High sugar level

[Headshot1960]

It was my 60th birthday yesterday. I dont manage diabetes very well tbh i went out yesterday for a birthday drink or 12 last night my reading was 19.8. This morning it was back to 8.3 is this good or bad please

 

[Toucan]

Hello
Welcome to the forum and Happy Birthday!
Yes, 19.8 is a high reading, but it depends a bit on when you took it, the ideal time is about 2 hours after you have eaten.
The morning reading is still a bit high. Somewhere In the 5 to 6 range is generally thought to be Ok.
If you want to start to mange your diabetes then the 3 things you need to focus on are what and how much you eat, increased exercise and whatever medication your medical team recommends.
There are several options on what diet plan to follow, but whichever one you choose, loosing weight is likely to improve your blood sugar levels.
The main Diabetes UK site gives information on the options. Many of us on the forum have had success with a low-carb diet.
If you have a look at the 'Useful information for newbies' thread on the Newbies section there are some links that will give more information on this.
Please ask about anything you would like more information on, and best wishes on entering your 60's.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome and belated Happy Birthday from me too.

You are only 60 once, so a bit of a blow out like a few pints to celebrate a special occasion is not going to cause too much of a problem. It can however be useful to know how to make the best choices in such situations though.... so beer and cider are quite high in carbs whereas spirits are not, so if you are a beer drinker, consider changing to drinking spirits (plus a diet mixer if you like) instead or dry wine.
Yes your reading of nearly 20 is bad and your reading of 8 the next morning is relatively good considering but may be reduced because of the alcohol consumed the previous day, so it may rebound after the liver recovers today and perhaps be higher tomorrow. Ideally you want to be 5-7 in the morning. If you manage that tomorrow then I would say you got away with your binge pretty well, but don't push your luck and do it too often.

 

[Headshot1960]

Hi and welcome and belated Happy Birthday from me too.

You are only 60 once, so a bit of a blow out like a few pints to celebrate a special occasion is not going to cause too much of a problem. It can however be useful to know how to make the best choices in such situations though.... so beer and cider are quite high in carbs whereas spirits are not, so if you are a beer drinker, consider changing to drinking spirits (plus a diet mixer if you like) instead or dry wine.
Yes your reading of nearly 20 is bad and your reading of 8 the next morning is relatively good considering but may be reduced because of the alcohol consumed the previous day, so it may rebound after the liver recovers today and perhaps be higher tomorrow. Ideally you want to be 5-7 in the morning. If you manage that tomorrow then I would say you got away with your binge pretty well, but don't push your luck and do it too often.

Thanks Barbara
I dont normally drink at all xmas eve was the last time
The problem i got is i like all the wrong foods as im sure alot of others do
Thanks for your advice good luck

 

[rebrascora]

If it is any consolation, I was a sugar addict pre diagnosis and apart from the odd square of dark chocolate I manage to steer clear of it without even craving it now. I am Type 1 and occasionally have hypos and carry jelly beans with me all the time to treat them but never feel the urge to eat them any other time and now go out of my way to have an apple or a banana if I can to bring my BG up instead of eating them. I have cream in my coffee instead of the multiple spoons of sugar I used to use and enjoy it just as much if not more. I very rarely eat bread anymore or pasta or rice and just the occasional potato and whilst I will pinch the odd chip off my partner's plate I don't really miss them. The problem with carbohydrates is that the more you eat, the more you want and you end up overeating them and your body lays them down as fat stores. The low fat dietary advice we have been bombarded with all our lives has not helped and it is now believed that it was it was based on flawed research and not only does fat not make you fat but there is no real evidence to support the belief that it causes cardiovascular disease and in fact the increased highly processed carbs which in many cases were put into manufactured low fat products to make them taste better, have contributed to the diabetes epidemic that we are seeing today. If you eat more fat and much less carbs, your Blood Glucose becomes more stable, you feel fuller for longer, you need less food and often you lose weight.... and food tastes better, so it becomes easy to sustain such a way of eating for life. It takes a bit of effort in the first few months but once you get the hang of what to buy and how to cook it so that you enjoy it, you can actually feel quite decadent about what you eat, rather than deprived.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry to hear about your high BGs @Headshot1960

for reference the generally advised target BGs for people with diabetes are to aim for 4-7 before meals and to rise no higher than 9 by 2 hours after eating if possible. These are very demanding targets, and the odd transgression won’t cause immediate harm, but the more time you can spend between 4-10 the better.