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May I join you ...

N

NuSunse

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Pronouns
She/Her
I was a member a l-o-n-g time ago but I don't 'do' technology so here I am again after several changes of tech

Both of my parents were "late onset" as it was & of course, I inherited that along with many other family traits when diagnosed T2 twelve years ago.

Our GP practice is OK but didn't issue a BG monitor as "they were no longer necessary" so been jogging along under my own steam.

I have been fortunate to have had good Hba1C results up until last autumn when, after pre-diabetes levels I rose to 7.2 in November. I wasn't overly concerned as I hadn't been well the week before testing so I was allowed to attempt reducing BG levels via diet... guess Mother Nature has different plans for me - given weather & other issues - as my results from this week's blood test says 72!

I'm expecting a call to report to the Sar Major's office & probably get 6months on latrine duties as punishment

Now I'm off to scour the posts to gather intelligence & see if I can fathom out what went wrong
 
Welcome back @NuSunse

Hope your GP / nurse can offer you some helpful suggestions and options to improve your BG management - shame they didn’t see the value in using a BG meter to monitor the effects of different meals and menu choices. It’s such a potentially powerful technique!

If you’d value the insight of monitoring your levels, you can self fund a BG meter - the ones with the most affordable strips favoured by forum members seem to be the Spirit Tee 2, and the Contour Blue.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Welcome back @NuSunse

Hope your GP / nurse can offer you some helpful suggestions and options to improve your BG management - shame they didn’t see the value in using a BG meter to monitor the effects of different meals and menu choices. It’s such a potentially powerful technique!

If you’d value the insight of monitoring your levels, you can self fund a BG meter - the ones with the most affordable strips favoured by forum members seem to be the Spirit Tee 2, and the Contour Blue.
Click to expand...
I was just going on a hunt to see if there are any BG monitor recommendations so you are obviously a mind reader in your spare time

I've been receiving emails for DUK so I have an idea of what's been happening while I was incommunicado & decided to re-register to be in a better position to pick a few brains.

Thank you for already making me feel so welcome EveryDay & very much look forward to catching up with you & the other good folk here.
 
I would suspect that your GP will suggest medication but in the meantime there is a lot you can do by looking at your diet. Many find a low carb approach successful and this link should help you with some ideas for modifying your diet, it is based on a suggested no more than 130g carbs per day not just sugar as it is all carbohydrates that convert to glucose. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/
 
The Nurse mentioned upping my metformin or adding something else back in November... don't really want to do that as I've only just regulated my nether regions so I don't sit on the loo all day curtesy of another chronic illness or three

Dad went directly on to insulin from diagnosis (but that was in the 1980s) & Mum was tablets that took a while to sort dosages etc as they didn't play nicely with her tummy etc. I would not be surprised if I end up on insulin; I'm just so cross my innerds have ignored my efforts yet again
 
Is there a dedicated thread for dietary advice in the forums? I did see a dietician during the first few months &, to be totally truthful, that was as much help as using a sieve to carry water!
I had a list of questions but it seemed as though once begun, there was a set dialogue that couldn't be changed.
 
NuSunse said:
Is there a dedicated thread for dietary advice in the forums? I did see a dietician during the first few months &, to be totally truthful, that was as much help as using a sieve to carry water!
I had a list of questions but it seemed as though once begun, there was a set dialogue that couldn't be changed.
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I suggest you look at the link I posted as there are some menu plans there for those wishing to go down a low carb route which is one many have found successful.
There are other options, very low calorie, shakes and soups which a few people have found works as a good start but there is then a transition to a way of eating which is enjoyable and thus will be sustainable.
 
Yes, thank you Leading Lights, I have downloaded the app. I'm pretty used to reading nutritional panels on boxes as I used to do it for my parents but one of the reviews for that app said it can show bits that are not included in the displayed manufacturer's gumph.

Due to all sorts of things, my diet choices are being squeezed before I even look at dedicated weight loss - no dairy, no artificial sweetners, no sugars...the list goes on & that's not including things I just don't like; can't handle the texture of eggs & bananas for example.

I used to enjoy liver, kidneys, smoked fish etc & of course, now I've have my oily fish tastebuds renovated, there's a national shortage of sardines!

Story of my Life...
 
NuSunse said:
Yes, thank you Leading Lights, I have downloaded the app. I'm pretty used to reading nutritional panels on boxes as I used to do it for my parents but one of the reviews for that app said it can show bits that are not included in the displayed manufacturer's gumph.

Due to all sorts of things, my diet choices are being squeezed before I even look at dedicated weight loss - no dairy, no artificial sweetners, no sugars...the list goes on & that's not including things I just don't like; can't handle the texture of eggs & bananas for example.

I used to enjoy liver, kidneys, smoked fish etc & of course, now I've have my oily fish tastebuds renovated, there's a national shortage of sardines!

Story of my Life...
Click to expand...
Bananas are not a good option anyway. There is absolutely no need to eat foods you don't like just because they are in a meal plan. Just substitute ones you do like. How about mackerel instead of sardines, can you tolerate the lactose free dairy?
It is often textures that put people off things rather than flavour./
 
Hi @NuSunse and a very welcome from me too 🙂 and glad you decided to join us!
 
Well... I asked if I could put in my usual prescription as I haven't had any folow-ups on my blood test results & was told 'yeah, go ahead; looks like you'll be asked to repeat blood tests in a few weeks'.

Is 72 not as bad as reading as I imagine it to be? Must admit that I'm old school & understand 8.3 & 6.7 etc...Unless they're thinking the heat wave had some influence perhaps?

Speaking of which, have you guys tried electrolyte supplements with your water? I have a vague recollection of a home made concoction of salt & sugar I think, to take after a particularly bad sickness bug...
 
1752138762545.png

I like the chart above to get a perspective on where you are at with respect to your diabetes. If you are in the green zone, the risk of complications is so low you can consider all to be well. If you are in the red zone then the risks of complications are getting to the point where you would be well advised to do something about it PDQ. Most of us, like you, are or have been, somewhere in between and how you react to where you are will depend on lots of factors. The "official" position is that treatment should start if you are close to the edge of the green zone (HbA1c greater than 48 mmol/mol). In reality what that treatment might be is tempered by factors such as age, other medical problems, attitude of your GP surgery (that varies a lot) and your attitude to risk.

Your old reading of 7.2, which I assume is 7.2%, puts you and the edge of the green zone and your latest reading of 72, which I assume is mmol/mol, puts you in the yellow zone, bordering on amber. In answer to your question about whether 72 mmol/mol is not that bad, it is probably best to say that compared to your previous reading it is going in the wrong direction and it would be a good idea to get it going the other way. You certainly do not want it getting higher

So, not a case for jankers but you might expect a quiet word in your ear from your company commander to the effect that he has got his eye on you and would expect you to listen to the MO, to pull your socks up, and to get things under control. Probably with the odd rude word thrown in for good measure!
 
Oh wow - I've not seen that chart before; thank you  Docb! I guess seeing 72 kinda spooked me after 44yrs of under 20 readings. Dad was diagnosed T2 late Dec 1980 & went directly to insulin, & in the following 13yrs he never had a real problem with either hyper or hypos.

Mum was around 2003-ish & prescribed medication that took a bit of jiggling to suit her 'constitution' shall we say.
Both recorded their readings in little notebooks so, hence my slightly increased knowledge of T2 before my own diagnosis 2013.

Of course there have been huge advances in that time, particularly with the way foods affect BG & even then, not everyone has the same reactions to the same food.

I've always had a keen interest in human biology, & actively hunt to feed my knowledge. Currently I'm looking for recommendations for reliable book/s on nutrition to better understand how key trace elements help our bodies, particularly gut biome.
 
@NuSunce (like your username, even though it does not apply) - I don't understand the the "44yrs under 20" comment. It does not matter whether you are thinking 2% or 20 mmol/mol, it is uncommonly low. Are you sure you have got it right?

Getting the numbers properly lined up is, at least in my opinion, essential to getting to grips with and managing T2 diabetes.

Good luck with your quest to understand the effect of trace elements. Sorting the few facts from the vast body of opinion will be quite a challenge!
 
Sorry  Doc; a terrible habit of mine is - I know what I'm trying to say & think other people can fathom it out too lol.

My father was diagnosed 44yrs ago so I've been used to seeing readings of under 20 on bg monitors, especially as Mum developed cataracts later so I read the results to her.
To have that experience of readings for that long, & 72 is just scary pants territory!
 
BG meters measure capillary glucose. That is very different to the HbA1c result and the 2 things are not directly comparable but the above chart gives you a rough idea of what you might expect.... so for and HbA1c of 72, your average finger prick test is likely to be about 11mmols/L, obviously some will be a bit above and some a bit below. But BG readings of under 20mmols/L on a BG monitor is probably similar to your 72mmols/mol HbA!c result, in that your BG readings should also be almost if not exclusively below 20mmols/L, not that that is a particularly good indication of good diabetes management as ideally you would want them to be mostly under 10mmols/L
 
As regards, trace elements to keep the gut biome happy I think there is quite a wide range of tolerance. Too many carbs and processed foods definitely have a negative effect on mine and more fibre, particlarly soluble fibre seems to have a positive effect which is why I incorporate psyllium husk and chia seeds into my diet as they are low carb and high in soluble fibre.
 
@rebrascora beat me to it!

OK - the under 20's refer to finger prick readings. The finger prick reading is measuring something quite different to your HbA1c and unless you really understand what is going on you cannot convert one to the other. Generally, the 72 HbA1c is consistent with finger prick readings being quite often in the teens.

Again, to get a perspective on things, what you will be trying to get to on your finger pricking are waking readings below 8 and and readings generally being in single figures. You will be looking to get them well below 20.
 
Thank you Both for your comprehensive replies.

I do know that finger vs HbA1c results are two different animals, it was just a nasty surprise to see sch a high number!

I think I've worked out what contributed to reach that number. I have numerous other chronic conditions that each like to remind me they are still there. One of those decided to move in for the month leading to the blood test, & I was handling that flair up - as per medical advice - with dry white toast, crackers & copious volumes of bottled water. Not ideal but all I could manage...
 
rebrascora said:
As regards, trace elements to keep the gut biome happy I think there is quite a wide range of tolerance. Too many carbs and processed foods definitely have a negative effect on mine and more fibre, particlarly soluble fibre seems to have a positive effect which is why I incorporate psyllium husk and chia seeds into my diet as they are low carb and high in soluble fibre.
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hi Barbara can you tell me more about psyllium husk and what dishes to add it too i.e. can you add it to anything or just certain meals , i use chia seeds and flaxseed with my Greek yogurt and add a few spices to my dishes
 
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