my stupid midnight snack

[traceycat]

last night i couldnt get to sleep because i felt hungary and light headed so at 12.30 i had a pk of advantage crisps, tested before i ate them and i was 5.5 which i think was good and has been my lowest level yet, just feel quilty now for snacking when ive been doing so well. also i couldnt test this morning as i only have 4 strips lelf and trying to space them out for today an tomorrow, ive used 50 since last week as i test before and after each meal and sometimes before bed, ive made an appointment to see the doctor this morning to ask for some more, didnt want to order a precription incase the receptioists had a go at me for testing so much, do you think ive tested to much and the doc might not be happy about it? thanks xxx

 

[Steff]

Aww tracey theres no way you should be scrimping and scraping with the strips and feeling like you cant talk to your receptionist, if you see doc today can you not ask about maybe getting another pot and explaining at the moment your testing to see what meals are effecting and not effecting your levels.We are all guilty of snacking hun dont beat yourself up xx

p.s if the doc aint happy with it thats his problem you know your diabetes best xx

 

[NicNic]

I've had similar probs - doc will only give me 100 strips per month and at mo I use about 7 per day. Soooooo annoying...

 

[Northerner]

I've had similar probs - doc will only give me 100 strips per month and at mo I use about 7 per day. Soooooo annoying...

You should explain how many times you need to test and why you are testing. I went to my docs recently and requested an increase from 200 to 300 strips per prescription - 300 will last me about 50 days, the same as most of my other neds, so it makes sense not to make any more trips than necessary. She did query why I tested so much and I simply explained: before each meal and before bed, plus before and after exercise, if I feel low and if I feel high, or to test my reaction to different or new foods to see if I need to change the timing of my injections. If you drive, then it is also essential to test before and during if it is a long journey. The doctor can't argue with any of those reasons, and to prescribe just 100 strips at a time is unnecessarily causing you to make extra visits to the pharmacy, making extra work for everyone. It's not like you're going to get cured in a month!

My doctor did ask if an average of 6 tests a day was a lot but I assured her that it wasn't for a Type 1, at least, and some T1s test up to 15 times a day! So, although she is an excellent GP, she still doesn't 'get' what is involved with managing diabetes day in, day out.

Tracey, it's a bit more difficult for Type 2s, but certainly at your early stage since diagnosis you should be able to provide very good reasons for each test - which you can, as you are trying to get to grips with what foods you can tolerate and which you can't. This will result in much enhanced HbA1C results. In time, your need to test will decline as you will have an excellent knowledge of an appropriate diet and will only need to test in unusual circumstances, or for the occasional check on your fasting levels.

 

[AlisonM]

My doc won't give me strips at all, I get them off eBay and nowadays I'm very stingy with them. However, when first diagnosed I was using 6-8 strips a day as I learned what effect certain foods and activities had on my blood sugars. It's vital that you learn this and you can try selling it to your doctor in these terms. Also, if you're on something like Gliclazide you're at risk of hypoglycaemia and would need strips to test for that.

Getting strips for non-type 1s is very much a lottery and depends largely on the attitude of your PCT, good luck with the doctor and keep us posted.

 

[lyndasw]

I agree with all that has been said but my doctor wont prescribe strips either. When I asked for a prescription for strips last time I explained all that I had learned from testing - the progress I was making, how I was motivated, the foods I found I couldn't tolerate so well, etc etc and she came out with the usual 'no need to test, follow your diet and your Hba1c tells all we need to know! What rubbish of course you need to test or at least have the choice! I buy my strips on e bay but Doc is going to get fed up with me making her explain to me why I don't need to test every time I see her - which seems to be often at the moment with various problems I have!

 

[AlisonM]

.../ I buy my strips on e bay but Doc is going to get fed up with me making her explain to me why I don't need to test every time I see her - which seems to be often at the moment with various problems I have!

I do the same thing on every visit. It's like water wearing away rock, I'll win eventually.

 

[Northerner]

I agree with all that has been said but my doctor wont prescribe strips either. When I asked for a prescription for strips last time I explained all that I had learned from testing - the progress I was making, how I was motivated, the foods I found I couldn't tolerate so well, etc etc and she came out with the usual 'no need to test, follow your diet and your Hba1c tells all we need to know! What rubbish of course you need to test or at least have the choice! I buy my strips on e bay but Doc is going to get fed up with me making her explain to me why I don't need to test every time I see her - which seems to be often at the moment with various problems I have!

It's so short-sighted and ignorant. If you hadn't tested and gone to her with a poor HbA1c, how would she recommend you improve it? Modify your diet? How? Stupid, ignorant, penny-pinching - and insulting that she thinks she knows it all from her (probably brief and out of date) knowledge of diabetes self-management. I really feel for Type 2s placed in this position - it could have easily been me, diagnosed at 49. I'm sure if I had gone to the doctors sooner, before DKA hit, that I would have been misdiagnosed and in my position would have been totally unable to buy my own strips.

 

[Carina1962]

I was diagnosed last October (2009) and i was told the same by my GP and DN that there was no need for me to test and then i started buying my strips on Ebay but after a couple of visits to my DN and with my log book of readings i managed to persuade her to prescribe strips and am allowed 50 per perscription. I try and limit mine to 3 per day, sometimes 4 and i tend to use just FG and then 2 hour post-meal readings - that has helped me tremendously in finding out what foods are 'BG friendly' for me. Good luck with it all 🙂

 

[caroleann]

I wonder how many people out there are constantly haveing high numbers and dont know about it simply because they have been told they dont need to test,i have always tested but did'nt know what to do with the results simply because of poor care for a year and no one took the time to talk to me but thankfuly i found you lot and you pointed me in the right direction.
I think maybe this problem could do with being looked into and maybe publicised a bit more,im going to see if my local paper will be interested in doing an article on it.

 

[AlisonM]

The problem rests with the NICE (SIGN in Scotland) guidelines which state that testing for type 2s is only really recommended if they are at risk of hypos. Apparently it might be seen as counter productive if they are allowed to test and their numbers aren't very good. Type 2s it seems are not to be trusted to take control of their own disease, a holdover no doubt from the days when it was thought we did it to ourselves.

 

[xxlou_lxx]

I've had similar probs - doc will only give me 100 strips per month and at mo I use about 7 per day. Soooooo annoying...

No way is that enough for type one! It doesnt even let you account for "sick days" when you need to test more or even a simple hypo to check your low then check your going to a reasonable level again!
I dont know how they get away with it sometimes! I know each surgery is different regarding spending etc but that is just rediculous!! You must have one tight ass doctor! Tell your dietician or consultant to write to them! 🙄 x

 

[AlisonM]

I've had similar probs - doc will only give me 100 strips per month and at mo I use about 7 per day. Soooooo annoying...

For a Type 1 that's not just a ridiculously low allowance, it could be dangerous. 100 a month is barely enough for a type 2. Definitely have a word with your consultant, or the Diabetic Clinic, they can put pressure on your GP for you.

 

[traceycat]

just back from the doctors and i realy couldnt belive how nice he was, i was terrified of going in to him. i just ask him if i could get some more strips an he checked his computer to see when i got my last strips ( 29th march) and ask how i was coping explained about hypos, told me to carry some chocolate in my bag when im out incase i have a hypo (i didnt think i would get those) praised me on my weight loss an trying to get my levels near normal, said it was important to keep checking to see what kind of foods make me go high and percribed me another 100 strips. he tierd to get them up on computer for repeat but it wouldnt let him do it, said it would be alot handier for me but in the meantime just order them when i need them, i came out feeling very happy 🙂 then i had to go to treatment room for my weekly b12 injection an met my diabetic nurse on the way past, she also stood and had a chat to me an ask how i was feeling about everything. so ive came home feeling in a good mood and abit more positive about everything 🙂 xxx

 

[Steff]

just back from the doctors and i realy couldnt belive how nice he was, i was terrified of going in to him. i just ask him if i could get some more strips an he checked his computer to see when i got my last strips ( 29th march) and ask how i was coping explained about hypos, told me to carry some chocolate in my bag when im out incase i have a hypo (i didnt think i would get those) praised me on my weight loss an trying to get my levels near normal, said it was important to keep checking to see what kind of foods make me go high and percribed me another 100 strips. he tierd to get them up on computer for repeat but it wouldnt let him do it, said it would be alot handier for me but in the meantime just order them when i need them, i came out feeling very happy 🙂 then i had to go to treatment room for my weekly b12 injection an met my diabetic nurse on the way past, she also stood and had a chat to me an ask how i was feeling about everything. so ive came home feeling in a good mood and abit more positive about everything 🙂 xxx

excellent news tracey glad you got such a positive reuslt, well done x

 

[SacredHeart]

I wouldn't use chocolate though. It's a poor choice for hypo treatment. Glucotabs, or the 'mixer' size cans of coke are better for treatments. I carry mini mars bars, but to act as my slow acting carb, not my fast acting. The fat in chocolate slows down the rate that sugar is absorbed, you see. 🙂

 

[PhilT]

just back from the doctors and i realy couldnt belive how nice he was, i was terrified of going in to him. i just ask him if i could get some more strips an he checked his computer to see when i got my last strips ( 29th march) and ask how i was coping explained about hypos, told me to carry some chocolate in my bag when im out incase i have a hypo (i didnt think i would get those) praised me on my weight loss an trying to get my levels near normal, said it was important to keep checking to see what kind of foods make me go high and percribed me another 100 strips. he tierd to get them up on computer for repeat but it wouldnt let him do it, said it would be alot handier for me but in the meantime just order them when i need them, i came out feeling very happy 🙂 then i had to go to treatment room for my weekly b12 injection an met my diabetic nurse on the way past, she also stood and had a chat to me an ask how i was feeling about everything. so ive came home feeling in a good mood and abit more positive about everything 🙂 xxx

I'm surprised your Doctor told you to carry chocolate in case you have a hypo. The fat in chocolate makes it a bad choice for combating a hypo as it is not fast acting enough. It would be better to get some glucotabs or jelly babies or jelly beans as they act faster in raising your BG's.

 

[PhilT]

I wouldn't use chocolate though. It's a poor choice for hypo treatment. Glucotabs, or the 'mixer' size cans of coke are better for treatments. I carry mini mars bars, but to act as my slow acting carb, not my fast acting. The fat in chocolate slows down the rate that sugar is absorbed, you see. 🙂

Lol, I was typing my post at the same time as you I think!

 

[Northerner]

That's terrific news Tracey, hurrah for your doctor! Great that everything was so positive - how it should be 🙂 Jelly babies every time for me if I'm feeling low!

 

[smile4loubie]

I've had similar probs - doc will only give me 100 strips per month and at mo I use about 7 per day. Soooooo annoying...

I cnt believe that!!! I get 200 a month at mo