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Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
Newly diagnosed
- Thread starter Kevster
- Start date
- Status
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi Kev, welcome to the forum 🙂
Oh dear, another nurse who is missing the point about testing
OK, when you are on insulin or other medications that might send your blood sugars low then you do need to test for a variety of reasons in order to stay safe. But there is another reason that is just as important in my book (and many others would agree) - you need to test in order to find out how the food you are eating affects your levels! Diabetes is a very individual condition, you can't just eat a 'healthy' diet as people have different tolerances for different things. You need to find out what is good and bad for you as an individual so that you can retain variety in your diet whilst at the same time keeping good control of your blood sugar levels. This is just as important, particularly when you are newly-diagnosed, as you need to understand your diabetes in order to keep a good quality of life and lower your risks of developing what can be life-altering complications.
So yes, I think you do have very good reasons to test - whether you are on insulin or not!
If your doctor/nurse won't prescribe strips then it might be worth you buying some yourself so that you can record your results and demonstrate how they help you to manage your diabetes. This may convince them that you benefit from testing and they may then agree to prescribe some strips. If you do have to buy your own the cheapest option we have come across here is the SD Codefree Meter with test strips at around ?7 for 50. Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S provides a good guide to efficient use of testing 🙂
Oh dear, another nurse who is missing the point about testing
OK, when you are on insulin or other medications that might send your blood sugars low then you do need to test for a variety of reasons in order to stay safe. But there is another reason that is just as important in my book (and many others would agree) - you need to test in order to find out how the food you are eating affects your levels! Diabetes is a very individual condition, you can't just eat a 'healthy' diet as people have different tolerances for different things. You need to find out what is good and bad for you as an individual so that you can retain variety in your diet whilst at the same time keeping good control of your blood sugar levels. This is just as important, particularly when you are newly-diagnosed, as you need to understand your diabetes in order to keep a good quality of life and lower your risks of developing what can be life-altering complications.So yes, I think you do have very good reasons to test - whether you are on insulin or not!
If your doctor/nurse won't prescribe strips then it might be worth you buying some yourself so that you can record your results and demonstrate how they help you to manage your diabetes. This may convince them that you benefit from testing and they may then agree to prescribe some strips. If you do have to buy your own the cheapest option we have come across here is the SD Codefree Meter with test strips at around ?7 for 50. Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S provides a good guide to efficient use of testing 🙂
AlisonM
Much missed Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1.5 LADA
A great many of the professionals will tell you this. My advice is to buy your own meter and test anyway, it's a hugely useful tool for any diabetic trying to learn what foods and exercise do to the numbers.
At a minimum you would need to test on waking, before a meal and one and/or two hours after a meal. This is in order to establish what certain foods do to your blood sugar levels. Also before and after you exercise.
Keep records of everything you eat and what the blood sugar levels were and you will soon see where you need to make changes.
Are you on any medications yet? Or is it to be diet and exercise only?
At a minimum you would need to test on waking, before a meal and one and/or two hours after a meal. This is in order to establish what certain foods do to your blood sugar levels. Also before and after you exercise.
Keep records of everything you eat and what the blood sugar levels were and you will soon see where you need to make changes.
Are you on any medications yet? Or is it to be diet and exercise only?
Hi Kev I am the same recently diagnosed with T2 and my diabetic nurse told me I didn't need to test, I am going to see my doctor in a couple of weeks as I am going on holiday and if I am still having the shaky spells I get then I will ask the doctor about it.
Helen
Helen
PattiEvans
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I was at an event yesterday and spoke with the regional director of Spirit Healthcare who produce the CareSens meter. They will give anyone a free meter, the strips are then ?12.75 per 100 and have a very tight % of error. They have a helpline number 0800 881 5423 which is answered 24/7 by a real person. I've no axe to grind but I was very very impressed with their caring attitude and customer service principles.
Vicsetter
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
They conform to the ISO standard (according to them) like all meters. They have been selected as the only NZ supported and supplied meter, just Google the New Zealand diabetes comments about the accuracy of these meters. I haven't tried one, but there has got to be a reason why the strips are so cheap and anecdotal evidence suggests smaller reagent leading to potential reading errors/inaccuracies.
Mark_Fails
Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
test Test Test
Hi diagnosed Type 2 back in July. For what it's worth, here's my advice, which is unlikely to differ from most on here as peopel on here are knowledgable, experienced and helpful.
My DN is a little more enlightened than yours it seems. She prescribed me meter and strips on 'see how you go' basis initially, then when she saw how serious I was taking the measurement, she had no hesitation in prescribing further, but did say I didn't need to test as often as I am. But I don't test more than three times a day!.
Having said that I tend to go through strips quicket than my Metformin prescription, so I have purchased my own, just to avoid any challenges or acusatiosn of over use.
Anyway, my advice to you is test, test & test. Record the results, capture what you eat. Look for peaks, trends and averages. Use an app on PC or phone to record if you like.
I tried that but found it better using my own Exel spreadsheet. If you want a copy of it for use, just let me know 🙂
Mark
Hi diagnosed Type 2 back in July. For what it's worth, here's my advice, which is unlikely to differ from most on here as peopel on here are knowledgable, experienced and helpful.
My DN is a little more enlightened than yours it seems. She prescribed me meter and strips on 'see how you go' basis initially, then when she saw how serious I was taking the measurement, she had no hesitation in prescribing further, but did say I didn't need to test as often as I am. But I don't test more than three times a day!.
Having said that I tend to go through strips quicket than my Metformin prescription, so I have purchased my own, just to avoid any challenges or acusatiosn of over use.
Anyway, my advice to you is test, test & test. Record the results, capture what you eat. Look for peaks, trends and averages. Use an app on PC or phone to record if you like.
I tried that but found it better using my own Exel spreadsheet. If you want a copy of it for use, just let me know 🙂
Mark
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
CareSens meters have strips at ?12ish a pot (some other brands are quite a bit more) and they will happily send you a BG meter free of charge as a T2 whereas some brands will only do that for T1s.
Might be worth a look?
They even have a 'talking meter' for partially sighted users!
http://www.spirit-healthcare.co.uk/patients-home/our-products/caresensrange/
Might be worth a look?
They even have a 'talking meter' for partially sighted users!
http://www.spirit-healthcare.co.uk/patients-home/our-products/caresensrange/
itsallgood
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Seems like a postcode lottery when it comes to strips - I've just come back from my 6 month medication review and when it got to the strips the nurse said "are you still testing?"
I said "yes, up to 5 times a day to pinpoint what causes the worst spikes after eating and in the morning etc, since the HBA1c won't tell me any of that"
She never batted an eyelid, just said "ok that's good" and renewed them for another 6 months.
Even so, I've built up a bit of a reserve just in case they refuse me next time round.
I said "yes, up to 5 times a day to pinpoint what causes the worst spikes after eating and in the morning etc, since the HBA1c won't tell me any of that"
She never batted an eyelid, just said "ok that's good" and renewed them for another 6 months.
Even so, I've built up a bit of a reserve just in case they refuse me next time round.
am64
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
very good
now test after 1hr eating then 2 hours that will give you an idea what the food you have for tea is doing for you
How much spud? Was the chicken breaded? Low fat biscuits usually have more carbs than their regular cousins.
cassieji9987
New Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Damage is already done
I have recently (within the last year) been diagnosed. It has also been about a year since I started to turn my life around. I started working out constantly and lost a ton of excess weight I had been carrying for years at that point. The problem I am having now is all the loose and sagging skin I am having to deal with. Anyone ever heard of the mineral bath for skin tightening? I would really appreciate some feedback, if anyone has nay to give! Thanks in advance!
I have recently (within the last year) been diagnosed. It has also been about a year since I started to turn my life around. I started working out constantly and lost a ton of excess weight I had been carrying for years at that point. The problem I am having now is all the loose and sagging skin I am having to deal with. Anyone ever heard of the mineral bath for skin tightening? I would really appreciate some feedback, if anyone has nay to give! Thanks in advance!
Helllo Cassie, welcome. I'm in the same boat. My body is still rearranging itself, but I suspect the skin is with me until I win the lottery!
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