Blood sugar testing kits/machines

[zyphodb]

Hi people,

coming into Chang Mai later this week, I've been recently diagnosed as Diabetic & need to buy one of the above so I can monitor & control my Diabetes. does anyone know a shop/Pharmacy where I could buy one?

I live out in the sticks in Isaan so don't go to "proper" cities very often, so the help would be much appreciated....

[spidermike007]

Try to find a Bayer Breeze 2. Avoid ultra touch. Overpriced strips and not very accurate. You can get the Bayer devices on eBay cheaply. Maybe you can have it shipped?

[zyphodb]

thanks mike, the trouble with getting one shipped is how long it takes to arrive if it does, & if the Thai customs look & decide to put a hefty import tax on it, So I'm going to realistically, have to buy one here, while it would be nice to buy the one you recommend, I think that i will be very lucky to find it or anything "good" here, but something is better than nothing & the sooner I can get one & start to control my diabetes the better, living 60km from the nearest English speaking Doctor I've go to be pro-active about this...

[chingmai331]

Suggest looking around near CMU College of Pharmacy and Medicine, esp the various shops lining SuThep Road, aka, Suan Dok Rd. I've seen all kinds of medical devices in shop windows along that road.

[IMA_FARANG]

If you know of a mall where there is a "BOOTS" chemist store. they have machines there and usually a pharmacist on duty who can do a test.

I believe they also sell self test kits in Boots.... I know I have seen them in Boots in Bangkok.... don't know the price however.

[mesquite]

There is only one worth buying and it is not available in Thailand. The Freestyle Lite. Recommended by Dr Richard K Bernstein, a type 1 diabetic for 69 years. I get the test strips through Amazon.com and have them shipped in with other packages via shipito.com. I always use USPS for reasons stated elsewhere on Thaivisa.

I suggest you purchase "Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution: The Complete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood Sugars." It is available in Hardback or Kindle. Also, check out his tele-seminars, free. See link below.

I receive no benefit from Dr. Bernstein, except for normal blood sugars and a complete absence of neuropathy, amputations, strokes, heart attacks, blindness, impotence, and all the other complications one gets from poorly controlled diabetes. What the ADA calls well controlled, HbA1c of 7%, is actually poorly controlled. 4.7% is more like it. It can be done. Shoot for before, after, and in-between meals blood sugars of 83 mg/dl.

http://www.diabetes-book.com/

Since you are newly diagnosed, you have a very good chance of a complication-free life.

Edited April 28, 2015 by mesquite

[NancyL]

zyphodh, you're smart to get right on this and get a machine now to start understanding your disease. Yes, the shops across from Suan Dok (University) hospital are a good place to look. Be sure to find one that's air conditioned and check the expiry date on the strips. Yes, you'll find that Ultra is the common brand here in Thailand, but that also means you'll be more likely to find the strips here, probably even in the provincial town near where you live.

I bought one for someone here in Chiang Mai and the instruction booklet was in Thai. I downloaded an English booklet for a similar model (but not identical) from the internet, which talked about using a calibration fluid to check the machine each time. None of the pharmacies around here knew anything about a calibration fluid. Finally, we took the machine to the doctor's office and used it to run a test at the same time the doctor used her fancy professional machine and saw that the results were very close.

My dad used an Ultra machine in the U.S. and I remember him using the calibration fluid every time. Once I asked him if the machine was ever out-of-calibration and what he did if it was. He scratched his head and said "nope, it's never been out of calibration"

To be, the hardest part is learning how to stab yourself to get the spot of blood you need for testing. You can order devices on-line that make that job easier. The key thing is to test regularly, watch your diet and take your medications as prescribed. Diabetes can kill and it doesn't do it quickly or nicely. But you can live with it long-term if properly managed.

Edited April 28, 2015 by NancyL

[northernjohn]

I was diagnosed several years ago. It was not that bad and my doctor said no I would not need one just a little common sense. I was tested every month and came back at 125 to 135 above 100 is high. Those figures are a low high. I started putting a spoonful of cinnamon on my cereal every morning and now all my tests come back 85 to 95. Google it. You will find it to be one of the very few items that doesn't have a negative web site for every positive one.

I of course was diagnosed early in the disease so that can make a big difference. My sister has type 1 and has to be tested before every meal. She has as a result of not paying close attention contracted altimerz disease. Sorrry about the spelling. Loosing her memory. It is rare but does happen with type 1.

[NancyL]

If you do have equipment shipped here you may want to read the many threads advising against using FedEx/UPS/DHL and sticking with the postal service instead. It seems the commercial shippers are in bed with Thai customs while the postal service lets items come thru unscathed. Have a friend ship the item as a gift.

[zyphodb]

Thanks for all this advice people, especially Nancy, who hopefully has answered where to find one...

[billd766]

About a year ago I contacted the pharmacy who I buy my heart medicines from and asked if they did blood sugar testing kits. He told me the price but I have forgotten it however the kit he was going to sell me was from ACCU-CHEK.

They are available in Thailand and here is a link to what they have on offer though not all of it may be available in Thailand.

https://www.accu-chek.co.uk/gb/myaccuchek.htm

edited for bad spelling

Edited April 28, 2015 by billd766

[momtaz]

I bought a device called (AccuCheck) using it for almost 5 years now,

Any drug store have such devices and the stips, kits etc,

let me provide you some advices as the extract of my personal experience:

If you are type 2 diabetic, to maintain a healthy life style and keep sugar under good control, look at the following tips:

1) drink 1 liter of water every morning (on empty stomach), have to wait at least 45 mint or an hour before to eat breakfast or anything else, if you have mote fat/cholestrol in blood add 1/2 lemon to the water,

2) cinnamon tea, preparation: boil 400 ml of water, take 2 cinnamon sticks break them an soak in the boiled water, leave them for at least 4 hrs, then a quick boil for 3 mint and serve to drink = (cinnamon is well known for blood sugar management) it tasts sweet naturally,

3) take green fresh salads, vegetables, fresh fruits in your daily intakes,

4) exercise, or at least do some jogging in the park for 30 mints on daily basis,

5) take fish oil the concentrated one, 1 capsul per day,

There is a thai herbal capsul of (bitter melon) in Thai = ( mara'aa) you can try it, cinnamon capsul aslo available,

For more advises , ideas sharing PM .

wish you to have a healthy life style

[xen]

I bought a device called (AccuCheck) using it for almost 5 years now,

Any drug store have such devices and the stips, kits etc,

let me provide you some advices as the extract of my personal experience:

If you are type 2 diabetic, to maintain a healthy life style and keep sugar under good control, look at the following tips:

1) drink 1 liter of water every morning (on empty stomach), have to wait at least 45 mint or an hour before to eat breakfast or anything else, if you have mote fat/cholestrol in blood add 1/2 lemon to the water,

2) cinnamon tea, preparation: boil 400 ml of water, take 2 cinnamon sticks break them an soak in the boiled water, leave them for at least 4 hrs, then a quick boil for 3 mint and serve to drink = (cinnamon is well known for blood sugar management) it tasts sweet naturally,

3) take green fresh salads, vegetables, fresh fruits in your daily intakes,

4) exercise, or at least do some jogging in the park for 30 mints on daily basis,

5) take fish oil the concentrated one, 1 capsul per day,

There is a thai herbal capsul of (bitter melon) in Thai = ( mara'aa) you can try it, cinnamon capsul aslo available,

For more advises , ideas sharing PM .

wish you to have a healthy life style

Good info .

Been reading very good things about cinnamon . However i have also read that if you are on blood thinners (including aspirin) that it will cause problems just as Fish Oil will . Just a comment to do further research if this applies

I have a Accu check machine too but i use as my main machine a BG Star which i think is better - received it for free but need to buy their test strips and spikes - Always a catch but seems a good machine.

[northernjohn]

I bought a device called (AccuCheck) using it for almost 5 years now,

Any drug store have such devices and the stips, kits etc,

let me provide you some advices as the extract of my personal experience:

If you are type 2 diabetic, to maintain a healthy life style and keep sugar under good control, look at the following tips:

1) drink 1 liter of water every morning (on empty stomach), have to wait at least 45 mint or an hour before to eat breakfast or anything else, if you have mote fat/cholestrol in blood add 1/2 lemon to the water,

2) cinnamon tea, preparation: boil 400 ml of water, take 2 cinnamon sticks break them an soak in the boiled water, leave them for at least 4 hrs, then a quick boil for 3 mint and serve to drink = (cinnamon is well known for blood sugar management) it tasts sweet naturally,

3) take green fresh salads, vegetables, fresh fruits in your daily intakes,

4) exercise, or at least do some jogging in the park for 30 mints on daily basis,

5) take fish oil the concentrated one, 1 capsul per day,

There is a thai herbal capsul of (bitter melon) in Thai = ( mara'aa) you can try it, cinnamon capsul aslo available,

For more advises , ideas sharing PM .

wish you to have a healthy life style

Good info .

Been reading very good things about cinnamon . However i have also read that if you are on blood thinners (including aspirin) that it will cause problems just as Fish Oil will . Just a comment to do further research if this applies

I have a Accu check machine too but i use as my main machine a BG Star which i think is better - received it for free but need to buy their test strips and spikes - Always a catch but seems a good machine.

I am on blood thinners and take a spoonful of powdered cinnamon on my cereal. It has been going on for two years now and works wonders holding my blood sugar level down. Never been above 100 since I started it. I also let my doctor know and she had no problem with that. I did a fair amount of research on Google before doing it. All looked good to me. First time I had heard of fish oil would that also mean don't eat fish? Got to admit never did any research on it. Will probably waste my time goggling it seems like every thing has as many positive as it does negative studies with the exception of Cinnamon.. Mind you mine is Omega 3 Pharmaceutical grade fish oil take one a day before a meal.

[xen]

I bought a device called (AccuCheck) using it for almost 5 years now,

Any drug store have such devices and the stips, kits etc,

let me provide you some advices as the extract of my personal experience:

If you are type 2 diabetic, to maintain a healthy life style and keep sugar under good control, look at the following tips:

1) drink 1 liter of water every morning (on empty stomach), have to wait at least 45 mint or an hour before to eat breakfast or anything else, if you have mote fat/cholestrol in blood add 1/2 lemon to the water,

2) cinnamon tea, preparation: boil 400 ml of water, take 2 cinnamon sticks break them an soak in the boiled water, leave them for at least 4 hrs, then a quick boil for 3 mint and serve to drink = (cinnamon is well known for blood sugar management) it tasts sweet naturally,

3) take green fresh salads, vegetables, fresh fruits in your daily intakes,

4) exercise, or at least do some jogging in the park for 30 mints on daily basis,

5) take fish oil the concentrated one, 1 capsul per day,

There is a thai herbal capsul of (bitter melon) in Thai = ( mara'aa) you can try it, cinnamon capsul aslo available,

For more advises , ideas sharing PM .

wish you to have a healthy life style

Good info .

Been reading very good things about cinnamon . However i have also read that if you are on blood thinners (including aspirin) that it will cause problems just as Fish Oil will . Just a comment to do further research if this applies

I have a Accu check machine too but i use as my main machine a BG Star which i think is better - received it for free but need to buy their test strips and spikes - Always a catch but seems a good machine.

I am on blood thinners and take a spoonful of powdered cinnamon on my cereal. It has been going on for two years now and works wonders holding my blood sugar level down. Never been above 100 since I started it. I also let my doctor know and she had no problem with that. I did a fair amount of research on Google before doing it. All looked good to me. First time I had heard of fish oil would that also mean don't eat fish? Got to admit never did any research on it. Will probably waste my time goggling it seems like every thing has as many positive as it does negative studies with the exception of Cinnamon.. Mind you mine is Omega 3 Pharmaceutical grade fish oil take one a day before a meal.

Sounds like i should explore cinnamon a bit more but apparently it is Real Cinnamon (Ceylon Cinnamon ) rather than common cinnamon that is the good one . Now to search out it's availability.

As for blood thiners , i think the problem is that taking other types of blood thinners screws up the INR calculations so that they can become unstable and bounce around a bit. i was using warfarin but am now taking Pradaxa , one of the new age blood thinners which has the advantage and disadvantage of no fortnightly INR tests but you never know exactly what it is doing. However I can now eat spinish , broccoli ,beans etc now which is great

As for fish oil my doctor told me to stop taking it as its blood thinning properties are what makes it the useful medicine it is. I think i read somewhere that unless you eat oily fish like salmon,tuna and mackeral etc you actually don't get much oil in eating fish either steamed or baked and fried in oil fish you are getting the cooking oil. Apparently, again it screws up the INR calculations .

[KarenBravo]

I have an Accu-check and it works fine.

If you have just been diagnosed with type 2, you will at first need to do a lot of testing.

You are told to reduce potatoes, rice, pasta and bread. Pretty much all the staples.

The funny thing is, is that people react differently to all four of these foods.

For instance, white rice and bread send my BG up quite high, yet, potatoes hardly at all and pasta moderately so.

You need to take your BG before eating and then again two hours after.

You will get through a lot of strips, but, you will learn what's OK and what isn't.

Now, I only do a test once, or twice a week first thing in the morning after I wake up.

There is lots of good info on the net.

For diabetes 2 sufferers, the maximum BG reading, two hours after a meal should not be more than 185. If it is, you need to reduce whatever carbohydrate that you ate before testing.

[circusman]

Z The best advice is don't take any from Thai Visa. All the would be doctors hang out here. Not saying they are wrong, just best go see a doctor. period.

[elektrified]

People should be careful with the cinnamon. Too much can lower your blood sugar too low = hypoglycemia which is dangerous.

[northernjohn]

I bought a device called (AccuCheck) using it for almost 5 years now,

Any drug store have such devices and the stips, kits etc,

let me provide you some advices as the extract of my personal experience:

If you are type 2 diabetic, to maintain a healthy life style and keep sugar under good control, look at the following tips:

1) drink 1 liter of water every morning (on empty stomach), have to wait at least 45 mint or an hour before to eat breakfast or anything else, if you have mote fat/cholestrol in blood add 1/2 lemon to the water,

2) cinnamon tea, preparation: boil 400 ml of water, take 2 cinnamon sticks break them an soak in the boiled water, leave them for at least 4 hrs, then a quick boil for 3 mint and serve to drink = (cinnamon is well known for blood sugar management) it tasts sweet naturally,

3) take green fresh salads, vegetables, fresh fruits in your daily intakes,

4) exercise, or at least do some jogging in the park for 30 mints on daily basis,

5) take fish oil the concentrated one, 1 capsul per day,

There is a thai herbal capsul of (bitter melon) in Thai = ( mara'aa) you can try it, cinnamon capsul aslo available,

For more advises , ideas sharing PM .

wish you to have a healthy life style

Good info .

Been reading very good things about cinnamon . However i have also read that if you are on blood thinners (including aspirin) that it will cause problems just as Fish Oil will . Just a comment to do further research if this applies

I have a Accu check machine too but i use as my main machine a BG Star which i think is better - received it for free but need to buy their test strips and spikes - Always a catch but seems a good machine.

I am on blood thinners and take a spoonful of powdered cinnamon on my cereal. It has been going on for two years now and works wonders holding my blood sugar level down. Never been above 100 since I started it. I also let my doctor know and she had no problem with that. I did a fair amount of research on Google before doing it. All looked good to me. First time I had heard of fish oil would that also mean don't eat fish? Got to admit never did any research on it. Will probably waste my time goggling it seems like every thing has as many positive as it does negative studies with the exception of Cinnamon.. Mind you mine is Omega 3 Pharmaceutical grade fish oil take one a day before a meal.

Sounds like i should explore cinnamon a bit more but apparently it is Real Cinnamon (Ceylon Cinnamon ) rather than common cinnamon that is the good one . Now to search out it's availability.

As for blood thiners , i think the problem is that taking other types of blood thinners screws up the INR calculations so that they can become unstable and bounce around a bit. i was using warfarin but am now taking Pradaxa , one of the new age blood thinners which has the advantage and disadvantage of no fortnightly INR tests but you never know exactly what it is doing. However I can now eat spinish , broccoli ,beans etc now which is great

As for fish oil my doctor told me to stop taking it as its blood thinning properties are what makes it the useful medicine it is. I think i read somewhere that unless you eat oily fish like salmon,tuna and mackeral etc you actually don't get much oil in eating fish either steamed or baked and fried in oil fish you are getting the cooking oil. Apparently, again it screws up the INR calculations .

As for the cinnamon just get the 400 gram ground cinnamon at Tops for about 199 baht. Have to look up the fish oil. Still take the Omega 3 but not every day. Easy for me to forget it. I am on the Warfarin now and have to check my INR every month. The change is minimal. Some weeks it is 4 days at 10 mg and 3 at 7 1/2 and others 5 at 10 and 2 at the 7 1/2. I don't miss all those vegetables. When it comes to a salad I use I believe it is called iceberg lettuce. Head lettuce. I prefer it any how.

Perhaps with out knowing what your INR is you have to be more careful then again vitamin K found in the dark green vegies is supposed to have an effect on your blood thinning. I don't know sounds like one of those with many different opposing studies. Not as clear cut as cinnamon. Any how off to Google fish oil now.

I am back here is a quote on the source of Omega 3

"Fish oil can be obtained from eating fish or by taking supplements. Fish that are especially rich in the beneficial oils known as omega-3 fatty acids include mackerel, tuna, salmon, sturgeon, mullet, bluefish, anchovy, sardines, herring, trout, and menhaden. They provide about 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids in about 3.5 ounces of fish."

It did say that there could be side affects and there was a lot but the chance of having it happen to one is low. They mentioned not taking over 3 grams a day. Yes it to a degree can act as a blood thinner. I guess that is a benefit to having your INR checked. Any hw I am going to stick to the lower dosage.

Edited April 29, 2015 by northernjohn

[northernjohn]

People should be careful with the cinnamon. Too much can lower your blood sugar too low = hypoglycemia which is dangerous.

I agree with you on that

How ever for a diabetic it is not such a danger. It is still there but easily spotted.

It has not happened to me since I started the cinnamon but twice before I just got the shakes all over. A snicker bar took care of that. My Dad years before the blood checking machines carried a beer with him in case he got the shakes.

Still some thing to watch out for diabetic or not.

[zyphodb]

Thanks again for the advice, I'm drinking Cinnamon tea every morning & also eating the equivalent of a dessert spoon of Aloe Vera gel every day which is also supposed to help,I cant see how either of these could possibly do any harm & Im perfectly capable of recognising the symptoms of hyperglycemia & dealing with it, but I wont really know until I can test my own blood sugar, haven't been told whether I'm type 1 or 2 yet. short of going to Khon Khen or Korat which are both 600 Km round trips I haven't got a lot of faith in the local Thai Doctors, even in the Provincial capitals private hospitals. Knowing how Thais pass Degrees etc. isn't exactly encouraging...

Still, early days....

Edited April 30, 2015 by zyphodb

[northernjohn]

Thanks again for the advice, I'm drinking Cinnamon tea every morning & also eating the equivalent of a dessert spoon of Aloe Vera gel every day which is also supposed to help,I cant see how either of these could possibly do any harm & Im perfectly capable of recognising the symptoms of hyperglycemia & dealing with it, but I wont really know until I can test my own blood sugar, haven't been told whether I'm type 1 or 2 yet. short of going to Khon Khen or Korat which are both 600 Km round trips I haven't got a lot of faith in the local Thai Doctors, even in the Provincial capitals private hospitals. Knowing how Thais pass Degrees etc. isn't exactly encouraging...

Still, early days....

To the best of my knowledge type 1 is started when you are a lot younger. How do you know you have diabetes if a doctor didn't tell you. Also if one did why did they not tell you which one it was?

Maybe you are like me I had symptoms for years before I got the disease.

[zyphodb]

A Thai doctor in a local private hospital looked at the result of my blood test, reckoned that I must have had it for at least a year, gave me a big bollicking for not having it checked sooner, gave me some pills & told me to come back in 2 weeks for more blood tests... no idea why they didn't tell me which type. He did speak English but as far as I could see really wasn't interested in dealing with "stupid" falangs....

Hence I need to sort this out for myself until I can find a sensible Doctor anyway...

[zyphodb]

To be honest I think I would have got more sense out of the local government hospital but they don't speak English, not even a little bit...

[JoelAllDay]

Loving this tread. I am going to try the cinamon on my breakfast tip.

I have a huge favor does anyone here have access to the prices of the blood sugar test strips? I had planned a trip to Thailand and was just diagnosed type 1 three weeks ago. I'm shuffling to get everything in order and it would be super helpful if I knew how much blood test strips cost over there.

I'm not loyal to a certain brand just whatever is cheapest or whatever information people have available. Also, does anyone know an affordable place to purchase online without insurance?

Thanks in advance!

[northernjohn]

Loving this tread. I am going to try the cinamon on my breakfast tip.

I have a huge favor does anyone here have access to the prices of the blood sugar test strips? I had planned a trip to Thailand and was just diagnosed type 1 three weeks ago. I'm shuffling to get everything in order and it would be super helpful if I knew how much blood test strips cost over there.

I'm not loyal to a certain brand just whatever is cheapest or whatever information people have available. Also, does anyone know an affordable place to purchase online without insurance?

Thanks in advance!

Welcome to Thailand. I have type 2 diabetes and can not say enough about it's benefits. I use the cinnamon bought in the shakers found in all the super market spice departments. I can not say if the affect on type 1 will be the same. Google it. Been awhile but if I recall Google treated both type 1 and 2 the same.

I would like to relate to you an experience of my sister. She has diabetes type 1. She was diagnosed with it over 20 years ago. She has been very lax in watching her diet. She would check her blood sugar regularly then disregard it to a degree. She now at the age of 60 has Alzheimer. Doctors can not say for sure but they believe her disregard for a stricter discipline with her diet has a part in it.

[jonwilly]

Drs Morgan & Thavachai are considerate professionals used to dealing with Frangs, Stupid or not.

john

I will try Cinnamon for I am type 2.

[KarenBravo]

Try Janumet 1000mg/50mg.

Far far more effective than cinnamon...

[mesquite]

Try Janumet 1000mg/50mg.

Far far more effective than cinnamon...

I think they meant using cinnamon in addition to oral meds

[mesquite]

Loving this tread. I am going to try the cinamon on my breakfast tip.

I have a huge favor does anyone here have access to the prices of the blood sugar test strips? I had planned a trip to Thailand and was just diagnosed type 1 three weeks ago. I'm shuffling to get everything in order and it would be super helpful if I knew how much blood test strips cost over there.

I'm not loyal to a certain brand just whatever is cheapest or whatever information people have available. Also, does anyone know an affordable place to purchase online without insurance?

Thanks in advance!

It depends on what meter you have