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Have you been told not to test your blood sugars?

Hi I have had Type 2 since 2014 and luckily was issued with a meter and testing strips by my GP who has recently retired. Having followed this forum I have tested before and 2 hours after I eat and got my blood sugar levels down to pre-diabetes range and have maintained that for the past 4 years though it is always a bit of a struggle. I recently Received a letter from my surgery letting me know that they were pleased to advise me I no longer needed to monitor my own blood sugar levels by testing !! and I have just had a telephone appointment with the Diabetes nurse to ask about their letter and why they had taken the decision without involving me the patient . I also explained why I test and that this was how I was managing my diabetes. Very very frustrating she was absolutely focused on the NICE guidelines and not me as a patient and as I did not fit their category I got no where . She did however say that if I felt the need I could purchase my own strips to continue testing though she did not believe that was necessary. All about funding was my response which she defended and she quoted Diabetes UK as a source who would support her advise to me which was the biggest surprise. Hay ho onwards and upwards I will continue testing and trying to look after my health . Sorry if this has come across as a rant which it is
 
I know and I will continue to test and thank you for reading
 
I have reported your post, hopefully, the mods will move it to your own thread.
 
respondicus said:
Please advise I am extremely worried over this
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Hi @respondicus , and welcome to the forum!
Sounds like a right nasty situation you have, but like @xfieldok said, not many people will see your post on page 57 of an old thread.

I'd be happy to move your post to a thread of its own so it will be seen by more people, just let me know if you want me to.
Alternatively, you can start your own thread with your questions. Just give a shout out if you need help doing so by reacting on this thread.

I hope things will improve for you shortly!
 
respondicus said:
yes please move it, i am new to the forum and so I am unsure of how it all works
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Your post is now a thread of it's own, right here: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/very-worried.177681/
Please click the 'Watch Thread' button on the top of your thread to make sure you'll get alerts when someone reacts!

Whenever you want to post a new thread, go to 'Forums', choose the forum where you like to post, like 'Ask a Question', where I moved your post to, and find the green 'Post New Thread' button at the top right
 
I was told by one GP at start of my Q&A session. And few weeks later was asked by another GP what my blood sugar was that morning. Very confusing. But I am going to keep my monitors close. I want to know and have it controlled.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
Yes, I was told testing is unnecessary for type 2's not on insulin by my nurse.
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Yes I just had a letter from my GP... to say because I’m not taking any diabetic medication I don’t fall into the category that needs test strips?

This all started when I spoke to my doctor because I thought my machine was not working properly, after testing 6 fingers and getting different results ranging from 5.2-6.2.

So now they’ve said the only accurate way of testing is with a blood test at the doctors.

Is this all cost cutting?
Surely I saving them money by not taking the Metformin?
 
5.2 to 6.2 is about as accurate as most of these on the spot strip testers are. So if yo were 5.7, then those readings are less than 10% error.

T2s here in Australia are not recommended for testing every meal or day either but your GP can override this if he thinks there's a benefit. Mine is happy to do this for me since I've explained the low carb approach to him. He's quite supportive of the low carb diet but freely admits that many T2s won't stick to it or find it too onerous on their lifestyles.
 
Metformin is very low cost. Test strips are not. Quick Google shows 84 Metformin costs less by 50% or more than 50strips. Multiply by the number of type 2s in the country and you can see why they don't want to prescribe as standard.

Not saying it's right, or not. Not testing apart from 6 (or 12) monthly hba1c just means it takes longer to catch issues and then potentially a move to drugs that does need monitoring

But NICE guidelines are that type 2 outside of the hypo potential drugs don't have strips prescribed. Not sure if there are penalties on doctors who override this?
 
I will speak to my GP, it’s all very strange and dangerous, if you can’t monitor your blood you could be high and eat more food making it go higher.

Onky a month ago my morning reading had gone up into the low 6’s didn’t know why but just missed lunch for a week and it came down again. Been in the 4’s until today.

I don’t find low carb hard to do and I’m enjoying experimenting with new recipes from Sugar Free Londoner.
With the exception of Christmas Day, when I dished up my husbands Fortnum and Mason Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce, it smelt delicious and my favourite.
 

Hi, I was livid when the pharmacist at my GP practice said I didn’t need to test any more, especially when my Hospital consultant had said because of the way my Type 2 had come on that I should always test. I discussed it with the consultant at the hospital who re-ordered testing to be re-instated. I am appalled by the thoughtless care given to Type 2 diabetics. I am a in my early 60’s and am a fairly articulate professional. Since diagnosis I am horrified as I have seen a lot of elderly folk with Type 2 just abandoned to get through whatever way they can. I have read the NICE guidelines and am unimpressed with how they are interpreted by some professionals in the light of a patient’s clinical context. As I’m still working I have bought and learned to use Freestyle Libre. I refuse to give control of my health over to someone who won’t even read the clinical notes supplied by the hospital consultant.
 


You only need to monitor blood glucose if you’re going to use the reading for something or you’re at risk of hypos.


Why would you need to monitor your blood glucose? Why isn’t the HbA1c enough?
 

I kind of agree with her though. I’ve looked on BNF through google and for 50 glucose strips the nhs pays £9... monitoring 4x/day (sounds like you’re testing more) for a year would be around 1440 strips/year, or £259 to the nhs. 5,000,000 people in the UK have diabetes. Do the math.
 
I also tend to agree but I also think there is lot of things the NHS fund that they really shouldn’t in my opinion.

but on the flip side the testing I have done and the control has removed bydureon and daplaflaglozin, both drugs that are far from cheap. I wonder how they stack up... honestly I suspect I was costing the NHS more. But those of us on here who take control and use the testing in that way benefit the NHS, but are we the exception rather that the rule? If all type 2s used the test strips to change they way then eat and control themselves, potentially is is cheaper? After all, progress into insulin and they have to prescribe strips anyway I guess?

mine of my failures or strengths depending on the situation is looking at both sides to arguments!

but if you don’t have medication at all, then you don’t get free prescriptions so in that case it’s a moot point anyway
 
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AlfonsoJones said:
You only need to monitor blood glucose if you’re going to use the reading for something or you’re at risk of hypos.


Why would you need to monitor your blood glucose? Why isn’t the HbA1c enough?
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HbA1c is for most a rough guide to your average blood sugars over a 2-3 month period.
Home blood glucose readings can be useful in figuring out which foods to avoid.
If you wish to control T2 with diet I'd say that knowledge is pretty much essential...otherwise you're trying to obey the speed limit without a speedometer.
 
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AlfonsoJones said:
You only need to monitor blood glucose if you’re going to use the reading for something or you’re at risk of hypos.


Why would you need to monitor your blood glucose? Why isn’t the HbA1c enough?
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Considering I’ve not been called for a blood test in the past year, I think it’s very important. Oh correction they called me for a test in October, but then forgot to test my sugars!

whilst I ruffle no what I can eat each day, sometimes I experiment with different things and it’s good to see the effect this has on your blood. Otherwise food would become very boring.

Plus, I can virtually eat the same over a two week period but my blood be higher one week to the next, or I could eat a bit more or try a new recipe, by testing this enables me to alter my diet to keep things under control.

For example, If my blood does not come down enough after brekkie I just miss lunch, it I hadn’t tested I would not have know this..

If my blood is a bit high after dinner, I do some exercise to bring it down.

If I can’t test, I would have no idea what was going on and be putting my health at risk, which would put the NHS under more pressure.

Plus, I’m quite fond of my toes
 

Totally agree, I don’t take any meds for T2, it’s all controlled by food and exercise.

If you don’t no the affect food is having how can you control what to eat?
 
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