How often do you test your blood?

Normally 4 times a day, plus maybe an extra if needed

Keep testing when you need to. The more you talk to other people with diabetes you will find most are testing like you 8-10 times a day. I certainly test my son about that much. I can do a few less if things are fairly stable but when unstable or sick he can get more. Twice daily testing would be an absolute joke for anyone using insulin.

You're not alone in being told to test less often. My GP is very good & gives me all the strips that I need, but many try to save money by telling people to test less often; it's a disgrace. More frequent testing leads to better control, resulting in fewer complications, which in the long term is cheaper for the NHS & better for our health.

Any diabetes specialist will tell you that 4 times per day is a minimum for insulin users, once before each meal & at bed time. If your day is not routine, you're sick, or are exercising, then lots more tests are required. I test a minimum of 150 times per month, often much more.

When you refer to your doctor, I assume that you mean your GP, if they keep down that road, get your hospital consultant or DSN to speak/write to them, if you don't go to the hospital for check ups, ask to be referred for specialist care; it's your right.

I'm testing around 10x a day much to my gps annoyance I put a post recently about being refused test strips because my gp felt 4 tests a day were more than enough and I was specifically told in an appointment it was to do with them being told to cut costs with test strips.

My diabetes nurse told me (and told my GP) that it was up to the diabetic how many times we test, they do have guidelines BUT if someone chooses to test more than that is up to them as everyone's circumstances are different... for me I have 2 young children and am left alone with them, getting better but don't always have symptoms when I'm hypo and I drive so I need to test more to ensure I do not put myself/my family or anyone else's lives in danger.

As Cheryl said either get your consultant/DSN to speak to your doctor or be referrerd for specialist care, then get them to tell your DR!!!

Good luck

I normally test 7-8 times per day.

The exorbitant price of test strips combined with the NHS budget squeeze might have something to do with docs advising people to cut down.

They'll most likely tell us that less testing equals happier diabetics. They're probably commissioning reasearch to prove it as we speak. Isn't science wonderful. :|

I had an argument the other day with a GP about this. (not my GP). She said that by cutting back on test strips, the NHS could fund things like cancer treatment. I thought that was pretty crass, inaccurate, ignorant, short-sighted, and downright rude, given she was talking to a diabetic... YOUR disease isn't really important...

Snodger said:

I had an argument the other day with a GP about this. (not my GP). She said that by cutting back on test strips, the NHS could fund things like cancer treatment. I thought that was pretty crass, inaccurate, ignorant, short-sighted, and downright rude, given she was talking to a diabetic... YOUR disease isn't really important...

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There are plenty of non-essential cosmetic type treatments they can "cut back" on if they need to before testing strips.

Hi

7 or 8 times a day is reasonable, I had the same reaction from the GP but a letter from the consultant stopped the problem. I don't intend to suffer from the usual diabetic problems and after 41 years I will do what seems to be the correct thing to do. My latest HBA1 was 5.8

Six or seven times a day, much to the annoyance of my GP.

8 to 10 times a day is about the average for a type 1 diabetic. That would be 3 times in the morning afternoon and evening, and one more before bed. That's just the routine tests , more are necessary if you are ill, or having frequent hypos are hypers for various reasons.
Please don't listen to doctor's on testing limits. It's up to the diabetic themselves to control their own state of health. Nobody else is going to.
For a doctor to limit the amount of test strips is bordering on a criminal act certainly gross incompetence. It only goes to show how many doctor's in this country are just not trained in proper diabetic care. For a doctor to say that 2 tests a day is adequate is just plain stupid. This particular doctor needs to go on a diabetic training course, and also renew his Hippocratic oath , so that he is not causing harm to his patients.
Proper testing is the key to diabetic control. Unless you're using a pump. But then pumps are also limited in this country by the the GP's , you can't win, can you ?
When I say GP's that's being too kind to their level of control , they are just the puppets to a higher NHS power. When is comes to the smaller decisions though, like test strips I actually think isn't up to them. This gives me cold sweats to think our level of health is being controlled by these untrained clowns.
Come on NHS please provide more compulsory training courses for ALL our GP's !

I test 7 times a day and more if im having a low day as i drive a lot so need to test and my G.P is really supportive in this
Sue

I test approx 8-10 times a day, but can reach 12. I am going through this obsessive stage at the moment with my diabetes and find I have had to test so much in order for me to address some problems with my control.

I have also been told to cut down to 3 times a day here by my doctor in the Middle East, he told me that I need to learn to read the signals my body gives and trust more in how I feel...I have tried to cut down, but to be honest I become so anxious about what level my blood is at that I cant just adhere to his advice.

My fingers are sore, and yes its extremely expensive, but I do think its worth it!

Gjimmy said:

When I say GP's that's being too kind to their level of control , they are just the puppets to a higher NHS power. When is comes to the smaller decisions though, like test strips I actually think isn't up to them. This gives me cold sweats to think our level of health is being controlled by these untrained clowns.
Come on NHS please provide more compulsory training courses for ALL our GP's !

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The NICE guidelines say yes to us T1s getting strips - in the case I was talking about earlier it was the GP herself who was arguing against the strips. So in this case if she'd listened to the higher power (or, as you say, been properly trained to know about it) she'd have been spot on!

I test at least 4 times each day and this was recommended by my GP wh had been on a DAFNE course like myself. For thise that not know what DAFNE means it is a 1 week coruse about diabetes and it complications and how to read the carbs your eating to inject enought insulin so you can eat what you like when you like. DAFNE = Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating.
As i was saying my Doctor states that testing 4 times a day should be the min. Before Breakfast, Dinner, Tea and before bed but if you have a supper before going to bed she suggests testing before that meal instead of before bed if bedtime is less then 2 hours after a meal.
She also recommands testing maybe twice as much if ill or doing alot of excerise so i ever have problems with strips as i get 200 strips each month from my doctor and if i not use them all and have enought extra then i just not reorder them for a month.
Paul.

4-7 times a day.. It depends how many activities i do that day..
My GP has no complaints, never even mentioned saving test strips.
I find it ridiculous really to test only 2 times..but he might have a point.
I read somewhere less testing gives you more freedom and you feel more happy.
You might even learn to be a metter yourself..you can sense how bad in sugar you might be.
Just a theory..
Ofcourse if you drive or have a meeting at work you need to feel your best so testing more is good too.
Don't judge your GP..he's under pressure like all of us. Explaining your situation calmly might do wonders!

Re: How often do you test

I test minimum 7 times per day if im feeling good, and not driving, my job involves me getting behind the wheel up to another 10 to 12 times per day, and I believe the DVLA requires me to test before I drive, and at regular intervals on long journeys, this could push me up to testing as much as 15 times during the day, my DSN and consultant are okay with this and I have very tight control of my BG, The dr's surgery were creating at first, but a letter from my DSN put them right, so strips now no problem
Paul