No benefit of self-testing for type 2

Utter nonsense ,
Maybe your surgery doesn't want you to test the possible Financial ones they often face !.

I'm just approaching my first aniversary of T2 diagnosis, and luckily my last nurse was not as short sighted as my new one , and i'm still able to get perscription testing strips etc .

Testing helped me throught the early months by allowing me to suss out what was good/bad for me.
in my case Spuds.bread spike me a lot .and got my HBA1C down from diagnosis point of 27 eeek!!
down to 6.8 after 6 months.
Eased off the testing a bit, and do it when I feel like , until recently when with no change in diet/intake/medication readings have jumped to 8 + ?. just waiting for the latest HBA1C test from last week to see what that is !!
Without testing I would not have a clue whats going on!, or what to do !
3 /6 months HBA testing is OK but damage could you be doing to your self in between without some
testing info ..
I say test to start with to grasp your situation/ and fine tune your diet then ease off accordingly.

Chris

What utter rubbish! Testing regularly helps remind you to take care, and gives you information about the impact of what you're eating, so you can change it.

It's all very well for docs to say that the HBa1C is enough, but I've only been offered one every 6 months. Fortunately, my doc takes the view that self testing gives a real sense of control to T2s so gives me unlimited strips etc.

I would need to see the details of the study before I could evaluate it. What we don't know is: did the folk with meters know how to respond to readings?
was the psychological impact taken into account and a few other things that will come to me

There are no conclusions and the headline is misleading,

http://www.physorg.com/news182080534.html

You need to read all the article and not just the headline grabber.

Here's a small example of why testing daily is important....

We had a question on the food forum as to the carb content of rhubarb. I had been eating 333g daily because the Farm Food packet insisted it was only 0.8g of carb per 100g of rhubarb. Ken had other resources which doubted the validity of the data. I contacted Farm Foods on 3 occasions to elicit a validation. They have failed to reply to date.
So....I have tested at +1 hour and + 2 hours and my readings are elevated to the point that it is clear that there are significant carbs in the rhubarb and proving that the 0.8g/100 is inaccurate!!.

Dont think my HBA1C would have picked that up!

Steve

Good point!

As a T2, diet controlled, docs in London were happy to prescribe strips and lancets. Here in Brixham they point blank refuse, although I have argued my case repeatedly. They are more happy to prescribe Metformin than testing equipment (because it's cheaper).

But without testing I wouldn't have known that the standard advice re carbohydrates sent my bg levels soaring, leading me to cut my carbs and keep my bg levels under control.

The docs in London emphasised that this is my condition, and I need to do whatever is necessary to keep it under control and stay as healthy as possible. Here they seem to want me to follow the party line, whatever the effect it has on me. Needless to say, I test as necessary (having done so rigorously for a while, I now test less frequently - fasting, after new foods, night) and am keeping good control. But how would I have achieved this without testing? Surely it's better for the NHS to prescribe strips and lancets than to face increasing bills as we become less well and need long-term medication with associated risks to long-term health.

Lynne

Steve
May I suggest you log on (and/or register) with www.nutritiondata.com
I am T2 and have found this website invaluable for getting information on carbs and sugar contant of many foodstuffs.
Good luck....

We had a question on the food forum as to the carb content of rhubarb. I had been eating 333g daily because the Farm Food packet insisted it was only 0.8g of carb per 100g of rhubarb. Ken had other resources which doubted the validity of the data. I contacted Farm Foods on 3 occasions to elicit a validation. They have failed to reply to date.
So....I have tested at +1 hour and + 2 hours and my readings are elevated to the point that it is clear that there are significant carbs in the rhubarb and proving that the 0.8g/100 is inaccurate!!.

Dont think my HBA1C would have picked that up!

Steve[/quote]

I do the mg/dl ... AND depending on which finger I use I have had differences of 50 points.
Yes, I poked finder, ran test; immediately poked another finger & ran test; poked a 3rd finger, etc. etc. (once I did 5 readings; 1 finger done twice) Range was 128 to 178 (upper limit is 160 & some drs want lower), with starting finger 129 & ending finger (not the same finger) was 128. 154 & 178 & 133 were middle readings, ? order.

http://stason.org/TULARC/health/diabetes/14-How-accurate-is-my-blood-glucose-meter.html

So, in my experience & at above link, do not take as absolute gospel..... just use as indication of where you are.

questioning_one said:

I do the mg/dl ... AND depending on which finger I use I have had differences of 50 points. Range was 128 to 178 (upper limit is 160 & some drs want lower), with starting finger 129 & ending finger (not the same finger) was 128. 154 & 178 & 133 were middle readings, ? order. .

Click to expand...

Hi.
I see you are quoting mg/dl numbers. As this is a UK based site can you convert your numbers to mmol/l before posting. This helps other members and us here in the Moderating Team.

The conversion is mg/dl divided by 18 = mmol/l and if converting from mmol/l to mg/dl then multiply by 18.

Thank you.

I'm glad I'm testing regularly at the moment. Not only am I making better choices about what to eat, I can see that my readings have been rising quite a bit over the last couple of months. While I'm eating more of the right foods, I was recently put on a (non diabetes) medication that is well known for raising sugar levels. As I know my levels have been constantly very high, I've been able to get my appointment with my consultant brought forward by 5 weeks. If I hadn't been testing, the situation would have gone on for longer before I was checked out. It also helps me understand why I might feel tired and very run down at the moment. Given that a test strip costs 50p (going by £25 for a box of 50), it's a small price to pay if it helps people maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Sadly, 'm unable to do that due to the other medications I'm taking :cry:

Hi

Fairly new to T2 (last august) on 2 x 500mg per day dont have a clue what my readings/figures are but do know I am suffering what I think are extreme hypos now when I drink (not heavily nor sweet stuff) .
For example last night I had two large vodkas wih diet, no caffiene cokes. Wham! what I think was a big hypo drop (sorry if my terminology is askew but as I said I am new to this).
My capacity for a drink appears to be decreasing rapidly.
Anyway the reason for my post is what is the best way for a T2 to test and what with and when.
I am sure that this is the place to ask rather than my GPs.
I also saw a post recently about what food you need to watch ie its not all about sugar and carbs its starches as well (I guess to do with the lactic acid issues).
Hope to read from you soon.

Paul

112kgs and cant shift a kilo
Also on simvastin, venlafaxine, Lansaprosole and orlistat.

Hi Paul.

It may be a good idea to cut out the vodkas for a while.

You sound as if you need to go to your GP or DN and tell him/her of your problems and concerns and that you want to be more proactive in controlling your diabetes. Ask for a meter and testing strips so that you can work out what your food is doing to your body. Until you start testing you won’t know what is happening. :? If you don't get any help from the NHS you will need to buy your own I'm afraid. :roll:

Hana put a really good post on the forum explaining blood tests and hopefully someone will put the link on here or Hana herself may pop in with some help for you. 8)

Hi Paul
If you are taking tablets to reduce blood sugar then alcohol can lower blood glucose levels and if you have not eaten with the alcohol then you may experience a hypo, even with Metformin. Metformin and alcohol is also dehydrating. If I have wine then I find I suffer from cramp in my feet and calves the following morning. I take 2 x 500 mg Metformin. On the leaflet that comes with Metformin medicine it says that excessive alcohol is to be avoided but what is excessive alcohol? Some alcoholic drinks raise blood sugar.

If you acquire a meter and test strips etc the best time to test is before you eat something and then 2 hours later so you know how the particular food you ate affected your blood glucose levels. I found foods made with white flour put my blood glucose up the most, but a also you will probably find fruit juice and some fruits will too, as may potaotes especially chips and mashed potato. Now I know what affects my blood glucose I don't need to test so often. Testing is also advised if a person has an infection or a temperature as these can put blood glucose levels up too. If you give people on the forum some idea of what you are eating they will advise you.

It will take some time before you come to understand diabetes but you will learn more and more especially if you read posts on here.

Well, I've been diagnosed for 4 years as T2 and have never performed a selftest, I wouldn't know how.
My doctor and nurse will not hear of me self testing, so I only have my Hb1AC to go by and now that I have been told I only need an annual test I feel pretty up in the air.

Generally I only know that something is amiss when I start to feel unwell.

I can't really afford to buy testkits and as I said I wouldn't know how to use them correctly and would find no support from my clinic.
I guess this will remain so until my diabetes gets worse and I have to progress onto insulin.

Hi Cas

Have you, at the very least, been given your Hba1c results since you first had them done?

Cheers for that. The diabetes nurse at my GPs has offered a meter so I will take her up on the offer. You are also right about feeling extra bad when feeling unwell. I used to have colds that lasted 48hours. I have had 2 this year and they have lasted 10 days with ongoing low feelings for another week.

I was told by a doctor that i was only type2 diabetic and i do not need to check my bloods.
So I asked my diabetic nurse and she said I was to continue checking my blood levels, To which I am doing as a few times i have felt faint as my sugars have been so low.
So keep testing after all its your life and look after it.

Re: No benefit of self-testing for type 2 and my own fears

I am really mystified why doctors seem adamant not to self test, my own GP - a very reasonable and helpful lady - really does not want me to self test - I am not asking for strips to be paid for (though not sure why we should be entitled to this, as diabetes is a potentially a life threatening disease), so I do find it difficult to understand where she is coming from :?

I have not self tested yet, but I have the pen drive and aim to start soon (time has been one factor and I retiring in a week - hurrah!), though I admit I afraid that the results will alarm me :!:

in agreement with you all
Has anybody give any thought to the fact we test and record could possibly help us humans to decrease and eventually rule out diabetes from the human race . Nesesaty is the mother of all inventions. <can't spell :lol:
We won't be here in a 100yrs but our genes will be and i would like to think all of our testing will help diabetics in the future. thanks JF