After learning the hard way and following doctors advice after being repeatedly told I only need the annual HbA1c test is all I need. Which in my opinion is no where near enough to control or check what's going on with your sugar levels especially if newly diagnosed.
If getting test strips is not a problem, which is down to a post code lottery if they will be supplied on prescription. Getting hold of a meter is not a problem as most suppliers will send you one free.
Assuming getting strips is not a problem, to start with test before a meal then 2 hours after a meal. This will allow you to build up a picture of what foods affect you the most / least, white bread or food made with white bread is a common problem for sending sugar high. The more you can keep your levels near normal the better it is for you.
Type 2 symptoms are shown on this page
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/type2-diabetes-symptoms.html
My docs kept saying there's no need to test regularly and only test when one feels rough, as a type 2 sugar levels can and did creep up on me slowly, so I did not notice things going a bit wrong. In Dec 2012 had my usual eye test and a new prescription issued and in Jan 2013 my sugar levels were in the 20's (as finally felt some thing was wrong). It took a further two months to get meds changed and my levels are now back down to near'ish normal with the odd peak
still to many though.
Now my levels are back down I noticed my eye sight was not quite right and went to the opticians again and they confirm my eyes had changed again as the eyes have returned to normal and a new prescription issued. If I had not noticed some thing was going wrong, my eye sight could have been perm damaged.
I have been on Ramiprill and another BP medication along with statins for a good number of years and the only problems I have had is the side effects of the statins which were then changed for a different statin.