Diabetes

[jennyjoan]

in the diabetic kit there is an option to buy "mmol" or mg - can any explain what this.

I think it is just different measurements tia

[hc4361]

When I was diabetic the GP stopped prescribing test strips for Type 2 diabetics - that is the current NHS thinking, probably partly to save money.
I chose to buy them OTC because testing after meals helped me identify foods that spiked my glucose levels so that I could I could avoid them where possible.
I would never recommend somebody who has not been diagnosed to self test. Waste of time and money.

[Sqad]

"I chose to buy them OTC because testing after meals helped me identify foods that spiked my glucose levels so that I could I could avoid them where possible"

A very very good point.

"I would never recommend somebody who has not been diagnosed to self test. Waste of time and money."

Exactly right.

[ethandron]

As far as I’m aware...and I believe this applies to all health authorities...the blood glucose meters and the finger prick devices are supplied free of charge by the manufacturers, to the diabetes nurse at your gp surgery.
The diabetes nurse then gives them free of charge to any patient diagnosed with either type 1 or type 2.
The testing strips used in the various meters are supplied on prescription, as are the lancets for the finger prick device. You can buy them yourself but they’re very expensive.
The manufacturers give the devices away free because they want patients to use their device, and consequently the expensive test strips, which is where they make their money.
I agree with Sqad, why waste your money on something which you probably won’t need. Get diagnosed, or not, first, and take it from there.

[ethandron]

I’m type 2 and get my strips on prescription.

[ethandron]

Incidentally hc, just for interest, my type 1 son has found that eating lamb causes a spike in his post meal test.

[hc4361]

That is interesting, ethandron. I was very surprised at some of the foods that caused me to spike - the batter from chip shop cod, for instance.

[jennyjoan]

Sqad I would be buying my own kit - all of it as then I can know what foods spike it up.

At the moment I buy pretty much of my other medication to the tune of about £100 a month. I get very little medication from the NHS.

[Rockrose]

Sorry but why do you not get your medication from the NHS?
Also if you know you are pre diabetic should you not be following a diet to help that and not rely on your bloods?

[TonyV]

OK Squad only talking from a personal perspective my partner needs to check her bloods 3 times a day. GP will decide if monitoring daily is necessary.

[Sqad]

Tony.....I still don't understand. Why a Type 2 diabetic needs to test his/her blood 3 times a day.....unless of course she is a Type 1 diabetic.

JJ
"Sqad I would be buying my own kit - all of it as then I can know what foods spike it up"

So what? That's what certain foods e.g carbohydrates do, it is normal and avoiding them may not stop you from developing diabetes.

[Rationalist]

mmol means milli-mole (one thousandth of a mole)

It is a measure of how much active ingredient there is in the fluid.

I'd always buy drugs/chemicals in terms of the number of moles

The following is way too much information, and may safely be ignored :)

A mole of any substance is 6.022×10^23 atoms/molecules/particles of that substance. The number (Avogadro's Number) is chosen because that number of molecules will weigh the same in grams as the molecular weight of the molecule (in Daltons, if you are interested).
A water molecule (H2O), has a molecular weight of 18, and if you take that many molecules of water, it weighs 18 grams (near enough)

Just to be clear if you have a mole of the medicine, then you can add as much water or saline as you like, and it will still be one mole.

If you buy it by the milligram, or millilitre, you don't know how much is water and how much is active ingredient.

[Peter Pedant]

easy

"An easy way to make the conversion from mg/dl to mmol/L is to divide by 18. To convert mmol/L to mg/dl, multiply by 18."

old units tend to be over 100 ( mg/dl to mmol/L) so divide by eighteen
new units tend to be under ten - - mmol/L -> mg/dl
so multiply by 18

british values have been mmol / li ( new units) since around 1972 - normal 3 to 5

[TonyV]

Squad the 3 times a day testing was instigated last year when Jen had total kidney failure last year. She has a diabetic review at hospital later this month.

[Sqad]

TonyV...ah! right, she had developed diabetic nephropathy I presume?

[TonyV]

Had eye test last Friday and came back all OK.

[jennyjoan]

just to wanted to reaffirm "At the moment I buy pretty much of my other medication to the tune of about £100 a month. I get very little medication from the NHS. "

That is once a month of one hour of acupuncture

and once ever two months one hour physio

what I am saying not all ORALLY

But then I do buy expensive vitamins, tumeric, glucosamine chroindin etc - so it all adds up.

I would not expect NHS to provide these for me. If I have it I spend it.

[ummmm]

Have you been tested to see if you actually need the supplements?

[ummmm]

And cheap or expensive - they are the same ingredients.

[jennyjoan]

oh I need them alright because when I run out of them for some time - I can tell when my body is going down.

[ummmm]

I'd still get tested.