New to diabetes and looking for recommendations on a blood glucose testing kit

[Cycling Girl]

Hi Everyone. I’m here because 4 weeks ago I got a Hbac1 reading of 47. I’ve been following a low carb low sugar diet but its a massive learning curve for me, especially those not so obvious foods that are loaded with carbs and sugar. I’m looking forward to learning from your forum and hopefully making a contribution when I know a bit more about diabetes. I’m having another blood test in two months and I really want to see a lowering of that 47 so I can get healthier and not need medication. In the meantime I want to do periodic blood glucose testing to see if I am on track. Can you recommend a good blood glucose testing kit to buy that does the job but doesn’t cost the earth and have expensive strip replacement please. Thank you very much.

 

[ColinUK]

Welcome

A lot of us use the SD Codefree meter precisely because it’s got cheap test strips but I’ve seen others comment on an alternative that I can’t remember so hopefully they’ll be along soon to fill in the details!

I get mine from https://homehealth-uk.com/ and don’t forget to tick that you are diabetic because that saves you the VAT.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Cycling Girl

The ones usually mentioned on the forum are the SD Gluco Navii (the updated version of the Codefree) or the Spirit Tee2 which both have test strips at around £8 for 50

Are you following a test, review, adjust style system to check before and after meals?

Hope you get the results you are looking for 🙂

 

[Ljc]

Hello @Cycling Girl , welcome to the forum. Ido hope you can kick pre diabetes into touch.

Personally I just check the total amount of carbohydrate, as it’s a carbohydrate sugar in all its forms is already included in the total carbohydrates in the uk,so that’s one less thing to je to check 🙂 .

Many here use The Gluco Navii meter and it’s testing strips, it’s the updated version of the SD Codefree you will often see mentioned here.
It's strips are around £8 for 50 .
We use the mmol/ measurement in the U.K.
You are entitled to claim VAT relief .

When your initially testing before eating then two hours later , on waking and bedtime , cost ofthe testing strips when self funding is important, their is another glucose meter with strips at a similar price but I can’t remember it’s name, others here will though.

 

[Perfect10]

Hi @Cycling Girl I joined here a few weeks ago when I got my first reading of 49, just had second blood test after 6 weeks and the reading was 44. I did this by switching to a low carb diet, using an app that measures calories and carbs also have lost about 10lbs too. I too am thinking of buying a BG monitor so I can check when I start eating more carbs the effect it has on me, (especially with Christmas not too far away!), I have been reading reviews of meters and not made my mind up yet.

 

[Ralph-YK]

I've got the SD Code Free. £13 for the meter and £8 for 50 strips (which are still available at the moment), no postage for either. I got it about 4-5 years ago. There's a newer model though.

The ones usually mentioned on the forum are the SD Gluco Navii (the updated version of the Codefree) or the Spirit Tee2 which both have test strips at around £8 for 50