A couple of monitors that forum members often recommend are the Gluco Navii or TEE2, as they have the cheaper test strips. Remember that the meter is a one-off cost while the lancets and test strips are a running cost so it's worth shopping around and comparing prices. I was fortunate in that my surgery gave me my Gluco Rx Q, and the lancets and test strips on prescription, but since remission I've been self-funding.
Be prepared to be told you don't need to test though, despite the testimony of scores us who say it's proved invaluable in helping us manage our diabetes and especially in sorting out our diets.
OMG, can it get any more difficult, all sent to try us and it certainly is. Lol
Testing is something I wish I had started much sooner. For one thing I'd love to have the data to hand right now to compare with current numbers, to see the effect that weight loss has had for example. For another I would definitely have switched to lower-carb breakfasts much sooner if I were able to compare between meals from the outset. I was focussed on calories much more than carbs in the beginning, and in retrospect I could have done both very effectively. Far too many white bagels were eaten thinking 'they're only small, how bad could they be?'.
I was going out to get a monitor or prick test thing today but someone said NHS will likely issue me something which would mean going forward prescription trips. I was only looking at one from Asda about £20 called Wellbeing Kinetic or similar used by St John's Ambulance. I may still go and get it and it may become a spare I guess. Has anyone used these?
Unless you're prescribed blood glucose lowering medication, which is extremely unlikely if your HbA1c was 50, there's no way you'll be given a testing kit on the NHS.
Cheers Martin, maybe just go for one then at least its a starting point. Just concerned having read some reviews on the accuracy of it.
There is a standard for meter accuracy. Off the top of my head I think they have to be accurate to within 5%, 85% of the time.
Thanks again Martin, although I really appreciate your comments, I am no feeling guilty asking questions. Enjoy your Sunday mate.There is a standard for meter accuracy. Off the top of my head I think they have to be accurate to within 5%, 85% of the time.
Please note that random testing won't show you anything meaningful. The regime that's generally followed is to test on waking (a fasting test, as you won't have eaten or drunk anything overnight), just before a meal and then 2 hours later. The difference between the pre-meal and post-meal reading should ideally be less than 3. If it's more then there were likely too many carbs in that meal and adjusting portion sizes might be required. If you record your results (I use a spreadsheet) then after a while you'll be able to see whether your BG is trending downwards (good), upwards (not so good) or is pretty flat. The target ranges are between 4 and 7 fasting and pre-meal, and less than 8.5 post-meal.
For anyone new to self-testing this is worth looking at:-
Checking your blood sugar levels
Knowing your blood sugar levels helps you manage your diabetes and reduces your risk of having serious complications – now and in the future. What are blood sugar levels? Your blood sugar levels, also known as blood glucose levels, are a measurement that show how much glucose you have in your...www.diabetes.org.uk
A blood glucose meter in the UK will give you a number in mmol/L (millimoles per litre).
I think it is accuracy within 15% , 95% of the time
Thanks for that, being a newbie I hadn't git my head around the "useful links" etc. Appreciate that.This from the ‘Useful Links’ thread handily sets out the current ISO parameters along with what those mean in practical terms - and the table neatly illustrates the ‘ish’ ness of the results we get. It’s a hugely helpful flow of data, but try not to get too hung up on results that are only a handful of decimal places apart. Overall trends are probably more helpful?
BG meter accuracy
It can be quite disconcerting for members new to self monitoring of blood glucose to get different results from BG readings taken close together, even when carefully following manufacturers guidance (washing hands etc). All meters for sale in the UK should comply with the following ISO standards 95% of the time, which allows a degree of variation (and 5% of results can read anything at all). If in any doubt, or if a reading doesn’t match how you are feeling, you should check again with a fresh strip.
forum.diabetes.org.uk
I was diagnosed type 2 around 15 years ago. I won't say what the HbA1c was apart from the fact that it was in the stratosphere. As well as a strict diet, I started with metformin. A couple of years ago I needed to combine this with sitagliptin. Nowadays, I very rarely test. The thing about testing is that there is no point testing unless you are doing the test for a reason and are going to do something with the results. So, when I was first diagnosed I tested so that I could see what was happening and how the types of food and the pattern of eating affected my blood sugar. When I had a high HbA1c a couple of years ago I tested to monitor what had caused the glitch. At each of these times I was given a prescription for the testing kit - monitor and strips. The rest of the time I only test if I am feeling unwell to see if the sugar is too high or too low - really to confirm that it is not the high or low sugars causing the feeling of sickness. - and I buy the strips for that. So, although you may eventually not need to test and are most likely to be told that, you need to test in the early stages. Otherwise, how do you know the effects of diet and any drugs you might be given. If you are not given some kit you should ask how you are expected to establish proper control without testing.
