Meter readings - what's the point ?

DylansDad said:

Hi

I'm a 53 yr old Type 2, diagnosed 4 years ago. Despite a total lack of support from my GP for self testing (like many others), I have bought a meter and regularly buy test strips.

I did an experiment this morning, 3 tests within a couple of minutes. Same finger, different strip, different needle.

Results 8.2, 9.2, 9.0

I have been quite happily going with the 1st reading - do I now average these and, in effect triple my test strip costs, or give up and just rely on my annual review

Is this perhaps the reason that my GP won't support self testing - because of the variance in results ?

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In most situations there are more than two options. You don't need to treble your costs or give up on testing. Just use one strip and go with that. Meters are legally required to be no more than 15% inaccurate +/- . Knowing that your level is about 9 and not about 12 still has value.

What do you learn from your first result? That your fasting blood glucose level (if that was what it was) was too high.What do you learn from your second and third results? That your fasting blood glucose level (if that was what it was) was still too high.

You should continue to use just the one strip to do your tests. The variance isn't enough to cause issues, but the value in the first test is enough to show you roughly where your glucose level is, which is where it shouldn't be.

This also means that testing before and after eating will show you the effects of food on your glucose levels.

As we say to nearly everyone who raises this as an issue, it isn't. It's the nature of the beast. If you stop testing you stop understanding what is going on in your body when you eat various food types.

The reason that GPs in general refuse to pay for strips for T2s is poor education - they should be telling you this - and cost. The NICE guidelines for T2 made the following recommendations in relation to SMBG for T2:

R22 Offer self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education. Discuss its purpose and agree how it should be interpreted and acted upon.

R23 Self-monitoring of plasma glucose should be available:
● to those on insulin treatment
● to those on oral glucose lowering medications to provide information on hypoglycaemia
● to assess changes in glucose control resulting from medications and lifestyle changes
● to monitor changes during intercurrent illness
● to ensure safety during activities, including driving.

R24 Assess at least annually and in a structured way:
● self-monitoring skills
● the quality and appropriate frequency of testing
● the use made of the results obtained
● the impact on quality of life
● the continued benefit
● the equipment used.

Keep testing as its a good indication of how things are going with your BS but dont stress out too much, just stick to testing once.

Testing every day is the only way to motivate you to change significant elements of your life style : carbs in diet and exercise.
Since your blood glucose is to high, you could consider the low carb lifestyle.
Have you read Dr Bernstein's book.
Here is an interesting TED talk

This is a super video! All I need to know now is how low is low? I have reduced to below 50g a day but am struggling to find variety in my meals.

I suggest you really make a project of it. I did.
Dr Bernstein's approach is 30 g of carbs a day : 6 at breakfast, 12 at lunch and 12 at dinner;
I changed my lifestyle completely because I knew diabetes was a very serious challenge.
I find eating is a joy. Much more than before. And the variety is wide.
There are a lot of recipes in the books and on the web.
If you want more information/resources,, please ask me.
But there is no easy way; it is hard (but pleasant) work till it becomes a new habit.

@fredericmarcel excellent advice and spot on, once it becomes an ingrained habit it is so much easier to say no to temptations and to enjoy what you are eating.

Unless the first test is absolutely not what you expected, it isn't worth testing again and again just to see if it get lower. We all get rogue readings from time to time, but generally we know when this happens because the level is way out of our normal range, and in those cases I would test again. Accept the first reading if it is within your personal range.

All we are doing is looking for downward or upward trends and also testing out foods. If you stop testing you will never know which foods you can tolerate and which you can't.