Monitoring Blood Sugars

The simple answer is then many of us measure our BG levels because we test the size of BG spike we get from our meals. Then once stable we check BG periodically to avoid 'carb creep'.

Relying on the regular HbA1C test for controlling BG is like driving with no speedometer, just relying on the police to tell you when you are going too fast!

Relying on an annual test is rather a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. To establish a proper grip on BG levels really requires regular testing.

Hello and welcome,

I'm another type 2 who tests regularly. However, once you know what what meals your body can handle you can test a bit less regularly. I agree though that testing helps prevent 'carb creep'. That's something I know I'm susceptible to so a good reason to test.

Hmagsjoe1950 said:

Question How can I tell what is happening if I don't measure my blood sugar level and what do others do?

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I got a bgl testing meter and strips to see what my levels were at, that's the only way I know to keep mine under control plus a moderate LCHF food choice.

I have been off medication (metformin 2x 500 mg) for the last couple of years.

Hmagsjoe1950 said:

Where would I get something to do these test?

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I get my testing meters from the various manufacturers that give them away here, the strips and lancets I get from a pharmacy.

Here's the a link to the free Contour Next that I am using at present.

https://diabetes.ascensia.com.au/request-free-meter/

Hmagsjoe1950 said:

Where would I get something to do these test?

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Hello and welcome to the forums.

If you are in the UK (many posters such as @Riva_Roxaban and myself are not) then @Rachox has some blurb about the cheapest UK monitors. (Generally, the cost is in the strips rather than the meters, which some manufactureres will give away free).

Hi @Hmagsjoe1950 and welcome to the forum. Thanks for the tag @EllieM

Here’s some info on UK meters, and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned.


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


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


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)

Hmagsjoe1950 said:

Thank you all so much for the information and links, it's a minefield. I have the practice nurse in a couple of weeks as I just started a new tablet for a month to see if it helps. I will speak to her then although she is not a diabetic nurse. The one I saw in December was really blunt and quite rude and I felt awful when I left. I've started Weight Watchers to try and bring my weight down as well and I'm nearly 1stone off since started 18th January it's really hard with 4 grandchildren in the house and all the goodies they like. Thanks again and I will look into the monitors.

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I have found some nurses can be quite sharp, but I have also found ones thatdon't make me feel like I'm two years old.
I'll be honest here, after spending years at diabetic nurses those nasty ones who tell off for my weight and results, my first instinct after leaving was to feel better by eating a cake. Hardly helpful to my mental or physical health but I don't like being told off and can tend towards stress eating

I think in many ways we need to guide our doctors/nurses ourselves as many GPs do not have diabetic experts and the nurses whilst classed as such aren't always. I was lucky, my surgury worked with me when i properly started this journey to improvement during lockdown, having regular tests, reducing the drugs and listening to the low carb and not telling me I was wrong. In fact the results and heading into remission was seen by them as a success and I hope let them question their views. One nurse in particular fully embraces the low carb approach and let the results guide rather than following a doctrine that T2 must eat "healthy carbs"

As you can see in my signature, I am classed in remission. I have crept up slightly to prediabetic but I am aware, Christmas, stress and COVID has not helped. But still, over a decade on drugs to remission is really something that can be achieved. My unique journey, but others have had very similar results from just being on here and following the advice. I also am working on making sure next test in a year is back to non-diabetic levels

It can be hard, but many of us have found looking at carb intake and reducing that to be very beneficial. I don't know weright watchers but it may be their meal options are not necessarily the best for T2. Lots of discussions on these forums, I suggest you have a look and ask if you want more info

I was initially able to reduce my T2 diagnosis HbA1c from 60-61 to a pre-diabetic 47 within 2-3 months simply by cutting right down on all the obvious high sugar & high carb foods. I wasn't aware at the time that I could use a meter to check my glucose levels, so it can be done without testing. But since then I've used a meter regularly partly because there are things other than food (stress, illness, pain, some medications e.g. statins, steroids, ...) that can also have an impact on our glucose levels. And importantly, my meter gives me immediate "real time" feedback, while HbA1cs can only provide a long term average, which may come from either stable levels or high/low swings/spikes which when averaged out appear to be quite acceptable.

And, @Hmagsjoe1950 : I've managed to further reduce and keep my levels down for over 8 years in spite of my carboholic husband's fridge and cupboards full of his carby delights. It's been much easier to do this though with a glucose meter to help act as my conscience.