CPAP now Diabetes? Glucose Monitor questions

[sleeplessinaz]

Hi There --had a vist to the Endocrin. doctor and she ran some blood work on me since I have been feeling crappy. Thought it was my hypo thyroidism but that is all ok. Turns out she says that I am pre diabetic!! Or borderline!! She gave me scripts for Metformin pills twice a day. ANd a script for a Glucose meter and strips to test my blood sugar for awhile.

Can anyone out there let me know what kind of glucose monitor is good to use? i don't want to prick my finger tips --I have to use a computer for my job. I just got on CPAP last year in August and now this--I am overwhelmed I guess to say the least--what is next??? LOL!

SIAZ

[6PtStar]

I have gone through several and the one I like best is the Accu-Check Compact Plus. It holds 17 strips in a drum. All you have to do is turn it on and it spits out a strip ready for a test. Uses about the smallest amount of blood for a test of any I have tried. The lance device (Softclix Plus) Hurts less than any I have used. You can test on your arm which also hurts less. My doc says the test on the arm is not quite as accurate as on the finger but is well within tolerences. When I tested on my finger and went to the lab it was always off too.

I will mention that this one is hard to get many insurances to pay for the strips. They are a bit higher than the meters that you have to open each package and insert the strip your self. I finally found one place that would take what medicare and BCBS would pay.

Jerry

[jomac30]

What a coincidence. I just started Metformin today. I'm pre-diabetic and this is supposed to prevent it. The endocrinologist thinks I am insulin resistant. Whatever that means.

[pjwalman]

Before you invest in a blood glucose monitor, you may want to check with your insurance company. Oftentimes they will have coupons or rebate offers on monitors that could save you a few bucks. Also you might ask which test strips they have on what they call their formulary since some will not be covered by your co-pay if they are not on the insurance company's formulary. When deciding on what brand you want, look to see what the test strips cost in case you have to pay for them out of pocket, because that's where the big bucks come in. Many times you can get the tester almost for free if you find the right rebate.

Also, about fingertips and working on a computer, I work as a captioner, using my fingers on my steno machine and my computer daily, and I have to test for hypoglycemia. I have to test on my fingers rather than other places on my body because of the nature of hypoglycemia, and I had the same concerns. What I do is test on the sides of my fingers so that, if a place should get sore, it won't affect my keyboarding. And, honestly, places hardly ever get sore. Testing is a wiggy thing, but it's not as bad as it might seem.

Hope that helps. I have One Touch and a Contour. Both are fine. There are some that use little wheels rather than strips so that you don't have to change them until you've tested 10 times, I think, but I've never tried them. But unless money is not an issue, I really would suggest looking into the things I mentioned in the first paragraph before you decide.

Peggy

[RonS]

But unless money is not an issue, I really would suggest looking into the things I mentioned in the first paragraph before you decide.

And unless you are independently wealthy money is an issue, because each of the strips costs between 75 cents and a buck.

My wife tests 8 to 10 times a day... it adds up quickly.

[Wulfman]

Welcome to yet ANOTHER "club" (that you didn't want to belong to).

In case you haven't done a lot of searching on the Internet for information about diabetes, here's some links that I've collected. There are LOTS.

Den



http://www.diabetes.org/home.jsp

http://www.dlife.com/

http://www.diabeteshealth.com/

http://www.diabetes-blood-sugar-solutio ... index.html

http://www.diabetic-talk.org/dp.htm

http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/recipereview/index.php

http://www.accu-chek.com/us/

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=542089

http://www.americandiabeteswholesale.com/

.

[mikemoran]

As they said, side of the finger and you'll be fine for typing. I guess I am a little surprised you were prescribed Metaformin, especially as only pre-diabetic. My Doctor diagnosed me as Diabetic but strongly suggested I control it through diet. Just by cutting down on the carbs I have brought my blood sugar into the normal range for 4 months now.

One of the reasons he suggested diet first is because the disease is progressive and medication should be the second step. Just something to consider.

[gasparama]

Mercy! We could write volumes about diabetes. In Texas, there is a law that insurance has to cover meds and testing supplies for all diabetics. That is also probably true in many states. Do some checking around for information. My doctor prescribes enough strips for as many times as I want to test daily. I really find checking my BG's to be quite interesting as well inspirational for keeping levels normal. I use my fingers quite a bit during the day and am rarely sore. You can look for the finest lancets and also control the depth of penetration by adjusting a dial on the penlet. There is a yahoo group that is owned by an endo who is on staff at Harvard Med. School as well as Joslin Diabetes Center. There is no way that I have time to read all the posts each day, but it's worth being a member just to get such great information from people who advocate self-care as does this message board. Here's the link: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/diabetesworld/

I've been a diabetic for 18 years and have had no eye, heart, or kidney problems. I think if you stay on top of this disease (of syndrome), you can rule it instead of it ruining your life. I'm rooting for you!

Jane

[pjwalman]

Yeah, mikemoran. I was surprised at seeing the two references to Metformin for prediabetes, too. My doc has been holding off for quite a long time to see if I can bring my numbers down with diet and exercise, and I also have been able to bring my numbers down without meds. I'm still in the prediabetic range, but they're heading in the right direction, and she doesn't advocate going to meds unless you're just danged close to the diabetes line rather than prediabetes. Different doctors, different philosopies, though.

Funny thing is it was the middle of the night panic attacks that led me to ask to be tested for hypoglycemia, and I certainly do have that if I don't watch it, but then the middle of the night incidents kept happening that I couldn't explain by my blood sugar numbers, and I finally had to face something else was up. Thus the sleep study, and here I am. Funny the turns life takes, huh?

Peggy

[TR]

accucheck aviva...most formularies have accucheck as a preferred brand

[tomjax]

TV hgas ads running for a free accu check.
the real small one.

Many docs will give them s samples.

The companies are very willing to give the machine away because you are tied to their strips.

no reason to buy one at all.

be careful with metformin. you can get hypoglycemis in a hurry is you do not eat properly.

[shardebhow]

I am pre-diabetic and use Free Style. Only need a little bit of blood. I can test on the finger tips, forarm, thigh and the padded area just under the thumb on your palm. The last area is what I test on. It may pinch a bit but I get a good sample there. I actually found a source to get test strips at about half of what the pharmacist sell them for. The lancets come in boxes of 100. I do not mind putting in individual strips each time I test.

So far I am not on meds. Trying the weight loss and exercise approach.

[alpha1340]

I got my monitor from my PCP drug reps come in all the time and give them to the docs, if you are looking for a free one you can ask your PCP or the endo doc to see if they have one.

[sleeplessinaz]

Hi Everyone--thanks so much for all the wonderful replies and support. Yes, this is certianly one CLUB that I was not planning on joining at this time. I am on METFORMIN of 1000 mgs. TWICE a day!! That seems kind of high for a PRE-Diabetic condition. I have co-workers that HAVE diabetes and they only take 500 mgs. twice a day. But I have been gaining weight and unable to lose it, and have been feeling crappy so the ENDO. put me on METFORMIN even though my A1C was a five. My glucose was 137 after a night of fasting --so she says we have to watch that and my liver enzymes are elevated. ALT enzymes were at 70 and the normal is only up to 49.

I will check with CIGNA --I have an EPO to see what Glucose monitors they will cover as well as the strips. I am supposed to go to class to learn how to use the thing but they have them only during my work hours--GO FIGURE!!!!!

I have an appt. tomorrow (on a saturday!!! ) with APRIA --they supposedly have ordered and gotten me the RESMED S8 ELITE like I asked the Dr. to write up on the script so I can have data to see how my CPAP therapy is going. I ask for a MASK refit too --not sure what kind of mask they will try to sell me. I have the F & P 407 that I use as well as the Petite Comfort Gel--I am looking for somthing smaller that wong go all the way up to my tear ducts!!! LOL! or down over my top lip--these masks are made too big for women, IMHO.

I will update everyone ---thanks so much for all the advice--I HATE the thoughts of pricking myself to draw blood every day--I am not even sure how many times a day I am supposed to do this even. MORE TO LEARN!!!

Carrie --AKA --SIAZ

[Wulfman]

Hi Everyone--thanks so much for all the wonderful replies and support. Yes, this is certianly one CLUB that I was not planning on joining at this time. I am on METFORMIN of 1000 mgs. TWICE a day!! That seems kind of high for a PRE-Diabetic condition. I have co-workers that HAVE diabetes and they only take 500 mgs. twice a day. But I have been gaining weight and unable to lose it, and have been feeling crappy so the ENDO. put me on METFORMIN even though my A1C was a five. My glucose was 137 after a night of fasting --so she says we have to watch that and my liver enzymes are elevated. ALT enzymes were at 70 and the normal is only up to 49.

I will check with CIGNA --I have an EPO to see what Glucose monitors they will cover as well as the strips. I am supposed to go to class to learn how to use the thing but they have them only during my work hours--GO FIGURE!!!!!

I have an appt. tomorrow (on a saturday!!! ) with APRIA --they supposedly have ordered and gotten me the RESMED S8 ELITE like I asked the Dr. to write up on the script so I can have data to see how my CPAP therapy is going. I ask for a MASK refit too --not sure what kind of mask they will try to sell me. I have the F & P 407 that I use as well as the Petite Comfort Gel--I am looking for somthing smaller that wong go all the way up to my tear ducts!!! LOL! or down over my top lip--these masks are made too big for women, IMHO.

I will update everyone ---thanks so much for all the advice--I HATE the thoughts of pricking myself to draw blood every day--I am not even sure how many times a day I am supposed to do this even. MORE TO LEARN!!!

Carrie --AKA --SIAZ

Somethin' doesn't sound right with your situation. I echo Mike's curiosity about why Metformin/glucophage at those levels......
I found out that that stuff didn't agree with me......I had the opposite reaction that normally occurs and went off of it after a week.

Den