BG testing - a decision made

I was supplied a meter when diagnosed, I used it all the time. I monitored. I got my bloods down and felt better.
I didn't feel the need to as all my readings were within norms, so I stopped testing. I believed I was in control
Once the symptoms returned and I wanted to know, I started again. If you are aware of the symptoms, you don't ignore it!
Good luck mate. Be careful!

Thommothebear said:

I wish I'd started regular testing earlier, I would have found out just how rubbish the dietary advice I was being given was a lot sooner.


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Another post I would like to like multiple times.

Good post Eastcoastphil. There's more than one way to skin a cat, all roads lead to Rome etc. in that we all have the same objective in managing our condition but that objective may achieved in many ways.

You should not be exposed to ridicule on this forum for expressing the view that you are happy with the advice given by your healthcare professional and that you intend to follow that advice. Eating all your meals at McDonalds indeed!


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eastcoastphil said:

Thanks Syd, but forums attract many different sorts I guess.....

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As a matter of interest eastcoastphil, when is your next set of blood tests/diabetes review? Will you keep us informed of how well you are doing? Mine is an annual check usually, is yours the same?

Not testing is indeed your choice. Your reasons are your own business too, as many have said. However, you've posted on here to get reaction so I'm going to join in with that, if I may.

Porridge for breakfast is an odd choice. One of the first things I learnt when I was diagnosed is that most breakfast cereals are a disaster for T2s. The only type 2's I have heard of who can handle porridge at that hour, or indeed any time, are those who have been controlled for years. But hey, you might be one of the few that can handle porridge from the off. However, you tested at 9 m/mmol 45 mins after eating it. That would appear to show that it isn't the right food for you. It may have gone up more after that. Are you really happy with a food that gives you 9 m/mmol or more? I wouldn't be, not when it can be easily avoided by choosing other foods. Despite what you wrote in your first post, a spike of 9 is most definitely not "perfectly ok". Maybe the odd time at Christmas et but every morning? No.

Hba1c is useful in that it shows general control over a period of time but what it doesn't show are spikes. If you spike after a meal yet remain normal or low-ish most of the rest of the time, Hba1cs won't show this at all. You seem like someone who is very informed on the subject of diabetes, so you should know that if you're looking to prevent diabetic complications, the spikes are what we need to do our best to prevent. So you may get good or even excellent Hba1cs, yet still have regular spikes. Hba1cs aren't there to be 'passed' or 'failed', they're just a very general guide to overall control but don't tell you very much about what different foods do to your BGs. Besides, 'overall control' isn't really what we're after here, it's as few spikes as possible. No spikes would lead to a good hba1c but a good hba1c certainly doesn't mean no spikes.

I wish you the best of luck with everything, OP.

Until @sarah piped up, I thought I was the only one wondering about that reading of 9 45mins after porridge.

I mean, how high did it go? How long was the spike? Was it under 7 2hrs after eating? Inquiring minds will never know.

Eastcoastphil, I totally respect your decision to potentially wreck your health. I make similar decisions when/if I eat carbs that I know will take my BG up too high. However, when I do that nowadays, it is always informed by past experience with my meter, which affects the how much, when, what and in what circumstances.

Good luck.

eastcoastphil said:

Thanks Syd, but forums attract many different sorts I guess.....

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This takes us back a month ago when I was the first to reply to your previous thread on the topic and said "A lot are like you and UK Dr agree. You will have an a1c test every 3 to 6 mths to keep track of it"
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/thr...-actually-matter-that-much.58797/#post-550765

If you live in the UK, a T2 will be advised NOT to test. If you live in Australia a T2 is advised TO test.
you are in the majority if you don't test in the UK and those that do are frowned upon by the nurse and dr

A T2 in Australia is considered by the nutritionist and diabetic team nurse as not looking after themselves between lab blood tests, if they don't keep an eye on their bloods and diet. all T2 have the same home BG testing available on the same basis as a T1 does.

Thanks Jack.
And I will add that it is very rare in the uk for diabetics to actually get an HbA1c every 3 months, as recommended. It is more likely once a year.
And a year is a heck of a long time to eat foods that you think are ok, but actually aren't...

Try spending that year reading up about diabetes.
By the time you have read the following, you will probably know more about diabetes than the health care professionals you are trusting with your health.
http://www.bloodsugar101.com
And read 'Diabetes for Dummies' written by a specialist diabetes doctor
Armed with that knowledge you will realise that the advice handed out by your friendly practice nurse is unlikely to be based on the most recent, well conducted diabetes research.

eastcoastphil said:

In regard to the questions raised above:

1. My next visit to the DN (and therefore a test) will be in 2 months. I do have my Desmond pt1 in a couple of weeks but I assume they won't test me on that.

2. The point I was trying to make about a reading of 9 after a breakfast was that the DN said to me that it was 'OK'. I totally respect other views expressed on here, but I have no experience as I have only been diagnosed for a few weeks, so if a healthcare professional tells me it is OK at the moment at least I feel comfortable to accept that as I am a newbie. Perhaps in a year I may question it but for now I feel as if I already have a mountain of information being fired at me (Metformin, HbA1c, diet, carbs, etc) that I have enough to absorb without starting to tell the DN that I don't agree with her and to start testing on my own account.

Perhaps I am taking an easy way out here, but 4 weeks ago I would happily have had a coke and a doughnut if I fancied it and now I fear anything even likely to contain sugar, so please bear with me and don't think I am trying to tell you what to do - I don't have enough knowledge (yet) to know whether you are right or whether the DN is right, but I am learning as I go.

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You say you are learning as you go, but how will you know what is right or wrong if you do not test?

It is a lot to take in at the start, agreed, but you need to get your skates on. Diabetes will not wait for you. It is working away 24/7 no matter how chilled you are.

I appreciate there's a lot to take in after diagnosis but you appear to have taken in enough to have firmly decided not to test. I find your signature baffling. "Relying on diet and exercise" to control your diabetes is not exclusive to self-testing. They both compliment each other and testing makes things easier, not more difficult.

Hba1c tells only half the story, if that much. If you're relying on that alone, then you're only going to be getting some of the info you need to control your diabetes. Also, what if you get to three months, six months, a year before your surgery does your next hba1c (it varies depending on your practice) and it isn't as good as you wanted. What to do then? Try a different tack and wait another 3/6/12 months to see if that's working? Why wait that long when self-testing can tell you instantly?


I second the recommendation to read the Blood Sugar 101 website. It's truly invaluable. Please do read it carefully, don't expect to take everything in in one read, and afterwards see if you think a 9 every single day is an acceptable spike.

eastcoastphil said:

Perhaps I am taking an easy way out here, but 4 weeks ago I would happily have had a coke and a doughnut if I fancied it and now I fear anything even likely to contain sugar, so please bear with me and don't think I am trying to tell you what to do - I don't have enough knowledge (yet) to know whether you are right or whether the DN is right, but I am learning as I go.

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this could be a reason to test. more than likely the coke will be out, but perhaps a whole or 1/2 a doughnut won't spike your BG. only a post meal check will tell you this.
also you can still have an average A1c of 6% and still have wild swings high and low of BG above the recommended level causing vascular damage or it could be a stable BG with little swing giving an A1c of 6% average

anytime you go over 7.8mm you are doing yourself damage
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045678.php
The studies you will read below, some of which are not cited in the AACE guidelines, make a cogent case that post-meal blood sugars of 140 mg/dl (7.8 mmol/L) and higher and fasting blood sugars over 100 mg/dl (5.6 mmol/L) cause permanent organ damage and cause diabetes to progress

jack412 said:

this could be a reason to test. more than likely the coke will be out, but perhaps a whole or 1/2 a doughnut won't spike your BG. only a post meal check will tell you this.
also you can still have an average A1c of 6% and still have wild swings high and low of BG above the recommended level causing vascular damage or it could be a stable BG with little swing giving an A1c of 6% average

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I agree, last time I ate at McDonald's, I chose fairly wisely and the spike was 7.6. but like you say eastcoastphil these forums attract many different sorts. I still cannot eat porridge though.

Unfortunately the "different sorts" of folk here do not include both...

- people who have to acknowledge their condition every day and do whatever they can to minimise future complications

- people who just ignore it, stay chilled and get a telegram from the Queen anyway

I can eat a doughnut without a spike. How do I know? I test. I don't eat anything like that very often, hardly ever really, because I know one of the reasons I don't spike from a doughnut is because I rarely eat anything like that. Believe me, a bit further down the line after diagnosis it sure is nice to know I can have something like that on the odd occasion.

Basically, self-testing makes everything much easier, not more difficult. The benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.