Confused newbie

[Craftypete]

Hello. Am a newbie here, have type 2 Diabetes have had it for long time, I'm on 4 Metformin a day and inject 4 times a day, I've lost 5 stone in weight in last 11 months, ( weight watchers) and thought I was doing really well, blood sugars have been in normal range, and I just had my Annual HbA1C test for this year. I had call from my Doctor's surgery and told I need to see Diabetes nurse as soon as I can! My result has come back at a high of 68! And they need to get this down! But I'm at a loss of why it's so high in the first place? And it's knocked the wind out of my sails as what is it I'm doing wrong? Was suggested my blood monitor mite be given false readings? But I have 3 meeters the same? To throw a spanner in the works I've also got Narcolepsy.. and I believed it's the narcolepsy that's been making me more tired than I normally am, but since the phone call from the surgery it makes more sense that it's the Diabetes? I'm really am at a loss of what to do? I have telephone consultation on Wednesday with diabetes nurse as all her appointment's are full up! Any one have any ideas what else I can do or ask the nurse? Sorry for long post. And thank you in advance.

 

[trophywench]

I think that your blood glucose is being higher than you imagine during the time between tests - so the only thing I can suggest is to test much more than you are at the moment. Test intensely (once an hour) at different times on consecutive days, plus - and I don't know how the narcolepsy affects this - overnight too.

It is necessary to sleep between tests though, cos our BG does different things if we just stay awake than if we sleep.

What sort of BG readings do you normally get before/after meals and pre-bed and on waking?

 

[Craftypete]

Thanks

I think that your blood glucose is being higher than you imagine during the time between tests - so the only thing I can suggest is to test much more than you are at the moment. Test intensely (once an hour) at different times on consecutive days, plus - and I don't know how the narcolepsy affects this - overnight too.

It is necessary to sleep between tests though, cos our BG does different things if we just stay awake than if we sleep.

What sort of BG readings do you normally get before/after meals and pre-bed and on waking?

Thanks Jenny, this morning it was low at 3.5 normally before meals it's around 4 to 7 even before bed it's around 4 to 7, but am finding the morning test are lower and have more hypos, not sure how Narcolepsy effects my Diabetes, guess it's worth asking in narcolepsy group see if any one else has problems, just I been told so many times losing weight will give you more energy more get up and go and will help better Control the Diabetes, but I've not been feeling anything like it, I'll see what the nurse has to say tomorrow.. thanks for replying to me.

 

[Flower]

Hello @Craftypete and welcome. 🙂

An HbA1c result of 68 mmol/mol coverts to an average blood glucose level on your meter readings of 10.8 mmol/L. That would suggest your blood sugar is increasing and spiking for periods usually after food then reducing back down to the levels you are getting when you test on your meter.

The best way to discover what is happening is as Jenny suggests to start to test more frequently for a few days.waking, pre and 2 hour post meals, bedtime and more often in between to see when your blood sugar is starting to head out of range. If you can establish when this is happening you can start to look at food choices/ exercise etc.

 

[trophywench]

You may have only been told to test before meals so that's what you are doing - but although your BG is back to 5 before the next meal, there's 4 or more hours in between when we haven't a clue what our BG is doing, unless we test - cos each test only tells us what it was at that exact split second.

Hence - we need to test after eating to plot the curve of how long it takes our BG to rise, then lower again.

 

[Drummer]

Weight watchers as given is not directed at diabetics - so you could be eating more carbs than you can cope with. If the insulin can't lower your BG levels due to the amount of carbs you eat, then your BG readings could be high - but as you only test before eating - if my understanding of how you are testing is correct, you are only getting half the picture.

 

[Craftypete]

Having spoken to Diabetes nurse She has asked me to record my results 4 times a day . Before breakfast before lunch before dinner and before bed! So not sure what she going to be able to tell from them results if I'm only getting half the story? Am going to see her on Tuesday next week so will see what she has to say.

 

[Mark Parrott]

Yeah, that is only half the story. Happens a lot though & I don't get it.

 

[pav]

Had it numerous times they are not interested in the after meals results, one doc even told me they don't bother with meter readings and only go off the HbA1c tests. In my case showed the doc my readings were confirmed by the HbA1c test recently which verified my meter readings. They seem to forget we know our own bodies better than most professionals and whats going astray with it.

 

[Craftypete]

Well seen nurse and my HBA1c is the lowest for over 6 years but it's still high, nurse took look at my blood sugars results and they were bit difficult to read as I seemed to have other issues and that they thought it was making my blood results up and down, I wasn't feeling well and after an ecg was done ambulance was called and off to hospital I go! Wasn't heart attack, was not this was not that ( was starting to think I was making it up) but after hours of waiting and an xrayx was decided that due to the Diabetes and others medication I was on its up set few things as I was getting funny headache, feeling dizzy and nauseous, strange feeling around my heat, and so they said my blood pressure changes from resting to standing makeing me have dizzy spells, and they also found 2 minerals levels were rather low.
was given 3 day course of vitamins, and 2 of my medication tablets were changed for another type... It's early days yet and got go for another blood test on Monday, at moment still getting funny headache and get little dizzy sugar are still up and down, still struggling for any energy in mornings.
Asked to check my sugars 4times a day before breakfast, before lunch, before evening meal and before bed... So only hoping something changes and I start feeling better!

 

[Drummer]

As you are on insulin you are coming to the problem from the other direction to me - I use after meal readings to ensure that I do not go higher than 8 mmol/l after meals, it is usually much lower - but it seems as though you need to get your BG levels high to counteract the injections.
You must be feeling rather naff if your average is around 10, as that means for every reading of 4 there would be a level of 16 for an equal length of time. It also means that you are sprinting up and down between those levels several times a day - not at all good for you.
I'd be asking to have a lower dose of medication and try to control the highs with fewer carbs - in the hope of getting a more consistent BG level. The highs must be there, just undetected due to the way you are being told to test.

 

[mikeyB]

The answer, of course is the Libre monitoring things, but getting the use of one of those to trial is extremely unlikely. It’s amazing when you find out what goes on between finger prick tests.