Practice Nurse

You only need a fasting blood test for lipids, HbA1c can be a non fasting blood test.

Sue Roberts' advice to the PCTs was interpreted that type 2s on diet only or those on metformin should test at most 3 times a week, they should test when ill and when hyperglycaemic, and should test when changing treatment regime. I've posted links to Sue Roberts' advice and would recommend your practice nurse remind herself of that advice.

TBH I think three times a week is probably appropriate for a well controlled type 2, however whilst attempting to establish control it is absolutely vital that a type 2 be allowed to test more regularly.

DESMOND is of use to type 2s that have been diagnosed less than three months, presumably after that we've fallen into all the bad habits that it's impossible to train us out of. I believe it is the exception that those who have been diagnosed for more than three months are given access to DESMOND.

Regards, Tubs.

A question,how do you know that you are hyperglycaemic if you don't test your blood?

I noticed that as well Sue

I think the idea is that you get in tune with how your body is feeling. So that you can recognise a hypo, or hyper, without testing your blood. Which is a good idea, when you think about it.
If you're able to recognise when your blood glucose levels are getting low you can do something about it before it gets to the stage when you have a 'bad' hypo. I don't know if that holds true for type 1s, but it's what I was told in relation to type 2s.
It's like a lot of things, don't rely on things you can't always test, but get to know how your body feels. It's the same principle as testing your blood to check what foods affect your BG how. When you've worked out what food causes problems with your glucose control, you don't have to test it every time you eat it.

SilverAndEbony said:

I think the idea is that you get in tune with how your body is feeling. So that you can recognise a hypo, or hyper, without testing your blood. Which is a good idea, when you think about it.
If you're able to recognise when your blood glucose levels are getting low you can do something about it before it gets to the stage when you have a 'bad' hypo. I don't know if that holds true for type 1s, but it's what I was told in relation to type 2s.
It's like a lot of things, don't rely on things you can't always test, but get to know how your body feels. It's the same principle as testing your blood to check what foods affect your BG how. When you've worked out what food causes problems with your glucose control, you don't have to test it every time you eat it.

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The problem with that approach is that we are unaware of what is going on in our bodies until we have symptoms. That may be too late as symptoms mean damage.

Obviously we can accept that a consistent diet that we know by testing gives good control means that less frequent testing is acceptable. However if diabetes is progressive, we do need to do several tests in a day to maintain control.

I had an appointment today with the pracctise nurse. Not for diabetes but for asthma. I had some good news too. Lost 7lbs and 2 inches from my waist. She said that that will help with the diabetes too. She was really pleased for once!!

I'm blessed with a fantastic practice nurse, i've been seeing her every fortnight since June when I started losing weight. She gets on well with my son so I take along any new photos i've had done and she tells me about her family. I've even given her printouts of some recipes on this site, she's trying to lose a little as well! She's really impressed with my results and always praises me even when I stalled a little. I'm getting withdrawal symptoms already, i'm not seeing her until after the New Year!

My Diabete Specialist Nurse is a darling, has given up trying to change me and is retiring after Christmas, which will be a disaser for her many patients.

Hi IanD,

I was talking about people with type 2 diabetes, especially who are reasonably well controlled.
I really don't see the need for me to test my blood several times a day when my bg is well controlled and I don't have hypos. I test 2-3 times a week, to keep an eye on things. And have my hb1ac checked every 6 months. I saw by DN when I was swapping from standard release metformin tablets to glucophage SP - the drop in metformin levels plus a nasty virus made me feel as bad as I did when I was diagnosed. She told me not to worry too much, keep an eye on things and go back to see her if things didn't go back to normal. I did test more when I was ill in case my bg went really high.

I am in no position to comment about testing for people with type 1 or anyone with type 2 who isn't well controlled. But, for me, I get grumpy when my BG gets around 4.5 Not hypo but, and the lowest I've ever tested is about 4.3 so I don't panic. I just have something to eat. And keep an eye on how I'm feeling. My problem is more high BG levels, so that's what I test for really.

Four times a day after eight years? There's a man who's in love!

Seriously, that does seem a little obsessive. It's not as though testing actually lowers your blood sugar levels, is it?

When I was first diagnosed, I was not really given any great help when it came to self testing. I was discharged from the hospital on the tuesday after meeting with the diabetes nurse, who said: I could give you a Blood Glucose Meter, but your doctor PROBABLY WONT prescribe the strips and they are quite expensive. So I came away with no real idea of what was going on other than to take Metformin.

After a particular nasty night, when I woke with the worst "hangover" ive ever had in my life, I rang the doctor and asked to see him ASAP. He advised me to go buy a meter and he would prescribe the strips, asked me to keep a diary for a month on what I ate and to record my bm's as follows:

First thing in the AM when I wake
1hr PP
2hr PP
Before bedtime

Ive now had my repeat prescription declined for testing strips as my Dr now wants to manage everything for me and to save me the pain of self testing.
So now, I only self test if i'm feeling kinds ******, like this morning when I registered my lowest ever reading of 3.3, no wonder i felt woozy when I woke.
For me, I have no issues self testing, it inspired me to try and achieve what I wanted to achieve: BM's sub 7 - which I have struggled with.
I'm now on Metformin MR, 2000mgs a day as the Dr suggested that the regular Metformin 1500mgs a day was not managing my diabetes very well. I still have about 70 strips left, and if necessary I will buy them, so i'll still self test when i'm feeling particulaly unwell.


I've just had my Hba1C with my practise nurse, just waiting for the results now - ive requested them from the hosp and am still waiting

Jim