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Advice on testing

Andrew1958

Andrew1958

Newbie
I am recently diagnosed as T2 and was told that blood sugar testing is not necessary or supported by the NHS.

I got a meter (Pura X) and do some testing, but I am not sure what I am doing or what I am looking for. I would appreciate feedback on the following:

1. Nor does the Pura meter compare with others?
2. Is £17 for 50 strips reasonable compared to alternative meters?
3. When and how often should I test? I normally test first thing in the morning and occasionally at other times, always at least 2 hours after eating.
4. My readings are nearly always between 4.6 and 5.9 and are most often in the low 5's. What does this mean and are these levels ok?

I avoid high sugar food > 4 % sugar, have started exercising regularly (cycling 3 miles to work) and have lost weight 3 stone in 3 months but am still very overweight.

Thanks in advance for any responses / advice or pointers of where to go for answers.

Andrew
 
I forgot to say that I am taking 2 x 500mg of Metformin per day.

NB I replied to my original post as I could not see how to amend it. Can you do this?
 
Well done on the weight loss. I was diagnosed type 2 in September 2014, I test in the morning and 2 hours after break. Test before your meals and again 2 hours after. You don't want a rise of more than 2 points. Your current levels are very good and you should be proud of them. After a while you will get to know what foods your body can handle and those it cant. You will also find that if you are under the weather or stressed your BG levels will rise. Also don't check your BG levels just after exercise, wait at least 30 to 40 mins. I bought the SD code free meter at it was cheap to buy and the test strips are about £7 for 50, And if you buy 3 boxes its works out cheaper still.
I would say when you get your next bloods done your HBA1C will probably show you at normal levels.
 
Hi and welcome

Many of us use the Codefree as suggested by @bluejeans98 above. They are the cheapest strips especially if you buy in bulk.
Use these promo codes
5 packs 264080
10 packs 975833

If you want to learn which foods your body can handle, you need to test immediately before you eat, then 2 hours after your first bite. Keep a food diary including portion sizes and record your levels alongside. You can then look back and tweak those meals until your 2 hour levels improve. Some of us also test at 1 hour after eating. Spikes are to be expected as everyone would spike after a meal with carbs, even non-diabetics, the aim being to be well on the way back to normal at 2 hours. If you aren't, then you need to test again at 2.5hrs or until it is dropping. Once you are happy with a meal or new foods, you can relax on the testing.

You can also test as soon as you get up in a morning to keep an eye on your fasting levels. I also test at bedtime to make sure I am back to normal by then.

Good control is under 6 fasting, under 5.5 before meals, and no more than 2mmol/l higher at 2 hours (less is preferable) Never higher than 7.8 at any time, preferably less, and back down again as soon as possible. We all have different targets according to our personal preferences, so you can set your own. Personally I aim to be in the 5's and 6's at all times.
 
Hi. Agree with everybody as above. Just the bit about tweaking your posts -- there's an edit tab at the bottom under your red signature.
 
Hi and welcome, like the others have said regarding testing, just keep testing and the codefree is the cheapest around as the strips are £6 for fifty, although cheaper if bought in 250 and they also have a long use by date on them too.

As for food "what you can and can't eat", just test and see, everyone is different in the reaction to carbs for e.g I can eat Apples and banana's, many can't, fruit bars are ok for me also I can also eat Albran but not cornflakes or weetabix. I've had to give up Guinness and beer but I can drink red wine.

Your levels are really good.

I spent quite a lot of time in supermarkets looking at food labels and not buying foods with a high carb level, but I've changed my attitude now from avoiding carbs outright to testing first then going on the test results as to wether I eat them foods again.
 
This is the most sensible advice I've seen since being diagnosed in October 2013 and thanks for the advice on what monitor to buy as I was getting very frustrated asking the diabetic nurse if I should test and being told no and not needed. I've Just ordered the code free monitor as I've looked and the test strips for other monitors have been ridiculously priced. Hope now I can get a better idea of what I can eat and what maybe I should avoid. Thank you everyone
 
Hi & welcome,
From what you have said your well on the right track, with readings like that you are eating the right things I would say, most important is you cut the sugar right down.
What about starchy foods do you still have them or have you cut them down also.
 
Andrew1958 said:
I forgot to say that I am taking 2 x 500mg of Metformin per day.

NB I replied to my original post as I could not see how to amend it. Can you do this?
Click to expand...
Hi Andrew, three stone in three months is impressive, keep it up.

You need to look at carb content as carbs also turns to sugar once inside us. Fat is fine though so butter, cheese, olive oil, duck fat etc won't raise your bg one bit nor lessen your weight loss, only make you nicely full for a long time.

I find it very useful to test after one hour and then every hour until I'm back to baseline.

My favourites: http://www.dietdoctor.com/ good low carb site
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/index.php good diabetes (mostly T2) site in general, science based, low carb
 
Andrew1958 said:
I am recently diagnosed as T2 and was told that blood sugar testing is not necessary or supported by the NHS.

I got a meter (Pura X) and do some testing, but I am not sure what I am doing or what I am looking for. I would appreciate feedback on the following:

1. Nor does the Pura meter compare with others?
2. Is £17 for 50 strips reasonable compared to alternative meters?
3. When and how often should I test? I normally test first thing in the morning and occasionally at other times, always at least 2 hours after eating.
4. My readings are nearly always between 4.6 and 5.9 and are most often in the low 5's. What does this mean and are these levels ok?

I avoid high sugar food > 4 % sugar, have started exercising regularly (cycling 3 miles to work) and have lost weight 3 stone in 3 months but am still very overweight.

Thanks in advance for any responses / advice or pointers of where to go for answers.

Andrew
Click to expand...
You're doing great but just watch how much carbs including sugars you eat as all carbs including many fruits will push the BSs. It's a matter of trial and error to match what you eat against the tablets your're taking and their reactions to carbs vary in all of us...I'm type I on insulins and also taking 6 X 500mg metformin SR per day.
 
Thanks to everyone who responded for my request for advice. Most helpful.

One other thing - how often should you change the lancet in the pricking device?

Thanks
Andrew
 
Hi @Andrew1958 Some I understand change on every prick/test, but many leave for a week or so. I must say I do about a week, when it seems to starting to ping a bit, I always know it's time to change.

Neil
 
Help I bought a code free monitor which has arrived today. I've turned it on set the beep to on and now it isn't doing what it says in the instructions. Not allowing me to set times etc I've just got a book symbol and it just changes from 7-30 days mm the screen when I press the left or right arrow
 
cookiesT2 said:
Help I bought a code free monitor which has arrived today. I've turned it on set the beep to on and now it isn't doing what it says in the instructions. Not allowing me to set times etc I've just got a book symbol and it just changes from 7-30 days mm the screen when I press the left or right arrow
Click to expand...

Keep playing. The instructions aren't wonderful, but you will get there. You have to press the centre button to set stuff before you press the left and right buttons.
 
You have to press and hold the centre button, then use the L and R to set things and if what is shown on the screen is what you want, press the centre button to set it, then L button again to get to next screen.
 
Type2 testing is supported by the NHS
It seems to be not only a postcode lottery but also how proactive your GP is

If you show intent to manage yourself through testing, exercise and foods then there should be no reason not to support your case for strips on prescription

In some cases you will receive a meter as well

Don't take no as a final answer. It's just an opportunity for them to save on budgets for all, but keep pressing
 
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