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Advised against Blood glucose meter

 
I was told the same thing in Wales, although I have read that the current advice is to give newly diagnised Diabetics blood glucose meters. I have ended up getting my own ( lots of schemes give you the meter free and you only pay for test strips) and when I showed the diabetic nurse she was concerned about my fluctuating levels.
 
Hi
When I was diagnosed I was told that I would not get a blood glucose meter and was to.d thesame as most T2 the blood glucose level is monitored by your doctor through the HbA1c blood tests every 3 or 6 months months, which is fair enough but how do we as newly diagnosed T2's know what we are doing at least with a meter we know what our blood sugar levels are doing on a daily basis.
In the end I asked for one and insisted and my (ineffectual) diabetes nurse gave me a meter.
Testing is helpjng me understand whar is going on with my bloods and helping me recognise the way I feel due to my glucose levels.
Its all about the meters costing the NHS too much as the number of diabetics rises. No giving them out , i was told, saves the NHS £10 million a year.
Try insisting you have one.
Booked my HbA1c blood test took me 3 weeks to get to see the nurse to take my bloods and a further 4 weeks to see my Dr.
Thats my two penneth' worth
A
 


Hi,
I have just been diagnosed with type2 Diabetes two weeks ago. I was assigned a Practice nurse and the first thing she did was give me a meter, showed me how to work it and took a reading right there. After that I was to take my bloods 4 times a day. 3 readings before meals and one before bed. This is all recorded on paper so my nurse could see if there was a pattern etc. Before I saw my nurse I had toyed with the idea of buying a Blood Glucose Monitor as they are very cheap. It was the cost of the strips and the lancets that put me off. As I say I was given one complete with sharps bin for the lancets and blood strips. I am now on day 14 and there is a definite improvement to be seen. So, I reckon my diet is working but I don't see my nurse until next week and hopefully she will confirm what I think. So, my advice is to get a monitor with blood strips and lancets and lancet device. I see no reason why these should not be prescribed especially as they give the nurse a clear indication of how my Diabetes really is, rather than having the odd test whenever you have an appointment. I have several health problems but at least I know that my diabetes is being taken seriously and monitored by my nurse and doctor. Hope you get one prescribed, good luck, regards Brian.
 
 
That's great that you were given a meter but it does seem to me to be a slightly odd testing regime. Testing before meals but not after doesn't allow you to see how the food you eat is affecting your blood sugars which is the main reason most people on this forum use them. Also she apparently hasn't suggested the fasting BG first thing in the morning? Again a major indicator for most people of how things are going and the one that is usually tested if you have tests at the doctors.
 
How are you going to eat to your meter if you don't have one?
 

If they tell you that you don't need to know your readings, tell them that you don't need to control it by diet - and tell them that you won't bother unless they give you the tools to bother!

I considered suing the practice for the cost of the test strips - but they relented and got some for me. Tell 'em you're serious.
 

10 million in the NHS is a drop in the ocean. GPs may scrutinise their budgets but there is no great conspiracy about saving NHS money by not prescribing machines and strips. The NHS just at present does not understand how we use them and therefore does not advocate using them for our usage so it doesn't give them to us free. It's not about saving money, many of us are proving it saves money. To be honest why we carry on buying our own puts less reason on the establishment to provide them. There is no NHS money saving expert unfortunately 10 million is small change in the Billions the NHS Spends.
 
Hi, I use the same meter.The E-4 is an error code.Turn the meter off between tests using the button on the top right hand edge.Turn it back on and then insert a test strip with gold contacts into the meter.Make sure you have a good drop of blood on your fingertip.I find you need surface tension on the drop so if it is standing up on your finger it will be sucked into the test strip more easily.It does not always work but I managed 146 successful attempts out of 150. I also find it easier to lay the meter on a flat surface and bring my finger to the meter.Regarding the sensation of the lancet you can adjust your fastclix from 0.5 to 6 for differing depths.I presume 0.5 is for children and 6 is for Russian sailors.I hope this helps as this seems to be an accurate meter.
 

I know what you mean, the same happened to me except my GP did give me a meter. I started to use it but after a while my diabetic nurse suggested I stop it as I am also diet control with no drugs. Her advice was to save my fingers until I needed to test.
That was about nine years ago, I've never used it since and my test two weeks ago at the surgery was 4.2 and top marks in every other test even my BP.
Advise I can give is eat and drink moderately, cut out sugar in tea or coffee, try to go for sugar free when you can, cakes and biscuits occasionally as a treat, I call it "sinning" but it hasn't done me any harm. Just be sensible, and don't worry, there are thousands worse of than you and me.
Hope this helps and good luck.
 

I received the same answer when I was diagnosed 2 years ago, so I decided to give The Diabetes type 2 programme a go, and it worked, I buy my own strips and lancets. Ive since changed my Dr. Although the new surgery cant supply me with strips etc., (Not policy in this area) the new surgery is very supportive, and congratulate me on my management of diabetes type 2 by diet only. It lovely not to be told "There is no need to test" I understand why the surgeries in this area, are not allowed to prescribe Monitors, lancets, and strips, to type 2 Diabetics, tis the policy for this area. But there is no need for Drs. or the Diabetic nurse, to be so rude, when I mention I use them, I have never asked for a prescription. they are worth every penny I spend on the equipment - Gives me peace of mind, as I get to know how much and what I can eat. At the moment, I am changing to baking my own bread, to get it right to suit my blood sugar Levels, I need to know the blood glucose levels, 2 hours after eating. I cant just guess.
Hugs from Suffolk.
 
Advising people that needing to test (because of insulin use) is inevitable is so wrong. If they encouraged people to test, they might control their diabetes and not need insulin!
 
I'm part-way through a 6-week X-PERT course, and I can see both views on this now. One reason for this is that I'm in a group of 20 people on this diabetes education course, and the range of knowledge, understanding, and what we've already tried is immense. The person giving the course (who I'm impressed with), isn't a direct NHS employee (this is one of the contracted out bits of the service), so she has a certain freedom to look at the NICE guidelines and support us if we're doing something different - as I am. I'm not on medication, just knew I'd not be given a meter and supplies, so I went out and bought my own.

So one thing I do understand is the cost of meters and supplies - it does all add up. But much more importantly, I understand how much help and support we can then each need to make sense of our readings - and that the NHS really isn't set up to give us that. That's no excuse for not wanting a better service, but it's a sad truth. I've made diet and exercise changes and got a lot less improvement than I expected, and consistently get many of the highest readings of the day first thing in the morning. I'm at a stage of wanting someone to go through what I'm doing at present, what to change and why (I always need the 'why' to get the motivation on board), and informed thinking about where to go from here. I understand now why they want meters given out in a context of education and support - and a website and an online forum's not enough. In the group I'm in there are people who don't use the internet at all, people who use it for some things but don't like forums ... so I start to see their justification for their guidelines.

Having said that, the meter and testing have completely changed my approach to having T2. I see it as a tool, but a tool I need to learn how to use alongside everything else I have any control over.
 
AARRRGGG! when will they learn? I was diagnosed in 1971 and put on tablets. As I was very active I GOT HYPOs. Later put on insulin. The hospital couldn't believe I already knew about hypos. A few years later I wrote a letter to the Balance mag in response to a lady's cry for help about her husband's treatment and (to me) obvious hypos. Still the belief was that those on tablets don't get hypos. After my letter, they investigated properly and published an article under the headline 'Diabetics on Tablets can get Hypos'

I cannot remember the exact date, but it would have been about 1980. Are there really doctors and nurses around who still believe diabetics on tablets don't need to test their blood sugars ? Apparently there are! This is totally a cost cutting measure and should be resisted with enthusiasm. And it doesn't save money because the costs to the health service of poor control are much, much greater than the cost of a few strips.

Bob
 
IMHO it is not a cost cutting exercise as it doesn't cut costs in the long run. I believe unfortunately that many of us are making an assumption that we are not getting meters and strips on the basis of cost but there is no evidence to suggest thins is the reason they are withheld.
 
Just found this thread and as newly diagnosed T2 I have to say that the best advice I got from the forum was 'eat to the meter'. I got one from the diabetic clinic 5 weeks after diagnosis and the only thing I would say is don't panic if you get a high reading every now and again. It is a helpful tool and mine gives a 14 day / 60 day average. That's why the HbA1c is the important marker for doctor/nurse -giving an overal picture of what's happening over the last 3 or 6 months. Alongside that a meter can tell you what's effective in the short term and what difference certain foods and exercise make. I've learnt that different foods affect people in different ways. I found I could't eat rice cakes (even the brown variety) crackers or red wine. But SO pleased to find that levels were within normal range after having one crepe when on holiday in France(my favourite with lemon)and on another day half a croissant!!- both days I walked a lot and cycling -so plenty of exercise.
The advice about seeing a pattern is good too. Interestingly on the days when I can't get out for a 30 min walk or bike ride I find levels slightly higher . Just as others have said Diet and Exercise is the key!! The other thing I've found invaluable is a book that I ordered it the same day as I was diagnosed "Reverse your diabetes- The Step-by-Step Plan to Take Control of Type 2 Diabetes by Dr David Cavan- it gives so much useful information and if you want to be fully informed it's well worth reading. I even wrote a review for it!! http://www.diabetes.co.uk/shop/productdetails.aspx?pid=4234&utm_source=top&utm_medium=dd&utm_campaign=dd
 


My blood is boiling ! Without testing you will have no idea on your levels. If you go to your local diabetes clinic(not the one at the GPs !) the first thing you get is a meter. Knowledge is power. They tried the same trick at my mothers GPs, the local clinic soon put the GPs right !
 

Is this why the NHS doesn't see things as we see them? They're tuned into the longer term results all the time? Whereas we're the ones who're having to handle this on a day-to-day basis.
 
There may be NHS Guidance that differs, when it comes to the need to test and how many times to test but not because of a difference of opinion over long Hba1c and short term objectives around Daily variations. I believe the NHS and us individuals are both trying to keep prolonged high levels down we are just trying to do it in different ways.
 
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