Blood Sugar Testing

[adorable]

I have had Type 2 since 2003. My son gave me a blood sugar testing kit to help me but I was unsure how to use it so I took it to the Diabetic Clinic and was told that it was not a recommended practice for the patient to use as they would become worried if it varied too much. Now I don't know what to do.

 

[daisy1]

Hi Adorable and welcome to the Forum. I definitely believe it's essential to test but Diabetic Clinics and HCPs often don't want to pay for the strips. That's why they don't want you to test. It's great that you have got a testing kit, and you can get more strips off Ebay when you run out. In this basic information below, written by the Forum Monitors, there are recommendations on when to test. If your levels are varying a lot, or too high, or even too low sometimes, you need to know so you can do something to correct it. The advice says it's for newly diagnosed members which I know you are not but I think you will find this useful anyway. There is a lot of essential information in here:

Here is the advice that Ken and I, as Forum Monitors, usually give to newly diagnosed Diabetics. We hope that these few ideas gained through experience help you to gain control and give you some understanding of Diabetes. This forum doesn't always follow the recommended dietary advice, you have to work out what works for you as we are all different.

It's not just 'sugars' you need to avoid, diabetes is an inability to process glucose properly. Carbohydrate converts, in the body, to glucose. So it makes sense to reduce the amount of carbohydrate that you eat which includes sugars.

For more information on CARBOHYDRATE see here:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=20306

This is NOT a low carb diet suggestion, just a reduction in your intake of carbohydrate. You have to decide yourself how much of a reduction will keep your blood glucose levels in control.

The main carbs to avoid OR reduce are the complex or starchy carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, starchy root veg and also any flour based products. The starchy carbs all convert 100% to glucose in the body and raise the blood sugar levels significantly.

If you are on Insulin you may find that reducing the carb intake also means that you can reduce your dose of insulin. This can help you to keep weight gain down as Insulin tends to make you put on weight and eventually cause insulin resistance. This should be done slowly so as not to cause hypos.

The way to find out how different foods affect you is to do regular daily testing and keep a food diary for a couple of weeks. If you test just before eating, then two hours after eating, you will see the effect of certain foods on your blood glucose levels. Some foods, which are slow acting carbohydrates, are absorbed more slowly so you may need to test three or even four hours later to see the effect that these have on your blood glucose levels.

Buy yourself a carb counter book (you can get these on-line) and you will be able to work out how much carbs you are eating, when you test, the reading two hours after should be roughly the same as the before eating reading, if it is then that meal was fine, if it isn’t then you need to check what you have eaten and think about reducing the portion size of carbs.

When you are buying products check the total carbohydrate content, this includes the sugar content. Do not just go by the amount of sugar on the packaging as this is misleading to a diabetic.


As for a tester, try asking the nurse/doctor and explain that you want to be proactive in managing your own diabetes and therefore need to test so that you can see just how foods affect your blood sugar levels. Hopefully this will work ! Sometimes they are not keen to give Type 2’s the strips on prescription, (in the UK) but you can but try!!

For TIPS FOR STRIPS see here:

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=19002#p173253

If you are an Insulin user in theory you should have no problem getting test strips.

The latest 2010 NICE guidelines for Bg levels are as follows:
Fasting (waking and before meals).......between 4 - 7 mmol/l...(Type 1 & 2)
2 hrs after meals........................no more than 8.5 mmol/l.....( Type 2)

2hrs after meals......................... no more than 9 mmol/l ......(Type 1)

If you are able to keep the post meal numbers lower, so much the better.

It also helps if you can do at least 30 minutes moderate exercise a day, it can be split into 10 min sessions to start with. It doesn't have to be strenuous.

The above is just general advice and it is recommended that you discuss with your HCP before making any changes. You can also ask questions on the forum on anything that is not clear.

Finally a few QUESTIONS TO ASK AT DIABETES CLINIC.

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=17091



Sue/Ken.

 

[Sid Bonkers]

Hi adorable and welcome to the forum.

In my opinion testing is fundamental to gaining good bg control, only by testing each and every meal will you know what the food that you eat does to your bg levels. But random testing will serve no useful purpose it has to be done correctly. And when done to help you gain knowledge about bg control it can only have a beneficial effect both on your bg levels and your anxiety levels too.

The Nice recommendations for T2's are:
Fasting (waking and before meals).......between 4 - 7 mmol/l
2 hrs after meals........................no more than 8.5 mmol/l
There is no way you can achieve these figures unless you test, how else will you know if you are within these recommendations?

How to do it for best results.
Before you eat test your bg level, eat that meal and then test again 2 hours after you have finished eating, if your bg is not back to where it was before you ate or very close to it you have eaten too much carbohydrate. ie bread, cereal, potato, pasta, rice etc.

The next time you eat the same meal test again but reduce the amount of carbohydrate in that meal by say half, then test again two hours after you have eaten and see if your levels are better, if they are then you will know that that amount of carbohydrate is OK for you to eat, if it is still high you will need to reduce the carbs further the next time you eat that meal until you can eat a meal and see your levels return to normal after two hours.

Keep a food diary and note the amounts of food with your readings and you will soon have a good data base of foods and amounts of foods that you can eat without spiking your bg levels.

Hope that makes sense

 

[JUSTFOCUS]

Hi A
the one and only reason your dbc told you not to test is that they would be worried that you askd for testing strips (A small fortune) The philosephy behind self testing is like been able to fine tune your Bg's a bit like a tuning fork to an instrument . If you test correctly and use the results against what you have eaten .Will give you a better chance to learn about your tolerance for food /drink or any diet you may folow . I have found this method to be very easy regarding my bloods results and info i have learned of other members on the forum . I don't think any diabetic person should be without strips and a meter as potentionaly the lack of awerness could prove in fatality e.g machine operators ,driving your car, Factory work etc,etc,
JF.

 

[ShyGirl]

 

[Ali H]

Hi, it is normal to test 2 hours after food not one because your blood sugar level could still be on the way up especially after eating a carb rich meal.

Some also occasionally check at 3 and 4 hours if slow release carbs have been consumed because again, it could still be rising.

Ali

 

[cugila]

Those that are keen to know what the 'spikes' in Bg are MAY test after 1/2 hr or 1 hr to see if the levels are high then as well.

Surprising what some people need to know when trying to understand Bg levels and the effects certain foods have, especially quick acting carbs. Sometimes the levels are even higher than the 2 hr tests.

 

[ailz]

I've been told by my doctor (yesterday) that I don't need to test - but if I must test then he will allow me strips to do it Once a Week :roll: . What good is that? He said that as I'm on Metformin I can't have hypos so there is no need to test. But what about how bg? Don't worry about it, I was told, you're a type 2.

 

[cugila]

I've been told by my doctor (yesterday) that I don't need to test - but if I must test then he will allow me strips to do it Once a Week :roll: . What good is that? He said that as I'm on Metformin I can't have hypos so there is no need to test. But what about how bg? Don't worry about it, I was told, you're a type 2.

This is the responses you got from the thread you started about this yesterday........save repeating the answers again.

viewtopic.php?f=25&t=20685&p=187699#p187561

 

[ailz]

sorry - I'm not very with it this morning - suffering from fibromyalgia fog.