When to test

I'm a newly diagnosed type 1 from July. Although i am managing my diabetes very well, i am just a bit confused by what the consultant said to me, he suggested that i only need to BG test twice daily, before breakfast and bedtime and in addition with regard to the driving rules, which means that at the moment for my lunch and evening meal i'm guestimating my BG levels and using my guess against the carb count. So far at the end of the day i am getting readings in the region of 6 to 7 mols, whilst in the mornings before breakfast i am getting readings up to 9, even though i have increased my levemir dosage. Should i be testing before all my meals??? Thank you in advance

If your on MDI [Multiple Daily Injection] insulin regime, which for DAFNE is a requirement, and can be assumed you are as your here on the website, then you should be testing before every meal at a minimum..........

If your on a twice a day injection regime with a mixed insulin, then the only effective time to test is before each injection, breakfast and dinner, but that is in my opinion and old method that just isn't effective at controlling blood sugars.......

I test before every meal, snack, in between meals, before driving, before drinking, exercise [not that often... ].............so that's quite a lot, maybe more than I should in between meals, but I like to see if my dose timing is right...........

Being newly diagnosed it may seem quite frightening.................there is a good forum for newbies like yourself with lots of support and info from other members, you can find it at www.diabetessupport.co.uk.................I am a member, hope to see you there..........

and if you have the oppurtunity, try and sign up for a DAFNE course as soon as you can..............

Thanks for the advice, I am in the process of pushing for a DAFNE course, everything seems so confusing. As i explained in my other posting, funding for DAFNE does not appear to be available in my area, so it looks like i will have to save up for it. I get the impression that they may be trying to save on the amount of test strips prescribed, because i appear to be stable. No need to test, just guess.

So what happens when you save up and have money for it.................were do you go? who actually teaches the material? I would go elsewhere, really......!

No test can tell you how stable you actually are apart from finger prick testing, as you could have an OK HbA1c, but it is only an average, you could have lots of lows, and lots of highs, which can bring its own problems to the micro vascular system.....

Once I completed DAFNE, and this applies to other graduates also, your educators will write a letter that you can give to your GP stating you need more strips to allow you to follow the DAFNE principals.....................its strange your consultant would be concerned, as they dont provide you with the strips, its the GP that funds them.......

Maybe the GP and the consultant share the same piggy bank lol..