Type 2 should you be given blood sugar Monitor

[debchoc]

I have never been given a blood monitor in the 5 years I have had diabetes. I am taking metformin and sitagliptin should I request one? Your opinions welcome I did purchase one a couple of years ago but now retired and not using it due to the expense Thanks

 

[xfieldok]

Of course we should. Unfortunately we don't get them, but they are key to controlling out T2.

 

[Deleted member 308541]

No meter and strips equals no T2 control...

 

[miahara]

No meter and no monitoring is akin to driving blindfolded.

 

[jim1951]

Okay,the NHS is regulated in many ways including NICE guidelines.

Check this link to NICE guidance for type 2 self testing.

https://bnf.nice.org.uk/treatment-summary/diabetes-mellitus-diagnostic-and-monitoring-devices.html

and in particular the following extract

Self-monitoring of blood-glucose concentration is appropriate for patients with type 2 diabetes:

• who are treated with insulin;
• who are treated with oral hypoglycaemic drugs e.g. sulfonylureas, to provide information on hypoglycaemia;
• to monitor changes in blood-glucose concentration resulting from changes in lifestyle or medication, and during intercurrent illness;
• to ensure safe blood-glucose concentration during activities, including driving.

Refer your GP to the guidance and say you want to measure your levels in relation to lifestyle changes and diet.

This is of course a continual process.

 

[Ushthetaff]

Hi I’ve been of the opinion for quite some time that diabetics wether type 1 2 3 69 70 whatever should have blood sugar meters, it’s as important if not more important than the medication . Let’s face it how can you have the correct medication if your bloods are all to ****, and how do you know if they are with no blood sugar meter. I don’t know maybe I’m looking at it from the wrong angle maybe guessing is what works , I can say from experience it doesnt.
The press is full of articles about diabetes being the biggest drain on the NHS , Better control of diabetes= less drain on NHS
Maybe a recycle system is what’s needed for more people to get meters , I have 3 meters I think , which are now redundant as I’m on the Libre ! Why not recycle them as people get put on Libre there must be more people like me who have “old” but usable meters stuck in a drawer somewhere, perhaps I should go the surgery and try and give them to diabetic nurse.
Trouble is the people who then have a meter have to jump through hoops to get test strips.
Speculate to accumulate they say , maybe the government should look into maybe save a bit of cash .

 

[VashtiB]

In Australa here and I had to buy a blood sugar level- went today for my second HbA1C after diagnosis- 34%- .2 and my doctor suggested I should test less frequently as that would be better for my mental health- Ignorance would be far worse for my mental health- I'm willing to sacrifice other things if necessary.

Just my view but I consider a meter a necessity for type 2s- I'm sue they are necessary for other types but can't speak for them

 

[Quinn1066]

I was diagnosed in August 2018. Never given a blood glucose monitor, but recently I went through the bother of getting one. It gives you such a sense of relief about how one as an individual reacts to certain foods. Indeed just going off HbA1C results is like flying blind, one wouldn't know if one spikes after eating certain foods. I am late to the blood glucose monitor party, but in my opinion it's a necessity and would make ones metal health concerning diabetes management far better then worse.

 

[Tophat1900]

IMO a meter is essential... the advice to not test or you don't need one is purely cost cutting ignorance and detrimental to your overall health.

 

[Daphne917]

A meter is, in my opinion, an essential tool in the control of diabetes, which, in the long term, will result in savings to the NHS as you become aware of what effect the food you eat has on your BS and can adjust as necessary which will negate or lessen the need to be treated with drugs etc.

 

[Lotties]

Hi I’ve been of the opinion for quite some time that diabetics wether type 1 2 3 69 70 whatever should have blood sugar meters, it’s as important if not more important than the medication . Let’s face it how can you have the correct medication if your bloods are all to ****, and how do you know if they are with no blood sugar meter. I don’t know maybe I’m looking at it from the wrong angle maybe guessing is what works , I can say from experience it doesnt.
The press is full of articles about diabetes being the biggest drain on the NHS , Better control of diabetes= less drain on NHS
Maybe a recycle system is what’s needed for more people to get meters , I have 3 meters I think , which are now redundant as I’m on the Libre ! Why not recycle them as people get put on Libre there must be more people like me who have “old” but usable meters stuck in a drawer somewhere, perhaps I should go the surgery and try and give them to diabetic nurse.
Trouble is the people who then have a meter have to jump through hoops to get test strips.
Speculate to accumulate they say , maybe the government should look into maybe save a bit of cash .

I have a speedometer in my car. Very few would consider driving without one.
Not sure why there is so much resistance. Granted it is more accurate but economies of scale may drive serious improvements of BG meters.

 

[HSSS]

I think historically they got handed out when type 2 was considered progressive and impossible to reverse. Ie

No appropriate instructions were given how to use it other than the same way a type 1 would use it for adjusting insulin or hypo prevention.

No action was to be taken whatever the reading - because they thought there was none or little that could be taken.

So given those conditions people might have got a few random numbers they could do nothing with. Pointless expense if we’re being honest. So they stopped issuing meters and strips as a result.

No one in the nhs issuing dept has been updated how very very useful they can be with the right education in how to use it and what to do with the numbers that result. Ie adjust the carbs that effect that individual. No one looks at the long term budgets, just this years which is probably before the real savings would have shown up.

 

[STfan]

When I told my nurse that I self tested with a blood glucose meter she said I shouldn’t do that as it was dangerous, after that I told her I had just fasted for 3 days she nearly fell of her chair and then told me because I’m diabetic I shouldn’t go 5 hours without eating. At the same time she halved my dose of metformin.

Also when my gp sent me for my Hba1c blood test I asked if they could check my fasting insulin, her reply was “I don’t have access to that test “.

to say I’m unimpressed with my gp surgery would be an understatement.

 

[jjraak]

Haha...

Well so far I've survived several case of fingertip-itis, one WAS touch and go if I'd pull through ...

And one whoosh moment where I came over all giddy at the thought of how death defying testing was , and how horrified my family would be to find me slumped over my testing kit, and have those awful words uttered by the para medics.."sad, that's the third fatality this week..when will these T2's realise they don't have the mental strength for 'pricking"
Thrill Seeking idiots"

*None of the above is true..

15 months of testing has left no discernible mark physically or mentally.

I am, as so many are, simply better able to adjust my diet with regards to KNOWING what foods do not agree with ME, as much as they do agree with others not suffering from T2 and also other T2's who report they can eat xyz, with no issues...but I CAN'T, the food they CAN eat spikes me....

We need 2020 vision () if we are to slow the T2 Tsunami and improve the health care for so many coming in our wake.

Testing IS the first part of that equation

 

[ianf0ster]

Maybe a recycle system is what’s needed for more people to get meters , I have 3 meters I think , which are now redundant as I’m on the Libre ! Why not recycle them as people get put on Libre there must be more people like me who have “old” but usable meters stuck in a drawer somewhere, perhaps I should go the surgery and try and give them to diabetic nurse.
Trouble is the people who then have a meter have to jump through hoops to get test strips.
Speculate to accumulate they say , maybe the government should look into maybe save a bit of cash .

The following applies to Type 2's.
It is the cost of the testing strips which is the biggest expense. So only BG meters with relatively cheap testing strips would be worth re-using.
Meters at around £12 and test strips at around £8 for 50 is the lowest end of pricing for something that is useable. And at that price, if your test strips aren't a greater expense than your meter (for the first few months) then you aren't testing enough before and then after meals.

 

[Robbity]

I have never been given a blood monitor in the 5 years I have had diabetes. I am taking metformin and sitagliptin should I request one? Your opinions welcome I did purchase one a couple of years ago but now retired and not using it due to the expense Thanks

You are quite likely to get a free meter, but it's the test strips that are the sticking point. However there are a couple of meters for which the test strips are relatively cheap, and @Rachox will tell you which these are.

I'm retired on a small pension and have been self funding my test strips for nearly six years, and since it's my health and wellbeing at stake this outlay is probably some the the best value I've ever got from my money.

 

[HSSS]

Haha...

Well so far I've survived several case of fingertip-itis, one WAS touch and go if I'd pull through ...

And one whoosh moment where I came over all giddy at the thought of how death defying testing was , and how horrified my family would be to find me slumped over my testing kit, and have those awful words uttered by the para medics.."sad, that's the third fatality this week..when will these T2's realise they don't have the mental strength for 'pricking"
Thrill Seeking idiots"

*None of the above is true..

15 months of testing has left no discernible mark physically or mentally.

I am, as so many are, simply better able to adjust my diet with regards to KNOWING what foods do not agree with ME, as much as they do agree with others not suffering from T2 and also other T2's who report they can eat xyz, with no issues...but I CAN'T, the food they CAN eat spikes me....

We need 2020 vision () if we are to slow the T2 Tsunami and improve the health care for so many coming in our wake.

Testing IS the first part of that equation

@jjraak I am quite literally crying with laughter right now.

My non believer, carboholic, cynical OH is (almost) doing the same as I manage to read out loud your comments between bouts of hysterical giggles.

Thank you, I needed a full on belly laugh.

 

[jjraak]

@jjraak I am quite literally crying with laughter right now.

My non believer, carboholic, cynical OH is (almost) doing the same as I manage to read out loud your comments between bouts of hysterical giggles.

Thank you, I needed a full on belly laugh.

glad to be of service...

(cheers, nice comments..appreciated )

 

[Rachox]

Thanks for the tag @Robbity , sorry only just noticed it.
Here’s some info on UK meters, and to be clear I have no commercial connections with any of the companies mentioned. For a meter with cheap strips go for the Tee2 + found here:

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-plus-blood-glucose-meter/ with the strips found here:

http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-testing-strips/


With more expensive strips is the Caresens Dual which I currently use, this one has the advantage of glucose and ketone testing in one machine, it’s to be found here:

https://shop.spirit-health.co.uk/collections/caresens-dual


And to be totally transparent I used to use the SD Code Free which has the cheapest strips available. However I found it to be becoming less and less reliable, although I hear reliability may have improved now. Here it is for anyone wanting to give it a go:

http://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/blood-glucose-monitor/

and here for the extra strips

http://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/sd-codefree-test-strips-to-be-used-only-with-the-sd-monitor/

There are discount codes if you buy in bulk.

5 packs 264086

10 packs 975833


Don’t forget to check the box that you have diabetes so you can buy VAT free. (for all meters and strips)


Home Health have recently bought out this one too, but I haven’t heard any reviews yet:


https://homehealth-uk.com/all-products/gluconavii-blood-sugar-meter-glucose-monitor-starter-kit/

 

[mm93fm]

You can simply purchase the glucose meter and strips from your local chemist and it is a small investment in your health.