Will I Be Able To Get Treatment If I Get Tested
When your results are ready, your online doctor also send you further advice.
If your blood glucose level is high but not high enough to be given a diagnosis of diabetes, this is called a pre-diabetes stage and means you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. You will be advised to see your GP who will suggest you regularly test your average blood glucose levels and make some lifestyle changes with food and exercise to help improve your test results.
If your average blood glucose is high enough for a diabetes diagnosis, and you already have some of the symptoms, your Superdrug doctor will advise you to see your GP, or get more urgent help depending on your result, and start a management plan.
If you have started medication treatment with your GP, and youve used it for at least 6 months already and youre happy with your treatment, you can reorder repeat diabetes treatment medication from Superdrug Online Doctor.
Tips For Diabetes Testing Kits
Testing your blood sugar is an essential aspect of managing and controlling diabetes when you know your blood sugar on time, it helps you to see when you are out of the target range and also prevent any likable emergency.
Diabetes self-testing kits can be used to test your blood sugar level anywhere at any time, using an at-home diabetes testing kit helps to regularize your blood glucose using the home blood glucose meter or the glucose monitor.
Meanwhile, getting an accurate result depends on how you make use of the following tips when testing
Where Can I Get Test Strips
Within the UK, blood glucose test strips are available either free on prescription or can be bought from pharmacies or online.
In the UK, all people with type 1 diabetes, or otherwise on insulin, should qualify for test strips free on prescription. People with other types of diabetes, or on other treatments, may also be given test strips on prescription but this will be judged on an individual basis.
Note that if you need to buy test strips for your diabetes, you should be exempt from paying VAT on these. Ask your pharmacy for a VAT exemption form. Test strips purchased from the Diabetes.co.uk Shop are eligible for VAT relief
Recommended Reading: Best Frozen Yogurt For Diabetics
Care Touch Diabetes Kit:
Care Touch Diabetes Testing Kit is a CareTouch glucose monitoring system, also one of the best sugar test machine amazons that have no coding features, it reads within 5 secs, and requires a small blood sample.
It has everything you need to begin testing, just open the kit and you will find all the necessary accessories. It has a high memory capability saving up to 300 readings, keeping a continuous 14-day average.
CareTouch meter kit is one of the best diabetes self-testing kits offering the high value of any home diabetes testing kit and monitoring system available in the market. It also includes a single touch strip ejection such that you no longer have to worry about removing the soiled trip manually.
Pros
- It is easy to use
- It has a widescreen which making it easier to read
- Auto-coding, it requires no coding as the monitor recognizes batch codes encrypted on each test strip.
- Fast results within 5 seconds
- It has high memory storage-saving up to 300 readings while keeping a continuous 14-day average
- It is comfortable to hold and travel friendly
- Tiny blood sample and eases pain
- Auto shut-off in two minutes after the last action
Cons
- It doesnt come with an alcohol swab, you have to wash your finger before puncturing your finger
How Can I Tell If Im Diabetic
Diabetes is a severe medical condition and needs to be treated its all start with managing your blood sugar and regularly monitoring them to be sure they are within their target range.
The signs that show you have diabetes can be so calm that you dont even know you have them, most especially for type 2 diabetes. Most people find out when they have problems with wounds caused by diseases or accidents.
Type 1 diabetes symptoms happen quickly in a matter of days or weeks and get much severe if not treated.
Here are the basic early signs of diabetes you should note, these signs are for both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes
Recommended Reading: What Does Insulin Do To Blood Sugar
Contour Next Diabetes Testing Kit:
The Contour Next EZ, being one of the best blood sugar testing machine suitable for people with diabetes and for those who dont like the noise of bells and whistles on a monitor.
The display screen of Contour Next is not blacklight which can make it a little bit difficult to read in low lighting. It is about 3 inches tall and 2 inches wide, making it easy to handle.
To use a contour next testing kit, you have to place a fresh needle into the lancet pen, then take a new test strip designed for the contour next one and put it in the meter.
Place the lancet pen on your finger and press the button to create a small blood sample after which you now absorb the drop of blood with the test strip. Wait for few seconds for the meter to provide the reading, then you will see the results displayed on the screen.
Pros
- No alternative-site testing, the only fingertip blood sample can be used for testing
- Black and White display which makes it difficult to read in poor lighting
Buying Guide For The Best Blood Glucose Meter
So those were some of the suggestions for the best accurate glucose meters. Now the question is how to pick the right one for yourself? Well, to make it easy for you, here are some of the things that you need to take in consideration:
One of the most important parts is the result delivery time. There are quite a lot of meters that offer you results in just a few seconds. But some of the best glucometer too take some time. However, waiting for a few minutes to get your test done does not seem like a big deal, though. But a meter with a short delivery time will surely make your job easy.
You May Like: Best Diet For Diabetes And Kidney Disease
Best Glucose Meter For 2021
If you’re checking your blood sugar daily at home, try one of these top meters.
Even if you’re not diabetic, being able to monitor your blood sugar level with a good glucose meter is a useful metric to keep tabs on your health.
The best glucose meter is the one that provides an accurate reading and works with your existing routine . It’s a crowded market, which is both good at bad. It’s good because you’ll find a blood sugar monitoring solution that will fit your needs. It’s bad because the choices can be overwhelming. There are simple monitors that report your blood glucose level and give you an accurate result without all the bells and whistles, but there are also options that come with some high-tech features like Bluetooth capability so you can send the results from your blood sample straight to your phone. Diabetes technology has really evolved! Further, some systems just deliver glucose measurements, others report ketone levels as well.
There are other factors to keep in mind as well when purchasing a glucose testing kit. The cost of a test strip, the quality of the lancing device, how much blood the meter requires for an accurate reading and whether it delivers a fast result.
Our Health & Wellness newsletter puts the best products, updates and advice in your inbox.
As always, consult with your doctor before purchasing a blood glucose monitor. They can help you determine which is the best glucose meter your medical needs.
What To Look For
If youve used a traditional glucose monitor in the past and are looking for a less painful, more portable option, then a CGM may be a better choice. You may consider the Libre, G6, Guardian Connect, or Eversense based on their features, as well the accuracy and duration of sensor wear.
While insurance and Medicare do cover CGMs, these monitors are more expensive overall. Depending on your insurance, they may offer coverage for one type of CGM but not another. Its important to check these details with your provider ahead of time.
If you dont have insurance, you can check with your doctor or pharmacist for discounts on your CGM and accessories. Its also possible to get coupons directly from the manufacturer to help offset the costs.
You May Like: Does Diabetes Raise Your Blood Pressure
Fda Approves First Blood Sugar Monitor Without Finger Pricks
Associated PressSept. 28, 2017
U.S. regulators have approved the first continuous blood sugar monitor for diabetics that doesnt need backup finger prick tests.
Current models require users to test a drop of blood twice daily to calibrate, or adjust, the monitor.
The pain of finger sticks and the cost of testing supplies discourage many people from keeping close tabs on their blood sugar, which is needed to manage insulin use and adjust what they eat.
Abbotts new FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System, approved Wednesday by the Food and Drug Administration, uses a small sensor attached to the upper arm. Patients wave a reader device over it to see the current blood sugar level and changes over the past eight hours.
Most of the 30 million Americans with diabetes use standard glucose meters, which require multiple finger pricks each day and only show current sugar level. More-accurate continuous glucose monitoring devices are used by about 345,000 Americans.
But most dont do the finger pricks to calibrate them and may get inaccurate readings, said Dr. Timothy Bailey, who helped test FreeStyle Libre.
Were able to lower blood sugar safely with this technology, said Bailey, director of the Advanced Metabolic Care and Research Institute in California. He receives consulting fees from various diabetes device makers.
Linda A. Johnson
Why Is A1c Testing Important
An A1C test is one of the main blood tests that can help your doctor diagnose prediabetes and diabetes.1 A fasting blood glucose test is another important test that takes a snapshot of your current blood glucose level after you have fasted. Together, a fasting blood glucose level and an A1C level play important roles in checking to see how well your diabetes treatment plan is working.
Diabetes is a disease where your body either cant produce enough insulin or cant respond to insulin , resulting in high blood glucose levels. Insulin is important because it fuels your body by moving glucose from your blood to your cells. If there isnt enough insulin available, or if it cant be used properly, then the glucose will remain in your blood. Prediabetes is when your blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough for you to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
It is important to control your diabetes and keep your A1C within target levels to prevent diabetes complications such as heart, kidney, nerve and eye damage.
Don’t Miss: Symptoms Of High Blood Sugar Levels In Type 2 Diabetes
What About Insulin Pumps
An insulin pump can help you keep blood sugar at a more steady level and may make diabetes management easier. Insulin pumps are quite expensive — usually more than $6,000. And you must also purchase monthly supplies to use with the pumps. Because diabetes is a life-long illness, investing in an insulin pump may be wise for some patients with diabetes but extremely costly for others. Many insurers cover the cost of insulin pumps, but you have to adhere to some strict guidelines to get reimbursed.
Advantages / Benefits Of Diabetes Testing Kits
Diabetes self-testing kit or self-monitoring of blood glucose popularly known as Glucometer is the most beneficial for people with diabetes.
Self-monitoring of blood glucose means using a home diabetes testing kit to check your blood glucose. This involves the regular blood testing of blood sugar to control ones diabetes and also check the changes which help to improve ones control or know what to do next.
Home diabetes testing kits help you to gain control over your health and its improvement, this assists the doctors in knowing what to input text into your diabetes treatment plan.
A home diabetes testing kit also helps to maintain better blood glucose levels and encourages you to be more effective and not giving up. When you know how well your health is improving, you are encouraged to take better care of yourself and ensure a healthy diet every single day.
Self-monitoring of blood glucose has so many health benefits to careful management of levels of blood glucose and also when you keep a logbook and share the result with your health care members, it will help them to detect what is working and what is needed to change thereby improving your diabetes self-management plan to help keep your blood sugar levels under control.
There are many benefits of Diabetes testing kits, some of which are
Read Also: Where To Get Diabetic Supplies
How Do Diabetes Test Strips Work
When blood is placed onto the test strip, it reacts with a chemical called glucose oxidase producing gluconic acid from the glucose in the blood. At the other end of the test strip, the meter transfers a current to the test strip. The test strip has electric terminals which allow the meter to measure the current between the terminals.
The current between the terminals changes depending on the level of gluconic acid that has been produced. The blood glucose meter then uses an algorithm to work out the blood glucose level based upon the difference in current.
Some blood glucose test strips allow the reapplication of more blood to the same test strip if needed during the test. The amount of blood required by a test strip can vary between manufacturers. Generally, between 0.5 l to 1 l of blood is required.
Some test strips, not so commonly used these days, do not require a meter. When blood is placed on the active part of the strip and then wiped off after a specified number of seconds, the reagent will change colour and the result can be obtained by matching the colour of against a colour chart on the side of the pot.
It is less accurate than using a blood glucose meter but the test strips can often be cheaper.
Care Touch Diabetes Testing Kit
Care Touch Diabetes Testing Kit is one of the most user-friendly home glucose monitoring systems available in the market today thanks to a glucose meter that is equipped with an in-built code scanner and hygienic test strip release ejector.
However, beyond the ease of use, Care Touch glucose meters are also one of the most efficient monitors out there, giving you results in as little as 5 seconds. It requires only a small blood sample size of 0.5 microliters and also allows alternate-site testing. The device can also store up to 300 readings.
But the best part about this glucose monitoring system is that you get everything youd need to monitor your blood levels in a single kit including an FDA-approved glucose meter, 100 test strips, 1 lancing device, 30 gauge lancets 100 counts, a battery, and even a carry bag.
In a nutshell
Overall, if you are looking for something inexpensive as well as easy to use. Then it is a great option that you should consider. But if you are looking for accurate results, I would suggest you get something else.
Recommended Reading: Can You Take Januvia With Insulin
Easily Track Your Glucose Levels And More At Your Fingertips
Dr. Danielle Weiss is the founder of the Center for Hormonal Health and Well-Being, a personalized, proactive, patient-centered medical practice with a unique focus on integrative endocrinology. She enjoys giving lectures and writing articles for both the lay public and medical audiences.
Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the bestproducts, and articles are reviewed by healthcare professionals for medical accuracy. Youcan learn more about ourreview process here.We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links.
Verywell / Sabrina Jiang
Daily blood sugar testing is a vital component of any successful diabetes management plan. It can help determine if you have your blood sugar under control, while also helping identify patterns that can lead to a spike or crash. It also reveals how factors like stress and exercise can impact your blood sugar, and it assists you in examining the effectiveness of any diabetes medications you may be taking.
While the frequency and cadence of your blood glucose testing depends on your specific diagnosis and your physicians recommendations, its up to you to select the glucometeror at-home blood sugar-monitoring devicethat will best support your needs.
-
No calibration required on test strips
-
Allows you to set reminder alarms
-
Saves pre- and post-meal glucose levels
-
Expensive