Why do GP recommend not to test blood sugars with glucose meter?

[Scardoc]

i think it is easy for them to say type 1 diabetes can have the meters yet type 2 can not yet it is type 2 that is becoming a major concern on the health as more people are being diagnosed with it and they are getting worried they can not afford to fund all patients so there priority over diabetes most urgent even though type 1 and 2 are deadly and serious number 1 at this time has the upper hand and we all know all diabetes types need equal health treatment ,choosing one above the other is not the way.

If T1 patients are being prioritised then I can only imagine it is because of the nature of T1 diabetes, in that there is nothing you can do for it except mimic the pancreas as best you can by injecting insulin. If not, you will die.
Not funding meters for all T2’s can be seen to have some merit as there are other methods of control such as diet and exercise. I guess the question is whether you believe the NHS should be there as a back up to all other avenues having been tried first (where they exist), or there to help regardless. In an ideal world I would say regardless but how long could we afford that for without having to increase the tax we all pay considerably?
It goes far beyond diabetes too. Do you help people stop smoking which, whilst an addiction, is also a personal choice that everyone knows leads to horrendous illness? Alcoholism is much the same. Weight watchers funded by the NHS? Should these be immediate rights or last resorts? What about the underlying causes of some of these addictions? Do some carry more weight than others? Some people do have genuine, horrific reasons for falling into drink or drug addictions? Some people just, IMHO, need a good kick up the **** and made to realise how little they actually have to worry about.
There’s no question that prevention is better than cure – physically, mentally and financially. That’s something the Government has to pursue and in all honesty I think they can only do so much in guiding lifestyle before personal responsibility takes over.
I am genuinely on the fence as I can’t make up my mind. I think the NHS is wonderful and I would happily pay my national insurance my entire life and not feel aggrieved if I didn’t have to use it. However, I think the country is heading for ruin and if a tough stance needs to be taken to make this a better and more prosperous place for my children then…………..

 

[Andy12345]

If T1 patients are being prioritised then I can only imagine it is because of the nature of T1 diabetes, in that there is nothing you can do for it except mimic the pancreas as best you can by injecting insulin. If not, you will die.
Not funding meters for all T2’s can be seen to have some merit as there are other methods of control such as diet and exercise. I guess the question is whether you believe the NHS should be there as a back up to all other avenues having been tried first (where they exist), or there to help regardless. In an ideal world I would say regardless but how long could we afford that for without having to increase the tax we all pay considerably?
It goes far beyond diabetes too. Do you help people stop smoking which, whilst an addiction, is also a personal choice that everyone knows leads to horrendous illness? Alcoholism is much the same. Weight watchers funded by the NHS? Should these be immediate rights or last resorts? What about the underlying causes of some of these addictions? Do some carry more weight than others? Some people do have genuine, horrific reasons for falling into drink or drug addictions? Some people just, IMHO, need a good kick up the **** and made to realise how little they actually have to worry about.
There’s no question that prevention is better than cure – physically, mentally and financially. That’s something the Government has to pursue and in all honesty I think they can only do so much in guiding lifestyle before personal responsibility takes over.
I am genuinely on the fence as I can’t make up my mind. I think the NHS is wonderful and I would happily pay my national insurance my entire life and not feel aggrieved if I didn’t have to use it. However, I think the country is heading for ruin and if a tough stance needs to be taken to make this a better and more prosperous place for my children then…………..

"It goes far beyond diabetes too. Do you help people stop smoking which, whilst an addiction, is also a personal choice that everyone knows leads to horrendous illness?"

this suggests people have brought diabetes on themselves, this is exactly the problem with peoples attitudes to type 2 diabetes and it is wrong

the problem with what your saying are far as i can tell, do we pay for alcoholics that get drunk, hurt themselves then turn up at A&E on a friday night? obviously not, but now heres the problem with not helping these folks, where is the line? which of these people have done this due to mental illness and not just selfishness? in which case are the people with the mental illness more deserving than the selfish? now define mental illness, because i consider anyone that habitually gets drunk enough to pass out mentally ill and so on and so on, sure some diabetics didn't help themselves with lifestyle choices but how many became overweight because of their diabetes and visa versa? how many cancer patients got cancer because they smoked? do they get treated? how many chose to work in a pub? to live with a smoker? to live in a city with pollution etc etc, we have to pay for everyone unfortunately, its unfair to choose who deserves help and who dosent, if the country is heading for ruin i would put it down to the money we as a nation or government waste rather than what we spend on healthcare

 

[Scardoc]

"It goes far beyond diabetes too. Do you help people stop smoking which, whilst an addiction, is also a personal choice that everyone knows leads to horrendous illness?"

this suggests people have brought diabetes on themselves, this is exactly the problem with peoples attitudes to type 2 diabetes and it is wrong

Not at all. The context suggests that T2 diabetics can be treated with alternative methods whereas a T1 can not. No suggestion of T2's having brought it on themselves.

There is a suggestion that smokers bring it on themselves, most definitely. Alcoholics too. However, there is also the clear knowledge that for many there is an underlying issue and these "choices" become addictions.

The reality is that there is a line and Doctors and specialists should be allowed to decide when to draw it. The big problem nowadays is that you mention people who abuse the benefit system or someone who brings on a medical condition themselves and there is an accusation of demonization. There seems to be less of a willingness to accept that these problems exist and tackle them.

 

[spirits]

sorry for my late reply had a bad day with my health..I know everyone will have different opinions and outlooks on health, i do know that diabetes is not a self bringing on,I know it,it is not all about the food not all about life style some people who are in to keeping fit done it all there lives even eat healthy have ended up with diabetes so I know it is not about looking at a lazy side of it to trigger it off, i do know for myself mine was triggered from pre eclampsia and people in this world can get health conditions and not even know they got it like cancer or polyps, it is scary, this is not blame on the nhs,the biggest blame i see when it comes to foods and drinks and even health products house hold chemicals, many are man made or things artificial added to foods etc that are damaging and harming peoples bodies, and it is a concern, what you use is a danger in it self,those are the things that are a trigger to some peoples health, and yes temptation creeps up on peoples vulnerability and the question is why is all these harmful things being allowed to be sold, and governments know it is unhealthy yet they never ban them, never stop the situation, it is all about money making money not helping people live healthy, money comes number 1 not the peoples health and that is what is messed up, how has it got to that in this world, people need to be body aware and how they are looking after them selves, and those who can do something further to prevent further populations getting sicker from this harmful stuff on the shelves in shops would make things better for people not to be lured in and tempted to be put in a situation to consume the poisons out there, for some one else riches.health must come first not the money.Whether people buy or not buy there own meters or health care, health should be number 1.

 

[Eijack]

Yes my doctor stopped me from monitoring my BG, he said it wasn't nesessary. But In taking a reading once a week or once a month is very assuring .I, like you bought my own but as you say it's very expensive!

 

[spirits]

Yes my doctor stopped me from monitoring my BG, he said it wasn't nesessary. But In taking a reading once a week or once a month is very assuring .I, like you bought my own but as you say it's very expensive!

i think it becomes expensive more so with any illness, I hope your BG is doing great for you when your checking them,hugs x

 

[KELI]

Initially I used to get test strips and lancets on prescription which I paid the standard prescription charge for as diet controlled. Then they decided diet controlled type 2s shouldn't test so they were stopped. I've been paying for my own meters, test strips and lancets ever since. If I stopped self monitoring it wouldn't take long before I ended up on meds. Self monitoring keeps me in control of my diabetes. In my humble opinion I think test strips should be prescribed for every diabetic no matter what type at the standard prescription charge.


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[spirits]

i agree with you keli, with out the meters it is not going to benefit any diabetic, all diabetics need them no matter what level of diabetes they have, why did they stop giving to those on tablets, cut backs are causing so many more health concerns and it does not have to be diabetes.I hope you are doing ok with your health and the meter you use is helping you a lot, big hugs xx

 

[KELI]

I used to use a Bayer USB but the test strips were costing £26.99 so I recently changed to the new Dario which at £17.99 is cheaper for test strips and the fact that I can use it with my smartphone is brilliant. Have managed to stay diet controlled for 9 years so far, long may it continue (fingers crossed)!


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[spirits]

glad you found a meter that works for you and you can manage it better, and you have done great managing your diabetes for 9 years well done you, and technology has progressed to be able to link meter with smart phone or computer,x

 

[corneliusw]

has anyone here been advised by there own doctor not to test there blood sugars with a glucose meter? and especially if your a type 2 diabetic whether on diet, oral medications or both? and even if your on injections or no medicines?
if this has happened to you what did you do or not do? and are you concerned about it? would you want to test your sugars with a meter or not? and anything else i have not mentioned. p.s do you think all diabetes whether type 1 or type 2 should all be treated same to use a glucose diabetic meter? and all be treated the same in terms of serious health, even though type 1 and type 2 diabetes are not the same to each other.they both do have hypos and hyper. and you still need to know your blood sugar levels to know what foods and drinks react with your body and to know when your hypo and hyper. If you can not have the opportunity to test and you want to how can you mange your sugar just taking meds and a diet with out monitoring it safely? as I am one of those people been advised to keep the glucose meter at bay and i have bought my own though the test strips are very expensive and it has helped me, when i run out of strips i can not monitor myself then i get in to problems, and I did speak about this with GP yet is still not willing to see my point of view why it important for me

It's probably down to cost. The Nexus GlucoRX meter that they give; most of the test strips are inaccurate and a waste of time. From one finger prick
I get several different readings one was 13.2 the other was 9.6 and the third was 11.1 all within seconds of each other this morning from the same blood. I also have a batch of needles some has longer needles than others and you cannot always prick your finger unless you turn up the lancet to almost maximum and another needle at the same settings will prick your finger really hard. I buy code free and One Touch Ultra test strips and there readings are close to each other while the Nexus is way out apart from the odd strip. Take control of your health even if it cost you money.

 

[spirits]

It's probably down to cost. The Nexus GlucoRX meter that they give; most of the test strips are inaccurate and a waste of time. From one finger prick
I get several different readings one was 13.2 the other was 9.6 and the third was 11.1 all within seconds of each other this morning from the same blood. I also have a batch of needles some has longer needles than others and you cannot always prick your finger unless you turn up the lancet to almost maximum and another needle at the same settings will prick your finger really hard. I buy code free and One Touch Ultra test strips and there readings are close to each other while the Nexus is way out apart from the odd strip. Take control of your health even if it cost you money.

Hi corneleusw thank you for your message here,i use the one touch ultra 2 i was advised by the diabetic health team when i had gestational diabetes, and another accu check meter i got, and they are more reliable meters however i do understand that meters need to be reliable accurate or near to it ,it can be yes difficult with some for finger pricking, one i use is pretty good, only thing is the test strips are nearly £30 pound a box at moment £27.00 and for 50 strips if your a person testing by the diary before and after meals then as you going to bed the strips go fast so it can be an expense to buy, however is worth buying to keep blood sugars under control, my gp said to me, not to use a meter yet i am on medication and diet and i know with out the meter i would not get in control so easy, today i was close to a hypo i was lucky i had my hypowallet with me and machine as i was out i did already eat before i went out yet the weather is hot affected me in no time though i think i know what brought the hypo on had a very upset stomach this morning and could of been bit dehydrated,so i can understand why it is so important for all diabetics to have a meter and emergency kit with them and the emergency kits are not being given and neither is all the info on hypo and hyper my gp and nurse failed there to even tell me i am just glad i was clued up on this already, some people are not and need to know what to do, thank god the internet as a lot of support sites like here and info, I hope you are doing better with your diabetes and health hugs xx

 

[spirits]

What really gets my goat is when I am told not to test even when I am buying the kit myself. It is my diabetes and if I want to monitor it in my own home, it is none of the NHS's bloody business. Have just been reading another thread in which a person was told to stop testing otherwise s/he would get infections and lose feeling in fingertips. If the issue is about budgets then the nurses should at least be honest about it. Telling scare stories is just evil IMO.

sorry Avocado if i missed your post earlier by mistake, I agree with you on this, there is a lot going on any reason to prevent people doing what they feel is best for there health to keep in control of diabetes are not being given the option,I thought i was the only one at first being told not to use them, yet since i been on this forum and heard all different people going through the same thing it makes you wonder how it has got to this with the nhs or any medical system, I know i was told what ever i did whether i use the meter or not it would make no difference to my sugars going high or low and that all i can do is take tablets and diet and excercise, i am doing all this yet when i use the meter it has helped me get in better control, if i did not have it my sugars would just be out control, you got to have something to guide you in knowing what food or drink is making sugars go up or down and the meter has saved me from a hypo 3 times now i had a hyper and ran out of test strips i could not check that, now i am in better control and is doing better with the controlling sugar levels as i am identifying what s affecting it. I hope you are doing better with your sugar levels and your gp is treating you better and listening to you, there are so many worries with diabetes, people who have it are bound to feel desperate to keep there body healthy and i do not blame them, hugs xx