New, grumpy and confused !

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lol thanks for the warning Trophywench !

I am trying to cut down on carbs, i've cut out all sweets, chocolate, juice, anything sweet actually and other snacks like crips, etc

but the carbs are proving difficult. by the time i get home in an evening i'm starving, i think also the long gap between lunch and dinner isnt helping anything, but i'm a carer as well as working full time so its 7-8pm when i get in and i just want food. i know all about the subsitutues, zuccinni pasta, califlower rice, etc (i did atkins on and off for years) but noting beat stew and dumpings :(

i am still losing weight but only now about a pound a week but seeing as my bloods can only be better than they were i'm not worrying about that, but at that rate its gonna take me 36 weeks to get to rubenesque 🙄
 
anybody use any of these apps for tracking your glucose levels?
i downloaded one to my ipad and have been filling it on there, with the thought that i could take my ipad and show the nurse at my next appointment, in a much easier format, all my readings.

but i just realised its syncing with a main website, so i dont even need to have my ipad on me, i can log onto the website on a pc and see all my readings and graphs, etc.

but the main thing i realised is i could give nurse the log in and she could view them when ever she wanted, rather than her ringing me every other day while i'm at work and cant remember my last few readings.
 
clairemm said:
anybody use any of these apps for tracking your glucose levels?
i downloaded one to my ipad and have been filling it on there, with the thought that i could take my ipad and show the nurse at my next appointment, in a much easier format, all my readings.

but i just realised its syncing with a main website, so i dont even need to have my ipad on me, i can log onto the website on a pc and see all my readings and graphs, etc.

but the main thing i realised is i could give nurse the log in and she could view them when ever she wanted, rather than her ringing me every other day while i'm at work and cant remember my last few readings.
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Not all HCPs (healthcare professionals) are happy looking at output from the myriad applications available as they need to know how to interpret the information. If it is well-written then things should be obvious, but I would be prepared to have to explain stuff however obvious it may appear! 🙂
 
clairemm said:
anybody use any of these apps for tracking your glucose levels?
i downloaded one to my ipad and have been filling it on there, with the thought that i could take my ipad and show the nurse at my next appointment, in a much easier format, all my readings.

but i just realised its syncing with a main website, so i dont even need to have my ipad on me, i can log onto the website on a pc and see all my readings and graphs, etc.

but the main thing i realised is i could give nurse the log in and she could view them when ever she wanted, rather than her ringing me every other day while i'm at work and cant remember my last few readings.
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Hi Claire,

I use an App called OnTrack which is only available for Android, I find it easier to record on my phone rather than my iPad as I always have my phone with me and not always the iPad. I love it and my DSN has been fine about seeing my data on it, but as Northener says it will depend a lot on the HCP (my DSN is great!)

Which apple app are you using, I've tried a couple but didn't really like any of them as much as OnTrack.
 
i'm using glucose buddy and the thing about having it on my phone only occured to me yesterday, so i downloaded it to that but the phone app doesnt sync to pc/ipads yet ! so its no good to me, as ive got less than 2 weeks of data i might have a look at OnTrack and start again. Thanks
 
Thanks Clairemm for your support. I have realised that it is up to me to do the running on my diagnosis. I can't have an appointment until the week after next, they apologised and said there just aren't any to be had and I can't be classed as an emergency. I have decided on a low carb diet as I need to loose weight. I have lost 1.5 kg in three weeks. I have one apple each day and a handful (about 6 nuts) when I need a snack. Maybe you could try one of them when you get home and can't have your dinner right away? I have bought the kit to do blood monitoring which arrived today and will start tomorrow. I bought a Bayer Next as trawling on internet said it was most accurate and I can download the data to my computer and take a report with me. I am hoping that I can get the strips on prescription. I have found out that there is a diabetes clinic at the local hospital so I am going to ask about that when I see the nurse. I need to take control because my practice are talking about 6 monthly visits which won't give me information very often. Fortunately I don't feel ill, just get tired rather quickly. I am luck because I work from home so I can do my hours when I like. Hope things improve for you.
 
i too am fairly newly diagnosed as Type 2 and I had lost 2 stone over approx 9 months without dieting - was told definity one of the signs. By diet and medication I am now registering 5's, 6's and the occasional 4.? just got 2nd H1bac result - diagnosis was 14 now 6 weeks in is 9.2 - next test in 4 weeks time - looking for 7 or below!hopefully!.. have found fish puts levels back up high so will avaid in future. spagetti bolognase is really good with wholmeal pasta too (and fry but not good for chloesterol!)

Hope you sort yourself out soon - testing is the only way to gauge progress.
 
thanks Lindapalk, nice to know what?s achievable, because I?m trying not to give up on testing my bg at the moment. I got a right telling off from my nurse yesterday because I?ve used the tub of test strips they gave me, even though I pointed out I have paid for another tub myself because I know they are very strict with prescriptions for strips. but she had a right go at me!

"why have you used so many!?" (because my readings are high and they aren?t coming down and i was worried)

"the metformin can take 2 to 3 months to get in your system so your reading will still be high" (you never told me that, I?ve been really worried as it?s been nearly a month now and thought it should be working)

"when have you been testing?" (before eating and 1 hour and 2 hours after eating)

"don?t waste strips testing after eating that info I no used to us" (you never told me that either, when YOU gave me the bg monitor you never gave me any information at all on when to test)

so I?m feeling pretty pi$$ed off now, feel like a week of conscientious testing and logging has been a waste of time and feel guilty that I?ve wasted nhs money, but I have actually found the after food reading very helpful, its helped me identify some apparently healthy foods that cause a massive spike in my bg.

I just can?t get my head round that massive difference in the advice given by the professionals and advice given by the people on here actually living with and successfully controlling the condition. I can see me having very different ideas on how to treat this than the nhs issued-abc?s of diabetes. I?ve just had to go and do a shop again, because they told me wholemeal bread, potatoes and pasta with everything, but g.i. for dummies arrived yesterday and said very different.

Basically, am grumpy again, which is how this threaded started off lol
 
You are right to be grumpy.

And that's one of the reasons forums like this are so successful - for us all to let of steam when we need too instead of kicking the cat.

However if we all did that, and had done so every time we felt grumpy with the NHS by now, I have to say, it would have had the same effect on them so far ! However, there would have been an absolute epidemic of cats with damaged kidneys. Which is not to be recommended.

However thinking about it, perhaps the RSPCA would launch an investigation into the poor cats and when they found out why - maybe the NHS might sit up and take notice?

OTOH, I'm given to understand that if you have a diabetic dog the vet's advice has long been to curb the carbs because Canine Diabetes is apparently more akin to T2, and some if not all of em are on insulin.

So probably not. I mean what ridiculous advice. Those dogs will be dying of heart attacks instead, won't they? Cos that's what always happens to diabetics of any species when they don't eat enough carbs isn't it? :D

Hope that's given you a laugh and cheered you up!

Take a BIG breath and have a go at cutting out the middle-man once you are calmer. ie go and see the Doctor, not the nurse.

They CAN prescribe strips notwithstanding edicts from the PCT that say they can't. They may well have to justify it to the PCT; tough ! My PCT makes their GPs justify every single prescription for a diabetic that gets more than 100 strips a month as a matter of course. This is always met by a Deep Sigh from the Diabetes GP, his boss takes it as I see it, as a challenge to his intelligence and clinical expertise - Which of their boxes shall I tick? Let's tick this one .... LOL

The makers of Metformin will be surprised to discover their drug takes 'months' to get working. They have evidence to show that it's nearer a few weeks - 3 weeks is usually quoted!

You could have some Fun and ask the Pharmacist how long it takes to work? Then when you see the doctor you can tell him what the nurse said and that you don't think she's very good because ........
 
well i found something all newbies should be warned about.
diabetic chocolate!!!

oh my lord, i only had a few pieces. it shouldnt be legal to sell something that can do that to your stomach 😱

was thorntons brand to, so not cheap rubbish. wont be trying it again though, branded or otherwise lol
 
clairemm said:
well i found something all newbies should be warned about.
diabetic chocolate!!!

oh my lord, i only had a few pieces. it shouldnt be legal to sell something that can do that to your stomach 😱

was thorntons brand to, so not cheap rubbish. wont be trying it again though, branded or otherwise lol
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Sorry, we should have told you about that! 😱 I agree that it should not be sold as suitable for diabetics - far better to have a little of the real thing in moderation. High cocoa content chocolate is the best. 🙂

I wrote a poem about 'diabetic' food, specifically 'Diabetic Jam' :D
 
hmmm few ups and downs in the last week or so, and am having trouble avoiding getting a bit down about how my bg still sometimes shoot up when I?m eating far better. And then i think it?s getting me down now so imagine in ten years ! which doesn?t help. keep reminding myself that today choices do make a difference and it?s not like breaking a 'diet diet' where I can start again tomorrow.

the office sugar police are annoying me a bit too, offering me sweets, buns and biscuits and AFTER I?ve said "no thank you" they say "oh yeah you can?t have that" I would never dream of saying that to anyone, diabetic or otherwise, everyone?s choice are their own.

in some way being at work helps, as it adds structure to my day, meaning I test very regularly (i?ve programmed reminders into my computer calendar) but the fact I?m a buyer means I get sent goodies to butter me up ! (biscuits from the stationers, chocolates and alcohol from the steel yards and last week jelly beans !!! from a powder coating company !)

but on the up side I?ve started walking home from work, rather than waiting in the local shopping centre for a lift from my husband, so I?m saving a fortune avoiding boredom spending and get a 2-5 mile walk each day and still get home at the same time 🙂 my weight loss has slowed down to about 1 pound a week, but the walking seems to be really toning me up, I?ve had to send 2 lots of clothes back to the catalogue coz I order one size smaller and now need 2 sizes smaller. I?m currently wearing jeans for the first time in about 15 years (I bloody love pockets by the way, elasticised trouser and shapeless dresses don?t have them) and instead of having to take my wedding ring off as soon as I get in coz it?s too tight, I?m actually in danger of losing it, so it?s gonna have to go to jewellers to be made smaller.

oh and vanity aside I?ve just being playing with my glucose buddy app and it?s just told me that my average bg has gone down from 10.5 to 9.2. No gold stars just yet I know, but it?s the bg reading that really get me down coz in isolation it just seems like they are no better, but a statistic like that has just really cheered me up 🙂
😎
 
Claire, it sounds like you are making some really good progress - well done! 🙂 The better levels will come, don't worry. There will always be times when you get unexpected highs and you just have to chalk them down to the Diabetes Fairy if no other explanation can be found 🙂
 
using this forum just proves to me that i use facebook too much, i really wanted to 'like' the diabetes fairy comment
 
Claire, sounds like your making progress in the right direction, try not to be too tough on yourself. I know when I started, I got quite down about my readings not being in the 4-8 range, and it took me several weeks before I got there. Now >85% of my readings in the last month are in that range, and I've only been at it 6 months.

The app is a great motivator, I really like checking my stats on the app and setting myself a little improvement! I think I mentioned the app I use (OnTrack) one of the things I love is the estimated HbA1C, I've managed to get mine down to 6.0 from 12.0 six months ago, can't wait to find out if its accurate, have bloods taken next week (last time it predicted 9.1 and I actually got 9.2 so I'm hoping for near the 6.0 predicted)

Keep going the way your going, you'll get there 🙂

PS I wanted to Like your comment about wanting to Like 🙂
 
Hi Robofski, thanks for the reply, six month huh? here was me thinking this balancing act was going to take years.
i hope you get your 6 🙂
 
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