Meters & Test Strips

Type 1 and LADA
21

THE ONLY TOOL WE HAVE IS THE CAVEMAN FINGERPRICK glucose test strip system to accurately measure blood glucose and to monitor levels and glucose generation.

It requires one to test in a repeatedly and timely fashion to get sufficient data in order to properly control.

it seems I and by the feedback here some incredible folks are trying to harass those of us trying to control our diabetes sufficiently to stop problems, stop follow on complications and save on medical costs.

My reward and I assume others have seen is to get all sorts of harrassement and un-needed grief.

Where is the scientific treateses and the diabetic lobbying statements justifying this crap and miserly release of strips to those who want to control their disease.? I have asked many times - no response or no comment.

Supposedly we are supposed to be working to get this world wide sourage under control as numbers rocket skyword. How does this niggardly approach to strip usage allowance by medicare/insurance help us all?

It would seem the policies and approach by Medicare/Insurance companies ( minus a few exceptions) is to make matters worse.

Even following guidlines of Doctor, prescription, medical logs and fingerprick logs has not made matters any better and has been a constant fight for last 2 years appealing medicare's refusal's to pay.

Feel free to clarify my mis-understandings!

22

I use 1400 strips in 90 days. My doctor supports this with a Rx that orders "test 16 times per day." As insulin using people with diabetes we walk a tightrope with regards to blood glucose control. If we fall off that tightrope, one of the possible consequences is death! Society is very concerned every time they hear or read about a car wreck caused by a T1D passing out from a hypo. We need to test as frequently as we want.

The ADA released the findings of a study last month that showed that more testing is better. A Reuters story published on February 7, 2013, quotes Dr. Robert Rushakoff, a diabetes expert from the University of California, San Francisco:

"Absolute minimum testing is every time you eat, so three times a day, but most people would want to be checking at least 4 times per day," he said. Rushakoff also recommends to his patients check that they check before they exercise and before driving a car, which soon adds up.

"We are hopeful that future guidelines will better reflect our current understanding, from this study and others," Miller said. [Kellee Miller, ADA study author]

"But just testing more frequently won't automatically help people manage their diabetes, she cautioned," the Reuters article states.

"If you check your blood sugar and don't do anything with that number, you're not going to see any difference," Miller said. The next, and most important, step is to regulate insulin dosage and timing of snack and meals.

"There's more to life than checking blood sugars," said Rushakoff. "It's what you do with that data that matters."

Reuters article:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/07/us-test-strip-supply-linked-to-better-di-idUSBRE91616O20130207

ADA Diabetes Care Abstract: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/early/2013/01/29/dc12-1770.abstract

23

Dealings with the "System". Argh...

24

I think Cmgs would be an invaluable tool for you. We are currently using the Dexcom G4 with our 13 yr old. We currently get 300 test strips per month but would need more without the Dexcom. Jared has been using the Dexcom for almost 1 yr and the information gained from it has been invaluable. I only wish we had it in the early days.

25

I quickly asked the Endo about that the other day and she said she thought that it was not a reliable tool. I have more to learn!

26

First off the sensor technology runs on watching the oxygen and it does not have an absolute oxygen sensor separate from the one used to measure glucose. hence the need for the fingerprick calibratiosn on a regular basis to adjust out the excess oxygen levels that can drift.

This does not make it unhelpful as one can watch trends live time to watch where the glucose is headed.

Yet for dosing and any check of instantaneous readings that do not make sense, one has to use the fingerprick machine.

It takes some time to get "accustomed" to its operation and what it is doing. The new G4 I am told is better then the Dex 7 which I had extensive experience on. The dex 7 was a littles low tracking fast glucose changes and since it was not watching at fingertips; one would see some differences with caveman machine versus Dex 7. Check into the Dexcom Users group for more detail.

27

Trends. Those important Trends.

28

I used to use the OneTouch UltraSmart until my mail-order pharmacy stopped carrying it. I was very happy with the amount of data analysis it was able to provide.

When I switched, it was to the Accu-Chek Nano, which has far better accuracy than any of my old OneTouch meters (UltraSmart, Minis, Ultra2). I'm so happy with the accuracy that I don't even care that I lost the analysis bit.

29

My son started on the Accu Check Nano. Having not compared others, I am not sure what is out there. I have heard good things about the One Touch. Nice to know that the Nano has a good word.

30

You can turn the 2 hour Check BG alarm off--I did not think of that because I have never had it on.

31

I don't understand "his body is looking for food". Do you mean he is hungry - if so then eat more at mealtime.

The reason it is a good idea to cut out the snacks is that it avoids overlapping insulin boluses - so-called "insulin on board". The fastest acting insulin bolus takes three to four hours to get out of your system. If you eat, and need to take another bolus, before that four hours are up, then it is much harder to calculate insulin needs. Especially since protein and fat are digested much more slowly and can also effect the rate that carbs are digested.

It's better, therefore, to bolus, eat a meal, and let the meal be digested completely while checking that the meal was properly covered by the insulin bolus. Then repeat for the next meal. If you overlap meals you end up in a mess trying to figure out what food is being digested when and which bolus is covering what. For the same reason if you eat (and bolus) too close to bedtime you are more likely to experience overnight lows.

I am of course not including carbs to correct low BG - these aren't regularly scheduled snacks. You should check out some of the books that have already been suggested - they have lots of details on these types of management techniques.

32

Teenage boys generally are looking for food. Then they find some, eat it and go find some more.

33

I have to send an appeal letter to BCBS every year along with a new prescription from my doctor. Then they call me to set up a conference call. Last time they approved it before the conference call so I didn't have to do it and we cancelled it. The conference call consists of me telling their rep why I need more than their standard 200 strips per month. I cite my hypo-unawareness and the fact that I always test before I drive a car since I don't want to end up responsible for killing myself or anyone else. They've never said "No".

34

He is a new type 1 diabetic. Not even a month. His body is still looking for food from being High. No bolus. No meter. He is hungry. He is also a growing teen. So it will take time to level his blood glucose and reduce the hunger.

35

Yep! And the new "high" type 1 is hungry!

36

That's a Great Answer! I can use that when my son begins to drive. I wonder how political this all is, because it does not seem to be a BCBS problem, it seems to be how hard my Endo wants to work to get them for me. If they get them for me, they probably have to get them for everyone! And something tells me that this is political.

37

No bolus? No meter? He is not on insulin and testing?

38

For me, BCBS of Michigan doesn't give a hoot about what my endo writes or prescribes or says. They decide with their panel of supposed doctors what you will and will not get. Hence why I have to appeal. I've been doing this for so many years, I have a canned letter that I just retype and change the dates each year.

39

The Pancreas is still working. In the three and a half weeks that he has been diagnosed they keep on reducing the amount of insulin. As of today he is on only 3 units of Lantus long acting. The Honeymoon Stage

40

Feel free to copy and paste that letter here, if it works!

I can use all the help I can get.