Blood Sugars

[sufc22uk]

I’m type 2.
Should I be monitoring my sugars and if so what is the best equipment economically for doing so?

 

[MrsA2]

@Rachox has some info on finger prick monitors, these are the cheapest option

 

[Rachox]

Hi @sufc22uk and welcome to the forum. Thanks for the tag @MrsA2

Here’s some info on UK meters, and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned.

HOME HEALTH have the Gluco Navii, which is a fairly new model and seems to be getting good reviews if you use this link and select the meter plus 5 packs of strips, and then add the code dcuk (all lower case) at check out you may get money off, I’m not sure if this code is still valid.

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/

Links to the strips for future orders:

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/glucose-navii-blood-glucose-test-strips-50-strip-pack/


There are also discount codes for when you come to buy more strips - "navii5" and "navii10" will give you 20% off purchases of 5 packs of strips and 25% off 10 packs of strips respectively. Again I’m not sure if these codes are still valid.


Then they sell the older SD Code Free, details to be found here!

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/

Discount codes for the Code Free strips

5 packs 264086

10 packs 975833




SPIRIT HEALTHCARE

They have a meter called the Tee2 + which is quite popular however I haven’t been able to find it on their website lately.

(Old link which doesn’t work for me now but maybe works for you, if it doesn’t try the phone number below

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...e2-blood-glucose-meter?variant=19264017268793 )

The strips are to be found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...py-of-tee2-test-strips?variant=19264017367097

Some members have got a free Tee2+ by phoning up to order, with a large order of strips they often throw the meter in for free:

Phone number 0800 8815423


If there is a choice of units of measurement then ‘mmol/L’ are the standard units in the UK, ‘mg/dl’ in the US, other countries may vary.


Don’t forget to check the box if you have pre diabetes or diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)

 

[jjraak]

I’m type 2.
Should I be monitoring my sugars and if so what is the best equipment economically for doing so?

Hi @sufc22uk

I say a resounding YES.

I wasn't sure quite what to do when I arrived on the forum
I just knew I needed help.

Best tip I got was to buy a meter

Some liken it to driving a car with no instruments display

You can drive it, but you won't know how everything's going until it breaks down, goes 'Bang' one day or You start getting speeding fines, because you had no idea what speeds you were doing.

Same with our BG

We measure first thing in the morning (fasting Blood Glucose level)
That's usually the last to go down.

Think of our bodies like a big pot of glucose.
Others use it up at a decent rate.
But as type two we struggle ...and that's way before we get diagnosed.

So instead of using it, we store it, in every nook & cranny
We finally begin to run out of spaces, and with too much in us, eventually it spills over. ....
"Hello Type 2 calling "

The way to reduce the glucose in the pot is to use it up via muscles & exercise
And to try putting less in, by changing what you eat

Over time, by using up what's stored in us, and adding less glucose to the pot, we begin to manage our BG Levels

And the meter helps show us what those levels are at the points where we measure them.

Pre food is one point.
Then 2 hours after the meal.

That post food measure, IF under a 2mmol rise, tells us the food we ate was ok for us
If it rises by OVER 2mmols, then the food was too carby or we ate too much .

Lots to learn but that's the basics

I used the codefree at first.
It worked fine for me, but i stupidly dropped then stepped on it breaking screen ...
so went back to home health and then got the Navii...liked it better.

Like printer ink, the cost IS in the consumables.
For the meters it's The strips..£££

I found the Navii easy to use, cheap enough to not worry about using up strips (you will use a lot the first few months )
And it needs smaller blood sample then the codefree, so I now get very few errors on strips,
( that means that strip is now useless, so you need to redo test with new strip.)


You found the forum, and are asking sensible questions ..two positives in my book

I think you'll do just fine.
Best regards

 

[sufc22uk]

Hi @sufc22uk

I say a resounding YES.

I wasn't sure quite what to do when I arrived on the forum
I just knew I needed help.

Best tip I got was to buy a meter

Some liken it to driving a car with no instruments display

You can drive it, but you won't know how everything's going until it breaks down, goes 'Bang' one day or You start getting speeding fines, because you had no idea what speeds you were doing.

Same with our BG

We measure first thing in the morning (fasting Blood Glucose level)
That's usually the last to go down.

Think of our bodies like a big pot of glucose.
Others use it up at a decent rate.
But as type two we struggle ...and that's way before we get diagnosed.

So instead of using it, we store it, in every nook & cranny
We finally begin to run out of spaces, and with too much in us, eventually it spills over. ....
"Hello Type 2 calling "

The way to reduce the glucose in the pot is to use it up via muscles & exercise
And to try putting less in, by changing what you eat

Over time, by using up what's stored in us, and adding less glucose to the pot, we begin to manage our BG Levels

And the meter helps show us what those levels are at the points where we measure them.

Pre food is one point.
Then 2 hours after the meal.

That post food measure, IF under a 2mmol rise, tells us the food we ate was ok for us
If it rises by OVER 2mmols, then the food was too carby or we ate too much .

Lots to learn but that's the basics

I used the codefree at first.
It worked fine for me, but i stupidly dropped then stepped on it breaking screen ...
so went back to home health and then got the Navii...liked it better.

Like printer ink, the cost IS in the consumables.
For the meters it's The strips..£££

I found the Navii easy to use, cheap enough to not worry about using up strips (you will use a lot the first few months )
And it needs smaller blood sample then the codefree, so I now get very few errors on strips,
( that means that strip is now useless, so you need to redo test with new strip.)


You found the forum, and are asking sensible questions ..two positives in my book

I think you'll do just fine.
Best regards

Great info, thank you.

 

[Oldvatr]

YES! Best investment to make. And try to keep a food and results log to keep track of how different foods affect you. That way you can build up a menu list and a shopping list based on previously tried meals, and this will help cut down on the amount of testing you do in the future. I keep a spreadsheet for mine, and it has over 3000 entries in it which is 8 years of my journey recorded. So I can look back and compare a meal (such as liver and bacon), how my reaction to it has changed over time, and this is a measure of how my insulin resistance has fared.

 

[jjraak]

YES! Best investment to make. And try to keep a food and results log to keep track of how different foods affect you. That way you can build up a menu list and a shopping list based on previously tried meals, and this will help cut down on the amount of testing you do in the future. I keep a spreadsheet for mine, and it has over 3000 entries in it which is 8 years of my journey recorded. So I can look back and compare a meal (such as liver and bacon), how my reaction to it has changed over time, and this is a measure of how my insulin resistance has fared.

Interesting point about the resistance.

I must admit to being very curious once I first found out about its existence.

But as times gone by I've almost become Blaise about it

Not a good point in time for me to really check.
(Long story )..

But I think once back on my feet (literally)
I will begin taking note of my food diary a lot more to see if mine has improved (or not )

Thank you for the reminder & bravo for such good admin skills

 

[Oldvatr]

Interesting point about the resistance.

I must admit to being very curious once I first found out about its existence.

But as times gone by I've almost become Blaise about it

Not a good point in time for me to really check.
(Long story )..

But I think once back on my feet (literally)
I will begin taking note of my food diary a lot more to see if mine has improved (or not )

Thank you for the reminder & bravo for such good admin skills

Sometimes it helps to be a nerd.

 

[sue512]

Have you tried asking for one from surgery if in uk. My nurse reckons that if self testing reduces need for medication then it’s a cheaper option for the surgery, wise lady with a bit of foresight!

 

[Outlier]

My nurse reckons that if self testing reduces need for medication then it’s a cheaper option for the surgery, wise lady with a bit of foresight!

What a rare find! I wish more medical professionals thought that way.

 

[sue512]

What a rare find! I wish more medical professionals thought that way.

Sadly she’s giving it up and finishes on 31/8 to a job outside nhs. She’s had my hba1c done today because she wants to know what effect the low carbing had before she goes.

 

[Dave with T2]

Hi @sufc22uk

I say a resounding YES.

I wasn't sure quite what to do when I arrived on the forum
I just knew I needed help.

Best tip I got was to buy a meter

Some liken it to driving a car with no instruments display

You can drive it, but you won't know how everything's going until it breaks down, goes 'Bang' one day or You start getting speeding fines, because you had no idea what speeds you were doing.

Same with our BG

We measure first thing in the morning (fasting Blood Glucose level)
That's usually the last to go down.

Think of our bodies like a big pot of glucose.
Others use it up at a decent rate.
But as type two we struggle ...and that's way before we get diagnosed.

So instead of using it, we store it, in every nook & cranny
We finally begin to run out of spaces, and with too much in us, eventually it spills over. ....
"Hello Type 2 calling "

The way to reduce the glucose in the pot is to use it up via muscles & exercise
And to try putting less in, by changing what you eat

Over time, by using up what's stored in us, and adding less glucose to the pot, we begin to manage our BG Levels

And the meter helps show us what those levels are at the points where we measure them.

Pre food is one point.
Then 2 hours after the meal.

That post food measure, IF under a 2mmol rise, tells us the food we ate was ok for us
If it rises by OVER 2mmols, then the food was too carby or we ate too much .

Lots to learn but that's the basics

I used the codefree at first.
It worked fine for me, but i stupidly dropped then stepped on it breaking screen ...
so went back to home health and then got the Navii...liked it better.

Like printer ink, the cost IS in the consumables.
For the meters it's The strips..£££

I found the Navii easy to use, cheap enough to not worry about using up strips (you will use a lot the first few months )
And it needs smaller blood sample then the codefree, so I now get very few errors on strips,
( that means that strip is now useless, so you need to redo test with new strip.)


You found the forum, and are asking sensible questions ..two positives in my book

I think you'll do just fine.
Best regards

Really clear helpful post

 

[elljaycee]

Ayou tried asking for one from surgery if in uk. My nurse reckons that if self testing reduces need for medication then it’s a cheaper option for the surgery, wise lady with a bit of foresight!

Absolutely agree with your nurse, however I was turned down flat when I requested a meter. I got myself a free meter, Contour but steips are expensive. My hope is that by recording food + levels I can gradually reduce how many times per day I test but feel the cost is worthwhile at the moment.
I was diagnosed many years ago and followed the no treatment route but got blasé and have paid the price in high readings and Diabetic Retinopathy this year. Can't pretend it will be " fine " any longer.

 

[jjraak]

Absolutely agree with your nurse, however I was turned down flat when I requested a meter. I got myself a free meter, Contour but steips are expensive. My hope is that by recording food + levels I can gradually reduce how many times per day I test but feel the cost is worthwhile at the moment.
I was diagnosed many years ago and followed the no treatment route but got blasé and have paid the price in high readings and Diabetic Retinopathy this year. Can't pretend it will be " fine " any longer.

A hug for the retinopathy.

But a WINNER for taking stock and having such a solid plan.

Best wishes time & your efforts resolves things

 

[EllisB]

When I was first diagnosed I was obese and only slightly above the diagnostic threshold.

Quite rightly the medical team and I opted for diet, weight loss and exercise rather than meds. That meant I did not get a meter on the NHS.

I bought one and tested to learn what different carbs did to me. That helped me to reverse the t2dm.

Now it is back the gp gave me a meter and test strips without my asking.

The meters are cheap, the companies make their money from the strips. If you can afford it, it is a good investment. You may only need it for a few months.