my a1c is 6.1 right now.
Rick
TYPO ALERT! I test between 10-15x a day
I test between 10 and 15 times per day. My last A1C was 6.3.
How do you folks get yours so low? What kind of diet do you follow?
I have found that if I cycle or hike more than usual, it is easier to have steady low blood sugars (of course, with lots of testing, to ensure I don't go too low).
I am pleased to see that my endocrinologist recently increased my monthly allotment to 400 per month, and I, thankfully, have good insurance (with a $25 dollar copay).
I'm due to get my latest A1c results on Monday, but the last 6 months I've not had such good control. I only use 1 or perhaps 2 strips per day. Being a pensioner and self funded, it's all I can afford. I rely on low carbing to keep me low. I don't like to go over 6 [108]. My husband has had a serious health issue for about 6 months. Thankfully now well again! and things went a bit haywire. Nevertheless, the highest number I recorded was 7.5 [135]. Still the final result could have crept out of the 5s into the 6s. Now husband is better, I'm going to aim for the elusive 4s and to get a little more weight off. I put on 2 Kg over Christmas and have only just managed to get it off. If I could manage to get hold of 4 strips per day, I think I could manage it.
Hana
I go through about 200 a month, unless I get on the roller coaster (which does not happen frequently) then it goes to about three to four hundred. Thankfully my insurance covers then all (that and I buy the Reli On kind from Walmart).
I test about 5 times a day---150 test strips a month.
Aren't you supposed to wait 2 hrs after eating for accurate results?
I'm in England. the National Health Service WON'T fund test strips for type 2 diabetes, unless in exceptional circumstances. I got a pack of 50 when I had an infection a couple of years ago. Hence I must fund my own on my retirement pension. Naturally enough I'm frugal with them. I test fasting pretty much every morning and sometimes at night if I've fallen off the wagon a bit. I'm only on 2 x 500mg Metformin, so I can have another one if It looks like I might go up overnight. I'm a very low carber [recent A1c 5.8%;10 years after diagnosis]
The reason I'm posting today, is to query why people have latched on to the 2 hours after meals thing anyway. Research shows that the peak of blood sugars occurs at about 70 minutes after COMMENCING a meal. the 2 hour figure should have BG on its way down. I would say that someone with really good control should be back at baseline by about 3/4 hours and so the 1 hour and 3 hour readings would be more useful. I really must set aside some time and some strips to do a test run around a midday meal for myself.
Hana
Early on I tested at 1 and 2 hrs. But almost always the two hour number was higher so I stopped doing the one hour test. I think this is because most of my carbs are the slow acting ones from vegetables. As a T2 not on insulin, now days I test more in the morning because this is when I have the most trouble. My evening numbers are always good so unless I'm testing a new food I seldom test in the evening.
I know why the NHS won't fund strips for T2s. It's because there was a study that said that testing didn't make any difference in their A1cs. Of course, no one asked whether these people had been trained to DO anything about their numbers -- and it seems that most of them were looking at the number and saying "oh, nice number" or "that sucks" without any further action. So people like you, Hana, are getting shafted.
In my case, I tested every half hour several times to see where my peak was a long time ago, and it turned out to be 90 minutes from the first bite. Nowadays, I have a CGM, and it will tell me what's going on. At this point in my diabetic career, my stomach moves more slowly than it used to, so I will get a peak, then it will start coming down, and then it will go back up again, so I often end up taking 2 boluses for a meal. It's a nuisance, but much less so on a pump than it would be on shots! And I DO wish that I could go low-carb and go off insulin, but it just ain't in the cards -- while I do produce a little insulin, it's not enough to keep me alive!
I test any where from 140-300 times a month. 7-9 times a day!
I test every 3 hrs, MOST of the time anyway.
I think I have am addiction to testing. On the average I test 10-15 times a day and have done it as many as 27 times in a day. I never, ever know what it is doing. I have not been able to recognize low blood sugars for many years and that in itself is haunting. I can be around people and talking and taking it all in and will check it and it will be 32 or lower. My husband calls me every morning to check on me. I talk with him, hang up the phone and 2 hours later I finally get up to find it 30 and below. If I didn't believe in God, there would be no one else to get me through. It is pretty scary living like this. I hardly drive my car anymore because of the bs. One day, I was at Walmart. I got back in the car, checked my bs and it was 118...perfect! By the time I got home, which is less than 4 miles, it was 36. I felt bad about it mostly because I had my 2 adorable grandchildrem in the car with me. I never want this desease to hurt anybody! Well, there's 1 chapter in my book! lol
I use about 300 a month. I would use more, but this is all I can get with my insurance. I have to test before I drive, so my usage varies by how often I need to be driving. But I also test a lot when my insulin and/or food absorption rates are abnormal, which seems to happen a lot as well.
i test 10-12 times a day giver or take some days. You are not out of the norm at all.
Probably around 300 x per month. I hate my insurance company’s desire to only to cater to Type Iis. . .
At least 300 finger pokes a month for me :)
I am new at this. Around 450
I test between 10 - 15x a day( sometimes more if necessary) depending on whther I am druiving, or at the gym, or just having weird numbers. My A1C has been between 5.2 and 5.4 for years. The way I figure it, I have evry right to work hard to have an A1C that is as good as someone without diabetes. That doesn't mean I achieve it, but I like to try.
About 200-250 per month, but that can differ from month to month and especially in summertime.
My 7 yr old with type 1 tests 7-10 times per day. Insurance only sends us around 800 for a 3 month period. We have a CGM but I feel like she tests more to verify the number on the CGM. She does not have good control even with testing as much she does.