• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

Im scared - Need advice here

Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
S

sheepie

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi Folks,

I got my brand new codefree monitor and decided first thing to open it and get my results. I got a reading of 8.2 first thing in the morning. Thinking it would get better I took my metaformin and went to work. When I arrived at work I got 2 slices of bread and 2 bacon and had breakfast. 3.5 hours later I went out to the car to test my results. Im now sitting at 7.8.

I am scared for my life here folks - Does anyone know why this is not dropping or does it take time. I have started watching calories since Wednesday.

I was hoping it would have been around 6.0 - Im at the verge of starving myself as i am afraid of the damage.
 
In the early days a 7.8 is good.
Walk before you can run is my motto.
It will take time so don't beat yourself up over it. Starving also never works as you'll binge been there in my youth.
 
To be honest, Sheepie, it takes time.... You will have days of high readings & not so high but if you look at the overall trend you will see the results of the hard work you are going through. Please don't be discouraged, these numbers are really not to bad, particularly for a newly minted D.
 
Hi sheepie
Slow and steady I say with diabetes im really struggling at the moment to get any readings under 10 been ages since I have and I'm just new on insulin so I'm doing what I've been advised and that's just give it time and eventually we will see the readings becoming better
 
sheepie said:
Hi Folks,

I got my brand new codefree monitor and decided first thing to open it and get my results. I got a reading of 8.2 first thing in the morning. Thinking it would get better I took my metaformin and went to work. When I arrived at work I got 2 slices of bread and 2 bacon and had breakfast. 3.5 hours later I went out to the car to test my results. Im now sitting at 7.8.

I am scared for my life here folks - Does anyone know why this is not dropping or does it take time. I have started watching calories since Wednesday.

I was hoping it would have been around 6.0 - Im at the verge of starving myself as i am afraid of the damage.
Click to expand...

It took me many weeks to get my morning levels down consistently Sheepie. Metformin isn't a quick acting drug and it takes a while to get into your system. Take it steady but don't starve yourself or your liver will start pumping glucose out to compensate and your levels could go higher.
This is a marathon not a sprint. You'll get there and a few 7's and 8's isn't a disaster at all! Don't imagine something bad is going to happen because your levels are not immediately in the 5's and 6's. My mother was diagnosed type 2 in her 50's and is about to celebrate her 88th birthday! My post lunch level went up to 8 but it will soon drop and I expected it. It's about attaining reasonable levels without massive hikes and you're doing that.

Those are not dangerously high levels so calm yourself. It's ok 🙂
 
Please don't beat yourself up over these results. They are good at this stage. My first morning reading has consistently been the highest of the day, probably due to dawn phenomenon. I am now trying taking it asap after waking and then having something to eat as soon as I can. It is not perfect (in the 6's) but an improvement. I have been on this road for 4 1/2 years now and am still learning. Like you I was very concerned in the beginning as I am afraid of complications. I also find that 10 minutes brisk walking after a meal seems to help me and get the numbers into the 5's within about an hour. You are doing very well but there will be the odd rouge number and like falling off the horse get on again and just put it behind you and carry on. As others have said this is no easy task but you will get there if you keep going. Good luck and be pleased with your achievement so far 🙂
 
My diabetic nurse told me it takes a few weeks for Metformin to fully work. After 3 months in my waking numbers are still around 10-12, so try not to worry otherwise stress will make them shoot up. I also think your reading after eating was not too bad, if I eat bread mine you up to mid to late teens.

And please whatever you do, don't starve yourself.
 
My levels took quite a while to come down after diagnoses, as others have said they are not bad! Like @Grannylorraine if I ate regular bread my levels would be much higher than that, I eat Bergen bread as it doesn't spike my levels. You're doing well, don't starve yourself or you'll end up with a whole host of other problems as well as D.
 
Dont worry Sheppie if it was me i would be delighted with those stats i know its easy for me to say and i know about panic but you have no reason to at all
 
My understanding of levels is that sometimes getting 7.8 isn't actually Bad. I wouldn't worry about it as a one off reading. Newbie diabetic? As such, treat this as a starting point. Test before and after meals to see what effect food has. Then you can ajust food and see effect.
Find out what exercise you need to do. I've heard walking is good for us.

Your first set of readings are to find out what is happening. When you make changes, you'll know what difference they make to your BG. I think it's better to look at readings over several days/weeks. That way you can spot any patterns
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top