Many Uncertainties

[DianeS]

Diagnosed type 2 in May this year, at a reading of 75. At the start of July - got myself a glucose meter, and have trundled along on a low carb diet with readings first thing between 4 and 6 - rising over 7 with the odd 8 depending on what I ate. Yesterday I tried a bacon sandwich ( on homemade wholemeal bread) and two hours later 10.5! Had a crisis..... later in the day down to 7.5, but a 9 when I woke up this morning. It's settling down again now to a 6.5. I didn't think I'd have such a dramatic reaction to bread, but it seems that it really doesn't like me..... anyway - my question is - do you think it would have been different if I'd eaten it at a different time of day?
Honestly happy to leave bread alone going forward - but I really craved a bacon butty........
Not sure what kind of readings I should be getting to be honest.
I have a diabetic nurse phone appointment on August 12th, and a blood test (first one since diagnosis) on the 19th. I think if I want to see a dietician any time this year I'll have to pay for it......
Thanks for welcoming me to the forum....... 🙂

 

[pawprint91]

Hello! I was diagnosed Type 1 in June this year, so we're on similar yet different journeys. Do you usually test 2 hours after eating? If yes, other foods might be making you rise in this way and you're just not aware? The fact you came back down quite quickly I would say is reassuring. Also, I'm no expert, but I don't know if the fact you've avoided bread/carbs and then had a sandwich means you spiked higher than you would if you'd eaten them more often (I have absolutely 0 proof for this, just kind of going on the concept of your body might have over-reacted to it in a way??). BUT up until last week I was consistently having readings at least once, if not twice, a day of well over 10 (more likely 12/14) - I know we're on different paths, but the nurses told me that short term, a spike like that is nothing to worry about as our bodies get used to our diagnosis and how we are managing our diabetes etc. 'Normal' readings I believe are between 4-7 m/mol.

I'm sorry to hear you haven't got an appt with your nurse until August 12th, I am also in a similar boat here and feel as though I've been left to fend for myself to a point since diagnosis. This forum and it's members have been invaluable to me so far. This answer may be of absolutely no help to you, but I do hope it has at least given you some reassurance!

 

[DianeS]

Hello! I was diagnosed Type 1 in June this year, so we're on similar yet different journeys. Do you usually test 2 hours after eating? If yes, other foods might be making you rise in this way and you're just not aware? The fact you came back down quite quickly I would say is reassuring. Also, I'm no expert, but I don't know if the fact you've avoided bread/carbs and then had a sandwich means you spiked higher than you would if you'd eaten them more often (I have absolutely 0 proof for this, just kind of going on the concept of your body might have over-reacted to it in a way??). BUT up until last week I was consistently having readings at least once, if not twice, a day of well over 10 (more likely 12/14) - I know we're on different paths, but the nurses told me that short term, a spike like that is nothing to worry about as our bodies get used to our diagnosis and how we are managing our diabetes etc. 'Normal' readings I believe are between 4-7 m/mol.

I'm sorry to hear you haven't got an appt with your nurse until August 12th, I am also in a similar boat here and feel as though I've been left to fend for myself to a point since diagnosis. This forum and it's members have been invaluable to me so far. This answer may be of absolutely no help to you, but I do hope it has at least given you some reassurance!

Thank you - there's reassurance there, and you might be right about the spike - you are also right about this being a great support group. I had egg and bacon for breakfast, and just some blueberries and plain (Home made) yogurt for lunch. Fingers crossed that it's on its way down again..... I think it's a disgrace though that we are left to fend for ourselves for periods of time when we might be at a health crossroads..... Thanks for the reply.

 

[Leadinglights]

It is difficult as there are no hard and fast rules that a diabetic nurse or dietician can give you as everybody reacts to the same carbs in a different way and you are doing the best thing by using your monitor to find what foods and meals are safe for you. That before you eat and after 2 hours can tell you what you can tolerate but don't necessarily dismiss something from a single occasion if it is something you really like.
Have a look at this link for ideas for meals. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/

 

[DianeS]

It is difficult as there are no hard and fast rules that a diabetic nurse or dietician can give you as everybody reacts to the same carbs in a different way and you are doing the best thing by using your monitor to find what foods and meals are safe for you. That before you eat and after 2 hours can tell you what you can tolerate but don't necessarily dismiss something from a single occasion if it is something you really like.
Have a look at this link for ideas for meals. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/

I think what really worries me, is that if I eat something and the numbers absolutely skyrocket, I'll break down.... Not sure I'm in a confident enough position yet to say "ok it's at 10 but it'll go down".. I'm terrified if it goes over an 8.
I'll have a look at the link you sent - thank you....

 

[Leadinglights]

I think what really worries me, is that if I eat something and the numbers absolutely skyrocket, I'll break down.... Not sure I'm in a confident enough position yet to say "ok it's at 10 but it'll go down".. I'm terrified if it goes over an 8.
I'll have a look at the link you sent - thank you....

Yes but use that as information on which to make changes, reduce the portion, make some substitution so you can build up a repertoire of meals that will be OK.
It is early days and you are learning so make good use of your monitor.
Don't forget blood glucose goes up and down throughout the day and there will be occasions when the trial and error will be error. My big mistake in the early days was some pasta (not much) and pancakes. But I learnt from that.

 

[DianeS]

Yes but use that as information on which to make changes, reduce the portion, make some substitution so you can build up a repertoire of meals that will be OK.
It is early days and you are learning so make good use of your monitor.
Don't forget blood glucose goes up and down throughout the day and there will be occasions when the trial and error will be error. My big mistake in the early days was some pasta (not much) and pancakes. But I learnt from that.

Oh pancakes, how I'll miss them... Pasta, rice, potatoes I can live without..... 🙂

 

[Leadinglights]

Oh pancakes, how I'll miss them... Pasta, rice, potatoes I can live without..... 🙂

Somebody mentioned they had made buckwheat pancakes and they didn't affect his blood glucose.
I use edamame bean or black bean pasta but don't have rice and occasionally potatoes (home grown)

 

[EmmaL76]

I think what really worries me, is that if I eat something and the numbers absolutely skyrocket, I'll break down.... Not sure I'm in a confident enough position yet to say "ok it's at 10 but it'll go down".. I'm terrified if it goes over an 8.
I'll have a look at the link you sent - thank you....

Have you checked out the recent thread that’s called McDonald’s spike? Interesting links on there where a non diabetic was wearing a cgm. You might find it quite reassuring.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

I think what really worries me, is that if I eat something and the numbers absolutely skyrocket, I'll break down.... Not sure I'm in a confident enough position yet to say "ok it's at 10 but it'll go down".. I'm terrified if it goes over an 8.
I'll have a look at the link you sent - thank you....

In all honesty I can not see why the effect of bread would last so long so you need to look at something else as the cause I would have thought.

 

[Eliora]

Diagnosed type 2 in May this year, at a reading of 75. At the start of July - got myself a glucose meter, and have trundled along on a low carb diet with readings first thing between 4 and 6 - rising over 7 with the odd 8 depending on what I ate. Yesterday I tried a bacon sandwich ( on homemade wholemeal bread) and two hours later 10.5! Had a crisis..... later in the day down to 7.5, but a 9 when I woke up this morning. It's settling down again now to a 6.5. I didn't think I'd have such a dramatic reaction to bread, but it seems that it really doesn't like me..... anyway - my question is - do you think it would have been different if I'd eaten it at a different time of day?
Honestly happy to leave bread alone going forward - but I really craved a bacon butty........
Not sure what kind of readings I should be getting to be honest.
I have a diabetic nurse phone appointment on August 12th, and a blood test (first one since diagnosis) on the 19th. I think if I want to see a dietician any time this year I'll have to pay for it......
Thanks for welcoming me to the forum....... 🙂

Hi, I was diagnosed only last month, and I had two very helpful telephone sessions with my GP's own diabetes dietician,and have a third one scheduled for next week. I am keeping bread now to one slice per day, which I have for breakfast in the morning. I use only multi seed wholemeal bread. The dietician told me that I should envisage around a cupful of carbs, one cupful of veg and one of protein. For fruit she said only, what fits into your palm, and to keep fruit to three such portions per day&about six portions of vegetables.

 

[Eliora]

Somebody mentioned they had made buckwheat pancakes and they didn't affect his blood glucose.
I use edamame bean or black bean pasta but don't have rice and occasionally potatoes (home grown)

Yes, I have replaced white flour with buckwheat and wholemeal flour and now made my first chocolate cake with it with nectarines as topping for sweetness, and it was a big hit even with non-diabetic guests, as it tastes nutty &chocolatey(I used dark cocoa powder), and it had no adverse effect on my blood sugar levels.

 

[Drummer]

In all honesty I can not see why the effect of bread would last so long so you need to look at something else as the cause I would have thought.

It would have had the same effect on me - I might get away with a lesser effect these days, but I just don't eat it now.

 

[Drummer]

Hi, I was diagnosed only last month, and I had two very helpful telephone sessions with my GP's own diabetes dietician,and have a third one scheduled for next week. I am keeping bread now to one slice per day, which I have for breakfast in the morning. I use only multi seed wholemeal bread. The dietician told me that I should envisage around a cupful of carbs, one cupful of veg and one of protein. For fruit she said only, what fits into your palm, and to keep fruit to three such portions per day&about six portions of vegetables.

That seems an awful lot - even so soon after diagnosis - are you lowering a rather high Hba1c level?

 

[Eliora]

That seems an awful lot - even so soon after diagnosis - are you lowering a rather high Hba1c level?

Yes, the doctors are still not sure, whether I am type 1 or 2. It has lowered within this month but only with medication and is still not consistent.

 

[Drummer]

Yes, the doctors are still not sure, whether I am type 1 or 2. It has lowered within this month but only with medication and is still not consistent.

Eating so many carbs would not really help on ordinary type 2 if it was a long term strategy. I thought your Hba1c must be high so you were reducing carbs cautiously.
To stay in normal numbers I eat no more than 40 gm of carbs a day - as two meals.
All the foods which contain carbs have under 11 percent except for the high cocoa chocolate but I rarely have more than one square in a day, and not every day.
I bought a blood glucose meter and checked what caused spikes, then reduced or avoided those foods.
Before diagnosis type 1st tend to be losing weight, and type 2s gaining - though it is not always the case it is sometimes significant.

 

[Leadinglights]

Yes, the doctors are still not sure, whether I am type 1 or 2. It has lowered within this month but only with medication and is still not consistent.

The HbA1C is usually done after three months as it is an average of the previous 3 months so more frequently than that would not show the full effect of making the dietary changes or the medication.
What medication have you been given and what was your HbA1C as that will really help people to make appropriate suggestions. Had you lost weight without trying as that may be a pointer to Type 1.
This link might help you with a sensible low carb approach if that is the way you choose. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/

 

[Eliora]

Eating so many carbs would not really help on ordinary type 2 if it was a long term strategy. I thought your Hba1c must be high so you were reducing carbs cautiously.
To stay in normal numbers I eat no more than 40 gm of carbs a day - as two meals.
All the foods which contain carbs have under 11 percent except for the high cocoa chocolate but I rarely have more than one square in a day, and not every day.
I bought a blood glucose meter and checked what caused spikes, then reduced or avoided those foods.
Before diagnosis type 1st tend to be losing weight, and type 2s gaining - though it is not always the case it is sometimes significant.

I have been given a glucose metre by the hospital consultant and she wants me to do readings 4times a day.

 

[DianeS]

I've just completed one full month with the glucose meter...... made up a spreadsheet of the results, and worked out my average reading is 6.3 (for July)... I'm pretty happy with that, as at diagnosis it was 11.5.. I'm hoping I can stay off any drugs and just keep working with the diet and exercise. In total now I've lost 18lb, dropped down 2 dress sizes. Official HbA1C on August 19th..... fingers crossed...... (of course the bread thing didn't help)...

 

[DianeS]

Have you checked out the recent thread that’s called McDonald’s spike? Interesting links on there where a non diabetic was wearing a cgm. You might find it quite reassuring.

Yes, I did read that - and yes it was a bit worrying for that sort of food.