Intro

[Buttercup2404]

Hallo everybody,

Hope you are having a good evening I'm from London . I had been pre-diabetic for the last 18 months, its not surprising I guess as my father had type 2 and my sister has type 2 both of them along with additional Heart problems. Also I have controlled high blood pressure cholesterol plus the fact that I am over weight. Last Friday May 15th 2020 the Doctors confirmed that I am Type 2 with the Last 2 HbA1c
results showing 53 mmol/mol.

I had to talk to my doctor on the phone this week yesterday in-fact as looking at the HbA1c table my levels come into the green arear which doesn't classify me with diabetes but suggests its on the cards for me. I have been prescribed 500mgs of Metformin twice a day the doctor said they want to keep my level below 66, I can understand that so I'm gong to do what I have to No Carbs at all and having small snacks during the day suites be best I hate eating a full meal at night. I have just turned 59 last month and have not been working for the last couple of years, I worked with Apprentices supporting them through college and employment but that area of work had dried up due to lack of funding, so I'm at home and I want to also start walking but have a twisted knee at the moment so movement painful I going to make this time of work to improve my health, and look forward to reading you're posts and being part of this community.

One thing would like to ask, my father and sister where given the test monitors and strips on prescription and I just read one thread, who mention buying your own and the strips, do the doctors not give you this monitoring equipment as part of the tools we need to monitor are own levels, I have read that this is a good way of knowing what foods raise you're levels so you can then change what you eat and re address the issue?

My doctor hasn't said anything about that , so if they do prescribe this at what point I have been told that I will have another HbA1c test in 8 weeks, to find out if it goes up or down.

I look forward to hearing from anyone and advise would be gratefully received with thanks and best wishes

Buttercup x

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

One thing would like to ask, my father and sister where given the test monitors and strips on prescription and I just read one thread, who mention buying your own and the strips, do the doctors not give you this monitoring equipment as part of the tools we need to monitor are own levels, I have read that this is a good way of knowing what foods raise you're levels so you can then change what you eat and re address the issue?

Welcome to the forum @Buttercup2404

Some GP practices are reluctant to prescribe BG monitors unless people are taking medication that could cause hypoglycaemia. This completely ignores the very powerful uses that you suggest - tailoring your food intake, amounts and types of carbohydrates to improve BG outcomes.

There has been some research that suggests self monitoring for those on diet and exercise does not improve outcomes and may even cause distress - but that seems to be based around ineffective testing frameworks (random soot-checks, rather than before-and-after pairs to check specific meals). Plus at least one study with negative conclusions was very strict about ‘dietary adherence’ (sticking to the diet sheet you were given) rather than using results to actually change and improve diet.

Of course it also means that the GP surgeries save on the prescription costs, so there may be other cost-cutting factors at play!

The negative studies do have to concede that the is a ‘certain sub-group’ for whom self monitoring around food is very helpful - and it just seems to be the case that the ‘sub-group’ is large and includes pretty much everyone who joins the forum!!

If your surgery are reluctant to prescribe, then choosing the right meter can really keep the costs down. The Spirit TEE2 and Gluco Navii both have relatively affordable strips and forum members report good levels of accuracy.

 

[trophywench]

Yeah - dreadful bit of so-called research - when they very first published the full report, we absolutely disagreed with its conclusions because the method was absolutely designed to fit the Conclusion they wanted it to - and nothing contrary. Dis - flippin - gusted with it. Very similar to that concerning use of statins - which the lead researcher was still absolutely resolute that no human being could ever have a poor side effect from even years later when some of them were widely known to cause certain ones!

The officially recognised HbA1c result to produce a Diabetes diagnosis is anything over 48, with 42 to 47.9 being 'pre Diabetic'. Less than 42, non-D.

 

[SB2015]

Welcome to the forum @Buttercup2404

As you have read many on here use home testing to find out what changes they need to make to their diet and exercise plans, in order to get their glucose levels back in range.

It may be worth asking your GP if you can have test strips prescribed, especially if you emphasise that you are wanting to take control of your levels.