# How often do you check your blood sugar?



## rachelha (Feb 11, 2010)

Hello 

I was just wondering how often the pregnant ladies on here checked their blood sugar levels?  I had a bit of a run in with the consultant at the combined diabetic and antenatal clinic on Monday as they want me to only test at meal times.  I tried explaining to them I would feel happier knowing what my levels are especially as I am having a lot of hypos but they seem to thing I am just an obsessive control freak.  I am currently testing before all meals, one midmorning and midafternoon, before walking home, before bed, and once in the night - about 10 times in all.

I dont want to fall out with them already but I feel I am getting v little support from them.  I think I will end up checking lots but keeping 2 diaries one for me, and one to show them with less tests in it.


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## xxlou_lxx (Feb 11, 2010)

That sounds like a plan to me! they just dont get it I found!! how u meant to get tight control when ur bms are wanna do everything but what theyre meant to eh?? lol
I had the same problem, I took my book into clinic every week which must have bout 9/10 recording spaces per day and i filled them all. they said oh im sure u can hold back coz ur testing way too much ( i was thinking aye right if u think thats bad ill no bother tell u that i do double of that in a day) I didnt but my gp was pissed off the amount of boxes i was ordering he just given up now I think! goin thru a box every 3 days (ish) but not so much now. 
They put the fear of god into ya about all the bad things that can happen in regard to blood sugars so its no bloody wonder we get a bit nuts about it!! 
I remember one time the gp refused my repeat, so I went to a&e and they gave me some, then after I moaned for a bit I was getting 6 boxes at a time!! 

Dont let them tell you whats best, what is best is what makes u feel better and reasured, and if it means lying to them then so be it 
not as if ur doing any harm to anyone xxxxx


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## Chrissie (Feb 12, 2010)

Hi
I'm testing approximitly hourly during the day at the moment sometimes more often than that. My team are requesting a minimum of 8-10 tests daily. My GP has querried the amount of strips i'm ordering, but didn't mind once i expained why.
Just keep testing!! At least you'll know what your blood sugars are doing & can treat them as needed. Sometimes doctors just don't have a clue about daily diabetes management! x


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## billie (Feb 16, 2010)

hello. im currently testing about hourly during the day and if i get up during the night, im on the pump, and pre conception, my healthcare team, keep promoting proactiveness, so thats what im doing.


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## Stephie (Feb 16, 2010)

You are right, they have no idea. I am not pregnant but I think you should be able to test as many times as you like so that you are reasured and can keep a good control.  Utterly ridiculous that you get "told off" for looking after yourself! I hope you manage to sort it. x


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## bev (Feb 16, 2010)

I would simply tell them that if you didnt test - you wouldnt know if you were high - therefore you cant 'correct'. If you cant 'correct' - then you are possibly running high between the 4 hour check they want you to do and this is putting you and the baby at risk of complications. Show them your figures and how much you are 'correcting' and this should be proof enough that you need to test often! This is utterly ridiculous to ask you to 'pretend' everything is ok for 4 hours at a time - when you have the ability to put things right and stop risking your baby's health.

If they still insist - i would ignore them and only go to clinic when you have to. You *know* you are keeping your baby in the best possible conditions - so stick to your guns!Bev


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## xxlou_lxx (Feb 17, 2010)

sugar... I have antenatal appointment tomo, need to write in my fake diary hehe the things you gotta do eh!! 
Ps I wouldnt miss an antenatal appontment just lie thru ur back teeth wen u go, I think its great getting checked up on so often in regard to urines/bp/bloods etc. 
I am now in the weekly appointments as of 6 weeks ago and thats wen u get the ctg (fetal heart monitoring) and a couple of growth scans. 
Its really good the level of care u get so dont be put off by them complaining about how many times u do ur bloods, just take it on the chin and smile and pretend u are listening hehe xx


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## tabbicles (Feb 17, 2010)

I could easily test 10 times a day, my poor fingers are like pin cushions!!  Does anyone use anywhere else but their fingers??


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## Tezzz (Feb 17, 2010)

tabbicles said:


> I could easily test 10 times a day, my poor fingers are like pin cushions!!  Does anyone use anywhere else but their fingers??



Can I suggest you warm your fingers up first? Washing them in warm soapy water makes a world of difference. It also reduces the risk of false readings.

I prick the sides of my fingers and I can use setting 1.5 (of 1-5.5). My Aviva Nano meter needs only a tiny amount of blood.

Hope that helps.


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## Twitchy (Feb 17, 2010)

*"Testing" docs!!*

Hi all,

I can really sympathise with the frustration here - there are a number of consultants / registrars at our antenatal clinic (I'm nearly 34 weeks now) and they are not all equal!!!  In fact, it's at the stage now where I have more or less refused to see anyone other than the one doctor I know & trust, as the advice & comments from some of the others have been so dire.  He at least will talk me through how he's interpreted my results & why he's making the suggestion he does - but he does listen to what I have to say too - it's a 2-way thing.  From the others I've had the "you're testing too much", "you're HbA1c is too low - you MUST be having too much insulin & going hypo all the time" and various other stupid comments made without any evident effort being made to have a proper understanding of my test results.  Not been impressed!!

From what I can tell, I guess what they are worrying about (the more switched on ones, that is!) is that I might be over-correcting if testing too often - ie giving extra doses whilst there is insulin still working in my system - especially in later stages when insulin resistance means whopping big doses which can sometimes have a bit of a delayed reaction.  I know from my results if I do go hypo I tend to get an upswing later, so the mantra seems to be prevent the hypos to prevent the highs...All very well, but it does feel scary to leave it "high" even for a morning!  I can understand that they want to have the simplest picture they can have to interpret, but I don't think testing before & 1-2hrs after meals (plus before driving, when feeling odd, etc!!) is at all unreasonable.  In fact, at the mo I test if Iwake up at night, at 4.30am when I need a booster shot, at 6 when I get up, at 7.30 when Ihave breakfast, a hour or two later, mid morning if I want a snack (yes, I will be naughty & give a correction dose with a snack if I feel the need!! ), etc etc etc...so lots of tests.  I think they've just given up on trying to dissuade me now!!   I guess you could always say you're worried about hypos if they get narky - then they can't really stop you testing can they?...!!

Not sure if that's any help - I'd stick to your guns about testing though if it makes you less stressed - personally I want to know what my sugar levels are doing!!

All the best,

Twitchy x


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## rachelha (Feb 17, 2010)

Hello all.  Thanks for your responses.  

I think there worry is exactly what Twitchy says, that I will not spot trends if I am constantly correcting.  Surely the fact I am having to correct is a trend in itself though.  

I had an appointment with the psychiatrist linked to the diabetic clinic today and discussed the testing in great depth.  She seems to agree that I am testing and worrying too much.  She is going to come along to one of my future antenatal/diabetic appointments to help me try and make the appointments more constructive and less confrontational and to see if I can get answers out of the consultants that will reassure me.  

She is particularly concerned that I dont trust the advice I am getting already so will not trust them later on when keeping levels controlled becomes even more difficult.  

I am generally disappointed with the amount of support I am getting from the diabetic team.  I asked to see the DSN at my last appointment but she was not at the antenatal clinic that week and as we were held up so much we missed her.  I was told she would be at my next appointment.  I emailed her this week for advice about the night-time hypos and got an out of office until 23rd Feb (one day after my next appointment!) but no contact XXXX in my absence.  I forwarded my message on to the DSN who ran the DAFNE course asking for his advice, or for him to forward my query to someone else but I have heard nothing back at all.  

Don't worry I will keep going to the appointments as I know the other tests etc are important and the obs. consultants seem helpful.


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