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Checking Blood Sugar Levels When Controlling T2 With Diet

M

Mikeee

Active Member
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Hi everyone. I've been controlling my T2 with diet and exercise and have managed to get my blood sugar levels down to acceptable levels. I visited the doctors this week with a separate issue and she noticed that I had lancets and test strips on my repeat prescription. She asked why I have them and I said that I checked my levels as it gives me something to work to. She said that I shouldn't be checking my levels if I am controlling it with diet, she said that the readings wouldn't make sense if using the equipment when not taking blood sugar lowering medication. The doc has now cancelled my repeat prescription for the testing equipment . I'm a bit disappointed as I still like to check my levels from time to time and it gives me something you work to if they are showing a bit high. Anyone experienced similar or think the doc is correct.

Cheers Mkeee
 
Just want to add after my initial annoyed reply (annoyed for you not at you) you're doing all the right things, your doctor is an ass
 
Not many GPs in the UK will issue strips etc for those T2s controlled with diet and exercise

No - scrap that - I would not have thought any GPs would provide them (NHS) ...

The solution is to buy your own strips and lancets ...
 
Yes - (sadly) you did well to get them in the first place.
 
Your doctor is wrong, as well as ignorant, but unfortunately is in control of your prescriptions. As others have said you could look for a new one but from anecdotal evidence you are unlikely to get mters/strips on prescription because you have good control. Talk about **** about face NHS... If you can afford it I would get the SD Codefree meter that a lot of us use due to the cost of strips being reasonable. I would be completely lost without mine.
 
Sadly, most doctors haven't a clue about how useful a meter is to T2s. They are used to issuing meters and strips to T1s, who HAVE to test to monitor their highs and lows. Oh, and they issue them to T2s who are on insulin or other strong meds, for the same reason.

It has never crossed their minds that we can use the meter to tailor make our own diets, testing before and after food so that we can gain excellent control of our blood glucose without needing meds.

Of course, not everyone wants to do this - but for those of us who do, we almost always have to buy our own meters and strips. But it is well worth the cost. Lots of us who post here have got good enough control that our blood tests are no longer in the diabetic range, which is excellent news for our long term health! :) Hope you join us! :D
 
Is it feasible to go back to the doctor who originally prescribed the test strips and lancets and ask him/her if they would reinstate them?

Yes, most, if not all Type 2's, unless they are on glucose-lowering medication, are told that Type 2's don't need to test. This is so obviously not even rational. It's obvious to most that testing is the only way to learn to control your diet. One reason is that the surgery's think they save money and are swayed by the NICE guidelines that the 'professionals' seem to interpret to suggest not to test.

Crazy, eh? ;)
 
If I was of the conspiracy mindset, I'd almost think this was a plot by dietitians to blind us to the truth of precisely what carbohydrates do to our blood glucose. If we can't test, then we'll never discover that the advice they dole out is completely useless for Type 2s. God forbid anyone ever questions their arcane wisdom o_O
 
Mikeee said:
Hi everyone. I've been controlling my T2 with diet and exercise and have managed to get my blood sugar levels down to acceptable levels. I visited the doctors this week with a separate issue and she noticed that I had lancets and test strips on my repeat prescription. She asked why I have them and I said that I checked my levels as it gives me something to work to. She said that I shouldn't be checking my levels if I am controlling it with diet, she said that the readings wouldn't make sense if using the equipment when not taking blood sugar lowering medication. The doc has now cancelled my repeat prescription for the testing equipment . I'm a bit disappointed as I still like to check my levels from time to time and it gives me something you work to if they are showing a bit high. Anyone experienced similar or think the doc is correct.

Cheers Mkeee
Click to expand...
Told by my doctor that no need to test if T2 and using diet and exercise to control. Although I do have other health issues also.
 
I brought this up at the Diabetes Education Programme I attended last week. The DSN hosting it asked how many people in the room tested. Two of us (including me) put their hand up. She looked askance at me as I had told her earlier in the session that I was controlling my T2D with diet and exercise only.

She later let slip (to everyone) that T2Ds tend not to be issued with meters because, in her experience, "a lot of people take down the numbers but do nothing about them".

Let's just say none of us were too happy with this admission.

And yes, as an aside, the Eatwell Plate did the rounds too.
 
Mikeee said:
Hi everyone. I've been controlling my T2 with diet and exercise and have managed to get my blood sugar levels down to acceptable levels. I visited the doctors this week with a separate issue and she noticed that I had lancets and test strips on my repeat prescription. She asked why I have them and I said that I checked my levels as it gives me something to work to. She said that I shouldn't be checking my levels if I am controlling it with diet, she said that the readings wouldn't make sense if using the equipment when not taking blood sugar lowering medication. The doc has now cancelled my repeat prescription for the testing equipment . I'm a bit disappointed as I still like to check my levels from time to time and it gives me something you work to if they are showing a bit high. Anyone experienced similar or think the doc is correct.

Cheers Mkeee
Click to expand...
No. Nurse is talking nonsense. It is absolutely idiotic and typical of what we are up against. Try the SD codefree. Not very expensive.
 
bulkbiker said:
Your doctor is wrong, as well as ignorant, but unfortunately is in control of your prescriptions. As others have said you could look for a new one but from anecdotal evidence you are unlikely to get mters/strips on prescription because you have good control. Talk about **** about face NHS... If you can afford it I would get the SD Codefree meter that a lot of us use due to the cost of strips being reasonable. I would be completely lost without mine.
Click to expand...
Yes. Best option. We cannot let idiots screw us up any more than we are already.
 
Indy51 said:
If I was of the conspiracy mindset, I'd almost think this was a plot by dietitians to blind us to the truth of precisely what carbohydrates do to our blood glucose. If we can't test, then we'll never discover that the advice they dole out is completely useless for Type 2s. God forbid anyone ever questions their arcane wisdom o_O
Click to expand...
If we didn't test, we wouldn't know that the diet advice is rubbish and the treatment is inadequate. We might even wonder why are doctors seem to be trying to kill us.
 
My GP is happy with me testing and has been impressed with results. I still don't get a meter and strips on prescription though , but he is at least honest about why - in that he's not permitted by our practice manager to issue such prescriptions (unless possibly when I'm ill and having problems)... AFAIK it essentially an NHS cost control issue (but non the less still quite short sighted and idiotic :mad:).

We had a thread a while back about idiotic things our diabetic support people have said and my favourite regarding reasons for T2s not to test was to the effect that "you might hurt your fingers"!! Presumably T1s must be made of sterner stuff and actually come equipped with pain proof digits.:wideyed::wideyed:

Robbity
 
That's is so irrational it's frightening. classic doublethink.
It's clear most medical professionals think the majority of diabetics can't handle the idea of self control.
 
instead of the doctors educating us about our condition we should maybe educate them on how
to do it correctly
 
Thanks for all your thoughts folks. I forgot to mention that my levels had gone up to 70 following my last HBa1C test. The nurse has given me 6 months to get my levels back down to acceptable levels or I will have to go on the Meds. I told the doctor this and she acknowledged that my levels had gone up but she still said the readings wouldn't mean anything unless I was on blood sugar lowering meds.
 
7.0 mmol/l is 7.0 mmol/l no matter whether you are on meds or not? Some HCP's talk a load of ........:***:
 
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