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Have you been told not to test your blood sugars?

I got told off for purchasing my own glucose monitor after being diagnosed with type 2 back in December 2017, told me I was wasting my money and it wasn’t needed. Fast forward to February 2020 and I’m now under the hospital diabetic team being treated as Type one on insulin. But I ended up on 2G metformin, 160mg glicazide and 25mg alogliptin every since drug lowered my HBA1C for the 3 months and then a few weeks to a month after being told I was in a healthy range I ended up testing in the high 20+ mmol insisted in another blood test and every single time it come back 20 points out of range so another drug until they put me on the three I mentioned above then finally referred me to the hospital team. It’s been a nightmare
 


Living in the west mids, my Gp doesn't provide test strips or meters. If I want to test my blood, I have to fork out the best part of £30 for the strips. It's not happening. I've had the flu years ago, but Coronavirus is said to be 100 times worse. Let's just hope that there's light at the end of the tunnel and those diabetics posting theses threads stay safe and come out the other side. Take care all.
 

There are much cheaper brands of test strips than £30 for 50.

The Tee2 brand https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/products/tee2-strips?variant=19264018645049 come out at around £8 for 50
and the Codefree is similarly priced.

Regarding the severity of Covid 19, the vast majority of people are either asymptomatic, or just get mild symptoms - that is why it is spreading so easily. Huge numbers of people have had it and been passing it on without realising it because their symptoms have been so mild. It is only a small minority who get it badly enough to compare with flu (and even flu varies in severity), then an even smaller number who get it badly enough to hospitalised.

Of course, it is still very dangerous for those who get it badly, and they definitely need the appropriate health care, but fortunately many, many, people do not experience that.
 
Have you tried eBay?
 

Why is there no general guideline?
I just hang up the phone with my diabetes nurse and she told me: come and pick up a machine on Monday and I’ll send a prescription for needles to the pharmacy.
They’ve also told me in January that self testing is not useful in the beginning (diagnosed around Christmas, type 2), as in should focus on lifestyle change, food intake and exercise.
Now my A1C has significantly dropped, she suggested the machine.
Is this a local difference? I am in Surrey.
 
Each ccg has different rules and some nurses too. It’s unusual to get test strips on prescription for type 2 unless on some pretty strong medications that can cause hypos eg insulin or gliclazide. If you read through some of this thread you’ll hear the excuses and the reasons.
 
A bit belated reply but thanks v much for explaining this to me. I am new to the UK system and wasn't aware of these regional differences.
 
Yes my GP told me I don't need to test either, and I have read on a lot of websites it says you only have to test if you are on insulin.
 
I haven’t been told not to test, but when I lived in the USA I was told I couldn’t get insurance to cover my endo appts until I have severe complications like organ failure or nerve damage! Otherwise I’d have to pay out of pocket. They said my ‘primary health care provider ‘ is the doctor who should look after my diabetes! No prevention there!!! Grrr
 
Hi i was told that I that i do need to test my sugars.so when I went for my yearly assessment no surprise my blood sugars had not gone.down.so if they would give me the machine or strips how do keep an eye on on it.my friend let me borrow her one.but when I used i got different reading from both hands (fingers) should they both be the same .sorry hope this makes sense but I need to get this off my mind thanks
 
Yes, just five weeks ago, I was told over the phone by the diabetes nurse that meters are not supplied by the NHS and there's no need to test in the early days. I thanked her but I wonder why point us to this site if they don't support the advice offered?
I was also told to have porridge every day for breakfast and to avoid sugar.
I have more or less ignored what she said but I am avoiding sugar.
 
When I first got diabetes I got told and given all sorts of treatment, the best thing was my specialist nurse.
I was given urine strips, every test was the max of the stick.
They gave me Metformin I was back on a ward after 3 days. My GP told me to drive the 100 miles like a saint home as it was possible I would be charged with drink driving.
The then sent me home from hospital on guar gum powder I was so ill then I had to have the drain people out to fix all the blocked pipes from my house and in to the sewer.
I was put on insulin twice a day and given blood strips not for a meter.
6 weeks after being on Human Mixtard out came my Specialist nurse who told me to reuse the 0.3ml insulin syringes with the needles already fixed for about a week and cut my test strips in half so I got 2 uses out of 1 strip.
Later I became allergic to the Human mixtard and transferred to NovoRapid and Insulatard I have 5 injections a day, They gave me some cheap needles that bent some flimsy meter and finger prickers that were like fish hooks with a barb when they came out. I phoned my Diabetic Consultant and demanded an appointment so he rang me back. I was given a letter from the consultant telling them to give me my normal stuff and I am using Novapen 5 x2 peninjectors. An Accu-Chek Mobile Meter And BD microfine Needles. But I am type 1.
 
My DN said when I told her what my readings were - that I wasn't to do it - and just couldn't understand WHY anyone would do that to themself when they don't have to - after I said to her well why wouldn't I, I wouldn't have got this far without knowing what I could and could not eat she then said ok then I know YOU will test but don't become obsessive about it and only test occasionally if you really need to!
 
I have never heard of this. How do you know what's going on if you don't test?
 
 
I need guidance on what I should, and more importantly shouldn't be eating.
 
Hi there - I notice you are type 1, I am type 2 so sorry but not sure what is best or not for type 1s - hopefully someone will come along soon to help you.
 
Mrs T 123 said:
Hi there - I notice you are type 1, I am type 2 so sorry but not sure what is best or not for type 1s - hopefully someone will come along soon to help you.
Click to expand...
 
No, I am type 2
 
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