sugar level testing

What are your blood sugar levels like ? Anyone with Diabetes shoulld be given a glucose meter. I aslo had to pay for my meter as well, so your not alone.

Home testing should be part of controlling T2 diabetes and it might be worth you telling your GP you wish to be more proactive. I also found it nudged by dropping a subtle hint about duty of care. As a pensioner you should be given all that you need to obtain good control and that means home testing so that you know what foods to avoid.

I found that my practice nurse started treating me differently when I quoted hte NICE guidlines regarding post meal levels to her, she finally took me as seriouly trying to contain my levels. (and knowing what Iwas talking about)

'you will find a lot said on this forum about people being stopped having their testing strips on prescription.

I was told that I didn't need to test by my doctor and the DN who said the same did seem a bit coy when she said it. I said to them how on earth am I going to know what food I react to if I don't test. I now buy my own strips but did manage to get 1 pot of 50 on prescription as I showed that I was proactive about my diabetis but these have to last me a year, as was told only need to test 2 times a month. Yeah a year :shock: . I am now retired and on a pension and this expense is something I could do without.

Until your diabetic you don't realise how many problems there are out in the wild world going round the shops seeing all this food that you now can't eat not that I wanted it when I could eat it but now I can't its like a magnet to me - everything seems to be sugar all the cooking progams on the telly the food looks great but of no use to me most of the time. It is so hard. :cry:

I wish all the docs nurses and politicians were diabetic for 6 months and make them see what it is like then they will all change their tune :evil:

Testing is the only way forward and keeping control of your diet.

All the best
Sue

Sue Morton said:

'you will find a lot said on this forum about people being stopped having their testing strips on prescription.

I was told that I didn't need to test by my doctor and the DN who said the same did seem a bit coy when she said it. I said to them how on earth am I going to know what food I react to if I don't test. I now buy my own strips but did manage to get 1 pot of 50 on prescription as I showed that I was proactive about my diabetis but these have to last me a year, as was told only need to test 2 times a month. Yeah a year :shock: . I am now retired and on a pension and this expense is something I could do without.Until your diabetic you don't realise how many problems there are out in the wild world going round the shops seeing all this food that you now can't eat not that I wanted it when I could eat it but now I can't its like a magnet to me - everything seems to be sugar all the cooking progams on the telly the food looks great but of no use to me most of the time. It is so hard. :cry:

I wish all the docs nurses and politicians were diabetic for 6 months and make them see what it is like then they will all change their tune :evil:

Testing is the only way forward and keeping control of your diet.

All the best
Sue

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You can shoot your GP down in flames on this one as most (maybe all) manufacturers state that the shelf life of strips once opened is usually 12 weeks. I did not know this until another diabetes site explained it and sure enough its there in the small print. I took that along to DN and she 'said' she did not know but I got the strips back on my repeat scripts.
There is a long list of do's & don'ts for test strips but its usually bound up in a multi-folded paper printed in micro font, so it take some reading, but its there!

My strips - Contour - are valid for six months after opening

daisy1 said:

My strips - Contour - are valid for six months after opening

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I was using OneTouch Ultra at the time and those are definately use within 3 months, but now I am using AccuChek Aviva (for Nano) and have no idea what the limitations are as they are gone within less than a month.

Sorry Hobs.......My OneTouch Ultra test strips are valid for up to 6 months after opening.

It has been mentioned on this website/Forum several times since I came here in early 2009. You would have to search many posts for the information though. Mostly they have been in response to questions members asked. As Hobs states, check the product information leaflet.

cugila said:

Sorry Hobs.......My OneTouch Ultra test strips are valid for up to 6 months after opening.

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They must be batched in different factories then as I have a box in front of me not expiring until next month (Lot No 2949739) and on the of the box side (hadn't seen that before) it states to 'Use within 3 months of opening'

They actually revised the information in October 2009. Some of the older packaging still shows the information from January 2009 and that is still probably correct. All mine expire 2012 so are very new.

We believe that the advice changed in between those dates. That explains the discrepancy.

It is now 6 months for the OneTouch Ultra as stated. I have all brand new packaging as I get through close to 150-200 a month. No chance of going out of date there.......

That's a lot of strips. More than I am entitled to... How many times a day do you test and when?
C.

Waking, pre meals, post meals and bedtime most days. Tight control......if not the numbers can rise.
They treat me as if I was on Insulin which up to now I have avoided.

Never had a problem getting strips as my Endo knows exactly what I do. One GP tried to stop them once.........we had words........I got my strips !

Blood glucose strips for Optium Xceed meter are individually wrapped, so they last until the expiry date, with no need to worry about validity after opening a pack, as you open immediately before use. see http://www.abbottdiabetescare.co.uk/you ... tium-xceed
Boots sell their own brand of the same meter which uses the same strips - see boots.com/en/Boots-Blood-Glucose-Monitoring-System_44687/

Guys,
I just got on to this question today but was told earlier this week that I have to test myself before I drive (min level 5.5). This means at least 2 extra neasurements per day and I already test 3 times per day.
How can you only test every 6 months?
I was also informed that it is a legal requirement so that I can prove that I was not having a hypo at the time of any accident.
Comments please

Campbell Kirk said:

Guys,
I just got on to this question today but was told earlier this week that I have to test myself before I drive (min level 5.5). This means at least 2 extra neasurements per day and I already test 3 times per day.
How can you only test every 6 months?
I was also informed that it is a legal requirement so that I can prove that I was not having a hypo at the time of any accident.
Comments please

Click to expand...

See here for information.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=19818&start=30#p181584

Both my Husband and I are Diabetic, me just recently in both families unfortunately, we were both given Glucose Testing Machines, my Hubby's has had 2 updates, so they are pretty good on that. Then again do the GPs pay for the Monitors or are they given them free from Reps?

However up to a few months ago when I had my Diabetic Review, I received free testing strips and Lancets but they were withdrawn, the Nurse said that the Head Partner in the practice has said that people with Type 2 diabetes would no longer get them on prescription, as they did not need to test, the yearly review was enough. I said I thought this was disgusting and did say if anything happened to us as a result of not being able to test our blood sugar we would sue the practice, she was quite taken aback. I suppose though now there will be no new machines given out either.

I have bought both my strips and lancets on Ebay and they were up a lot cheaper, but not everyone has access to the internet.

I find for the peace of mind that testing gives you and lets face it they tell you stress is bad for the Diabetes, it is a joke for them to say your yearly review is enough. My Husband had a Mild Stroke almost 2 years ago now and his sugar level was all over the place, the Doctors said not to worry it was the Blood Pressure they were worried about but he was worried and the only thing that kept him sane was being able to check his sugar level, which he did at least 3 times a day. He still checks it every morning and worries over it if a little high, as we all do, but then when he takes it and it has gone down you can see the relief in him. Mind you he is still to have his Review so he is still getting his stips.

I got a free machine through this website, most newsletter seem to have someone offering a free machine.

I hope the Petition for Free strips works and that everyone gets a free metre as they need it. :thumbup:

I was told by my GP I wasn't testing my sugar levels enough, so she changed the tablets, awful, sickness, feeling bloated so I stopped them and reverted back to the normal ones. Needless to say she was not to impressed. I refuse to take tablets that make you sick. My blood sugar, yesterday after three hours from a meal was 9.1, I've no idea if this is normal or what, I felt OK. The fasting one was 4.4. So I assume starting the day low is fine. I'm totally confused with this blood glucose count, and sometimes feel like giving up, know I can't, but like many on this site get down with all the testing, tablets, and confusion on what is right and what is wrong. I can well understand people's depression, anger, and being fed up, this note is to tell them they are not alone.