Hi I’m New

[Jojotango19]

Hi everyone. I hope you can help me. I have taken my BS and it’s showing 12.7. On a Google Diabetes Chart it says I am in the dangerous zone. Can one of you confirm this and if so, what do I do about it. Thank you.

 

[Drummer]

I doubt anyone could make a judgement on such scanty information - are you taking medication have you eaten recently - and what was it, might all help someone to give advice.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi JoJo and welcome

A one off reading In the 12s is nothing to get too anxious about, particularly if the test was done after you had eaten food containing carbohydrates. It does however tell you that you need to take a look at your diet and start to reduce your carbohydrate intake and perhaps increase your activity levels.... a nice brisk walk this afternoon would be a good choice, if you are able and maybe a glass or two of water to help your kidney's remove some of that glucose from your blood.

Can you give us a bit more information about your situation.... eg. how long you have been diagnosed and how the diagnosis came about.... ie were you symptomatic or was it just a routine blood test. Are you on any medication for the diabetes and if so, what? Also, if you know it, and you are happy to share it, your most recent HbA1c result. This is the reading from a blood test taken at the doctors which is the basis for a diabetes diagnosis and is a means of monitoring your progress in managing the condition. It is usually a number greater than 48, since that is the point at which diabetes is designated.

The more information you can give us, the better the advice/suggestions we can offer you.

 

[Jojotango19]

Hi JoJo and welcome

A one off reading In the 12s is nothing to get too anxious about, particularly if the test was done after you had eaten food containing carbohydrates. It does however tell you that you need to take a look at your diet and start to reduce your carbohydrate intake and perhaps increase your activity levels.... a nice brisk walk this afternoon would be a good choice, if you are able and maybe a glass or two of water to help your kidney's remove some of that glucose from your blood.

Can you give us a bit more information about your situation.... eg. how long you have been diagnosed and how the diagnosis came about.... ie were you symptomatic or was it just a routine blood test. Are you on any medication for the diabetes and if so, what? Also, if you know it, and you are happy to share it, your most recent HbA1c result. This is the reading from a blood test taken at the doctors which is the basis for a diabetes diagnosis and is a means of monitoring your progress in managing the condition. It is usually a number greater than 48, since that is the point at which diabetes is designated.

The more information you can give us, the better the advice/suggestions we can offer you.

 

[Jojotango19]

Thank you Barbara. I know I haven’t put much information but I suddenly felt unwell yesterday morning and couldn’t think why. I am newly diagnosed with type 2 and am not on any medication. I tested my bs level and it was showing 11.1. I had my breakfast if fruit and porridge and waited two hours and then found my bs was 12.7 which really worried me. I have had a lot of respiratory problems over the last two years and can’t walk very far. Consequence I have put on quite a bit if weight, which I hate, I eat whole meal bread, Benecol, fruit and vegetables. I am now having tests for heart problems but this is taking a long time waiting for test appointments to finally find the outcome.

Thank you for kindly replying. I will contact my gp tomorrow.

 

[grovesy]

Thank you Barbara. I know I haven’t put much information but I suddenly felt unwell yesterday morning and couldn’t think why. I am newly diagnosed with type 2 and am not on any medication. I tested my bs level and it was showing 11.1. I had my breakfast if fruit and porridge and waited two hours and then found my bs was 12.7 which really worried me. I have had a lot of respiratory problems over the last two years and can’t walk very far. Consequence I have put on quite a bit if weight, which I hate, I eat whole meal bread, Benecol, fruit and vegetables. I am now having tests for heart problems but this is taking a long time waiting for test appointments to finally find the outcome.

Thank you for kindly replying. I will contact my gp tomorrow.

Although fruit and porridge are thought of as healthy, many find they push their levels up.

 

[ianf0ster]

Hi Jojotango19,
It came as a surprise to almost all of us, but it is Carbohydrates (starches as well as sugars) which raise Blood Glucose. It is also carbs which if you eat too much of at a sitting will make you hungry again only a couple of hours later. Fruit (although good in small portions) contains sugars -tropical fruit and fruit juices are the worst.
Porridge Oats are better than most carbs, but even they eventually raise your Blood Glucose. Try eggs or meat or cheese for breakfast instead.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Jojotango19

Sorry to hear you’ve been having some high BGs recently. Illness and stress can both impact on blood glucose, and carrying extra weight (especially around the middle) can impair the body’s ability to release and use insulin.

Not knowing how much you’ve already been told about diabetes, I’d suggest you start at the beginning with some of the links and resources in the ‘useful links’ thread, which is a mine of helpful information - useful-links-for-people-new-to-diabetes

Members her frequently recommend Maggie Davey’s Letter and Gretchen Becker’s book, as very helpful starting points.

One of the biggest questions when diagnosed with diabetes is often ‘what can I eat’ and while there are obvious things like cakes, biscuits, sweets and sugary drinks that you will be wanting to cut out straight away, you might be surprised how much *all* carbohydrate affects your BG levels, including rice, pasta, bread, pastry, grains, cereals and many fruits. The really tricky thing is that blood glucose responses to food are highly individual, and it can be impossible to say which forms and amounts of carbohydrate will ‘spike’ your BG without checking for yourself. But the good news is that it is possible to check this for yourself and tailor your own ideal way of eating that suits you and your BG levels. You can use a BG meter, checking before and after meals, and checking what the differences are. Then identify any foods that seem to be causing you difficulties and try varying or reducing them (sometimes just having things at a different time of day makes a difference)

If you are interested in using your BG meter to find out how different foods affect you, you may find test-review-adjust by Alan S a helpful framework for examining your current menu and gradually making changes towards more stable and ‘in range’ BG results.

While potentially serious, diabetes can usually be managed very well, and some people later reflect that is a way, it was their diagnosis which acted as a catalyst to adopt a healthier way of life. Plus the regular checks mean that if anything is lurking in the shadows it’s more likely to be spotted early so that action can be taken more quickly.

Let us know how you get on, and keep us posted 🙂

 

[Drummer]

You seem to be yet another person who has not been told that diabetes means an inability to deal with the carbohydrate in the diet. As a type two, simply reducing the starch and sugar you consume - from porridge, fruit, bread, potatoes even - should meant that your blood glucose levels will normalise quite quickly - with any luck.