How often to test my blood sugar level?

focus678

Newbie
Messages
1
Hi, I currently take medication for Angina - blood pressure - cholesterol and at my recent heart clinic concern was raised over my blood sugar level being borderline for diabetes. A fasting blood test followed and the level was lower so no immediate issues.
Question - as health checks are run yearly should I be testing my sugar level more frequently. What symptoms might I expect if say in 3 months my sugar level rose significantly. Is there an increased link of diabetes when taking statins and Ramipril (for bp)?
 

pav

Well-Known Member
Messages
361
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
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.