Guest guest Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 Hi Judith, I usually take my blood sugar first thing in the morning, and then during the day if I feel a little " off " or if I am trying something new. I also take it before bed about twice a week, as per my doctor's suggestion. But, until you get an idea of what foods trigger you and what dont, taking it as often as you are is actually a very good thing, as people have stated, all of us are different, and you need to establish your own baselines. For example, Ive learned to eat mashed cauliflower, and like it, instead of mashed potatoes. But I have found that I can have 5-6 of those tiny taters cooked in their skin. As a general rule of thumb, eat the covering on fruits or veges - its a source of fibre. I find I can have a little bit of pasta - but not too often. What works for me, is as much food as I can put on a side plate - it helps me to keep portions small. a damage from lows? > > > > Hi Patti, > > For most people, damage is not going to happen very quickly and it > does take > > time to get numbers back to normal. If your doctor is > understanding, then > > he is working with you to get your numbers to normal (what is > normal for one > > person may not be for someone else). Don't start stressing about > high > > numbers. Stress can only lead to higher numbers. Write down any > questions you > > might have for your doctor when you go back. > > > > You probably need to eat more often. Not eating can do as much > damage as > > eating too much. I eat 3 meals and at least one snack during the > day. Some > > people eat 2 snacks, while others have 5 small meals. > > > > hugs, > > Eunice > > I respectfully disagree, or it may be that I don't know what kind of > damage you are talking about. If you are talking about having a sugar > dump from going low, I don't have those, but understand that some > folks will. > > My rule is, if I am not hungry, I am not going to force myself to eat. > Unless I get low, that is. And I test often enough, and have good hypo > awareness, to take care of any lows I might have. > > As with everything, YMMV. > > > > > > > > > > Diabetes homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/diabetes/ > > To unsubscribe to this group, send an email to: diabetes-unsubscribe > Hope you come back soon! > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 Judith, I am lucky in that my insurance company pays for however many strips the doctor prescribes. I am also lucky that my doctor prescribes what I tell her to. In other words, I have all the strips I need to do the testing I want. If I go on a tear and test more than that, I simply buy extra strips. But I have a good job and can afford to. I like the advice your doctor gave you first, and really don't like the 2 x per day advice. If you don't test before and after a meal, how do you know what that meal did to you? Granted that after a while you will learn what this or that meal will do, and you won't need to test afterwards. Until things change, that is. LOL While you are learning, the more testing the better (as long as you don't run out of blood, LOL). I test the way I want to, but you need to test as your circumstances allow. On a related note, I view my doctor as an employee/consultant. What she tells me are suggestions, not orders. If I don't find the advice sound, I am free to ignore it. Or find another doctor. In the end, I am the one living with my condition, not her. I am the one who will suffer any complications, not her. Note - As Eunice pointed out the other day, we don't give medical advice on this list. Please don't take any of the above as medical advice. Why would you want to take medical advice from a bunch of strangers on the internet anyway? LOL > > > > > Hi Patti, > > > For most people, damage is not going to happen very quickly and it > > does take > > > time to get numbers back to normal. If your doctor is > > understanding, then > > > he is working with you to get your numbers to normal (what is > > normal for one > > > person may not be for someone else). Don't start stressing about > > high > > > numbers. Stress can only lead to higher numbers. Write down any > > questions you > > > might have for your doctor when you go back. > > > > > > You probably need to eat more often. Not eating can do as much > > damage as > > > eating too much. I eat 3 meals and at least one snack during the > > day. Some > > > people eat 2 snacks, while others have 5 small meals. > > > > > > hugs, > > > Eunice > > > > I respectfully disagree, or it may be that I don't know what kind of > > damage you are talking about. If you are talking about having a sugar > > dump from going low, I don't have those, but understand that some > > folks will. > > > > My rule is, if I am not hungry, I am not going to force myself to eat. > > Unless I get low, that is. And I test often enough, and have good hypo > > awareness, to take care of any lows I might have. > > > > As with everything, YMMV. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Diabetes homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/diabetes/ > > > > To unsubscribe to this group, send an email to: > diabetes-unsubscribe > > Hope you come back soon! > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 I know that used to be true partly because they were over the counter items. Some time ago a lot of insurance companies changed their policies to pay for the strips because the consequences for not testing were serious economic consequences for the insurance company due to the complications. Re: damage from lows? One of the people on his team said she had no idea how people in general take their blood sugar so often because the ins cos won't pay for the test strips. = Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 I know that used to be true partly because they were over the counter items. Some time ago a lot of insurance companies changed their policies to pay for the strips because the consequences for not testing were serious economic consequences for the insurance company due to the complications. Re: damage from lows? One of the people on his team said she had no idea how people in general take their blood sugar so often because the ins cos won't pay for the test strips. = Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 I know that used to be true partly because they were over the counter items. Some time ago a lot of insurance companies changed their policies to pay for the strips because the consequences for not testing were serious economic consequences for the insurance company due to the complications. Re: damage from lows? One of the people on his team said she had no idea how people in general take their blood sugar so often because the ins cos won't pay for the test strips. = Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 Judith, It doesn't take an rx for the test strips. I haven't had one for those or the meter. I just can't afford many test strips. I ordered mine on line from someplace that someone had suggested one time. Darlene Re: Re: damage from lows? In order to buy my own test strips if I run out and my ins won't pay, doesn't the dr have to give me an rx? thanks for your info. Just getting brave enough to post questions! JUDITH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 Hi Judith, I saw the test strips on the shelf at the grocery store. I think they were about $1 each. I'm sure the price varies with the type of strip and from store to store. Re: Re: damage from lows? In order to buy my own test strips if I run out and my ins won't pay, doesn't the dr have to give me an rx? thanks for your info. Just getting brave enough to post questions! JUDITH == Diabetes homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/diabetes/ To unsubscribe to this group, send an email to: diabetes-unsubscribe Hope you come back soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 Hi, I sign it a ( plus R for ) because there are several s on the list - grin. Sounds like you are on the right track - keep us posted ! a damage from lows? > > > > > > > > > Hi Patti, > > > For most people, damage is not going to happen very quickly and it > > does take > > > time to get numbers back to normal. If your doctor is > > understanding, then > > > he is working with you to get your numbers to normal (what is > > normal for one > > > person may not be for someone else). Don't start stressing about > > high > > > numbers. Stress can only lead to higher numbers. Write down any > > questions you > > > might have for your doctor when you go back. > > > > > > You probably need to eat more often. Not eating can do as much > > damage as > > > eating too much. I eat 3 meals and at least one snack during the > > day. Some > > > people eat 2 snacks, while others have 5 small meals. > > > > > > hugs, > > > Eunice > > > > I respectfully disagree, or it may be that I don't know what kind of > > damage you are talking about. If you are talking about having a sugar > > dump from going low, I don't have those, but understand that some > > folks will. > > > > My rule is, if I am not hungry, I am not going to force myself to eat. > > Unless I get low, that is. And I test often enough, and have good hypo > > awareness, to take care of any lows I might have. > > > > As with everything, YMMV. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Diabetes homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/diabetes/ > > > > To unsubscribe to this group, send an email to: > diabetes-unsubscribe > > Hope you come back soon! > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 If they won't pay for it see if your company has a Medical Savings Plan. That way you can pay for the strips in before tax money rather than after tax money. Depending on the tax bracket it can reduce your true cost substantially. The only problem I remember with MSA is that you have to use up every penny of the amount allocated each year or you lose it. They may have changed that to make them more attractive. RE: Re: damage from lows? IF you can get an RX for the strips, and IF you can get your medical insurance to pay for it, it can save you a lot of money. Most medical insurances will pay for them since it keeps the costs down later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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