Bruce
Herd Master
You need a finger pricker machine?? I have one (a OneTouch, and lancets) that I don't need any more. Had it for the diabetic cat but she died last summer. I'd be happy to mail it to you.
mysunwolf - four acres and some sheep
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- #472
mysunwolf
Herd Master
Thank you, this just made me cry! Probably the hormones, but still
What a kind and generous offer. I think we are good for now, but I'll let you know if the situation changes. Insurance is a b****.
Bruce
Herd Master
Could be the insurance company will just pay for it. The real expense are the test strips which your insurance should pay for. Of course there was no insurance for the cat. If you do want the tester and all, I can get it there in a few days. I think I have some strips that are still good through this month.
Insulin is expensive too but I happened to be talking to the guy across the road when the cat had been on insulin for about a year. One Solostar pen cost $85 at the grocery store (they were kind enough to let me buy a couple at a time instead of a full box of 5). Turned out he is diabetic and on the same insulin. But instead of the ~3 units twice a day the cat was on, he needed 70 units at a time. He wasn't willing to stab himself multiple times when the 100 unit pen had only 30 units left so instead of throwing them away at his house he started throwing them away at mine. One of his discards was a 5 day supply for the cat.
Insulin is expensive too but I happened to be talking to the guy across the road when the cat had been on insulin for about a year. One Solostar pen cost $85 at the grocery store (they were kind enough to let me buy a couple at a time instead of a full box of 5). Turned out he is diabetic and on the same insulin. But instead of the ~3 units twice a day the cat was on, he needed 70 units at a time. He wasn't willing to stab himself multiple times when the 100 unit pen had only 30 units left so instead of throwing them away at his house he started throwing them away at mine. One of his discards was a 5 day supply for the cat.
So glad to hear from you and thrilled that the baby is doing well and so are you! Lots on your plate, but you seem to be thriving!
Baymule
Herd Master
I am glad to hear from you and that you and baby are well and good. You have been busy, doing LOTS of things! We are on a low carb diet to lose weight, so no sugar, carbs for us either. I would crawl a mile over broken glass for a brownie! LOL Keep us informed!
greybeard
Herd Master
The cheapest glucose meter and test strips that I have found are ReliOn.
Their test strips were cheaper fully OoP & OTC than my copay was for AccuChek strips.
Most insurance will pay most of the cost of strips/lancets, but they also limit how many they will pay for in a 90 day period. Mine paid for 100 lancets and strips every 90 days and a new test meter every 6 months, with a copay only for the strips and lancets. (Lots of Dr offices will give you a test device free, as the device companies give them to the Dr's for free so they can prescribe that particular device's test strip Once per day was not enough for me when I was first getting started and needed to determine what my diet/exercise regimen should be in order to keep my sugar right)
IF, you will need more than 1 strip & lancet per day, an insurance company will probably pay for more IF your Dr writes a prescription for more than 1 per day and also attaches the correct diagnostic code for your pharmacy to use.
Their test strips were cheaper fully OoP & OTC than my copay was for AccuChek strips.
Most insurance will pay most of the cost of strips/lancets, but they also limit how many they will pay for in a 90 day period. Mine paid for 100 lancets and strips every 90 days and a new test meter every 6 months, with a copay only for the strips and lancets. (Lots of Dr offices will give you a test device free, as the device companies give them to the Dr's for free so they can prescribe that particular device's test strip Once per day was not enough for me when I was first getting started and needed to determine what my diet/exercise regimen should be in order to keep my sugar right)
IF, you will need more than 1 strip & lancet per day, an insurance company will probably pay for more IF your Dr writes a prescription for more than 1 per day and also attaches the correct diagnostic code for your pharmacy to use.
- Thread starter
- #477
mysunwolf
Herd Master
@Bruce and @greybeard, so far insurance has paid for everything, which has helped a lot. OneTouch is what I have. I poke myself 4x a day, and numbers look okay for now. During pregnancy and with GD you actually have to keep your blood glucose much lower than with regular type 2. They gave me 33ga needles which have to go so deep to get any blood at all with my fingers... so paid OOP for 30ga so I could be in a lot less pain! Right now we can manage it easily with my diet, so hoping to avoid the insulin route. Can't imagine treating one of my barn cats for diabetes, with all the hassle and expense! Insulin costs a fortune these days.
Thank you @Latestarter, there is a lot going on but it's the good stuff! Now if I can get this pregnancy anxiety under control I'll do great lol.
@Baymule yes, we were doing low carbs too! Before pregnancy, at least. Turns out I was making up for it in fruit sugars. Worst part about diabetes in general, and GD specifically, is that going into ketosis is not good at all, so I actually have to eat more carbs than most folks can on a keto or low carb diet! I also have had to cut my fruit quite a bit, especially in the mornings. But it's a hoot what I can/can't eat. I have a required range of grams of carbs per meal and per day, and can't have blood glucose levels dip below 60 (and preferably they're above 65). Yet I also can't go above 140 at any time (peak is usually 1hr after the start of a meal). Kind of frustrating doing this balancing act!
Thank you @Latestarter, there is a lot going on but it's the good stuff! Now if I can get this pregnancy anxiety under control I'll do great lol.
@Baymule yes, we were doing low carbs too! Before pregnancy, at least. Turns out I was making up for it in fruit sugars. Worst part about diabetes in general, and GD specifically, is that going into ketosis is not good at all, so I actually have to eat more carbs than most folks can on a keto or low carb diet! I also have had to cut my fruit quite a bit, especially in the mornings. But it's a hoot what I can/can't eat. I have a required range of grams of carbs per meal and per day, and can't have blood glucose levels dip below 60 (and preferably they're above 65). Yet I also can't go above 140 at any time (peak is usually 1hr after the start of a meal). Kind of frustrating doing this balancing act!
greybeard
Herd Master
70 and below is indicative of hypoglycemia, tho I realize you being pregnant, levels are lower anyway. I can't imagine mine ever getting that low, as it's normal fasting and 2 hrs after eating range is high 90s to 110.
Before I was on some meds, embarked on more exercise and began eating better, 200 was not unusual at all.
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- #479
mysunwolf
Herd Master
@greybeard sounds like my FIL, his numbers were really high routinely. Yes, for pregnancy, levels are normally lower, so the BG level for hypoglycemia goes down to 60. I still feel crappy when I wake up and my levels are below 70, though. With my diet (we eat a LOT of meat, fats, and starchy veggies) and exercise (maybe 20-30mins/day) I can keep things under 140 all the time (except when I mess up and have fruit with breakfast, like today). I know for non-pregnant folks it's good if they can keep it below 180 all the time.
With my 100g glucose drink, I went to 204 after 1hr and 180 after 2hr, and the Drs hated those results. But honestly it's all fairly arbitrary. They updated the numbers and the process in 2008, and this doubled the amount of women that got diagnosed with GD.
With my 100g glucose drink, I went to 204 after 1hr and 180 after 2hr, and the Drs hated those results. But honestly it's all fairly arbitrary. They updated the numbers and the process in 2008, and this doubled the amount of women that got diagnosed with GD.
greybeard
Herd Master
My twin brother had levels that were beyond his test meter's upper limits. (he had other more serious health problems tho)
