hand just for me in an emergency, it would have gone off as I hardly had any hypos in 15 years. No clue what my secret was (probably eating the wrong foods!). It's only now - after almost 20 years - that I have support and EDUCATION. It's fantastic. I finally understand my diabetes ... it's getting me fit, too! I can walk 4 miles with the puppy no problem now! I couldn't reach any of my friends. In the end I was forced to wake my partner. Not that he could actually DO anything (though he offered to jog to our house (e6 mile round trip) in the early hours with a jar of honey!) ut just having someone there for me while I was so frightened helped more than I can say.
But here's my problem: I have been unwell this week. Despite two negative PCR tests, my doctor is convinced I'm fighting Covid. So I have had a few hypers. I managed to get them back under control pretty quickly. The lady who gave me the monitor told me YESTERDAY if my blood reaches 13 mmol/L to check for ketones - not 17 as I was previously told. Unfortunately, without thinking, she didn't leave me with any ketone strips for the Libra Lite monitor. I have no urine test strips either as ... well, they were discarded. My DSN was horrified because I need a way to check right now. I THINK I'm OK but I'm not sure. You see, I have done something I've literally only done 6 times in my life (and that was because I was in a hot climate): drunk almost 2 litres of water. NOT that I'm thirsty but because I was told I should and it would help lower my sugar. But I literally need the toilet every 30 minutes or so - it's hard enough this alarm waking me up all the time without that but I'm glad it is. I would rather that - it's doing its job - than become seriously ill. I only have one hand I can test my blood on. That makes 3 fingers. It gets painful after a while. This monitor has stopped that FOR THE MOST PART. I do still do blood checks if I feel my sugar is different to what it's saying (so far it's been accurate to within 2 points. My ONLY symptom is weeing one hell of a lot. I did find a test striip but it was out of date. In desperation I tested using that ... it came out as 0.1 ... but I know there's the chance it's wrong. I literally have NO other symptoms ... but. I am panicking in case i DO have it (ketoacidosis) . My urine is completely clear so I know I'm drinking enough.
I have searched relentlessly online. Now, I'm visually impaired (not related to diabetes) so I may have missed something. Can anyone tell me if I can get the test strips for the Libra sensor in Boots or ASDA. My mum or partner can pick them up. Just need to know if they sell them and how much they are. I'm so sorry for this long post. I only intended to explain why I thought the monitor was so good and ask where to get the strips.
But here's my problem: I have been unwell this week. Despite two negative PCR tests, my doctor is convinced I'm fighting Covid. So I have had a few hypers. I managed to get them back under control pretty quickly. The lady who gave me the monitor told me YESTERDAY if my blood reaches 13 mmol/L to check for ketones - not 17 as I was previously told. Unfortunately, without thinking, she didn't leave me with any ketone strips for the Libra Lite monitor. I have no urine test strips either as ... well, they were discarded. My DSN was horrified because I need a way to check right now. I THINK I'm OK but I'm not sure. You see, I have done something I've literally only done 6 times in my life (and that was because I was in a hot climate): drunk almost 2 litres of water. NOT that I'm thirsty but because I was told I should and it would help lower my sugar. But I literally need the toilet every 30 minutes or so - it's hard enough this alarm waking me up all the time without that but I'm glad it is. I would rather that - it's doing its job - than become seriously ill. I only have one hand I can test my blood on. That makes 3 fingers. It gets painful after a while. This monitor has stopped that FOR THE MOST PART. I do still do blood checks if I feel my sugar is different to what it's saying (so far it's been accurate to within 2 points. My ONLY symptom is weeing one hell of a lot. I did find a test striip but it was out of date. In desperation I tested using that ... it came out as 0.1 ... but I know there's the chance it's wrong. I literally have NO other symptoms ... but. I am panicking in case i DO have it (ketoacidosis) . My urine is completely clear so I know I'm drinking enough.
I have searched relentlessly online. Now, I'm visually impaired (not related to diabetes) so I may have missed something. Can anyone tell me if I can get the test strips for the Libra sensor in Boots or ASDA. My mum or partner can pick them up. Just need to know if they sell them and how much they are. I'm so sorry for this long post. I only intended to explain why I thought the monitor was so good and ask where to get the strips.
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