• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Testing query please.

J

Janieb

Well-Known Member
Messages
158
Location
Rossendale
Dislikes
People who think that all diabetics are lazy - think some education is in order :0)
Hello all, on the advise of some peeps on this forum I requested a free contour meter and it came yesterday.

Tried it straight away and it showed 7.4, think I was 7.1 when the nurse last tested but I'm not well and I'd just had a lemsip so didnt think that was too bad. ( BTW I have a phobeia about needles so it was very interesting)

As I've not been asked to test yet as going back in August for another blood test i wondered how I would get on re asking my doc for a prescription.

I'm type 2 diet only for the moment.

Also need to understand how often I should be testing, if I have to pay for these strips then its going to have to be the bear minimum that I test as am having lots of money problems at the moment.
 
Hi JanieB.

The NICE 2009 guideline Bg level figures for a T2 are as follows:
Fasting (waking).....................between 4 - 7 mmol/l.
2 hrs after meals.....................no more than 8.5 mmol/l.

If you can keep within those numbers that is good. If you can get below them, even better.

Testing frequency depends on what you want to achieve ? If you want tight control then you have to test often. Initially, say for a couple of weeks you need to test on waking, before meals, then 1 and 2 hrs after meals. A test before bedtime is also beneficial.
Keep a food diary alongside this so you can relate one to the other. Do this and you will easily see what certain foods and drinks do to your Bg levels. At the end of this time you should then be able to taper off the testing unless something new is added to your diet or some medication is started. Personally I test around 4 - 5 times daily because I don't have a problem in getting as many strips as I want prescribed. I also want tight control at all times.

Try asking for the strips and lancets on prescription but be prepared to explain why you need them and what you are trying to achieve. You may have to argue your case.

Coming to cost if you can't get them prescribed ? If you are having difficulty affording the strips then there is always Ebay. Just make sure the seller is genuine and pay by Paypal so if they are no good you can get your money back. They are much cheaper there and a lot of members use this method if they don't get enough on prescription.

There is also a new product which I use sometimes called Glucoflex-R. Basically the strips are used without a meter and I have found them to be as accurate as my meter and they are certainly better than nothing at all !! You can get them on prescription now or just buy them at places like Boots etc. Any half decent Pharmacy should have them or be able to get them if you ask. They are much cheaper than the meter type strips.
Here is a link to the website about them.
http://www.betachek.com/Glucoflex.htm

Ken.
 
Also this is probably me being thick but can you use the lancets more than once - or is it use once then throw ( I'll need to get a needles disposable box as well wont I)
 
I reuse the lancets, I was told to change them every 4 tests but quite often I change them less regularly.

Never share a lancet, if you test someone else then always change it before and after as there could be a chance of transferring blood borne infections :)

Good luck when you see your GP, there are lots of threads here that will list the NICE recomendations re testing that you might find useful to quote.
 
Janieb said:
Also this is probably me being thick but can you use the lancets more than once - or is it use once then throw ( I'll need to get a needles disposable box as well wont I)
Click to expand...

As Sid states the lancets are supposed to be once only use but mine are 6 in a drum (Accu-Chek Multiclix) so I make one drum last around two to three days. I test around 4 times daily. Cuts down on the prescription requests and keeps the Doc happy.

Here in the West Mids (Birmingham) the local Council will provide a sharps box free of charge and collect and deliver request by means of a phone call. Other Council's around the Country may charge for this service. Give yours a ring.

Ken.
 
I was under the impression the Accu-Chek Multiclix drums wouldn't carry on after all 6 had been used. The first two seemed to stick as indicated in the instructions, but this last one could have continued for ever. So I am puzzled. And does that mean you take it out and put it in again if you want to re-use?
 
If you want to re-use the Multiclix needles just don't turn them round, all you need do is re **** it by pushing the end down. I turn mine when I remember, usually every other day or so :)
 
I have recently registered with this web site and found it a great source of information. A couple of weeks ago I received one of the free 'Contour' test meters that this site is offering to people. Up until then I have been quite happily using my 'Accu-Chek compact plus' tester. Being an inquisitive type of person I used both testers on the same drop of blood to see if they would read the same. To my confusion the readings were entirely different. The Contour has always been around 2 points higher. 6.7 on the accu-chek = 8.8 on the contour. Straight after a meal it was 11.8 on the accu-chek = 13.1 on the contour. Always a difference. Both testers calibrate O/K. Am I worrying too much. Some advice please. I know I should only use 1 tester but it was an experiment that seems to have backfired in my mind.
 
Hi pompeypete.

Groan..... :( Meter testing Sorry about this but there are over 400 entries on this forum about your question. Here is a link to all those posts:
search.php?st=0&sk=t&sd=d&keywords=meter+testing

Plus this link realating to meter accuracy.
search.php?st=0&sk=t&sd=d&keywords=meter+accuracy

Basically the meters will NEVER read identically even in Lab conditions. They are all built to EU standard measurements and are certified as accurate within tolerances as set out under the EU regs. They should be CE marked to show conformity.

So, pompeypete.
Welcome to the forum. Take a good look around and ask questions when you are ready.
(but please no more about meter readings :? )

Ken. :D
 
I think I read somewhere that BG meters are acuate to within 10% so if your BG level was 7.0 then 10% would be .7 so a reading anywhere between 6.3 and 7.7 would be acceptable :)
 
meters

:mrgreen: the OH, being a virgo, has 2 meters. One national health and one he bought. He is playing with them and they vary ...one reads 7.3 and the other 6.6. He is asking how does he know which one is right, and should they vary at all ? One's an Aviva Nano and the other one is Ultra Easy LifeScan.
 
Hi Ming.

Have a read of the previous posts in this thread, all will be revealed. Especailly mine about 3 back/forward whichever.

Ken.
 
Back
Top