Marci...
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| Mon, 01-31-2005 - 12:54pm |
Hi Marci,
I wanted to post this up here since, I just found what you said below and didn't want you to miss my reply.
I'm thrilled you got a meter! The strips are the expensive part though! If you can hold out until you get on medicare. If you can get a prediabetes dx (ask him for one if you have to because the spiked sugar the next day sounds like insulin resistance), your doc can write you a script for the meter and strips and most of it should be covered. One of the good things about medicare. It's cheeper for them if we test at home then going to the doctor over and over.
You're lucky to have a medicare HMO in your area. I had one in San Antonio. Here we have to carry my husbands insurance on me too because we make too much money for the drug discount. It does pay for itself every month just in meds. Because I have the 2 insuances I don't have to pay a deductible for any visits even to the hospital because medicare picks up anything my primary insurance doesn't cover except for my pdoc appt. He doesn't take medicare. I think I can spring for the $15 every few month for a good pdoc. He spends as much time with me as I need and still only charges for a 15 minute visit and never charges for phone consultations.
Anyway I'd be thrill to help you with your meter questions. If I don't know, I usually no where to find the answer. You should also check out if your HMO will pay for a diabetes information class. It's a big help even for prediabetes. There's usually a diabetes educator there and a nutritionist to help you. After the class you can call them at anytime for info or questions. The class is usually just a day.
Don't worry about the pasta. You can't go hungery! Try some portion control. Fill up your plate and then put a spoonful back in the pot. It's a place to start! You'll be fine.
The meter is a really good idea for you since you're at risk.
Take care and keep me posted.
Love,
Jamie

Jamie,
Thanks for the info on medicare covering pre-diabetes--my regular insurance wouldn't cover a single visit with a nutritionist--so much for preventative health!
Marci,
You need to test when you get up in the morning first thing. Then technically Before meals, a half an hour after the meal, an hour after the meal and then two hours after the meal for the first two weeks. BUT I doubt you'll get that many strips in a starter pack. SO the most important times to test are First thing in the morning (don't eat or drink anything first!) then before your meals (you shouldn't have eaten anything for at least 3 hour before this test for it to be right. If you get light head or dissy or sweaty because you aren't used to waiting three hours test your blood an see if it's too low.) and two hours after your meals. You shouldn't have to test at night unless you go on insulin or other meds. It becomes important then because your bs could drop while you sleep so you want to make sure it's not too low to start with.
I test once a day now but, if I introduce something new into my diet, I'm under a lot of stress, sick or just don't feel right I don't hesitate to check it more. I, by the grace of God, am under control with diet and exercise. If I were on meds, I would have to check much more often.
I think it's probably a good idea that your appt. isn't until the 9th. That way you can go in with the readings you took and will be able to discuss more than one reading. Have they run an A1c on you yet? An A1c shows what your blood has been doing for the past 2-3 months. It's not a test you can do at home. If they haven't, I would ask for one. It's important to know that number too.
There are two schools of thought on a low reading one says if you are diabetic you should keep the number above 80 the other school is above 70. Go by how you feel not just the number. I can be fine at 70 but my sister-in-law is miserible under 80. So I guess we fit both catagories. :)
I've gone on long enough. Anything else you want to know?
Love to you,
Jamie
Edited 1/31/2005 4:32 pm ET ET by ourcottage
Love,