Frequency of testing

[manicarrie]

Hi guys,
I don't want to start World War 3 here, I am just being nosy. How many times a day DO you guys test your BG, and how many times a day do you think you SHOULD test? The reason I am asking is following a scrap with my local GP surgery. Yes I have been neglecting my diabetes, but have decided to take back control and got back I touch with my hospital team, and have got my hba1c down from 101 to 78 in 6 weeks, with their help and support and by regular testing. BUT this means more test strips, because I was ordering more strips than normal (testing under hospital instructions) they had held back on my prescription - without telling me. I got it after I had proved my point, but they say it is only temporary. I am currently testing about 8 times a day, before and after each meal, before bed and usually one late afternoon as I eat my dinner quite late. Now, I have been told that I am also supposed to test every time I am going to drive anywhere. In theory that would add another 4 - 6 tests a day when you factor in the school run (2 tests) taking my hubby to and from work (again 2) and doing errands like shopping and appointments. I don't test these times though as they are usually close enough to a normal test that I am confident (ie the morning school run is within 15 minutes of my pre breakfast test and my breakfast). But then other people, seem surprised at my 8 tests a day. I am just asking what you guys do and what your thoughts are, please, no arguments

 

[andcol]

As far as I am concerned that isn't excessive. Just take the DVLA legal requirement in and demand they comply or you will be contacting your MP, Consultant, Dept of Health etc. Additionally you need to test for your insulin don't you so isnt that before and after ever meal? Then extras for they occasional mishaps. Surely 8 times a day for a T1 is probably nominal! Is his name Dr Scrouge?

 

[Squire Fulwood]

Is his name Dr Scrouge?

I can' t really join in this one since I am a T2. I was given a meter and had my test strips stopped altogether. Is that sense???

Anyway the name Dr Scrouge is delightful, Neither one thing or the other. Scrooge or Scrounge I mean. I think I could adopt that as a new word.

 

[graj0]

I don't think it's just the doctor, the doctor is following guidelines, whether we think they're good guidelines or not. I don't think there's any question that the strips are needed to provide the sort of feedback diabetics need and I'd suggest both type II as well as type I (been very lax lately, should I be surprised at 13.4 first thing this morning?)
If you need hospital treatment after an injury playing sport, an activity recommended in a effort to maintain health, it's covered, maybe we should introduce sports insurance to cover what the NHS pay for now, as in New Zealand.
If you need hospital treatment after a car accident, it's covered, even though the hospital can claim off the insurance, I wonder how many do.
I think I can simplify the whole NHS question, there's money going in (not enough) and money coming out (too much), test strips for diabetics are an easy target, we may not die immediately but who knows what damage is done over the years.
I believe that as a general rule, the NHS will do anything to save money. As much as I hate to say it test strips is minor in comparison to other things that are going on in an effort to save money.

 

[Riri]

It may seem minor but,for myself (T1 on a pump) I could be in serious trouble very quickly if I didn't have enough test strips. Again, total shortsightedness to skimp here; the OP has indicated his BSs are coming down by testing more. This saves the NHS money - a lot of money in the long run. I think 8-10 times is fairly normal. I do test more but it's because I have to - before driving, bolus calc and weird non-hypo warnings occasionally. I also am prone to every bug going which causes BSs to go haywire. Let's all write to our MPs if we are coming under pressure to test less.

 

[copepod]

Driving requires tests before setting off, then every 2 hours on long journeys. So, it's likely that at least some of those times would already be covered by pre or post meal tests. Only one test per school / work run, unless they're very long journeys. Once you're used to things, you'll still need tests before each meal and before bed, but not after every meal. I'm type 1, and test before most meals, before driving, before & after sport and before bed. On average 5 - 6 per day, as some tests fulfill more than one need.

 

[kitty55]

I test around 10 times a day. Before and after food. Before bed and when I wake up. Before driving and in between. It's crazy that they are trying to limit how many test strips you can have cos as a previous poster said it'll save money in the long run but I guess the NHS doesn't think that far

 

[TheFish]

My wife is type 1 and has a pump she tests around 6 times a day

 

[dtennant9]

I test around 6-8 times a day depending on what I'm up to.

 

[Hooked]

Normally I test around 8 times a day. Sometimes I hit the 12 mark, sometimes I get lazy and test 4 times.

 

[Nuthead]

Normally 4 times a day unless testing for a new food or feeling unwell, that type of thing..

 

[DonnaC-T]

Normally 7-8, sometimes only 4 at the weekend if I'm feeling lazy. But during the week I'm often on my own with 30 children so I do my post meals

 

[donnellysdogs]

Anywhere from 6-12 a day. However 90 days currently shows at 73/ tests; SD 2.3 and overall average readings at 6.6.. So happy with that..that an average of 8 tests a day... And thats quite low for me... Used to be a lot more, bit relaxed a little on instruction from consultant as I am too anal. Averages are still good... Too good seems the 6.6 will be 0.7 too high compared to an hba1c......which if taken this minute would equate to a 5.9,,,, which wld horrify my consultant....

 

[Kaha]

I think the numbers for T2 is too high . Also strips are not cheap in many places . question: Are you not feeling that you are loosing too much blood from your body? Just inquiring whether it has any impact on health?

 

[Nuthead]

I think the numbers for T2 is too high . Also strips are not cheap in many places . question: Are you not feeling that you are loosing too much blood from your body? Just inquiring whether it has any impact on health?

Only a good impact on health because you have a good idea of your bg throughout the day and can take appropriate action if required. You're doing what you can to avoid health issues due to diabetes in the future.

 

[janeliz]

Every day is different. If blood sugars are stable I test 4-5 times a day but if they are not or my BG is too low to drive then I may end up testing 7-8 times a day. Sometimes it feels like you have to do an activity or drive around pre and post meal testing purely to save on strips. Type 1

 

[Scardoc]

I test around 10 times a day. Before and after food. Before bed and when I wake up. Before driving and in between. It's crazy that they are trying to limit how many test strips you can have cos as a previous poster said it'll save money in the long run but I guess the NHS doesn't think that far

Unfortunately, as the Country is £1.5T in debt the Government doesn't think any further than the next General Election and keeping themselves in power. Cameron is proving this nicely now with the flashing red lights!

I am of the firm belief that the answer here is a reduction in the cost of strips. If 50% of all the diabetics in the UK (1.6M) tested 8 times a day then the NHS would need to buy 12.8M strips per day - that's 4,672,000,000 per annum. Even splitting that between say 4 companies (for choice of meters) is 1,168,000,000 strips per year. That is 320K a day or 40K a working hour.

Where I am going is that I used to quote press work which could bang out 40K metal parts an hour and the cost was miniscule.

Yesterday I bought 16 x ASDA Ibuprofen for 25p. Brand name was £1.30-odd. I think the same goes on with test strips to the NHS and even higher to Joe Public. Our MP's need to start there. Make them more affordable to the NHS and they will become more available to diabetics. That will help long term complications and save the Country money.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Don't forget if they sourced from UK companies.. They should have to pay tax... And the fact that people can manage their own health that they would be kept out of hospital and may have less sick days off....

 

[iHs]

Back in the 1980s and 1990's On twice daily insulin, i just tested 3 times per day most of the time but occssionally tested mid morning and mid aftrrnoon to make sure that my bg levels were ok and if not, eat a bit more snack if a bit low, or miss the snack if a bit high. I then was able to use tge bg levels to adjust the carb correctly. It was only when changing over to bolus basal that I stsrted to feel that I needed to test more as the regime without knowing about carb ratios etc was so unpredictable with hypos and highs....hence the reason why Think like a pancreas was written .
i now bg test about 8 times per day and test about 15mins before driving and if necessary eat some carb or jelly babies to keep me safe and for good measure I keep a bag of midget gums on my dashboard so until cgm becomes affordable on the NHS its frequent bg testing for me

 

[tim2000s]

iHs, I completely agree. It's MDI that has driven the increase in my testing rather than anything else, even though I was carb counting when I moved over to it.