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Type 1: How many times do you have to test your blood sugar

Banktramp said:
I am still on lantus 26 units a day split into 2 injections of 13.

I test on average 8-12 times per day and have only seen my DSN once in the past 6 months.
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I never see mine only three times last year but I've got some one new and I have not seen her yet
 
Diamattic said:
I test as many as I feel I need to. With a minimum being 3 or 4 times each day (which is very rare) and no maximum lol

Typically its on waking,
before and after any time i eat anything,
whenever i exercise (before and after),
whenever i feel 'strange',
whenever I am curious and want to know what my levels are,
before long drives,
before longer meetings at work,
before site visits at work,
after I am unexpectedly physical (usually at work),
and then before bed...

oh, and whenever I feel high or low.. and then like every 15 minutes until I am back into the normal range lol

I do all of these tests while wearing my dexcom lol Which is just there to keep my mind at ease between finger picks. So far this system is working great lol

So the short answer is anywhere between 4 -15 times each day it seems
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I was told to test twice a day
 
catapillar said:
Is that a mixed insulin, so you are on fixed dishes twice a day rather than MDI?

You keep saying you were told ... It is your diabetes, it is you who decides how to treat it and how often to test. If you are content testing twice a day and when necessary to drive. Great. But if you are making those decisions I would recommend learning a bit more about your diabetes. Think like a pancreas is a great book that covers the basics.

What prompted you to ask the question about how often everyone else tests? Were you unhappy with the advice you had recieved? Did you think you were testing too little, too often?
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I wanted to know because everyone seems to test more than me
 
petepontiac said:
Minimum 4 times a day. first thing in the morning, Lunch, Tea and before bed. If I am driving I test an hour before. Record all readings on spreadsheet and take to the hospital when I have an appointment with my Diabetic doctor.
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Don't you have a book to record your reading in from your hospital a diary
 
Julia McCoulough said:
I wanted to know because everyone seems to test more than me
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would you drive a car without a speedometer ?
well...........testing blood regularly throughout the day at relevant times gives us a much better idea of what our bodies are doing.

less testing is less knowledge to act and control.
 
I would like to do mine more but I'm only allowed 200 strips every 4 weeks and considering my sugars are all over the place I just have to risk and not test and hope my body tells me when I'm not level
 
My daughter (age 5) has CGM but we still test between 8 and 15 times a day. You need to test to get good control.
 
abigailsheree said:
I would like to do mine more but I'm only allowed 200 strips every 4 weeks and considering my sugars are all over the place I just have to risk and not test and hope my body tells me when I'm not level
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Where are you based? Ish - really just asking if you are under the NHS?
 
I am based in Cambridgeshire and yes I'm under the NHS and I originally had only a couple of boxes and had to argue for more as they treated it like I have type 2 diabetes
 
abigailsheree said:
I am based in Cambridgeshire and yes I'm under the NHS and I originally had only a couple of boxes and had to argue for more as they treated it like I have type 2 diabetes
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Nice guidelines provide for type 1 diabetics to be supported to test 4-10 times a day, or more of necessary.

See ng 17, paragraph 1.6.11-12

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng17/chapter/1-Recommendations#blood-glucose-management-2

I'm assuming it's your GP. Do you have a diabetic nurse? If not, you could find out the diabetic nurse details at your local hospital and call them for support - if you have a DSN, they will help you to get an appropriate prescription.

If it were me, I'd be printing off the guidelines and asking the GP why they are contravening them.

I think @noblehead has a letter that was sent to all GP warning them not to ration test strips to type 1s?
 
That's really interesting to know I will question them about that as I always have to think if there is enough to last and they also keep storing them in the fridge so will have to write a letter to them as calling is not getting anywhere does anyone else have this much hassle?
 
abigailsheree said:
That's really interesting to know I will question them about that as I always have to think if there is enough to last and they also keep storing them in the fridge so will have to write a letter to them as calling is not getting anywhere does anyone else have this much hassle?
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This is the letter that @catapillar mentions which was sent out to all gp practices back in 2013:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa.../Safe-care-of-people-with-type-1-diabetes.pdf
 
abigailsheree said:
I would like to do mine more but I'm only allowed 200 strips every 4 weeks and considering my sugars are all over the place I just have to risk and not test and hope my body tells me when I'm not level
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Oh you will be ok I felt funny the other month when it was very hot
 
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