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How often to test?

Shellbellx

Active Member
Messages
28
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Hi guys, as from a previous post I'm new to the forum and to diabetes.
I'm T1 and on insulin injections (novarapid with meals and lantus at bed).

From reading posts on here I've seen that the number of testing BMs varies! The least I test is 4 times a day (bfast, lunch, dinner and bed), I've seen on here that some people test 16-18 times a day?! I do test in between if I don't feel right or if I've been unsure of my carb counting.

Just looking to get an idea of when everyone tests and if I should be testing a lot more than I am. Say 2hours after meals?? Do u guys do this routinely? I've spoken to my nurse about this as my highest bm of the day is often at bed after my evening meal ... So should I not be testing after dinner when it could possibly have been higher than the bed time reading? She didn't seem to think so as my numbers aren't terrible.

Thanks guys! X
 
Thanks @dashing! How u finding the pump? Do they put u forward for that if well controlled? X
 
Usually at least 6/7 - 3 breakfast/lunch/dinner, 3 2hr-post breakfast/lunch/dinner (unless I forget) and when I go to bed.

Add to this exercise/heavy drinking to basically every hour.
 
alexhill05 said:
Usually at least 6/7 - 3 breakfast/lunch/dinner, 3 2hr-post breakfast/lunch/dinner (unless I forget) and when I go to bed.

Add to this exercise/heavy drinking to basically every hour.
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Ahh so u do check after meals routinely. I was out today for lunch and wasn't sure of my carb counting so checked 2hrs post meal and bm was 3.3. Glad I checked as I felt fine! X
 
I normally test only 2 twice a day! It will be more if driving a lot or my meal pattern is disturbed. I'm lucky that my blood sugar is usually predictable. Make sure when you test you know why you are doing it and not just because someone told to or it's a habit that you always test at that time of day. For some who have poor control frequent testing is needed but not for everyone.
 
Shellbellx said:
Thanks @dashing! How u finding the pump? Do they put u forward for that if well controlled? X
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depends on nice guidelines in the uk, how am i finding it atm im not on it but when i was, my sugars were well controlled lowest they have ever been :] hopefully they will let me go back on it tomorrow though!
 

Thanks Daibell, yeah that's true! Some need to test more than others. My nurse is quite happy with them and thinks I'm doing well, so I suppose there's no need to be testing more frequently unless I'm unsure. Like I said, I felt ok there after the meal and it was 3.3. So frustrating at times! X
 
Dashing. said:
depends on nice guidelines in the uk, how am i finding it atm im not on it but when i was, my sugars were well controlled lowest they have ever been :] hopefully they will let me go back on it tomorrow though!
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Fingers crossed for u then
 
I'm in the honeymoon phase so on easy days I test before breakfast, before evening meal and before bed, might add that is more than my DNS suggested but it is what I am happy with. On days I get on the exercise bike, which is typically 2 hours after I have eaten breakfast, I test before and after exercising with further tests if I am low when I get off the bike.

Because of being in the honeymoon phase I know that at the moment the majority of my testing is just to spot a trend for when the numbers start to consistently increase as such I don't religiously test to see what effect meals are having on me, only doing this once or twice a week to compare to previous results.
 
The number of times I test each day varies, but on average I test first thing in the morning, after breakfast, before lunch, after lunch, before evening meal, after evening meal and at bedtime.

I do extra tests if I'm ill, if I'm about to drive, or if I'm about to exercise (and during exercise).
 
On average, about 4 to 6 times a day, but depending on what I'm doing and if I've had a low or a high.
 
16-18 times is overkill, i've done that on a handful of days in the year but otherwise 5-7 times. What i have noticed if u do 18 tests a day you can have far better control but its not practical to routinely take hourly tests as its almost an manual representation of a cgm.
 
I'm on a pump, so apart from on waking up, and at bed time, I test before eating anything, and then add post meal checks as req, so between 6 & 9, if I'm testing basal rates then its rather different
 
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