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hi new to the forum

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howmuch

howmuch

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Type 2
Hi I am new here i was told before Christmas I was told that I have type 2 diabeties. I was told my hba1c was 7.4% and that i dont need any medication at the moment and to control my diabetes by diet and i don't need a BG meter and not to go and buy one myself either. Even though i was told not to buy a BG meter my wife bought be a accu-chek aviva nano BG meter and Fastclix lancit pen which i really like as its does not hurt. I have been testing myself when i get up and when i have my evening meals over the last week or so and im getting the following readings these are over the last week or so.
8.9-11.6mmol/L when i get up
7.0-10.2mmol/L before evening meal
9.1-15.1mmol/L after evening meal about 2 hours
I'm getting worried that these are too high and what if anything i should do about it.

Thanks
Owen
 
Hi Owen, welcome to the forum 🙂 Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. You have made a wise move getting your own meter, it really is the best tool for discovering whether the modifications you are making to your diet and activity levels are working for you. Don't be too alarmed at the readings you have been getting, it will take a little while before you begin to recognise patterns and determine where the causes of higher levels might lie. Start a food diary and record the amount of carbohydrate in everything you are eating and drinking - you can find the information on food packaging or by using a book such as the Collins Gem Calorie Counter . You should also record your blood glucose levels before eating, and one or two hours after eating. This will help you identify things you tolerate well and what meals you need to reconsider. Have a read of Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S for a good guide to efficient testing 🙂

Please let us know if you have any questions. This is something that CAN be controlled well, and you have made a good start to learning how to achieve that control, so well done! 🙂
 
Hi Owen
Welcome to the forum, and well done to your wife for getting that meter. Once you've got a hang of it all you should start to get lower readings. Good luck and don't worry if it all feels overwhelming at first, it is quite a lot to deal with at diagnosis but it gets much easier 🙂
 
Welcome to the forum howmuch / Owen 🙂
 
Hello Owen and welcome to the forum. I was where you are now two years ago. Very good idea to do your own testing as then you can work our what spikes your BG. I kept a food diary which helped. My control is much better now and I have avoided medication. It does not happen overnight and at times you can feel discouraged but keep at it and you will get there and most importantly reduce the risk of complications. The people on this forum are brilliant, patient, knowledgeable and kind. Good luck with getting control 🙂
 
It's good that your GP has given you the chance to see if you can control your BG levels with diet and exercise. Too many put you onto meds straight away. All you have to do is start to learn and make sure you do what you are supposed to. Far too many start off with good intentions but pack it in and think it is just easier to go onto meds.

My HBA1c was higher than yours but I got it down to normal levels within a year. These things take time. Don't expect quick results. Even if you didn't eat a thing, your body will produce glucose for you. It confuses the hell out of a lot of beginners, but your body takes time to adjust.

You also need time to learn about foods and you should be more active, not to burn off calories, but by being more active, you change your blood chemistry to a certain degree. Losing weight, being careful with what you eat and some exercise really does work and, if you keep up the new regime, over the months you will see those readings falling.

By the way, it also takes time to learn about taking meter readings. I used to get horrified at some of mine until I learned to keep everything very clean, not squeeze blood out, wipe away the first drop and test on the second drop. Also, I learned that even things like white bread can send your BG levels haywire. It's like rocket fuel. It all takes time to learn but you get the hang of it.
 
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Interesting that you test after your meal. I have been told by my nurse that you cannot get a true reading within 2 hours of eating. I usually test in the morning or before a meal if it is 2 hours from I have eaten.
 
BobbieH said:
Interesting that you test after your meal. I have been told by my nurse that you cannot get a true reading within 2 hours of eating. I usually test in the morning or before a meal if it is 2 hours from I have eaten.
Click to expand...

Your nurse is wrong. Testing two hours after eating will tell you the peak that your blood sugars have reached after the food has digested. Ideally, this peak should be within 2-3 mmol/l of your pre-meal reading, although this can be difficult to achieve particularly when you are learning. If it is considerably higher then you would need to review what you ate and reduce or replace the carbs in it 🙂
 
It is very confusing when even the so called professionals are getting it wrong. I am supposed to go to her for help and advice after all
 
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