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Telling off for self testing

bulkbiker said:
Hi
Firstly the usual questions..
Had you fasted 10-14 hours before the blood taken for the test? Only water nothing else?

And yes LCHF can indeed help with NAFLD.

Edit to add please read the whole thread before answering!
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I hadn’t fasted for these tests as the review letter said that I would be having non fasting blood tests.
That morning I had 2 mugs of green tea, 2 coffees with double cream. For breakfast I had full fat Greek yoghurt with flaxseed, almonds, walnuts & a little oat bran.
It’s good to hear that LCHF does help my fatty liver
 
Atad heavy said:
I hadn’t fasted for these tests as the review letter said that I would be having non fasting blood tests.
That morning I had 2 mugs of green tea, 2 coffees with double cream. For breakfast I had full fat Greek yoghurt with flaxseed, almonds, walnuts & a little oat bran.
It’s good to hear that LCHF does help my fatty liver
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In that case the Trig number will have been raised by breakfast so kind of makes any conclusions not relevant. That was the only number that looked a bit "out" so I wouldn't worry. Next time you are having a full liid panel then fast for 10-4 hours beforehand (water only) and you'll get more info.
 
Atad heavy said:
I am type 2 controlled by diet & exercise & have just had my first annual review. To say it didn't go well would be an understatement, I actually got a good telling off for self testing. I was told that if they deemed it necessary then a meter would have been prescribed so why was I doing it. I replied that I was eating to my meter in the hope of controlling my diabetes & not putting myself at risk of complications. The DN said that it was a waste of time as I would have to test all day long as it changes. My food diary didn't get looked at & I left feeling really emotional like a naughty child.
Am I wrong for testing my blood ?
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No dear member - YOU WERE DOING NOTHING WRONG - just unfortunately using a clinic where the Practice Leader (Doctor usually) wants to keep the bill down from his local pharmacy for test strips - I also was asked some thirteen years ago why was I testing myself by the head poncho - by a doctor with very little medical knowledge who was so motivated to earn extra money by selling his services to the local General Hospital it was disgusting - much of this goes on to this day.
 
Moondance said:
Am a bit nervous after reading the above replies and their tone about sticking my head above the parapet, but I am a nurse practitioner working in a GP surgery. I am self-funding a diploma in diabetes to learn more about the latest indepth research, I do not do diabetic reviews, but want to learn more in order to support patients better. I would suggest calling the surgery and asking for a GP to ring you back to discuss your blood results. All surgeries I have worked at offer this - the GP can give you your HbA1c result over the phone. While you have their attention, you could ask if it would be possible to have a prescribed BM machine and repeat script for testing strips as you want to maximise your chances of sticking to a normal glycaemia and reducing your risk of complications. I think some of you are right, BM testing strips are so expensive that the NICE guidelines (sadly often guided by the cheapest, not always the best option) do not recommend them for oral controlled type 2 diabetics. Having said that, we are not sheep, we are clinicians who should always listen to patients, and do what we would hope would be done for our families, or that is how I work. I am so sorry that you have had this experience, but please do not give up, you sound like a very well motivated, very sensible person, most GPs can only dream of a patient like you
best wishes
Ali
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Thankyou for that, I wish you were my DN
 
If as I do a person self tests and funds this out of their own pocket why on Earth do so many GPs get so peed of about it, is it because they feel that testing on a regular basis is to the benefit of their patients and so in not prescribing blood sugar monitors and strips they think they are not acting in their patients best interest and the only way they can salve their conscience is to tell themselves and their patients it is unnecessary to do so.

A touch of cognitive dissonance maybe.
 
xfieldok said:
Sorry but I don't agree. Meters give us an indication of how our food is affecting us.

Yes, they are not 100 per cent accurate, but they give a good indication. They are extremely effective for day to day control. If we could measure our insulin at will, that would be a bonus, but we can't.

I used CodeFree along with the mySugr app and the comparison with the HbA1c results were acceptable. The Caresens meter consistently read slightly lower than the CodeFree. It's just a guide and extremely helpful for people starting out on this journey.
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This post was started a long time ago, but I am just facing the same problem. I usually use a meter that I bought in the UK (Glucozen) but am now locked down in Spain. I ran out of strips for the usual meter so ordered some from Amazon for another meter (Accuchek), which I had from some time ago (but whose strips are double the price). Both say they are accurate, but when my daughter visited this week with replacements strips from the UK, I compared the two meters. The Accuchek Meter reads consistently 1-2 mmol/l higher than the other one, putting me back into the pre-diabetic range from the normal range of FBGs. Which meter should I believe??? Should I tighten up on my already pretty strict LVHF diet or not??
 
All metes have a 10-15 plus or minus percent accuracy. Different meters will give slightly different results. Go back to your old meter when you can get strips.
 
Atad heavy said:
I am type 2 controlled by diet & exercise & have just had my first annual review. To say it didn't go well would be an understatement, I actually got a good telling off for self testing. I was told that if they deemed it necessary then a meter would have been prescribed so why was I doing it. I replied that I was eating to my meter in the hope of controlling my diabetes & not putting myself at risk of complications. The DN said that it was a waste of time as I would have to test all day long as it changes. My food diary didn't get looked at & I left feeling really emotional like a naughty child.
Am I wrong for testing my blood ?
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Colour me cynical, but I suspect Metformin works out cheaper than test strips.
 
Nicole T said:
Colour me cynical, but I suspect Metformin works out cheaper than test strips.
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It is, significantly I'm sure. But it also does work for some, and is the initial treatment where diet doesn't work I believe

It's also NICE guidelines to not give strips to type 2 except for specific reasons. We may not agree but It's what it is, what the NHS should or not pay for is a whole, and heated discussion!
 
rosieP said:
This post was started a long time ago, but I am just facing the same problem. I usually use a meter that I bought in the UK (Glucozen) but am now locked down in Spain. I ran out of strips for the usual meter so ordered some from Amazon for another meter (Accuchek), which I had from some time ago (but whose strips are double the price). Both say they are accurate, but when my daughter visited this week with replacements strips from the UK, I compared the two meters. The Accuchek Meter reads consistently 1-2 mmol/l higher than the other one, putting me back into the pre-diabetic range from the normal range of FBGs. Which meter should I believe??? Should I tighten up on my already pretty strict LVHF diet or not??
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These meters require periodic calibration with test solutions. I do this about every 3 months with my meter.
 
Nicole T said:
Colour me cynical, but I suspect Metformin works out cheaper than test strips.
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Andydragon said:
It is, significantly I'm sure. But it also does work for some, and is the initial treatment where diet doesn't work I believe

It's also NICE guidelines to not give strips to type 2 except for specific reasons. We may not agree but It's what it is, what the NHS should or not pay for is a whole, and heated discussion!
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1. Metformin is also better understood by drs whereas testing for type 2 and food tolerance isn’t.
2. Metformin does work for some, and diet fails because they give either no, vague or downright misleading advice in far too many cases. See point 1.
 
HSSS said:
1. Metformin is also better understood by drs whereas testing for type 2 and food tolerance isn’t.
2. Metformin does work for some, and diet fails because they give either no, vague or downright misleading advice in far too many cases. See point 1.
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A bit unfortunate that many don't quite understand that Metformin doesn't act as some sort of compensation for what you put in your mouth.
 
That DN needs to find another job , your definitely doing the right thing .
 
Crocodile said:
These meters require periodic calibration with test solutions. I do this about every 3 months with my meter.
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You can't calibrate the meter as they don't have any means of adjustment. The control solution is to check the test strips are within range.
 
Crocodile said:
A bit unfortunate that many don't quite understand that Metformin doesn't act as some sort of compensation for what you put in your mouth.
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Had a friend who thought just that, believed taking metformin meant she could eat what she wanted blood sugar level of 33 and a diabetic coma disabused of that belief.
 
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