Type 2 Self Testing

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I bet there's a good few will welcome this. I don't imagine it will have much effect in practice. My PCT is determined not prescribe for diabetics not on insulin. I had to be carted off to hospital with hypos twice before they'd give me the things.
 
Great news that the study has 'discovered' the blindingly obvious 🙂

Hope it gives T2s with reluctant GPs more ammunition.

Marge - for the avoidance of confusion you should know that 'diabetes.co.uk' is a privately owned online community site and has no affiliation with the charity Diabetes UK. (www.diabetes.org.uk)

M
 
Gotta agree Mike its not like any of us didnt already know this, it just takes the rest of them a while to catch up 🙄
 
I will make (yet another) contrary point, but only in the interest of balance! :D

The thing is that the people on here and on other similar website forums are generally well motivated and interested in taking care of themselves. Out there, in the 'real' world, people don't necessarily have that same level of motivation and so, consequently, giving them bg meters and regular strips may not be as cost effective (especially if all they do is sell them on ebay --> and some of us know that happens already).

By the way, my own personal view is that people should be helped to self-test and given appropriate guidance on how to best do it (which is different for each person depending on the 'severity' of their diabetic symptoms).

Andy
 
My PCT allows me enough strips to test twice a week and I find that handy to keep my cravings in check!
 
Those are good points Andy and people do need proper training to make the best of the tools available. If that were given so that everyone understood what the aim is and how to reach the goals set, we'd cost the NHS a lot less in the long run.

In spite of my PCTs reluctance, self-testing has been an invaluable tool for me, bhut I learned by trial and error not through training. My last HbA result was quite good (for me), but it didn't reflect the reality which is that I veer from tropical to sub-zero numbers on a regular basis with precious little time spent in the middle where I should be ideally. I've started taking my results chart with me to these appointments now in an attempt to make them see how vital testing is to me, especially when I go low. I actually have a clearer picture of how my diabetes is progressing than the doctor does. I'm lucky that I now have a doctor who is actually interested in the information and pays attention to what I have to show him when I go in.

But that's another debate. How much use is the HbA1c in reality when it only gives an average of your levels over a period of time without taking into account the actuality?
 
Andy HB said:
...By the way, my own personal view is that people should be helped to self-test and given appropriate guidance on how to best do it (which is different for each person depending on the 'severity' of their diabetic symptoms).

Andy
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Unfortunately, I think that is where the problem lies - there is such a lack of education opportunities available so that people can be taught to monitor themselves effectively. Again, no doubt largely due to cost. :(

On the other hand, there are many people who are happy not testing - my neighbour is perfectly happy that he doesn't have to test.
 
Northerner said:
Unfortunately, I think that is where the problem lies - there is such a lack of education opportunities available so that people can be taught to monitor themselves effectively. Again, no doubt largely due to cost. :(

On the other hand, there are many people who are happy not testing - my neighbour is perfectly happy that he doesn't have to test.
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I think it helped me enormously having a science background (well, I did a degree in Pure and Applied Physics bonkity bonk years ago!).

Measuring things and understanding the results is second nature to me. I don't think the same can be said for some others and that's where time is needed to be spent early on.

Andy
 
Northerner said:
Unfortunately, I think that is where the problem lies - there is such a lack of education opportunities available so that people can be taught to monitor themselves effectively. Again, no doubt largely due to cost. :(

On the other hand, there are many people who are happy not testing - my neighbour is perfectly happy that he doesn't have to test.
Click to expand...

Oh yes, I have a colleague here who is completely bemused by what he calls my obsession with testing. He never tests, eats what he pleases and relies on cinnamon to keep his BGs under control. The bit that really annoys me though is... it seems to be working!
 
AlisonM said:
Oh yes, I have a colleague here who is completely bemused by what he calls my obsession with testing. He never tests, eats what he pleases and relies on cinnamon to keep his BGs under control. The bit that really annoys me though is... it seems to be working!
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I think that it is true that I don't have to test any more either. I only test once a week to be sure that my pancreas hasn't given out yet!

But, that would not have been the case had I not tested at the beginning. I'd hate to think where I'd be now without that testing (probably going down the same 'progressive' route that wallycorker did initially).

Andy
 
I was the same after the first few months, but then everything went to hell in hand basket and my numbeers have been all over the shop, with several serious hypos and some really scary hypers which left me reeling. I'm still on that roller-coaster though not now going quite so high or low. As a result I test at a minimum twice a day, on waking and before bed. If I'm high when I wake up I may test again during the day to see how I'm doing, or if I'm low before bed I may have a small snack in hopes of preventing a hypo. I have been testing before meals and after just in case it was the food, but it isn't, its just my grumpy old pancreas.
 
I test and buy my own supplies which costs a fortune. I feel I need to know which foods raise my BS the most so that I can eradicate them. Managing 'in the dark' as it were is not for me but I do wish I could get a supply of strips/lancets on prescription.
 
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