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Just been diagnosed

Tashbash92

Tashbash92

Newbie
Hello I've just been diagnosed woth type 2 diabetes, my hba1c tests was 56 on first blood test and 59 on conformation blood test been put om 4x 500mg of metformin, I asked about testing my blood sugars at home he said I didn't need to, is that right?
 
Hello and welcome @Tashbash92

I personally would not agree with the advice not to tests your blood sugars at home. If you want to know what effect different foods have on your levels then testing will tell you. This will enable you to make decisions about what to eat. I was on metformin but can keep my blood sugar levels in the normal range without it now by watching what I eat. # years later I still test to make sure my approach is still working.

My approach has been to eat very very low carb which has put my diabetes into remission. Different people have different approaches that work for them. You need to find approach that works for your life and keeps your blood sugar levels in the right range. Testing at home allows you to experiment to find out what works for you.

Good luck and welcome.
 
Hi,
Welcome to the club! Getting a meter is absolutely essential. You can’t fix what you don’t measure. You need to find what foods are causing the spikes and cut them out of your diet.
 
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There was a study that came out that said a type 2's that tested their blood sugars didn't do any better than someone that didn't. So I think they decided as a cost saving measure to stop supplying them. But studies like this are done a lot of times on people that aren't more disposed about improving themselves.

Think of it this way. You know coca cola isn't good for you but you go to a party and decide you are going to splurge, hey you don't feel bad and it's not that often, you exercise regularly now,.So you start drinking it a little more. But if you had a meter and when you got home that first time and you saw your sugars through the roof, would you be so likely to have another one? Same thing with exercise, you walk around the block and see how much it helps lower your blood sugars. So you make sure to do it regularly even though it can be a pain. But if you don't see the improvements on your meter are you so likely to make sure you do it constantly?

I just think buying a meter for yourself is very important. And I think if you care enough, you will use it to your advantage.
 
I would say a meter is vital. Even if you have to fund it yourself (varies between health professionals) it puts you in a position to help yourself manage this condition. I wouldn't be without mine.
 
Hello

I was diagnosed a few weeks ago, after a private blood test which confirmed by the GP. Reading was 72 mmol and GP was very hesitate to prescribe but just started Metformin a 1 tablet a day. I have a purchased a sinocare blood sugar monitor which does allow me to check my levels.
 
Tashbash92 said:
, I asked about testing my blood sugars at home he said I didn't need to, is that right?
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It depends whether you want to know what is happening to your body almost instantly,, and therefore have the opportunity to correct it there and then, or whether you only want to know 3 or 6 months later, by which time it could be much worse and you won't know what caused the problems.
It's like driving a car without a speedometer and heading off on a 300 mile trip. You might get there safely but don't know how many speeding tickets you got. However if you've got a speedometer you will get there safely and without any tickets.
In a way your doctor is right, but most of us prefer to take control of our bodies ourselves
 
A Glucose meter is essential if YOU wish to control YOUR condition. Most practices will only prescribe a meter if there is a possibility of serious complications which will put them in the firing line. If it's only your health they couldn't really care less. The more your condition deteriorates the more funding they will get as the drugs keep multiplying. If they received incentives to reverse Pre-Diabetes in patients the health service would be in a much healthier position, and so would the population.
I worked out my argument as to why they should fund me a meter, i had been using an old Glucomen Areo from my mother-in law without their knowledge, i was going to quote NICE guidelines about education, arguing that by testing i would educate myself about the foods to avoid. The first thing the DN said was good news your last Hba1c came back as 36. That shot my argument down in flames before it even began.
Get yourself a meter, test before each meal and 2 hours after eating. If the rise is more than 2 mmol something you ate was too Carby for your system. Either stop eating whatever caused it, or experiment with different amounts until you reach a level that you can cope with, some things will be a definite no no, others smaller amounts will be ok.
This way you will use a lot of test strips for the first 2 to 3 months, but will reach a point where you hardly need to test at all because everything you eat is appropriate for your body. Then you only need to test if you feel slightly off, or you eat something your not used to. Eventually if your lucky you may find you can re-introduce some foods to your diet, your meter will tell you if they are ok.
 
You could go for months with your blood sugars in double figures without even realising it but doing untold damage to your body , so I would say getting a monitor is essential if you want to live a healthy life .
 
Thank you every one for your advice I think I will just self fund one, is there any brands you would recommend.

I thought I knew a fair bit already about diabetes as its in the family, seems I know very little it's head spinning.
 
I was using Accuchek a decade ago but find the strips too expensive, change to another US brand years ago, then they outsourced the strips to third world country, the consistency and accuracy drop like a cliff. Changed to China made Yuwell and presently uses Sinocare brand as the strips cost only a quarter of the well known brands.

Metformin (brand Glucophage) works only to reduce insulin resistance of Type 2 who still produces sufficient insulin. Metformin is mainly cleared by the kidneys, this is common medical information not medical advice (You can find it in the drug insert for Glucophage package). if you are young with no kidney issues, then low carb and Glucophage may be the way to go.
 
Hello, as some one else completely new, I have ordered Sinocare Blood Sugar monitor with 50 test strips included for £24. My fasting readings are already an improvement in a week and hopefully the GP will continue to prescribe Metformin until I reach normal readings and target weight.
 
Pipp said:
Hi @Tashbash92

SPIRIT HEALTHCARE have a meter called the Tee2 + found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...e2-blood-glucose-meter?variant=19264017268793

with the strips found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/co...py-of-tee2-test-strips?variant=19264017367097

Some members have got a free Tee2+ by phoning up to order, with a large order of strips they often throw the meter in for free:

Phone number 0800 8815423

With more expensive strips is their Caresens Dual, this one has the advantage of glucose and ketone testing in one machine, it’s to be found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/caresens-dual
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I can’t seem to get to the meters on the Spirit Health site at the moment, not sure if it’s my device or a website problem, however I have always found them very helpful on the telephone number above.
 
Rachox said:
I can’t seem to get to the meters on the Spirit Health site at the moment, not sure if it’s my device or a website problem, however I have always found them very helpful on the telephone number above.
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Thanks Rachox, I will edit that part out for future use.
 
Rachox said:
I can’t seem to get to the meters on the Spirit Health site at the moment, not sure if it’s my device or a website problem, however I have always found them very helpful on the telephone number above.
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Hope this is now accurate..

Meters

Here is some info , provided by @Rachox, regarding blood glucose meters. Recommendation is that you test fasting levels on waking, then immediately before eating, and 2 hours after eating. Keep a record of what you numbers are, and what you have eaten, and you will see how various foods affect your blood glucose levels.

HOME HEALTH have the Gluco Navii, which is a fairly new model and seems to be getting good reviews if you use this link and select the meter plus 5 packs of strips and then add the code dcuk (all lower case) at check-out, you’ll get the meter free. So total cost for meter + 5 x 50 strips will be £31.76.

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/

Links to the strips and the meter for future orders:

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-produ...ose-meter-test-strips-choose-mmol-l-or-mg-dl/

There are also discount codes for when you come to buy more strips - "navii5" and "navii10" will give you 20% off purchases of 5 packs of strips and 25% off 10 packs of strips respectively.

Then they sell the older SD Code Free, details to be found here!

https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/codefree-blood-glucose-monitoring-system-mmoll-or-mgdl/

Discount codes for the Code Free strips



5 packs 264086

10 packs 975833


If there is a choice of units of measurement then ‘mmol/L’ are the standard units in the UK, ‘mg/dl’ in the US, other countries may vary.

Don’t forget to check the box if you have pre diabetes or diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)
 
Hey I've been type 2 for over 5 years now. I didn't have a monitor to test my blood sugars for the first 3.5 years as metformin can't cause hypos. Once I was changed onto medication that can cause hypos I was given a monitor from the gp. I personally think in terms of type 2 they look at your overall control with the hba1c every few months, changing the amount of carbs you eat and weightloss if needed. Looking back now I'm pleased I didn't have to check my blood sugars regularly back then because now I have to it's so stressful if they are not where I need them to be. It's your choice I guess if you want to buy one but personally I would see what happens between your blood tests to see if its worth the investment.
 
malarkey85 said:
Hey I've been type 2 for over 5 years now. I didn't have a monitor to test my blood sugars for the first 3.5 years as metformin can't cause hypos. Once I was changed onto medication that can cause hypos I was given a monitor from the gp. I personally think in terms of type 2 they look at your overall control with the hba1c every few months, changing the amount of carbs you eat and weightloss if needed. Looking back now I'm pleased I didn't have to check my blood sugars regularly back then because now I have to it's so stressful if they are not where I need them to be. It's your choice I guess if you want to buy one but personally I would see what happens between your blood tests to see if its worth the investment.
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Your choice, @malarkey85 . Though some of us find that by testing regularly from the start, we can avoid the progression of more meds, or even come off meds or not need any in the first place.
Even after 17 years with T2 I still test BG regularly. Then I can tweak diet immediately if I notice increases in daily testing levels.
 
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