Testing and Monitors

[MT1940]

Received 2 e-mails from 'Charlotte' about free monitor. Completed info . Received negative response - not eligible.
Where can I find info on merits of self testing and also on choice of most suitable monitoring devices

 

[AM1874]

Hi @MT1940 .. and welcome
I also had a neg response about the free meter .. so I gave up with "Charlotte" and all her e-mails. However the reality is that
managing and controlling your diabetes through exercise, diet and testing your Blood Glucose seems to be the best way forward for many people. For me, committing to an LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) lifestyle and testing 3-5 times a day seems to be working and you'll find that there is a wealth of info, relevant advice and positive support about LCHF on the forum ..

I have tagged @daisy1 for you and I would suggest that you read up on the Low Carb Program in the information that she will soon be sending you. You might also find the discussion on the Low Carb Diet forum helpful .. and the following Diet Doctor websites ...
Low Carb Intro and Information
Low Carbs in 60 Seconds

So, to get yourself a meter for testing .. I suggest that you try the website at:
https://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/
for the SD Codefree meter, which costs £12.98 (you don't pay VAT) or:
http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/
who distribute the TEE 2 meter, which is free.
I have both for comparative purposes and I have never found any significant difference between them. Unless you are prescribed test strips by your doctor (unlikely), the costs of testing comes down to the ongoing charges for test strips and lancets. I'm testing 3-4 times a day which works out at around £10 to £12 per month for either of the two packages above but, more importantly, I now know what my BG levels are .. and I can now manage them
Hope this helps

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

Where can I find info on merits of self testing and also on choice of most suitable monitoring devices

Welcome to the forum, a good start to learning and dealing with diabetes.

There is no merit to self testing, some GPs might even refer to some research that was done. That is unless you want to know if your life style and diet changes and or medication are doing any good, in which case you would probably like to know fairly quickly. Otherwise it could be 6 months (3 if you're lucky) or a year (depends on how often you have the test done) before you have an HbA1c to let you know whether you're doing the right things.

As for choice, baring in mind most type IIs do not get prescriptions for consumables (test strips), it might be best to look for a monitor with cheaper test strips. If you Google BG monitors that will show you a lot, although diabetes.co.uk has some good info at http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood_glucose_monitor_guide.html

Good luck!