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Blood sugar levels monitoring

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sexy247

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I've been told I have type 2 diabetes was given the pill metformin but my doctor did not give me a blood glucose meter and said I didn't need to check my blood glucose levels everyday with this pill is this correct I'm concerned if anyone can help me out I'd appreciate it thank you
 
Hi @sexy247 welcome lots of type2 s are told same thing by there GP but has you are on metformin I would have thought you should have a meter and strips on prescription? But has you are a newbie and I'm unsure about this information I will tag @daisy1 for you, she will get in touch with you with lots of information on how to help you with your diabetes.
From the Home page there is some information about meters and type2s but if you need more information on anything just ask the question and someone will answer it for you,lots of help and advice on here. Look around the site and you can find lots more information on various topics from home page at top left of this page. K
 
Hi and welcome to the forum, unfortunately T2's normally don't receive a meter so you will have to purchase your own but it is an essential item to have. If you want to see exactly what affect the foods you are consuming are having on your BS then it is a good idea to test upon waking, before meals and 2 hours afterwards. In doing this you will see exactly what foods spike your BS and those that it tolerates. It is generally a good idea to cut down or cut out potatoes, pasta, bread etc. Have a really good read of daisy's post when she posts it as it contains some great information
 
I wouldn't want to sit down to a meal without knowing what my BG was. Without a meter I wouldn't know what the level was 2 hrs after eating or at any point during the day or night. I consider a meter to be essential, not just monitoring levels, but for health in general. Doctors who tell you that you don't need one, don't need to test etc, just don't know what they are talking about and are often sadly lacking in diabetes knowledge. The more you can educate yourself about it, the better off you will be in general. You've come to the right place. Great resource here.
 
Morning,

I am trying to be more rigorous in my testing and I would like a little advice - I test a few mins before eating and I have been testing 2 hours after eating but there seems to be some conflicting information "out there".

1) Do you test 2 hours after starting to eat or 2 hours after finishing? Or should it be 90 mins after finishing to eat. I am going to be testing for all of these today to see what happens to my BG.

2) What is regarded as good ? I tested before breakfast - 5.2. I have just tested (90 mins after finishing breakfast) and its 6.2. An increase 1.0 after eating seems OK to me but I would like everyone’s view.

Thanks
 
Update to my post above.
Before Eating - 5.2
90 mins after finishing eating - 6.2
2 hours after finishing eating - 5.9
3 hours after finishing - 5.4 (so it has almost dropped to pre eating levels)

So Iam assuming that the 90 mins after finishing would be the best result to use?
 
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I'm a two hours after the first bite tester, because that is how a glucose tolerence test works.

We had a huge thread/debate and I took away from that it does not matter as long as you are consistent with your process the data is worthwhile.

PS Those are excellent non-diabetic numbers
 

Most T2s on diet only or Metformin will not be given a meter and strips on prescription. We have to buy our own. They are essential tools if you want to control this disease. Without one you are working blind and have no idea what certain foods do to your levels - you will be in for some shocks if you get a meter and start testing!

The most popular meters for self funding T2's are the Codefree and the Tee2 because the strips are much cheaper than other meters, and you need a lot of strips. You can't buy them in pharmacies.

Try here for the Codefree meter
http://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/blood-glucose-monitor/

and here for the extra strips
http://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/sd-codefree-test-strips-to-be-used-only-with-the-sd-monitor/

There are discount codes if you buy in bulk.
5 packs 264086
10 packs 975833

The Tee2 is here and the meter is free.
http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/

Don’t forget to check the box that you have diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for either meter)
 

Excellent numbers! Well done.

After eating there will be a peak in levels before they start to drop. The time of the peak will depend almost entirely on the contents of the meal eaten - the type of carbs (quick or slow release), and the amount of fat. Peaks are difficult, if not impossible, to catch. They can be within the first 90 minutes, or later. Sometimes much later with certain foods. (Pizza is an example in that the peak can come as long as 4 hours later)

All we have are the guideline target levels for "at least 90 minutes after the meal" (after first bite). The general rule is to test consistently at the same time so you can watch for trends, and most of us stick to the 2 hour mark.. It is also very useful to continue testing after the 2 hour mark to see how long it takes to return to base. I occasionally test at an hour, 90 minutes, 2 hours, 2.5 hours and so on if I am testing something new or if my levels have been playing silly beggars for some reason.

When you test is up to you ... but the NHS targets for post meal levels are 2 hours after first bite, as is the no more than 2mmol/l rise.
 
Hi @sexy247 I am type 2. First thing I got when I went to see diabetic nurse after diagnosis was a blood glucose meter, a prescription for Gliclazide and a form which I had to sign for free prescriptions. You should ask your healthcare team about this as my understanding, which could be wrong, is that as long as you are a medically controlled diabetic then you qualify for free NHS prescriptions. Fill in the form send it off and if you qualify they'll send you a Medical Exemption Certificate (about the size of a credit card). This covers you for all your prescriptions, not just for diabetes meds. Regards.
 

Thanks - this would save me £120 a year or so vs Bayer Contour Next (BCN).

Has anyone run Codefree and BCN side by side for a while to see how their results compare?
 
playing Devils advocate. Many people on here do not like the idea of The Government telling them what to do. and neither do I but everyone on here seems to agree that you test 2hs after your 1st mouthful and before. why not 3 or 4 or 5hours as long as you do not eat between meals and do so regularly the readings would/should be consistent and surely that is what matters. Of course they would be different but consistently different so good reading should be predictable

Now I am not advocating this but just posing the question and please don't say because I was told to. by Doctor or Nurse who are in fact in the UK part of the Nanny State Govt
 

I think you will find that some of us do continue testing after the 2 hour mark. I do to check certain things. I always test at 2.5 hours after evening meal, and by 4 hours it is normally bedtime so I test again then.

Why would/should the readings be consistent? Several factors, not least the contents of the meal, determine what happens after the 2 hour mark.

The government does not tell us to do anything at all as regards testing. The guidelines for the 2 hour target come from NICE, not from the government.
 

Does what you eat show up on your next reading or does it show out a day or so later??? Only asked because I had a naughty kebab and wine Friday evening expecting sugars to be high and they were fine but this mornings are high after only having sensible foods and drinks!?
 

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence NICE is an executive non-departmental public body of the Department of Health in the United Kingdom, and publishes guidelines in four areas: the use of health technologies within the NHS; clinical practice; From Internet when Search for NICE QED A Government Agency. I am not saying test as well as after 2hrs but Instead of 2hrs As for consistency if your diet is controlled varied but controlled then you readings should reflect this after 2 or 5 hrs
 
I strongly agree. When I started testing, I was delighted to find that often my bg had risen very little at 2 hours after a meal, or even sometimes had dropped a little. Sadly, I eventually realised that I suffer from gastroparesis (delayed stomach emptying). This is a known complication of diabetes and, as Dr Bernstein explains in his book "Diabetes Solution", it makes bg control extra complicated. It means that food can hang around in my stomach until the next meal, so causing little rise followed by a big delayed spike as suddenly two meals are digested all at once. But the length of the delay is unpredictable. So I really need always to test at 2 and 3 hours, and my bg may still be up at 4. Luckily I am not trying to inject insulin before meals, because this could be disastrous, the food arriving hours after the insulin dose that was meant to cover it. According to Dr B gastroparesis is reversible by good bg control. As I think I may be pre-LADA, I may well eventually need insulin before meals, so I am hoping to have improved my stomach emptying before that happens. I would urge anyone starting testing to be lavish with their strips and their time in the beginning, and test multiple times around meals, to find out their true situation.
 
bangkokdiabetic said:
I am not saying test as well as after 2hrs but Instead of 2hrs As for consistency if your diet is controlled varied but controlled then you readings should reflect this after 2 or 5 hrs
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Non-diabetics come back down to base fairly quickly, and that is what we should be aiming for. It is quite important to know our food choices are not keeping us elevated for longer than necessary. 2 hours is a good guide. 3 or 4 hours (without an earlier test) is not a good guide. That is my opinion.
 
JonM1 said:
Thanks - this would save me £120 a year or so vs Bayer Contour Next (BCN).

Has anyone run Codefree and BCN side by side for a while to see how their results compare?
Click to expand...
I can't comment on the BCN, but I am using both the Codefree and the TEE2 and I find them pretty interchangeable. The Codefree is a nicer object than the TEE2 and its strips are cheaper, but the TEE2 offers many freebies (meter in case with 10 strips & 10 lancets + lancet gun, control fluid, and on request replacement batteries & control fluid, CD & cable for connecting to a computer). In addition, the TEE2 customer service is 100% better. For the Codefree you only get customer support in working hours, and when you ring you have to wade through a lengthy menu. For the TEE2 the telephone support is 24/7! and you get through instantly to a real human being. It's just a shame that because the Codefree strips are available in bulk they work out much cheaper. I suggest we all ring the TEE2 helpline and suggest they offer a similar deal.
 

What you eat should show up almost immediately although the time it takes to peak and the time it takes to come back down can vary a lot depending on the mix of fats, protein and carbohydrate.

One well known example already quoted is pizza. The fats delay the spike from the carbohydrate, often by several hours. Alcohol can also delay a sugar spike for a while.

However once the meal has been digested (I would suggest usually within 4-5 hours) then anything else that happens is a result of a subsequent meal or your liver deciding to dump some extra glucose into your blood stream.
 
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