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GP told me today to stop checking my blood sugar

I

Izzy100

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I was diagnosed with Type 2 in 2018 and tried to control it via diet. Unsuccessfully.

I occasionally check my blood sugar using a standard meter a couple of times a week. Recently I started getting readings of up to 29mmol/l so I contacted my GP and he called me this morning to discuss.

Who told you to check your blood sugar? he kept asking me, who told you to do that? Stop doing that!

I was really shocked. My last HcA1 in September 2019 showed 58, so he prescribed Metformin today. He never contacts me.

Has anyone else had this from their GP? Saying do not check your blood sugar?
 
Hi there @Izzy100 and welcome

Many people have been told not to test - there’s a long thread here, with lots of examples.

As well as prescribing metformin, did your doctor do any investigation of your very high readings, or give any advice about how to reduce them?

You mentioned unsuccessfully trying to manage by diet. Would you be interested in giving that a go alongside the metformin? If so, take a look at dietdoctor.com and have a look around the low carb section of this forum.
 
Izzy100 said:
I occasionally check my blood sugar using a standard meter a couple of times a week. Recently I started getting readings of up to 29mmol/l so I contacted my GP and he called me this morning to discuss.
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Hi @Izzy100 , and welcome to the forum!
Do your numbers come down again or are you staying this high?
How recently have you started seeing your blood sugars go high?

Should you start feeling nauseous or get a stomach ache, or otherwise have a feeling something's very wrong, don't hesitate to call 111 for advice when your blood sugar won't come down!

All the best, I hope things'll get better for you soon!
 
I think you need a new GP or someone who might take those numbers seriously.
An ordinary type two should be able to drop down into single figures for blood glucose by eating low carb - but most report being in the teens at diagnosis not almost twice that.
You need to be taken seriously.
Maybe call 111 for advice on what to do?
 
Please start looking for a new doctor.. or try and see a different one in the practice.
Please carry on testing regularly and try to get those numbers down 29 mmol/l is very high indeed.
Rather than telling you off he should be investigating what is wrong.
In my view your doc is being extremely negligent and anyway it's your health.
 

I'm actually speechless. Apart from having to test to know what is going on, what is he doing about your very high level? Did he mention ketones for example. You may be type 2 but you are still at risk of becoming very ill under certain circumstances. Metformin won't do anything to get that 29 reading down. Personally I would be testing a darn sight more at this time, when you get up, before each meal, 2 hours after and before bed. You need to see what the pattern is right now. x
 
Wow, anything above I think 13mmol is high and as a type 1 I have to check for keytones for anything over 16. When I was first diagnosed my blood sugars were at 55 and my keystones 5.5 and I was rushed to hospital in critical condition! I would go to another doctor moving forward, also it’s your body and not up to him if you wish to to check your blood sugar! Well done you for trying to take control and look after yourself. I don’t like your doctor!!!
 
Its strange but I did a finger prick test , and it showed up on my meter as 10.1 mmol .... this was minutes before I had my full blood taken by the hospital and then a full blood work done , (I did it on purpse to see how accurate my meter is ) .. The hospital blood work showed i was actually at 7.1 .. very significant difference ... My doctor also told me i had no reason to be self checking , given this level of difference, I can understand why ...
 
What was the blood work the hospital did and what were the units used?
If you are comparing a finger prick against an HbA1c for example the units are different.
 
This seems to be quite common for those with Type 2, I've heard it from friends. The GP's seem to think doing an HbA1C once a year is enough while I advise them to check it occasionally just to be sure everything is as it should be. It's a reassurance as much as anything.
The worst stories are of diabetics in hospital where the staff don't seem to have much idea at all of how to handle diabetics, you're much better off looking after it yourself.
 
I saw a great analogue about testing - It's like driving a car without a speedo, then when the tickets come in saying "my average speed was 40mph. What you haven't realized was it was made up of 100mph on the motorway and being stuck in a traffic jam doing 0 for hours too. Your body processes Carbs differently to mine and what works for me might send your BG's through the roof. The only way to know is to test
 
Was in hospital a couple of months ago for OHS, the food was minimal and ended up with toast and jam as well as a tiny bowl of sugar free cereal and had the choice of almost no food or eat food high in sugar, then they had the dim but bright idea of not letting me manage my insulin.

used to have issues getting test strips from the doctor and then asked for a letter headed doctors note that I did not need to test before driving and every 2 hours when driving. the penny dropped and get the strips I need now
 

I’ve recently moved house and GP, 3 people at the new surgery (1 doctor, 2 nurses) all tried to tell me my meds were wrong because my HbA1c was too low, I disagreed and was then compulsory referred to the diabetic centre team and had to undergo another grilling. It was extremely difficult to convince them that I know what I’m doing, and I’m doing it right! Keep testing is my advice. You said you have tried to control it by diet but weren’t specific on how, the only diet method that really works is low carb.
 
I've been type 1 for 45 years and can never remember having a bg of 29 , I seem to remember at a bad point a test of 23 which is far to high and needed sorting straight away which I did , Seems like you have a very bad Dr .
 
When he told you not to test your BS, did you ask why? I would of asked him "What harm am I doing?, surely it is good for me to keep a check on my health?" Maybe he feels that the monitors are not accurate enough, and is worried that it may stress you out, not sure. Some people can become obsessed with the monitors, and can cause anxiety. Maybe have another word with your doctor to find out his reasons for his opinion on monitoring yourself
 
As well as agreeing with everyone above about the appalling advice re testing and manner of delivery I’m really concerned about the treatment.

Is the 29 being ignored? Did he do a fingerprick check in the consultation? Is he treating you based on a test more than a year old despite bgl readings that indicate something much much higher. Unless there is more to the consultation that isn’t apparent on this thread I’d say he was medically negligent. Seek another opinion now, please. And if that shows you need significantly different treatment make a complaint to the practice manager so he doesn’t repeat this neglect

After diagnosis you should have also had eye and foot checks and at least 6 monthly blood tests (3 monthly til stable) according to NICE guidelines.

And I would keep logging your readings, on rising, before and 2 hrs after meals (Or as often as you can manage but record the context eg time and preceding meals etc

edit to add I just realised my indignation might scare you and that is not the intention. Please do seek urgent help if you have high teens or above and feel unwell, but otherwise take the metformin if you’re ok with it and reduce carbs a bit at least if numbers are high whilst seeking the second opinion though.
 
I know this discussion started a while ago but thought I would comment. I was diagnosed 15 or so years ago. I am type 2 by inheritance. My dr says no testing. I put my foot down when they wanted to add a medication that causes hypos. I am told not to test as I could confuse myself. With an IQ higher than most of them I find it an insult. I had a dieticians appt 15 years ago. No guidance since other than a yearly test. Up to now my sister has supplied test strips for occasional testing but has now changed meters. She too is type 2 but overweight so has more meds, my younger sister is on insulin. Different areas of the uk have different rules. Changing go might not help. On the diet front, I moderate carb because I cannot tolerate much fat. It is not right for all. I am losing weight but I think for other reasons. (Only 56kg anyway) I never see a diabetic dr, only a nurse. I spent three and a half hours in a and e last Monday (unrelated to diabetes) and my bloods weren’t checked. I was not offered drink until I was waiting to leave. I was not asked if I needed food. Hospitals do not worry if you get a problem while you are there. They need to be better educated.
Type 2. Met for in and sitagliptin.
 
I am very recently diagnosed T2; first thing they did was give me a meter and told me to test three times a day to start. The meter I didn't get along with, so bought one, changed it for one that works and believe me in the short time I've been diagnosed, it helps with peace of mind as well as dietary choices.

Ask your GP the rationale...a question costs nothing!

All the best
 

You might find after 6 months or if your hba1c is stable they take it off you, unless you are on insulin or gliclazide. I got mine initially because the diabetic nurse thought I had keytones (I didn’t). She didn’t fill me with confidence when she said that I might be type 1 like my mum (my mum was type 2). Then after 6 months they stopped the strips. I fought and got them back, but last week they have said I can have one tub every 6 months
 
All. A long discussion on this thread about insulin/insulin resistance has been moved to a new thread to preserve the releance of this thread.
 
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