Testing Strips

Here is some advice that may help you to persuade them to let you test and prescribe you strips. Hope it helps you in your battle Otherwise I'm afraid it's e-bay It is definitely necessary to test for a Type 2 - only by testing can you see which foods you can eat, which you need to reduce, and which you must cut out altogether. Unfortunately, it is becoming more and more rare to get strips on prescription now. How on earth does she expect your levels to come down without testing?

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jas said:

I am 49 years old. I was diagnosed 5 years ago. I have been on 1x twice dailey metformin tabs for 3 years. Last 2 yearly blood test results came back as 6.4 then 6.2. A new doctor decided to change to metformin SR once a day. Recent blood test came back 6.9. According to the DB nurse it is too high. and I was told off for testing blood sugar levels at home.

She said people on metformin do not need to check. quarterly or yearly tests are sufficient. I was adviced if sugar levels do not come down in 3 months she will reccomend to go on insulinIs'nt it too early for that. Help please.

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It most certainly is and I'm sure there are many meds/mixes of meds to be explored before injecting insulin. My advice is to ask to be refered to someone up to speed about T2 diabetes treatment.

On the insulin question - there is a very clear pathway for escalating drugs for tackling diabetes and certainly doesn't read: 'try metformin for a bit and then whack in some insulin'. Certainly in T2, insulin is a last resort, as far as I'm aware.

However, I've heard versions of this from a few people, and I have to wonder whether some nurses / doctors are using the insulin threat as a 'motivator' to get people to try harder on diet and exercise etc.?

If so, it's not a very sensible strategy, IMHO.

Hi jas,

A good article here about the treatment options for Type2 .
http://medweb.bham.ac.uk/easdec/prevent ... tm#tablets

Hi Jas,

As with all these things, there is the usual caveat that we can't advise on the best medication etc., and there are circumstances where people do go straight from metformin to insulin (I'm one of them!)

If you haven't already, I wonder if you might be able to have the conversation again with your nurse, saying that you would accept insulin if it is really necessary, but you are taking this really seriously and want to try other things first and can he/she help? I've heard plenty of stories like this where both sides think the other is thinking something else and sometimes you need to restart the conversation. We all have to try to develop a good working relationship with our medical team, whatever we think of them. If people are using insulin as a threat, then I don't think that's treating someone as an adult really.

Anyway, hope you get some more progress and keep us informed.

Well, they slammed me straight onto insulin at diagnosis(April,2008), no suggestion that it was temporary, am currently on 20mg gliclazide per day, HbA1c 5.6!!

jas said:

I am 49 years old. I was diagnosed 5 years ago. I have been on 1x twice dailey metformin tabs for 3 years. Last 2 yearly blood test results came back as 6.4 then 6.2. A new doctor decided to change to metformin SR once a day. Recent blood test came back 6.9. According to the DB nurse it is too high. and I was told off for testing blood sugar levels at home.

She said people on metformin do not need to check. quarterly or yearly tests are sufficient. I was adviced if sugar levels do not come down in 3 months she will reccomend to go on insulin.

Is'nt it too early for that. Help please.

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Hi again jas,

I was wondering if you had seen the advice for newbies that is equally important to all of us.

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=17088

There are Type2's here who take two or three oral meds and if you are against insulin then you have to speak up and say so as your involvement in your care is equally important as the rest of the team, you are part of that team.
The test strip issue is equally important because we all know that it is the most useful tool in controlling our condition and it is impossible to do it without it. There is some advice here for putting forward an argument as to why you need them.

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=19002

jas said:

Hi ,

I was told by the nurse that I have to save my fingers for later when I am on insulin to test.

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Well, that's an argument I have never heard before :lol:

This nurse is very lucky that she hasn't come up against some of the members here. She seems sadly lacking in diabetes knowledge and people skills. :roll:

I was put on insulin at diagnosis (T2) ith no explanation. I accepted it as 1 - i was so ill in hosp with something else and 2 - knew nothing about diabetes. I have stayed on insulin (2 1/2 yrs) as I feel it gives me more freedom re food. I dont mind the injections or testing. I dont think i could control my bs so easily if i was just on oral meds.

jas said:

Hi ,

I was told by the nurse that I have to save my fingers for later when I am on insulin to test. in the past years I have been keeping record of what food affect my blood sugar.

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that actually made me giggle... some advise people get... :roll:

jas said:

I am 49 years old. I was diagnosed 5 years ago. I have been on 1x twice dailey metformin tabs for 3 years. Last 2 yearly blood test results came back as 6.4 then 6.2. A new doctor decided to change to metformin SR once a day. Recent blood test came back 6.9. According to the DB nurse it is too high. and I was told off for testing blood sugar levels at home.

She said people on metformin do not need to check. quarterly or yearly tests are sufficient. I was adviced if sugar levels do not come down in 3 months she will reccomend to go on insulin.

Is'nt it too early for that. Help please.

Click to expand...

As indicated by others, you are being given seriously confusing advice.

HbA1c of 6.4 & 6.2 are satisfactory & much better than most diabetics, indicating correct medication, diet, etc. When you were changed on to metf SR, was there a reason, & was it the same total dose? Normally the reason would be stomach upset & you could tolerate the normal metf.

My complications started with HbA1c of 6.7 (muscle pain - peripheral neuropathy) so at 6.9 the obvious thing is to go back on the successful medication. Insulin is not an easy option. Do you control your diet? DUK complex starchy carb, or reduced carb? I take 3x metf 500 daily, & a low carb diet & my latest HbA1c was 6.1. My pain (& chronic tiredness) were cleared by a change of diet, having followed the DUK diet for 7-8 years.

I test every day, 1-4 times, & have NO problems with sore fingers, nor infection - but I prick the sides, not the pads. The demonstrators always teach us to use the pads, which would cause problems - especially if you play the guitar.

I check at least every morning, fasting. That reading indicates how I'm doing - when I had problems, it had drifted up from about 6.4 to 6.9. Low carb soon reduced it to below 6.0.

What we are trying to do is stay healthy & avoid complications. That is best controlled by being a well-informed patient. What people like your nurse seem to be doing is an annual test to see whether the medication is working or needs to be increased - & that is under their control, not yours.

I went on the X-PERT diabetes course where the lecturer said Hounslow spend more on test strips than diab medication, so testing is discouraged. I pointed out that that could mean that testing aided control, & reduced the need for medication & the expensive treatment of complications. Statistics can be misleading.

I have just read through this thread jas , and really can't see where anyone was mocking or laughing at YOU, they were laughing at the NURSE. Some of the excuses they make not o prescribe test srips are mind blowing! I think my "favourite " was when someone was old not to test because WHEN not IF they went blind hey would not be able to read Braille. Once again an ignorant HCP using threats instead of useful advice,

I don't think your DR has changed your medication.. Metformin SR is supposed o be kinder and gentler on the stomach. Has the dosage been changed? I know hat some drs believe that it is better to take
one high dosage pill than several low doseage. I used to take 4'500 mg of metformin and now take 2x1000mg. Apparently they feel that patients will feel more "Normal" if they take fewer pils.
Made no difference to me but if it doesn' suit you ask to change.

It took me a year to get SR Metformin as it cos a pound a month more at the time and made me very sick
so I would have been pleased had my prescribed it. It shouldn't make any difference as the SR releases the drug slowly throughout the day.

It is often confusing when HCP;s tell patients one thing and you find that others have a different opinion.
You just have to remeber that the nurses are often folloewing orders from "above" . Not all nurses and few dosctors are diabees experts. Its the same for other chronic diseases. Patients often become experts when they are living with a disease .
Try not to worry and give the SR a longer trial.
Certainly follow he advice re esing. Side of the finger remeber!

I have been "threatened " with insulin in the past. Possibly because the HCP didn't know what else o do.
Take control yourself.