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This is the bit that creases me up. HbA1c I can take it or leave it, but the ridicule for self testing actually angers me and is nothing short of dangerous, and even life threatening.
...and what’s absolutely priceless is that I get told off for self testing.
It remains to be seen how it goes. He might have a memory lapse or change his mind. I am hoping he will say, “tell ‘em at the desk that he said so” or similar to that effect.It’s not just me having this issue then !!
Well, if the doc goes back on his word I will use that in my response.I was at the surgery for other blood tests & asked nurse if she would do HbA1c as well, she said no because of the NICE guidelines stating yearly so I have to wait until next January and what’s absolutely priceless is that I get told off for self testing.
Is it all about the extra money that they are paid?
It is a postcode lottery, and does depend very much on the CCG that funds the GP surgery you use. They are bean counters and they have local power to make their own decisions on testing and monitoring.Wow, there appears to be a lot of discrepancy between surgeries.
When you go onto insulin, you have to test within 2 hours of starting your journey, and stop every 2 hours to test. Remembering to test every morning and every afternoon at the end of the working day is a bind. You also have to test twice a day irrespective of whether you are driving to retain your driving licence according to dvla. I'm going through the strips like crazy to keep up with the requirementsIt is a postcode lottery, and does depend very much on the CCG that funds the GP surgery you use. They are bean counters and they have local power to make their own decisions on testing and monitoring.
I am lucky in that I am on a med that can cause hypo's, and my GP is able to interpret the fact that I reported having some, as a way to support some SMBG essentials, such as strips for my meter. I rewarded him by using the SMBG to bring my diabetes into control and to reduce the level of medication needed, He has supported me for 4 yeats now, and this year I was actually declared to be in clinical remission on my diabetes, and was off all diabetes meds. However, since then I have had a major heart operation, and my bgl control went out the window and I am slowly getting it back into control again
I too was on annual HBA1c reviews, but my recent troubles has put me back on 3 monthly while I struggle to get things back to where they should be. Just yesterday I had a full day of readings that all began 5.<n> mmol.l but this morning my fasting bgl was back up at 9, so I am still getting liver dumps from the hospital food,
I note that the OP is controlling T2D by diet only at the moment.When you go onto insulin, you have to test within 2 hours of starting your journey, and stop every 2 hours to test. Remembering to test every morning and every afternoon at the end of the working day is a bind. You also have to test twice a day irrespective of whether you are driving to retain your driving licence according to dvla. I'm going through the strips like crazy to keep up with the requirements
I read it here. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/life-with-diabetes/driving/driving-licenceI note that the OP is controlling T2D by diet only at the moment.
I am not sure that the the DVLA mandates testing even if not driving, although an insulin user will probably do this anyway.
Ok, if your controlling your hba1c with diet alone, and the numbers are still below 50, then they won't favour testing more than once a year. You aren't in a place where they will want to keep that close an eye on youCan we please keep this thread on track, we are discussing frequency of HbA1cs not DVLA requirements for finger pricks. As @Oldvatr has pointed out the OP does not take insulin so it’s irrelevant anyway.
Ok, if your controlling your hba1c with diet alone, and the numbers are still below 50, then they won't favour testing more than once a year. You aren't in a place where they will want to keep that close an eye on you
Spot on about surgery income being tied to annual checkup. Also about that checkup having certain tickboxes to meet, There is also a minimum set of blood checks, but these are limited to things like TC and no blood composition checks like RBC, eGFR, lipid panel etc. Those are ones the GP must request for medical reasons, and not part of normal diabetes screening.I have seen changes in frequency of HbA1c testing in the fourteen years since I was diagnosed T2. They were every 3 months at the start. I also was given a free meter, and unlimited prescribed test strips.
Since, by my own efforts 8 years ago, I achieved non-diabetic BG levels that has tailed off. The prescibed test strips stopped at the same time as my good control. The 3 monthly recalls for HbA1c continued a while longer. About 5 years ago that moved to six monthly. Two years ago, nurse suggested annually. I asked and was given 6 monthly. Last year or so, no recall from surgery. I had to ask for blood form, and was told by admin that I would only be given one if I attended to have foot check, and BP monitoring as that is on the database, and the surgery gets paid for ensuring patients with diabetes are monitored annually. If a percentage ( not sure how much) of patients with diabetes is not seen it affects surgery income.
I have mine tested every 6 months and my hba1c has been in the non diabetic range for approx 5 years.Ok, if your controlling your hba1c with diet alone, and the numbers are still below 50, then they won't favour testing more than once a year. You aren't in a place where they will want to keep that close an eye on you
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