Diabetic Tablet Controlled

[Redhelen72]

83 year old woman, been diabetic for 10 years now, is on medication but would not have needed it if watched diet.
Constantly checking her sugars with finger prick.
Is this necessary? I thought it was just insulin dependent that needed to check blood all the time?
Any advice gratefully received

[barry1010]

Helen, those monitors store readings. If you can get hold of your mother in law's it would only take a few seconds to scroll through :D

[Redhelen72]

Thanks - we are not seeing her till January (thankfully) but will have a scroll through.

[anneasquith]

I would only say , try not to let her upset/ irritate you . I hope hubby is better soon .

[Smowball]

RH - don’t take this the wrong way, but it almost sounds as though your MIL enjoys the attention she gets from being diabetic! But doesn’t actually want to follow any of the medical advice. She just likes saying “ohhh I’m diabetic!”.

[jennyjoan]

Smow - I don't think you know all the stories of this particular MIL.

[Smowball]

JJ - oh no, have I said something to upset anyone?? I hope not - no offence was meant x

[Redhelen72]

Smow she certainly does - its another thing for attention.
She thrives on attention.
She is a bitter woman who is lonely as more and more of her pals die off and her children want less to do with her so she gets more lonely, and therefore gets more bitter so people avoid her and the cycle starts again.
You haven't upset anyone Smow

[pat2604]

Sounds like quite a lot of elderly people, Red. My Mum was just like this. She was a drama queen and wanted to be the centre of attention all her life. As people get older their character traits tend to get stronger!! I'm nearly there!!

[Mamyalynne]

Everyone has said it really, just make all the right noises during phone calls - you'll instinctively know what she wants to hear.

You have to let her be at this point, she isn't going to change.

[Mozz71]

Redhelen @ 07:58 (sorry, not been online today). Four times a day- before and after both Breakfast and evening meal.

[Sqad]

4 times a day Mozz for a Type 2 diabetic??

Bit OTT.....the GP would only supply enough testing tabs for twice daily maximum.

Why test after a meal other than interest??

[wolf63]

I never test my blood sugar levels, if it goes low I begin to feel out of it and ill.

I am on Metformin, Gliclazide and Alogliptin.

[pastafreak]

I'd think it is useful for diabetics to know which foods affect their glucose readings. Testing after a meal gives them that information. As Barry said earlier, not all diabetics are affected by the same things, nor by obvious foods.

[Mozz71]

Sqad,

No idea, it's a recent diagnosis for me, so maybe they want to test out my reaction to the metformin? I don't question why, I just do as I'm told! ☺

[Mozz71]

Sqad- and yes, I'm going through the test strips like nobody's business! I reuse the needles. I don't know whether I'm ment to or not, but it seems like overkill to use a fresh one for every jab.

[Sqad]

No it doesn't pasta it shows them how long it takes for the Insulin to control the meal.......the meal.

An 80 year old who has been a Type 2 diabetic for 10 years wouldn't be interested in that.

If you were newly diagnosed, keen to associate blood sugar spikes with certain foods, maybe, but most oldies can't be @rsed.

Wolf made a good point in that many experienced diabetics can guess their blood sugar readings quite accurately.
But if for whatever reason one wants to test 4 times a day then go ahead.

[Smowball]

Thanks RH - as long as you’re sure. It sounds a very awkward situation. You can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped, or listens to your advice and totally ignores it! x

[JimF]

These eliminate finger-prick testing:
https://freestylediabetes.co.uk/freestyle-libre

You attach the monitor to your arm and then just scan it with your mobile. They're not cheap - about £60 each, and each sensor lasts two weeks - but you can apply for them on the NHS.

[barry1010]

I was taught by the diabetic nurse to test my blood before every meal and 2 hours after. It is the difference between the two readings that matters - that way you know what you can and can't eat.
I did that for months and still do it if I eat something I have never eaten before. It taught me I can eat all fruit except bananas and grapes; all meat except lamb; all fish unless it is battered; most soup but definitely not Heinz tomato.......

I can't really see the point of testing once a day before eating.

[pastafreak]

Sqad...I wasn't suggesting it for an 80-somthing oldie.
Though I think I'd do it for myself.
I know of several people diagnosed with pre-diabetes who've used those, Jim. They found them to be very useful.