Why is the medical profession so against me using a glucose meter?

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sheridan

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Type 2
Hi all, this is a question not a moan, but why has everyone in the medial profession I’ve casually mentioned to that I have a blood glucose meter told me not to use it with no explanation as to why?

I don’t use it excessively. Unless, on a very rare occasion, if something feels “off” when I might test 2 hours after I’ve eaten something, but that’s about it.

I test once a day, when I get up in the morning, just to see if my levels are reasonably stable, if a little high I think what I should cut back on or avoid for that day, if a little low what I should eat to bring it back up again (both scenarios are very rare as my morning levels are pretty stable and within the limits) I also have a quick look back on what I ate the day before to see if I might had over indulged etc.

I’m in no way obsessive either so why do I get the responses from doctors and nurses that if I have Type 2 on only a slow release Metformin that I shouldn’t be testing. No one has given me an explanation yet.

I’m self funding the meter and test strips so it’s not costing the NHS anything so can anyone shed any light on why they are so against me taking an interest in my health. Has anyone else come across this too and if so have you been given any reason behind not using a meter.
 
I agree, ignore them. And, take personal control. You want / need to test then you go test. It's got nothing to do with them so don't even discuss it with them unless testing shows some problem.
 
If you're doing things designed to bring your BG down then how do they expect you to know whether it's working unless you test? Wait for your next HbA1c they'll say, but to me that's a fingers-crossed event. I can't imagine anything worse than spending months thinking you're doing all the right things and then finding it's not worked.

Admittedly random testing won't tell you anything meaningful, and this might be where HCPs are, but if you stick to a regime of testing on waking, and before and then 2 hours after a meal, and record the results, over time you'll be able to see which way your BG is trending - downwards (good), upwards (not so good) or whether it's flat.

As others have said, ignore them. It's your diabetes and if self-testing helps you manage it then why not do it?
 
RBZ5416 said:
Simply outdated thinking, just ignore them.

I've just posted on another thread that if I'd had a meter, I wouldn't have ended up in A&E with DKA!
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Thank you, it all gets a bit confusing with all the conflicting information around but I’ve found Diabetes.org.uk and this, their forum, great for honest answers and support to all questions.

I hope you’re feeling better soon and out of hospital
Gwynn said:
I agree, ignore them. And, take personal control. You want / need to test then you go test. It's got nothing to do with them so don't even discuss it with them unless testing shows some problem.
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thanks Gwynn, I try not to mention the meter especially after the reactions I’ve received. It can be difficult avoiding it though when two of my sister-in-laws have only recently left the NHS, one of who was a GP for many years and only now will she talk about health matters which I still try to avoid that subject. Although, if it comes up again I think I’m going to be blunt and just ask why the negativity about testing.
 
sheridan said:
Although, if it comes up again I think I’m going to be blunt and just ask why the negativity about testing.
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At least the replies you've received to your post means that you now have something to be able to challenge the negativity.
 
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Possibly a bit of postcode lottery going on maybe? I’m Type 2 and was given a meter and actively encouraged to use it. How and when to use it effectively however has come from advice from this forum.

Just ignore them. There’s nothing wrong with taking control of your own health.
 
Reading this forum, I too have wondered why HCP so often discourage people with type 2 from testing their BG even if they are self funding.
However, it was interesting to see this article from the BBC about type 2 illustrated with a picture of glucose meter.

[As an aside, I was pleased to see the article clearly stating it related to type 2 but disappointed that it was not as clear in their "clickbait" title.]
 
Well - it is actually true that any number of people just cannot cope with numbers that some of them see as judgment upon them. My fingerprick test said 5.0 - so I am 100% OK. My test said 10.0 - OMG so I'm going to drop dead any minute now. Whereas when mine goes up to 15 after I ate a 3 course meal including a dessert and strongly advises me to test for ketones - no way do I test for ketones if I know I've already had the insulin to cope with whatever I ate, nor will I retest when the meter beeps at me in 10 minutes to remind me my last test was high so it thinks I ought to test again for the simple fact that there's no point at the moment, this quick after finishing eating. I'll do it about an hour after and see what it looks like then.

No point whatever scanning my Libre either - I ate my sandwich for lunch at approx 1.15. Meanwhile it's kept telling me I was hypo, in the high 2s, the second time it said 2.9 I did fingerprick - 5.2. Anyway I rescanned 3 minutes ago and the graph has just started going upwards again ! (at 3pm)

Some people really do also test far too much for far too long cos they seem to think they'll find out more by carrying on intensive testing with no end purpose or plan for that testing. If like me you do appreciate the need for looking further than the end of your own nose when trying to fathom things out - testing makes sense, same as looking at the speedo whilst you're on the way rather than only because you've just seen a Police car. (though that does make me check again anyway!)
 
I think it depends on the person and why you’re testing. If it’s thoughtful, targeted testing with appropriate emotional/practical responses, then that’s ok, but other people might test randomly or only once a day or get worked up about normal blood sugar variations, etc etc and then it’s probably best not to.
 
Deb_l said:
I’m Type 2 and was given a meter and actively encouraged to use it.
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Me too, although since coming off medication I've had to self-fund my lancets and test strips.
 
Just my opinion: There's a perception amongst many in the medical community that the use of BG testing in Type 2s does more harm than good, that is causes anxiety and depression without significantly improving HbA1c. There's even some research to 'prove' it:

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy of self monitoring of blood glucose in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (ESMON study): randomised controlled trial

Objectives To assess the effect of self monitoring of blood glucose concentrations on glycaemic control and psychological indices in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus.Design Prospective randomised controlled trial of self monitoring ...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

"The measures of depression and anxiety were scored on a 100 point scale with the measure at the final time point regressed on to the baseline measure, monitoring status, and sex. All models provided an adequate description of the data. Participants in the self monitoring group were more depressed, scoring 6 points higher (that is, 6%) on the depression subscale of the well-being questionnaire at 12 months (P=0.01), and there was a trend towards increased anxiety (table 3)3)."

"Conclusions In patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes self monitoring of blood glucose concentration has no effect on glycaemic control but is associated with higher scores on a depression subscale."

The design of the study illustrates that the researchers set out to prove their preconceptions - they 'tested' for anxiety and depression because they expected to find it. They did not provide useful guidance to their test subjects who were provided a BG monitor as to what to do with the information - how to make decisions about food based on their BG readings - thus the study showed no improvement in glycaemic control, just negative effects.

It's obvious to me from reading on this forum and elsewhere that BG testing can yield huge improvements in glycaemic control for T2s. The trouble is - you have to do a lot of motivated learning in order to get the most out of it, otherwise it's just a source of worry and confusion. Without some kind of training course on when and why to test, with nutrition advice illustrating why it's not a good idea to stop eating all fruit and vegetables because your BG monitor tells you it would be good for you, then I think it unlikely that the medical community will change their minds any time soon.
 
sheridan said:
Hi all, this is a question not a moan, but why has everyone in the medial profession I’ve casually mentioned to that I have a blood glucose meter told me not to use it with no explanation as to why?

I don’t use it excessively. Unless, on a very rare occasion, if something feels “off” when I might test 2 hours after I’ve eaten something, but that’s about it.

I test once a day, when I get up in the morning, just to see if my levels are reasonably stable, if a little high I think what I should cut back on or avoid for that day, if a little low what I should eat to bring it back up again (both scenarios are very rare as my morning levels are pretty stable and within the limits) I also have a quick look back on what I ate the day before to see if I might had over indulged etc.

I’m in no way obsessive either so why do I get the responses from doctors and nurses that if I have Type 2 on only a slow release Metformin that I shouldn’t be testing. No one has given me an explanation yet.

I’m self funding the meter and test strips so it’s not costing the NHS anything so can anyone shed any light on why they are so against me taking an interest in my health. Has anyone else come across this too and if so have you been given any reason behind not using a meter.
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I also had a similar attitude from the GP at diagnosis. I simply smiled and went immediately to buy the necessary testing gear. 5 years later the GP is unaware of my testing, my food diary. She is happy with my resilts and so am I. But without testing I would never have known the foods to eat. For what it's worth, when I told the nurses at the surgery, they agreed with my action.
 
Martin.A said:
If you're doing things designed to bring your BG down then how do they expect you to know whether it's working unless you test? Wait for your next HbA1c they'll say, but to me that's a fingers-crossed event. I can't imagine anything worse than spending months thinking you're doing all the right things and then finding it's not worked.

Admittedly random testing won't tell you anything meaningful, and this might be where HCPs are, but if you stick to a regime of testing on waking, and before and then 2 hours after a meal, and record the results, over time you'll be able to see which way your BG is trending - downwards (good), upwards (not so good) or whether it's flat.

As others have said, ignore them. It's your diabetes and if self-testing helps you manage it then why not do it?
Click to expand...
Thank you for the encouragement. The main reason I test is because I want to know whether what I’m doing food and exercise wise isn’t keeping my HB1Ac level high. It’s hard enough as it is, but with testing I feel that I have at least a little control over what’s happening. I want to enjoy life not be stuck eating the same foods as I know they’re safe. Moderation not total don’t eat this or that is the only way I will be able to be me again.
 
Martin.A said:
At least the replies you've received to your post means means that you now have something to be able to challenge the negativity.
Click to expand...
Yes indeed Martin. If only they asked why am I testing, then they’d realise I’m not testing obsessively. I just need to be more forceful in my reply from now on
 
Deb_l said:
Possibly a bit of postcode lottery going on maybe? I’m Type 2 and was given a meter and actively encouraged to use it. How and when to use it effectively however has come from advice from this forum.

Just ignore them. There’s nothing wrong with taking control of your own health.
Click to expand...
Thank you Deb_I, I do sometimes wonder if where I live is a contributing factor, I had to ask to be put on a diabetes management course and the only way I find out what my HB1Ac is, is if I phone them up or log on to the NHS app and wade through all the technical stuff and try and work out what the blood test results actually were. Still, I’m slowly figuring it out now.
 
trophywench said:
Well - it is actually true that any number of people just cannot cope with numbers that some of them see as judgment upon them. My fingerprick test said 5.0 - so I am 100% OK. My test said 10.0 - OMG so I'm going to drop dead any minute now. Whereas when mine goes up to 15 after I ate a 3 course meal including a dessert and strongly advises me to test for ketones - no way do I test for ketones if I know I've already had the insulin to cope with whatever I ate, nor will I retest when the meter beeps at me in 10 minutes to remind me my last test was high so it thinks I ought to test again for the simple fact that there's no point at the moment, this quick after finishing eating. I'll do it about an hour after and see what it looks like then.

No point whatever scanning my Libre either - I ate my sandwich for lunch at approx 1.15. Meanwhile it's kept telling me I was hypo, in the high 2s, the second time it said 2.9 I did fingerprick - 5.2. Anyway I rescanned 3 minutes ago and the graph has just started going upwards again ! (at 3pm)

Some people really do also test far too much for far too long cos they seem to think they'll find out more by carrying on intensive testing with no end purpose or plan for that testing. If like me you do appreciate the need for looking further than the end of your own nose when trying to fathom things out - testing makes sense, same as looking at the speedo whilst you're on the way rather than only because you've just seen a Police car. (though that does make me check again anyway!)
Click to expand...
I love the analogy about the car and Speedo, that’s why I bought the meter in the first place. I don’t need a HCP telling me a Mars Bar will push my levels up but what I want to know is if I try something new food wise will that have a good or bad outcome and now that I’ve brought my levels and weight down by, frankly, eating rabbit food or the same stuff all the time and exercising I’m wanting to branch out again and start cooking and eating more exciting healthier food. I now have a basic knowledge of food and it’s relationship to the figures I get and that what may be okay for someone else may not be okay for me.
 
sheridan said:
I love the analogy about the car and Speedo, that’s why I bought the meter in the first place. I don’t need a HCP telling me a Mars Bar will push my levels up but what I want to know is if I try something new food wise will that have a good or bad outcome and now that I’ve brought my levels and weight down by, frankly, eating rabbit food or the same stuff all the time and exercising I’m wanting to branch out again and start cooking and eating more exciting healthier food. I now have a basic knowledge of food and it’s relationship to the figures I get and that what may be okay for someone else may not be okay for me.
Click to expand...
Absolutely, the monitor help you find foods which you can eat as well as those which it is better to avoid or have in only small portions.
Some good recipes and meal suggestions in this link. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/
 
sheridan said:
Yes indeed Martin. If only they asked why am I testing, then they’d realise I’m not testing obsessively. I just need to be more forceful in my reply from now on
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I received some wonderful advice wrt the surgery. I was told I need to manage the agenda in order to receive answers to my queries. Great advice, it took me ages to get the hang of it The surgery is way out of my comfort zone.
 
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