new type 2--glucometer

[Yvcymru]

Hi all, suffered a heart attack end July 2016 with stent insertion and diagnosed type 2 at same time. hba1c initially 88, cholesterol 7.1-hba1c end October 73 (cholesterol beg. September 4.2).
Thought if I cut down a bit and ate healthily my BMs would come down and would lose some weight, but didnt work so started low carb diet. Hard to do high fat having been to slimming world in past and in view of heart problems. Do find it difficult being a carb and food in general lover. Am considering buying glucometer where finger pricking not needed. Wondered if ayone has one and how useful they are--as not cheap.
Not on any meds for DM at the moment--hoping to control with diet and checking BS after meals to see which foods to avoid completely. Thanks for any advice.x

 

[Northerner]

Hi all, suffered a heart attack end July 2016 with stent insertion and diagnosed type 2 at same time. hba1c initially 88, cholesterol 7.1-hba1c end October 73 (cholesterol beg. September 4.2).
Thought if I cut down a bit and ate healthily my BMs would come down and would lose some weight, but didnt work so started low carb diet. Hard to do high fat having been to slimming world in past and in view of heart problems. Do find it difficult being a carb and food in general lover. Am considering buying glucometer where finger pricking not needed. Wondered if ayone has one and how useful they are--as not cheap.
Not on any meds for DM at the moment--hoping to control with diet and checking BS after meals to see which foods to avoid completely. Thanks for any advice.x

Hi Yvcymru, welcome to the forum 🙂 Very sorry to hear about the heart attack, I hope you are recovering well 🙂

It sounds like you have made a good start and already showing improvements in your blood glucose control, so well done 🙂 Getting a meter to monitor the effects of different meals on your blood glucose levels is probably the best approach to gaining experience of your tolerance for different foods, allowing you to maintain maximum flexibility in your diet. I would suggest having a read of Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S to understand how to do this efficiently and effectively 🙂 If your GP or nurse won't give you a meter and prescribe strips, then the cheapest option we have come across is the SD Codefree Meter which has test strips at around £8 for 50. All meters have to conform to the same quality and accuracy standards, so better than paying the £25-£30 some brands will charge for 50 strips! 😱

As a bit of background reading I would recommend having a look at Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter, which have both been highly praised for many years, plus the excellent Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker can help guide you through these early months 🙂

If you don't already have a copy, get yourself the free '100 things I wish I'd known about diabetes' book from Diabetes UK 🙂

Please let us know if you have any questions and we will be more than happy to help 🙂 Are you on any medication for your diabetes?

 

[grovesy]

Welcome!
I noticed you stated you want a none pricking glucometer, some finger pricking is still required with them!

 

[PinkGrapefruit]

The SD code free - is about the cheapest strips. I have one, it's good.

WRT fat. I don't go out of my way to lard it up, but an omlette is fried in generous olive oil, peanut butter on low carb muffins, cheese. I still have a mental barrier to muching on a pork rind, but a bit of crispy salmon skin yum yum.

High quality fat, in moderation, with healthy veg and protein. That's my approach.

 

[Yvcymru]

thanks everyone. It's nice to be part of a group who understands.
Northener--I saw a post of yours the other day and followed advice- read the links you posted and found it all very helpful. Thought I would check bs before and after food to find out what to avoid completely. Bread and potatoes are what I miss most. Not on meds at moment--Drs would have started Metformin but I asked if I could try diet first. My blood sugar in morning is roughly between 9.5 and 11 and this is about the same. Suppose was hoping for miracle without too much effort Ha Ha!
Went to cardiac rehab and NHS dietician gives talk there. I asked about diabetes and she said "there's no special diet. They recommend the healthy plate ! Having lost 2 stone with slimming world I considered that, but you can eat as much pasta and potatoes-as well as other "free foods" -basically low fat diet and I knew that wouldn't work with the diabetes. There is so much conflicting advice around and was glad I came on here and found everyone with similar thoughts.
Grovesy--blinking heck-hardly worth buying then? I do have a glucometer at the moment but fingers getting sore. Perhaps once a day wouldn't be so bad??
Pink Grapefuit--don't think I can eat any fish skin--yuck--but i'm going to look for recipe for low carb muffins. Thanks for advice.

 

[grovesy]

Have you got the lancing device turned down to the lowest setting , use the sides of the fingers, and not thumbs or index finger! I rotate the fingers!

 

[PinkGrapefruit]

My low carb muffins;

1tbs coconut flour
1tbs ground almonds
1tbs ground flax
1tbs mixed seeds
1 pinch baking powder
1 pinch salt
1 egg
2 tbs milk
Big knob butter (1inch square)

Melt butter in 2 ramekins in micro
Make sure both nice and greased
Add butter to above and mix
Pour in and flatten
Micro for 3 min (if they need longer no worries)
Cool, slice, toast

I make them to be less than 10carbs a muffin. And you can slice them in 3. Peanut butter on top yum yum. I make a weekly batch so I can have my 0615 breakfast with minimal faff.

 

[Yvcymru]

My low carb muffins;

1tbs coconut flour
1tbs ground almonds
1tbs ground flax
1tbs mixed seeds
1 pinch baking powder
1 pinch salt
1 egg
2 tbs milk
Big knob butter (1inch square)

Melt butter in 2 ramekins in micro
Make sure both nice and greased
Add butter to above and mix
Pour in and flatten
Micro for 3 min (if they need longer no worries)
Cool, slice, toast

I make them to be less than 10carbs a muffin. And you can slice them in 3. Peanut butter on top yum yum. I make a weekly batch so I can have my 0615 breakfast with minimal faff.

Thanks so much. Actually bought coconut flour as husband wheat intolerant. Will definitely try these and let you know.x

 

[Yvcymru]

Have you got the lancing device turned down to the lowest setting , use the sides of the fingers, and not thumbs or index finger! I rotate the fingers!

using single use lancets at the moment and no settings on them. Will have to get pen I think(if not the expensive machine) . Yes using sides of fingers. I read that Cardiff uni and one in England are developing new monitors where don't have to prick fingers so maybe in future really will be without finger pricking? Thanks

 

[grovesy]

using single use lancets at the moment and no settings on them. Will have to get pen I think(if not the expensive machine) . Yes using sides of fingers. I read that Cardiff uni and one in England are developing new monitors where don't have to prick fingers so maybe in future really will be without finger pricking? Thanks

All the monitors I have had over the years have come with a lancing device and they have all had dail depth settings! I have had 4 different ones over 13 years! in fact I still have some of them!
If you search for threads contain reviews for the Libre!

 

[Yvcymru]

All the monitors I have had over the years have come with a lancing device and they have all had dail depth settings! I have had 4 different ones over 13 years! in fact I still have some of them!
If you search for threads contain reviews for the Libre!

Thank you--I will do.

 

[Northerner]

I do have a glucometer at the moment but fingers getting sore.

Might be worth looking at Painless Pricks - another little jewel of advice from Alan Shanley 🙂 Lancing devices can vary in how much they hurt. Past discussions seem to have arrived at the conclusion that the Accuchek fingerprickers are the best of the bunch, although the lancets are probably more expensive than the CodeFree ones - might be worth the investment though! I've used an Accuchek Multiclix since diagnosis 8 years ago and I'm still on the same box of lancets 😱 It's a bit of a running joke amongst diabetics that you only change your lancet on St Swithin's Day, although of course it's entirely down to the individual 🙂

Don't worry about these initial discoveries about your diet and tolerances, and your current levels - things will improve as you gain more experience, but that won't happen overnight. The aim is to find a good, flexible diet that you enjoy and find sustainable - the 'new you'! 🙂 You may be surprised at how tastes can change in the space of just a few months, and things you didn't think you could live without no longer hold any appeal 🙂 If you haven't already seen it, I'd recommend getting a copy of The GL Diet for Dummies which may help you plan meals that release energy slowly and steadily 🙂

There is a lot to learn, and quite a steep learning curve, but things will get easier if you stick with it 🙂 Plus, as your control improves you will start to feel much healthier. Diabetes is a very serious condition, but the good news is that it is eminently manageable with the right knowledge and application 🙂 You never stop learning, and ther are ups, downs, lapses, and periods of denial, but keep posting and asking questions and we'll do our best to support you whenever you need it 🙂

 

[grovesy]

I have 2 different makes of lancing devices but I have used both makes of lancets in each of them!

 

[Radders]

I'm not surprised you don't like doing blood tests if you're just using a lancet. I strongly recommend getting a finger pricker - much easier and less painful.

 

[Stitch147]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

 

[Martin Canty]

using single use lancets at the moment and no settings on them

Oh, those are brutal, worse than my spring loaded window punch.... No wonder your fingers are sore.... There are some much better adjustable ones

 

[AlisonM]

After 7 years, I'm on my second box of lancets, but that's because I change mine twice a year. I have the adjustable beasts that came with my meters and, of the two, I prefer the Abbott's one as the Bayer one seems to lose it's place so that I end up with a massive hole because it's moved to the deepest setting. I tried just using the lancet once (couldn't find the beasty when I needed it) but I'm a total wimp and fluffed it. You should definitely invest in a lancing device, they save so much pain and anguish.

 

[Martin Canty]

I change mine twice a year

Oh, I thought we were supposed to change them every 2 years..... Silly me

 

[Yvcymru]

I'm not surprised you don't like doing blood tests if you're just using a lancet. I strongly recommend getting a finger pricker - much easier and less painful.

will look into . thanks

 

[Yvcymru]

After 7 years, I'm on my second box of lancets, but that's because I change mine twice a year. I have the adjustable beasts that came with my meters and, of the two, I prefer the Abbott's one as the Bayer one seems to lose it's place so that I end up with a massive hole because it's moved to the deepest setting. I tried just using the lancet once (couldn't find the beasty when I needed it) but I'm a total wimp and fluffed it. You should definitely invest in a lancing device, they save so much pain and anguish.

thanks--will look at them.