That seems so silly to me! Considering I paid out of pocket for my meter and pay for my test strips! How are people supposed to know how foods affect them. or what their normal patterns are if they don't test! I can definitely see where someone could get stressed because of the readings, but I would rather know what is going on personally!Hiya. The reason they normally give is that people might get stressed if their readings are high. My response would be that that is for the patient/"client" to decide. The real reason (though I am sure some would debate it) is that the meters and the strips cost money...and if every Type 2 was prescribed these things it would add up to a huge amount of money. So, in brief - it is to ease pressure on budgets. That is also the expressed view of my own doctors. There is no medical reason to not test. Further, many of us here maintain that it is the only way to really get your levels under control with any degree of certainty that your approach is effective. I tested up to 8 times a day in the first two months or so after diagnosis. That armed my with information I needed to identify which foods were bad fro my own levels. It also let me identify a spike caused by a prescribed drug I was taking and the lack of impact of the meds for diabetes I was on. As a result of this information, I was able to easily talk my doctors into reducing the drug and to to stop the meds for diabetes and focus purely on diet. I now test in the morning and before and two hours after my main meal. Sometimes I don't bother. It is worth noting, that if you make progress with your diet, seeing levels getting lower on your meter is not only stress reducing...it is empowering.
Thanks so much for the advice - I will try speaking to someone at the practice. I just dread a confrontation
Have you been to a diabetic clinic? Went to my first one yesterday and they've got me testing 7 times a day and said 'it's imperative you know your levels before and after meals'.
Wow! That is certainly NOT the common experience! Are you a Type 2?
They aren't sure yet -the annoying thing about signing up to the forum here is that it won't let you sign up without knowing...
I was only diagnosed on Fri 16 June so should know soon.
I've also been given a blood ketone meter for if I read over 15 and I can't move for professionals testing me which is great (GP, GP diabetic nurse, Consulant, Hospital Diabetic nurse, dietician and of course 24h helpline)
I'm in Birmingham and can't praise the experience I've had more at the moment.
Currently have bloods off for antibody testing so hopefully will know if I am T1 soon enough, of course if it comes back as not conclusively T1 I may well be but we would assume T2.
Currently testing myself with meals of one type of thing plus salad which I know doesn't give me a raise - just had a southern fried chicken piece and went from 8 to 12 booooooo!
Is this really true? I am diagnosed Type 2, am not on insulin, and I'm not sure what qualifies as strong drugs, butThe reason you have been told to test like that is because they suspect you are Type 1. They anticipate high blood glucose levels and therefore a possibility of high ketones. Diagnosed T2s not on insulin or very strong drugs are not given meters and are told not to test by most GPs.
@
Is this really true? I am diagnosed Type 2, am not on insulin, and I'm not sure what qualifies as strong drugs, but
I was given a meter (well, I paid for it). I couldn't imagine not testing!
@
Is this really true? I am diagnosed Type 2, am not on insulin, and I'm not sure what qualifies as strong drugs, but
I was given a meter (well, I paid for it). I couldn't imagine not testing!
Hi @sashianna93, I am in the US, please feel free to ask me anything and I will try to help. I am learning how crazy our health care system is (even with insurance, I am appalled). Hope that I read this post right, as I am cooking dinner and haven't my glasses on). lol. This is the most informative site I have found, and answers are forthcoming!@
Is this really true? I am diagnosed Type 2, am not on insulin, and I'm not sure what qualifies as strong drugs, but
I was given a meter (well, I paid for it). I couldn't imagine not testing!
All I can say on the matter of testing yourself is to not get too hung up on it. Record your data over a week or two but don't radically change too much as you could easily end up not consuming enough calories and it isn't the right thing to do long term. Get yourself a balanced diet that you can stick to of around 1800 - 2000 calories, 1200 calories per day is too low. Do the higher calories with a lot more exercise and you will get there. Don't try and fix yourself in record time as it is not all about weight loss and a low hba1c. I was 14.5 stone in December with a hba1c of 58 and was really quite fit and muscular with a big gut and most of all I was pretty happy with life, tried to fix diabetes with diet alone and got down to hba1c of 44 within 4 weeks and 84kg, by middle of February I was down to 78kg . Sounds great until I seen pictures of myself and realised how skinny I had gone. Trying to stop yourself from eating too little can be a hard habit to break. I am now a shadow of my former self as when trying to put some weight back on I've ended up eating more meat and fat to get the calories down me without raising my hba1c. I should have just binged on carbs as I have sent my blood pressure up to over 150/90 and have really f****ed up. My diabetes
Please don't go down the bacon and eggs route every day or eggs and avocado as they will definitely have an effect on your heart health even though your cholesterol will go down and your liver function will be looking good, your arteries won't be doing so well. I wouldn't recommend peanut butter to satisfy your hunger either, well maybe once or twice but it is difficult at the time to realise how much damage you could be doing to yourself in a short period of time.
Please save yourself from some of the mad focussed suggestions and just be patient, Aah if only I could have posted this information to myself before I started I would be looking forward to every day as I used to instead of every day being a nightmare and fighting hard to retain my sanity.
I see! I'm sorry! I did not realize that. That is too bad! I think testing is so very important! Is it expensive to buy out of pocket?I was trying to explain that in my earlier reply. I am in Scotland, where we do not pay for things directly as in the States..insurance and all that guff. We have a National Health Service which is funded mainly by the people (through taxation and specific monies). Drugs prescribed by doctors here are "free" as is treatment. You can imagine that this is a huge political football and that the financial costs are staggering. It should be more obvious now why the NHS doctors (under pressure from management and government) are not so quick to issue free meters and strips - hence policy not to give them out to Type 2s.
Hi! Yes, I know our health system is pretty crazy! I know it sounds silly but I'm only in my early 20's and up until I was diagnosed my dad pretty much handled anything medical for me! So it has been an interesting process!!!Hi @sashianna93, I am in the US, please feel free to ask me anything and I will try to help. I am learning how crazy our health care system is (even with insurance, I am appalled). Hope that I read this post right, as I am cooking dinner and haven't my glasses on). lol. This is the most informative site I have found, and answers are forthcoming!
I'm sorry! I keep forgetting things aren't like they are here everywhere else! That is very interesting though.Yes, it is true. The strong drugs are the ones that stimulate the pancreas to produce extra insulin and can therefore cause hypos so testing is essential to avoid hypos, and in insulin is a requirement of driving. Metformin is not one of these drugs. You are in the US. We are talking about the situation in the UK which is very different.
Hi @sasharhianna93, with my youngest daughter (18) we submit our insurance yearly to keep her covered. I am hoping we will be able to insure her until she is 26 (easy under Obama, questionable under Trump). I urge you to check Walmart for testing strips, and if need be a new monitor (much cheaper, than what our insurance covers, and we pay a high premium). I have even contemplated going to Mexico to check out pharmacies. United Health Care is the pits, and one of the most costly. At least with Walmart, you can test and compare, and as you know I am an advocate for testing. Thinking of you!Hi! Yes, I know our health system is pretty crazy! I know it sounds silly but I'm only in my early 20's and up until I was diagnosed my dad pretty much handled anything medical for me! So it has been an interesting process!!!
Oh I know! They make you jump through so many hoops!! And you are right, it is very questionable under the Oompa Loompa lol. I have not tried wal mart yet, I use walgreens right now but their prices are quite high! Luckily I just got onto my dads insurance and all of my diabetes medications are now free because they are considered preventative!!!! I was paying over $100 a month for them all before!Hi @sasharhianna93, with my youngest daughter (18) we submit our insurance yearly to keep her covered. I am hoping we will be able to insure her until she is 26 (easy under Obama, questionable under Trump). I urge you to check Walmart for testing strips, and if need be a new monitor (much cheaper, than what our insurance covers, and we pay a high premium). I have even contemplated going to Mexico to check out pharmacies. United Health Care is the pits, and one of the most costly. At least with Walmart, you can test and compare, and as you know I am an advocate for testing. Thinking of you!
@sasharhianna, I am so happy to hear your on your dad's insurance! Our co-pays fall into that $100 range. Walmart has a whole diabetic section, and even their needles are less expensive (considering what we pay for with insurance). Right there with you on Oompa Loompa, especially after his latest escapades (will save that for my ranting on FB) lolOh I know! They make you jump through so many hoops!! And you are right, it is very questionable under the Oompa Loompa lol. I have not tried wal mart yet, I use walgreens right now but their prices are quite high! Luckily I just got onto my dads insurance and all of my diabetes medications are now free because they are considered preventative!!!! I was paying over $100 a month for them all before!
Yes, I am happy I am on his insurance (even if it is only for 2 more years) I will have to check out wal mart! And lol don't get me started on that disgusting excuse of a human!!! I wish I had a facebook so I could see your rant! haha. I try not to get too upset with all of that. It is what it is! I have bigger fish to fry!@sasharhianna, I am so happy to hear your on your dad's insurance! Our co-pays fall into that $100 range. Walmart has a whole diabetic section, and even their needles are less expensive (considering what we pay for with insurance). Right there with you on Oompa Loompa, especially after his latest escapades (will save that for my ranting on FB) lol
I have been told the same by my GP unnecessary to self check bg level'sThis is not about whether the NHS should, or can afford to, provide test strips on a permanent or temporary basis to non-T1 diabetics. Having read #EveryCloud ’s post, and so many more like it over the years on this forum, I wonder whether we could gather together examples of Healthcare Professionals who have told people that it is either unnecessary or just plain wrong to test their blood sugars. It is a scandal that needs highlighting.
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