[Diabetes-talk] why I don't test myself

Mon Sep 2 21:55:49 UTC 2013

There is one important element in this message which I do want to bring out.
Back in the late nineties, I got so frustrated with all the time I spent
fighting my meters and tests that I did take a break. Oh, not from testing,
but from doing it completely alone. Granted I was fortunate enough to have a
willing hubby around, but in the long-run, for me, I greatly benefitted from
the break from the struggle. So if any of us decide to take a break and get
assistance testing, the important thing is that we're testing. So I hope
that nobody here feels defeated or bad if you ask for help. We all have a
lot that we're trying to fit into our lives. Obviously we do need
independent methods of testing and in the end, we need good control of our
diabetes and that's the real bottom line. Just sharing a list hug, I guess.
Veronica

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-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Mike Freeman
Sent: Monday, September 02, 2013 2:21 PM
To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] why I don't test myself

Sandi: 
I applaud your encouragement of Julie and all others who can control their
diabetes with diet and exercise. However, I hope you do not mean to imply
that you sanction not testing blood sugar. Even ballpark figures are far
better than nothing. 
I also believe we should be very careful to not let our ability not to need
medicines to cloud our understanding into thinking that diabetics who use or
need medicines are somehow less diligent in their diabetes treatment and
control. Some of us don't have a choice in the matter. You and I differ on
this but I believe almost all diabetics would be far better off to begin use
of insulin upon discovery of their disease. 
YMMV applies in spades to diabetes. 
Mike freeman 

On Sep 2, 2013, at 13:35, "Sandi Ryan" <sjryan2 at gmail.com> wrote:

> I'm with you, Julie.  I'm another lucky one--and glad to be!  Good job on
getting your A1C's down.  It's not easy, but definitely worth it.
> 
> Sandi
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Julie Kline"
<julie.kline at rochester.rr.com>
> To: <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, September 02, 2013 1:40 PM
> Subject: [Diabetes-talk] why I don't test myself
> 
> 
>> Hello all,
>> 
>> I don't mean to sound like I am gloating here, but I'd like to share my
>> thoughts of the messages I have seen over the past few days.  Reading
over
>> these messages, this is exactly the reason why I don't do testing for my
own
>> blood glucose anymore.  I have had nothing but trouble with both talking
>> meters and I'm sorry I spent the money on either one.  Even having people
>> from the diabetes centers we have here watching me, I haven't been able
to
>> get enough blood to get enough of a sample, while the meters at the
diabetes
>> center work just fine.  I feel that with a 20 point plus or minus
accuracy
>> that seems to come with the talking meters, I'm not willing to
continually
>> sit there and poke my fingers for the 20 minutes it takes to finally get
>> enough blood.  And yes, I have done the hot water thing, massaged the
>> finger, held it to the lancet on maximum setting, stayed hydrated, the
>> rubber band thing . but testing with a talking meter just hasn't worked
out
>> for me, so I don't bother with it, and these messages just confirm to me
>> why.  I still do whatever lab work or tests my doctor or diabetes center
ask
>> me to do, and I stay on top of these tests every 3 months.  However, I
found
>> that I've lost enough weight now and that weight loss that came from
eating
>> better, combined with exercising an hour 5 days a week walking 4 miles a
>> session, and my medications, have given me 2 a1c readings of between 6
and
>> 6.2.  When I first learned I had diabetes, I was 83 pounds heavier and
had
>> an a1c reading of 8.6.  I know that the approach I take won't work for
>> everybody, especially for people who have to take insulin.  But for
myself,
>> I have type 2 diabetes and am not at that point yet.  At least for
myself,
>> it has been possible to turn things around and I'd be willing to
recommend
>> exercise DVDs that I use and found helpful if anyone is interested.  I
>> recognize, or at least people tell me, that diabetes is a progressive
>> illness.  I hope that when it does come my time where things get worse,
that
>> they will have perfected these meters more and maybe they can work better
>> with people who can't generate enough blood, but for now I have much
better
>> use of my fingers for other things, like reading Braille.
>> 
>> Just my thoughts on the whole thing.
>> 
>> Julie
>> 
>> 
>> 
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> 
> 
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