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New and struggling

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Piggywig

Piggywig

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi, hello everyone.
So i went to the doctors querying whether I might have long Covid. They did a load of blood tests one of which has picked up a HbA1c level of 82 (plus ESR level of 45) Still in shock however I’m a little confused as I don’t have any of the other symptoms of diabetes, is that usual.
I also have fibromyalgia so the fatigue is normal but I put the worsening of symptoms down to having Covid at new year and stress from splitting from my husband of 33 years, plus him selling the house
I have an appointment to see the diabetes person on Tuesday so I’ll mention all this but I’d like the experts opinion first
Also can anyone recommend a good blood sugar monitor? I bought one from Amazon but can’t get the same result twice on it.
 
Welcome @Piggywig 🙂 Many Type 2s are diagnosed ‘by accident’ as their symptoms, if any, are put down to other things.

Blood glucose moves up and down within a range and the meters just give you a snapshot. so it’s normal to get different results even if you do three tests in a row. Also, meters have a margin of error of up to 15%. What you’re looking for is an improving trend. What meter did you buy?
 
Inka said:
As for meters, the most affordable meters members here have found are the SD Gluco Navii or the Spirit Tee2 - which both have test strips at around £8 for 50.
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I got the Sinocare one. It had very good results on Amazon but now some are saying the strips are unreliable x
Is it possible to get one from the diabetes appointment? x
 
Unfortunately unless you hit the jackpot, test strips are only prescribed for T2s on insulin or a medication that forces your own body to make more insulin (usually gliclazide).
Sadly, very unlikely they will give you one.

People often get moaned at for testing but it can be such an important tool to help manage your T2 and finding out what foods you can handle and what you cant.
How much do you know about testing routines? (do you want us to explain?)

My experience was talking about testing my food tolerances against my bg with a meter with a nurse and I was given one and strips put on prescription. Ended up on the meds mentioned above a few weeks later so would have got one anyway.
 
I didn't have any noticable symptoms, mine was picked up at an over 50s health check.
I've self funded a BG monitor (Gluco navii) and got the practice nurse to do the first test with me, and she said they could have given me a monitor.
The NHS/NICE guidance is that T2s don't need them unless they're on insulin or other medications which can cause hypos. But it's worth asking them, at worst, they'll say no.
I've found mine useful to track what foods I can and can't tolerate without a spike of BG, and see how my fasting BG looks each day.
 
I suspect that Covid often produces either a diagnosis of type 2 or worsening of symptoms - but I have read of people finding that things go back to normal and have experienced it myself - I was never told of elevated Hba1c until the next year, when the number was 42 again.
 
Some people have had problems with the Sinocare meter. I’ve never used it so can’t comment, but the two I mentioned are often recommended here. If money’s no object, there are others, but those two are good and economical.

You’re unlikely to be given a meter as. Type 2 on no meds, but it wouldn’t be mad to ask.
 
Piggywig said:
I got the Sinocare one. It had very good results on Amazon but now some are saying the strips are unreliable x
Is it possible to get one from the diabetes appointment? x
Click to expand...
When you say your monitor was unreliable what sort of thing was happening, could it be your technique in applying the sample to the strip or if you touch the bit that goes into the monitor it might not like that.
If you got something unexpected had you washed your hands.
If you feel you have been doing everything right it may be the monitor is actually faulty and could be sent back.
 
Welcome to the forum @Piggywig

Sorry to hear about your brush with covid, your diabetes diagnosis, and the stressful time you have been having.

Glad you have found the forum. Hope you find it a supportive and friendly space to exchange experiences and share the burden of living with diabetes - and a helpful source of hints, ideas and possible strategies you can consider or discuss with your healthcare professionals for your own diabetes management.

Ask away with any questions you have - we have literally centuries of lived diabetes experience on the forum, and no question will be considered too obvious or ‘silly’ 🙂
 
Leadinglights said:
When you say your monitor was unreliable what sort of thing was happening, could it be your technique in applying the sample to the strip or if you touch the bit that goes into the monitor it might not like that.
If you got something unexpected had you washed your hands.
If you feel you have been doing everything right it may be the monitor is actually faulty and could be sent back.
Click to expand...
I was getting wildly different results despite doing the tests straight after each other.
I’ve had the machine for a while & not really used it so can’t send it back. I wondered if there were any that people recommended x
 
I have personally used the accu-chek instant and spirit tee2+ both fairly consistent to each other but can be 2-3 out on back to back tests when really high (expected).
 
Piggywig said:
I was getting wildly different results despite doing the tests straight after each other.
I’ve had the machine for a while & not really used it so can’t send it back. I wondered if there were any that people recommended x
Click to expand...
Does it need a new battery and are your strips in date.?
The GlucoNavil or TEE2 does have the cheapest strips £13 for 100 and are reliable
 
oh just to note the tee2+ uses the tee2 test strips 🙂
 
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