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Have you been told not to test your blood sugars?

mallins said:
Totally Disgusted

I have just moved house from Northamptonshire to Exeter so when I requested my repeat prescription at my new surgery I was told that they did not give type 2 diabetics test strips and needles as type 2 diabetics do not need to test. When I explained that I received them at my old surgery I just got told that the new surgery did not provide them. I would think it is in their interest for me to take control of my health so I do not cost them money by needing more medication or perhaps even hospital admissions. I feel this is a totally false economic decision to refuse test equipment. Also why can one surgery provide the medication and not another surely this should be an all or nothing policy enforced by the NHS and not a post code lottery.
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It would be obvious to a five year old that testing helps.

It's all down to money. 135 amputations a week cost less than treating every diabetic properly.
 
dbr10 said:
It would be obvious to a five year old that testing helps.

It's all down to money. 135 amputations a week cost less than treating every diabetic properly.
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So the EVIL BIG PHARMA CONSPIRACY goes down the toilet.
Besisdes, I still don't understand why the GP aren't saying that not giving the strips is a cost cutting measure and suggest to buy them.
 
I read the above with interest. When I was first diagnosed with diabetes type 2 I had to keep a record of my blood sugars for 6 months 6 times a day, this was in addition to my HbA1c. after a period of time my testing was reduced to 4 times a day. All strips etc. were issued by the doctor.

3 Years ago I moved to Sussex and on numerous occasions I was asked about my testing regime and still managed to receive strips and lancets.

But the big deal came when I was put on 'Gliclazide' I was told that the legal position has changed, I did not need to tell DLVA but if I was involved in an accident I had to have proof that I had tested blood/sugars before starting my journey.

At my last meeting in March with my diabetic Doctor at the practice asked me about this and confirmed that this is correct.

Metformin you do not need to test.

I hope this goes some way to answer questions on Type 2 and testing.
 
desidiabulum said:
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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Totally agree. I feel that it is just one more way that "They" try to control not just our sugar levels - but our life. - For Pete's sake it is -our- health, so They shouldn't keep that info from us. (I have had several practice nurses who wouldn't give me my blood test results. Supposedly, only the Dr is smart enough to read Lab results. LOL.
 
desidiabulum said:
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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Totally agree. I feel that it is just one more way that "They" try to control not just our sugar levels - but our life. (Whereas if we have all the info, we can control our own diabetes ... & they're out of a job.)
 
i remember when i was first diagnosed i was told by the pharmacy that i am putting to many test strip orders in as i was doing around 8 tests a day at the time, they told me that was way to many and to slow down with tests.
 
From the other side of the fence;

"So it's not never to test; it's just that there are very specific circumstances where we know testing can be of value,".
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/type2-diabetes-blood-sugar-overtesting-1.4157581

For the record, I am pro self testing', but I am also pro debate and strongly believe that both sides of any argument should be made available for all to consider.

I very much look forward to seeing how the views of those in my link are challenged by you guys.

Regards
 
andyfh said:
From the other side of the fence;

"So it's not never to test; it's just that there are very specific circumstances where we know testing can be of value,".
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/type2-diabetes-blood-sugar-overtesting-1.4157581

For the record, I am pro self testing', but I am also pro debate and strongly believe that both sides of any argument should be made available for all to consider.

I very much look forward to seeing how the views of those in my link are challenged by you guys.

Regards
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I agree with the article that self testing without the knowledge of what to do about test results, is not going to help. It is just a series of number, and of no use to anyone.

So the issue is not whether to test or not. The issue is in giving or witholding from people to knowledge of what to do about their results.

From your linked article is appears that people were not being given constructive information of what to do to reduce their testing number, rending the testing info useless and possibly harmful to those who got stressed by rising numbers with no means of control.
 
I was told not to get a meter and not to test, but quite gently - and more from the 'your diabetes is not so bad right now and I don't want you to obsess about testing' perspective rather than 'it's never helpful'.

That being said without testing I would not have been able to identify some particular foods that spike my blood sugar and would likely have continued eating them until my next HbA1C.

We'll see what my GP says when I go back with (hopefully) a much lower score in a few months.
 
AlexMagd said:
I was told not to get a meter and not to test, but quite gently - and more from the 'your diabetes is not so bad right now and I don't want you to obsess about testing' perspective rather than 'it's never helpful'.

That being said without testing I would not have been able to identify some particular foods that spike my blood sugar and would likely have continued eating them until my next HbA1C.

We'll see what my GP says when I go back with (hopefully) a much lower score in a few months.
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Good on you, makes you wish you where there to hear there comments!
 
desidiabulum said:
This 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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Yes, I was told by a doctor at my GP practice it was not necessary when I wanted to show her the results. She refused to see the test results
 
A fascinating subject, and its quite obvious that the non prescribing of testing equipment to T2s is purely down to cost. It is very important for T2s to monitor BG levels in my humble opinion in order to make dietry decisions in a structured manner. I live in Thailand where there is no welfare, no free healthcare, and an insurance provider will not touch you with a barge pole if you have type 2. So its no great surprise when my doctor told me of the importance to test my BG levels in a structured manner and supported me 100% throughout the process! Would it be the same outcome if the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand had to foot the bill?
 
A couple of years ago when I tried to re-order testing strips etc I was told I no longer need to test my blood. I could do so if I wanted to but I would have to pay for the strips and lancets.

As a result of diabetes it looks as if I now have colon cancer. I'm going for a scan on Wednesday and the letter has told me to test my blood. Not sure how - I don't have a meter.
 
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