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Hello

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OhDearyDearyMe

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
At risk of diabetes
I have been finding some helpful information here, so much to learn!
Prediabetic, although GP said not quite (42) and want to get it lower. I am not impressed with the advice I was given which was 'reduce sugar a bit and come back in 2 months for more tests'. Hmmm.
 
Evening! I’m new here too & It sound like you are just one step ahead of me in the diagnosis stages. I’ve not managed to get a HbA1C test yet, but I’m beginning to suspect it will be near your result & im really hoping the GP is not dismissive. I’m not very good at pushing for info if I think someone is not taking me seriously & I’d really like to nip diabetes in the bud (so to speak!) if possible. *fingers crossed*

have you stumbled across https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/maggie-daveys-letter-to-newly-diagnosed-type-2s.61307/ yet? That was really good at giving me some solid ideas on what to work on when started getting stressed about all this a couple of weeks ago. Much more detail than just “stop eating sugar” 🙂
 
Thank you for the link,I have had a look and will read it again properly. I am currently reading the 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet (Michael Mosley) but the first half seems to just be about other people's illnesses so have skipped most of that as I just wanted to read about the diet. Finally got to it and too tired to stay awake and read it :(. I also have The Fast 800, for later.

What I read on here and other discussions seems to indicate the need for a monitor. So while I know pretty much what not to eat I don't know how much or when. Usually feel queasy in the mornings and on and off during the day and better at night.
 
Sounds like getting yourself a test machine & starting to look at your numbers before and after eating might help you out there & see if the nausea ties up with highs or lows. Maggie’s letter lays out the basics of what&when testing is a good start.

I think you *can* get monitors on prescription, it’s always worth asking, but I get the impression GPs are reluctant to give prescribe them these days? But they are easy enough to buy yourself from a pharmacy or Amazon/etc if you can spare the money. ~£20-30 for the actual monitor, then £15+ for packs of test strips & same for lancets (little needles used to get at the blood)

just promise you don’t get too stressed out by the numbers immediately, remember they are just a tool for you to learn what your body is up to. I really like the data - it gives me something solid to use to think about cause&effect. But I know for others it just makes them feel like they are drowning in incomprehensible numbers, & stressing yourself out does *not* help 🙂
 
Hello and welcome. 🙂
 
sephhouse said:
Sounds like getting yourself a test machine & starting to look at your numbers before and after eating might help you out there & see if the nausea ties up with highs or lows. Maggie’s letter lays out the basics of what&when testing is a good start.

I think you *can* get monitors on prescription, it’s always worth asking, but I get the impression GPs are reluctant to give prescribe them these days? But they are easy enough to buy yourself from a pharmacy or Amazon/etc if you can spare the money. ~£20-30 for the actual monitor, then £15+ for packs of test strips & same for lancets (little needles used to get at the blood)

just promise you don’t get too stressed out by the numbers immediately, remember they are just a tool for you to learn what your body is up to. I really like the data - it gives me something solid to use to think about cause&effect. But I know for others it just makes them feel like they are drowning in incomprehensible numbers, & stressing yourself out does *not* help 🙂
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I think you will find test monitors on Amazon for a good price and strips also reasonable, The GlucoNavil being one regarded as reliable. You would be very lucky to be prescribed one if not on medication that might cause hypos so would have to buy yourself but worth their weight in gold for helping to give you control.
 
Both the SD Gluco Navii and another one the Spirit Healthcare Tee 2, both get good reviews from those self funding on this forum and the strips for either - which are the main ongoing cost - are around £8 for a pot of 50. (NB - different strips for each meter - very few meters even from the same manufacturers, actually use identical strips.)
 
Leadinglights said:
I think you will find test monitors on Amazon for a good price and strips also reasonable, The GlucoNavil being one regarded as reliable. You would be very lucky to be prescribed one if not on medication that might cause hypos so would have to buy yourself but worth their weight in gold for helping to give you control.
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@Leadinglights thank you. I have looked on Amazon and found a starter kit, it comes with options for a larger one for diabetics and a smaller one if you are not. I am even more confused now.
 
Hi OhDearyDearyMe,

Welcome to the forum. Getting a glucose monitor is really useful as it helps you understand the impact your meals are having on you.

What and when you eat is up to you as everyone is different however, as with anything, there are some best practices that may help.

We've got some info on what to eat and when to test on our site that I hope will prove useful to you:

I have type 2 diabetes – what can I eat?

If you've just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, one of the first things you might be worried about is food. You’re likely to be faced with what seems like an endless list of new tasks. Medical appointments, taking medication, stopping smoking, being more active and eating a healthy, balanced...
www.diabetes.org.uk www.diabetes.org.uk

How to check 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. On this page:
www.diabetes.org.uk www.diabetes.org.uk

DO let us know if you have any specific question that you'd like support with.
 
OhDearyDearyMe said:
@Leadinglights thank you. I have looked on Amazon and found a starter kit, it comes with options for a larger one for diabetics and a smaller one if you are not. I am even more confused now.
Click to expand...
They are both the same product. The declaration is to do with needing to confirm that you're diabetic so that you don't have to pay VAT hence the difference in price also.
 
The Spirit Healthcare Tee 2 looks more complicated?
Also some bad reviews on Amazon about both the Spirit Healthcare Tee 2 and Gluco Navii regarding accuracy.
I appreciate the suggestions, is there a specific thread where I can look at more choices?
 
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I use the spirit Tee 2. Seems pretty easy, nothing complicated.
 
Several reviews mention accuracy on both of them, I have nothing to compare them to, to know if they are correct or not, may as well just get one and cross my fingers I suppose.
 
I use an Accuchek meter... the strips etc are a bit more pricey than those mentioned above. I'm stuck with it and am happy with it. I don't know if it is accurate all the time but it has kept me aware of what foods etc cause spikes and I have just received my 2nd annual Hba1c test which is much lower than my first. So it has indeed helped me to monitor my BG and keep it in check. I would not have been so in control of my diet, exercise and other symptoms without it. I don't use it all the time now as I know what foods don't suit. But I use it every other week and if I feel I have spiked to understand why. There is a lot to understand and take on board. Good luck its do-able.
 
Even the cheaper monitors have to conform to standards of accuracy and in most cases you are looking for trends rather than absolute values and there will always be slight variation in readings but this is usually within the allowable tolerance. Somebody has put something about meter accuracy so if you do a search you should find something which should put your mind at rest that you don't need to pay a fortune for a monitor.
 
OhDearyDearyMe said:
The Spirit Healthcare Tee 2 looks more complicated?
Also some bad reviews on Amazon about both the Spirit Healthcare Tee 2 and Gluco Navii regarding accuracy.
I appreciate the suggestions, is there a specific thread where I can look at more choices?
Click to expand...
I was given the Tee2 from the Diabetes team in Colchester Hospital on first diagnosis.
testing next to the hospital machine mine was 1.1 mm/ l different. (Higher) Asked and was told they were all slightly different
move home to Braintree 15 miles and Doctors said could not use the Tee 2 as it was a different hospital area. Was Given the Gluco RX Q. This read 1.1 below the Tee 2.
do not know if that helps but it’s my experience.
Duncan Lord
 
OhDearyDearyMe said:
The Spirit Healthcare Tee 2 looks more complicated?
Also some bad reviews on Amazon about both the Spirit Healthcare Tee 2 and Gluco Navii regarding accuracy.
I appreciate the suggestions, is there a specific thread where I can look at more choices?
Click to expand...
I was given the Tee2 from the Diabetes team in Colchester Hospital on first diagnosis.
testing next to the hospital machine mine was 1.1 mm/ l different. (Higher) Asked and was told they were all slightly different
move home to Braintree 15 miles and Doctors said could not use the Tee 2 as it was a different hospital area. Was Given the Gluco RX Q. This read 1.1 below the Tee 2.
do not know if that helps but it’s my experience.
Duncan Lord
 
For a type two the actual number is not really all that important, it is the difference between the before and after eating reading which indicates just how well you are doing dealing with the carbs in the meal. Usually a difference of two whole numbers is what you are aiming for. If you see 5 to 7 or 6 to 8, it doesn't really matter, both are absolutely fine.
 
Leadinglights said:
Even the cheaper monitors have to conform to standards of accuracy and in most cases you are looking for trends rather than absolute values and there will always be slight variation in readings but this is usually within the allowable tolerance. Somebody has put something about meter accuracy so if you do a search you should find something which should put your mind at rest that you don't need to pay a fortune for a monitor.
Click to expand...
True. I looked up the accuracy of Accuchek BG monitors and it said they were from 95% to 99% accurate.
 
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