Welcome to the forum
@Emmaevans71
It is unusual advice to have been given for sure!
Metformin generally builds up in the system over a number of weeks, and like
@Leadinglights says only helps in the background by increasing insulin sensitivity and reducing glucose output from the liver.
If you need to self fund your BG meter, the most affordable meters members here have found are the
SD Gluco Navii or the
Spirit Tee2 - which both have test strips at around £8 for 50. It is the strips which will really determine how expensive BG monitoring is, especially while you are learning how your body reacts to different foods. Some brands cost £25 or more for a pot of strips
😱
You can use a BG meter, taking a reading before and again 2hrs after eating, to see what the differences are, to identify any carbs that seem to be spiking BG (initially in a way the numbers themselves matter less than the differences between them). Ideally you would be looking for a ‘meal rise’ of 2-3mmol/L or less, and ultimately you would want your levels to mostly be in the range 4-8.5, including after meal peaks.
Once you can see how you respond to different meals and sources of carbs you can begin experimenting with reducing portion sizes and trying different types, swaps and substitutions (sometimes just having things at a different time of day makes a difference). Gradually tweaking and tailoring your menu to find one that suits your tastebuds, your waistline and your BG levels
🙂
