Ok selftesting I don't understand

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Lolavegas

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
bought a finger prick testing kit today, as I was told to, but after pricking every finger and spending ages trying to work it out...got a reading of 9.10...brilliant! But I have no idea what this means or what to do with this information!!

When do you test? What are you looking for? Before and after meals...what should the difference be? I can't find any information on this just lots of 'do self testing'....maybe I'm just being a bit thick!!

Help!
 
you havent got a very good surgery from what i can see !!!!
 
Brace yourself for some advice! But rule number 1? There are no rules. :D

When diagnosed, I was told to aim for the following ....

1) 4-7mmol/L pre-meals (fasting)
2) 7-9mmol/L 2hrs post meal.
3) Avoid <4mmol/L (hypo)
4) Avoid >10mmol/L (hyper)

Now, how frequently you test is going to be up to you and how many strips you can get prescribed.

Personally, I just tested myself once a day at different times each day (see below). Over time, and because my diet became a little samey initially, I was able to work out which foods worked for me and which don't.

I tested ....
1) Before breakfast
2) 2hrs after breakfast
3) Before lunch
4) 2hrs after lunch
5) Before Main meal
6) 2hrs after Main meal
7) Before bed.

Now, as it happens, my levels stabilised quite quickly and so this approach worked well. However, if you find that your levels are up and down like a yo-yo, then more frequent testing may work for you.

Now for other people to give their advice! :D

Andy
 
Excellant, thanks...no I'm going back to the Doctor in a couple of weeks for him to prescribe all the strips etc...just wanted to get started asap. Lucky I did just getting blood out was a palaver!!

Thanks Andy...you give good information WHENEVER i have a question.

So how long did it take you to organise your own personal balanced diet? Did you start eating very basic stuff and then adding in more interesting stuff?

Does anyone find food thought of as 'healthy' makes their levels go up when most people are fine with it?
 
Lolavegas said:
So how long did it take you to organise your own personal balanced diet? Did you start eating very basic stuff and then adding in more interesting stuff?
Click to expand...

I think, being completely honest, my diet is still evolving 9 months after diagnosis! I've just pulled out my meal log that I recorded immediately after diagnosis and frankly, I'm shocked!

21st Oct
Tested before breakfast --> 9.0mmol/L
Breakfast --> 2 slices of granary bread and butter
Lunch --> Beans on toast & 1 banana
Main --> Roast chicken, potato, carrot, broad beans. 1 orange
Tested 2hrs after --> 12.4 (well, there's a surprise!!) :D

10th Nov
Breakfast --> 2 slices of toast with peanut butter. 1 glass orange juice
Lunch --> Mackerel in tomato sauce & cheese on toast. 1 banana
Tested 2hrs after --> 5.3mmol/L (this was after a 1hr walk too)
Main --> Sausages, mashed potato, carrots, peas & green beans. 1 apple

The days in between and later were not much better. I'm mystified as to how I managed to lose any weight!

Anyway, being sensible, the trick for me was eating regularly and portion size (as well as the exercise .... there was and still is lots of exercise).

My diet has evolved since then, removing sources of saturated fat (i.e. less cheese and red meat). Including more fish and white meats along with various quorn mince recipes (my favorite is chilli). More recently, I have been paying additional attention on the saturated fat because my cholesterol levels are stubbornly high.

I think that's enough to be getting on with?

Andy 🙂
 
If you are having trouble getting blood from your fingers then check the lancer setting, they normally go from 1 to 5, 1 doesn't go in very far, 5 is the deepest - it many just be that you need to adjust the setting.
 
Lolavegas said:
bought a finger prick testing kit today, as I was told to, but after pricking every finger and spending ages trying to work it out...got a reading of 9.10...brilliant! But I have no idea what this means or what to do with this information!!

When do you test? What are you looking for? Before and after meals...what should the difference be? I can't find any information on this just lots of 'do self testing'....maybe I'm just being a bit thick!!

Help!
Click to expand...

One of these days we will all get given the info we need from our medics to take charge of our own health just like it supposed to be! Don't fret - it seems the norm to get only half the story from the medics but in some cases I think this maybe their "no panic, one thing at a time" approach. Doesn't stop you pancicking though does it!

Great advice as always from Andy. I would like to add a suggestion: do a few days of "normal" eating - that is minus the doughnuts and fry ups though, naturally- and test fasting (ie before brekkie) 2 hours after eating etc, like Andy says and supply of strips permitting. Then make some changes to your diet following advice you have been given or read, then test and see if any of these changes change your levels. It can take time for a long term effect but it might give you a guide as to things which you can tolerate more than others.

Good luck x
 
margie said:
If you are having trouble getting blood from your fingers then check the lancer setting, they normally go from 1 to 5, 1 doesn't go in very far, 5 is the deepest - it many just be that you need to adjust the setting.
Click to expand...

Good point that!

Also, after pricking the finger, try to point it downwards and gently apply pressure along the finger towards the blood spot. Don't squeeze the finger tip directly.

In my case the blood spot does not have to be that large before the strip can 'suck' it up.

Andy
 
thedame said:
medics but in some cases I think this maybe their "no panic, one thing at a time" approach. Doesn't stop you pancicking though does it!

Yes thats exactly how they are doing it...feeding in a bit more information everytime. My Doctor said the Diabete advice keeps changing and the latest is 'no self testing'...he obviously doesn't agree! So watch out for newly diagnosed people appearing who have been advised self testing is the devils work...I can't imagine how difficult it would be to manage the condition without knowing your own levels on a day to day basis.

I'm actually pretty impressed with my nhs treatment (I know some people on here have not been so lucky) I have lots of appointments with different people and encouraged to ask lots of questions. Sometimes I am not asking the right questions - I realise LATER- but there is always another appointment looming so no worries.

I am in Bedfordshire and Bedford hospital has a large dedicated diabetes centre..the Doctor asked them to see me quickly and I'm going tomorrow..they phoned me directly so I could have a quicker appointment.
Click to expand...
 
At first I did pretty much the same as Andy testing before and two hours after a meal, I still test at least twice aday (when I get up and before bed, or when I feel ill). In the very early days I actually tested 1 and 2 hours after a meal but soon decided that was a waste once I'd figured out what sent me high immediately. The numbers Andy quotes are also what I was told, I just wish I could make it happen that way consistently. Instead, I have brief periods where my numbers are great, then I'm back on the rollercoaster and veering between hypo and high without stopping in the middle. My first surgery let me have all the strips I wanted, once I came home though that changed and my new surgery won't prescribe them till I'm on insulin, so I buy my own from eBay.
 
Lolavegas said:
thedame said:
medics but in some cases I think this maybe their "no panic, one thing at a time" approach. Doesn't stop you pancicking though does it!

Yes thats exactly how they are doing it...feeding in a bit more information everytime. My Doctor said the Diabete advice keeps changing and the latest is 'no self testing'...he obviously doesn't agree! So watch out for newly diagnosed people appearing who have been advised self testing is the devils work...I can't imagine how difficult it would be to manage the condition without knowing your own levels on a day to day basis.

I'm actually pretty impressed with my nhs treatment (I know some people on here have not been so lucky) I have lots of appointments with different people and encouraged to ask lots of questions. Sometimes I am not asking the right questions - I realise LATER- but there is always another
appointment looming so no worries.

I am in Bedfordshire and Bedford hospital has a large dedicated diabetes centre..the Doctor asked them to see me quickly and I'm going tomorrow..they phoned me directly so I could have a quicker appointment.
Click to expand...

That is good to hear. I am luky with my DSN at my local surgery but the overall service in my area is either not very effecient or they are keeping it a closely guarded secret!

Good for your doctor although I think there are whisperings of a change of attitude towards the T2 non-testing thing- unfortunatley, it takes a long time for the wheels to grind and change the system - the more feedback we give to our healthcare teams, including challenging old ideas using the things we learn in places like this, the better things should get....just hope it is in time for us to benefit🙂
Click to expand...
 
Almost 20 years after diagnosis I came across something called 'Jennifers Advice' which provided a suggestion of a (very thorough) testing regime aimed at helping you identify what foods were doing what to your BG levels. I'd always tested before meals (which is important for T1s) but this really helped me get my head around combatting post meal 'spikes' (rapid increases in blood sugar levels)

Here it is if you are interested: Jennifer's Advice

As I say it is quite full-on but something in there might help you to understand what to do with those numbers...

M
 
My Doctor told me NOT to snack inbetween meals i'm T2.

How does coffee effect everyone? I was so happy that coffee was included in both my Diabetes and low cholestorel diet sheets but my levels are high and the only thing I can think of is coffee...my test results have hoovered above 10 all day. I would hate to have to give it up!
 
Coffee shouldnt really effect your blood sugar, obviously there is milk, but 200ml only elevates the blood by 2-3mmol/l roughly

Do you take lots of milk and do you drink one after the other.......as a type 2 im sure you can deal with those small amounts
 
Lolavegas said:
My Doctor told me NOT to snack inbetween meals i'm T2.

How does coffee effect everyone? I was so happy that coffee was included in both my Diabetes and low cholestorel diet sheets but my levels are high and the only thing I can think of is coffee...my test results have hoovered above 10 all day. I would hate to have to give it up!
Click to expand...

I think that it all depends on your levels. If they're consistently high, then snacking would not be a good idea! If they're up and down, then snacking when they're low may help to balance things out a bit.

Coffee?
Well, if you have milk and sugar in it it will have an affect your levels (but not that much, if you don't have sugar). Personally, I practically swim in it all day! I brew up a large pot of fresh coffee for 11's and this lasts me the rest of the day (I blast it in the microwave when I want a cup). I do not have sugar in it and like it not too milky.

Andy
 
If coffee starts your day, then the elevated blood sugars might be related to 'dawn phenomenon' rather than the coffee itself.

I gather T2s also often find themselves more sensitive to carbohydrate in the morning (even if DP isn't giving them a bg boost first thing), so depending on what you eat for breakfast you might have started the day rather high.

Testing before and after meals can help understand what's going on.
 
Katie: Carly is type 1 I have to make sure she eat every 2 hours so she don't go hypo, guess I will start a new thread about this 🙂
 
Ruth Goode said:
Katie: Carly is type 1 I have to make sure she eat every 2 hours so she don't go hypo, guess I will start a new thread about this 🙂
Click to expand...

This surely has to do with children specifically and their growth and so on, you shouldnt have to feed the insulin..............:confused:
 
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