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Night nurse

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Type 2
Hi everyone, I was diagnosed with type 2 last year and so, rarely new to managing my diabetes. Already been told I have some nerve damage to my feet and my second visit to the eye screening found I have early Retonopathy, So, I do not appear to be managing very well. But, it is early days and I am trying hard to do the right thing especially my dietary requirements.
I am confused about whether to test my glucose levels or not. My diabetic nurse says not necessary but my friend with 30+ years of diabetes 2 says I should be monitoring my levels in order to manage my dietary intake. Perhaps someone can explain this so I can do the right thing.
 
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Welcome to the forum @Night nurse . I am pleased that you have found us.

How are managing your Diabetes? Are you on medication or managing with changes to diet and exercise?
If you have any questions, just ask. Nothing is considered silly on here and there is a wealth of experience to tap into.
 
The vast majority of people here on the forum who have been successful in managing their Type 2 diabetes well and/or pushing it into remission would advocate for self testing as an invaluable tool in tailoring your diet to your particular body's response to foods. We often liken not testing to driving without a speedometer. BG levels fluctuate day and night in response to a large number of factors but food, exercise and medication are the main 3 that you have control over. Being able to see which foods cause your levels to spike high and which you can get away with means that you can adjust what you eat to get optimum results meal by meal. Once you find a repertoire of meals which work well for your boy and you enjoy, then you only need to test new foods/meals. It really is an eye opener and even between one person and another it varies a lot, so some people find porridge is a great breakfast option which is slow release (and promoted by the NHS for Type 2 diabetes) when others of us find it is like rocket fuel and sends our levels into orbit. Some fine bread is an issue but can get away with a couple of roast potatoes, whilst others can manage a slice or two of seeded bread, but a jacket potato (even a small one) causes a massive spike and lets not talk about beans and lentils. My body manages to extract nearly twice as much glucose rom them as they are supposed to contain whereas other people find them a great choice.

The important thing to understand is that your tablets alone will not manage your diabetes and you need to make lifestyle changes too. Diabetes is quite invisible..... until it is too late and you develop issues with your sight or neuropathy or kidney disease. Testing enables you to "see" your diabetes in numbers and take action to manage it. It is also motivating to see the changes that you make with food and exercise bringing your levels down and conversely, it discourages your from eating the problematic stuff when you see your levels sky rocket..... I still remember the night shortly after diagnosis when I ate a whole sharing bag of Jacobs Salt and Balsamic Vinegar crackers and my levels hit 27 and I had to spend all night drinking pint after pint of water to flush the glucose out to bring it down because at that level it is dangerously high and I was mortified that I would end up in A&E because I had been a glutton and eaten way too much of something I shouldn't! I didn't get much sleep that night from drinking and weeing but I managed to get it down to 22 by morning. I think of that occasion 4 years ago every time I pass them in the supermarket and it prevents me putting them in my basket! 🙄

So, YES, home testing can be invaluable provided that you have a strategic plan for testing and using the results to modify your diet and motivate you to exercise.
 
Thank you Barbara, I was sure I should be testing. I even bought the testing kit and began before a meal then two hours after a meal and found my glucose levels to be between 8 and 10 but on telling my diabetic nurse that I was doing this, she told me I didn’t need to test that the tablet I was taking would keep my levels stable. I didn’t want to doubt her advice but when my experienced friend gave me similar advice to what you have given me, I am now going to test every day.
I would just like to say that although I was only diagnosed last year, I believe myself that I have had diabetes for the 2 years preceding then and never got tested because of the Pandemic of Covid. So, if true it has not been monitored very much, hence probably why I now have complications of nerve damage and eye problems. I also have heart failure and having a pacemaker fitted in a few weeks time, when I am hoping to feel more able to excercise better to try to lose some weight.
 
SB2015 said:
Welcome to the forum @Night nurse . I am pleased that you have found us.

How are managing your Diabetes? Are you on medication or managing with changes to diet and exercise?
If you have any questions, just ask. Nothing is considered silly on here and there is a wealth of experience to tap into.
Click to expand...
Hi, I do not appear to be managing very well because the diabetic nurse says I have neuropathy in my feet and my second eye screening has found that I-have early retinopathy and need monitoring. I try hard to eat the correct food with help from diabetic UK but I believe I have had diabetes a much longer time before diagnosis. I blame the Coronavirus pandemic for this. I am taking Linagliptin 5mg daily but I also take 11 other tablets for other health problems including heart failure for which I am having a pacemaker fitted in 3 weeks time. I am hopeful my health will improve and I am able to manage my diabetes better also.
 
You are taking a lot of medication so do need to be cautious when making dietary changes but this link https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/ may give you a better understanding of a way forward with making some changes as more than 8-8.5 mmol/l 2 hours post meal is not what you want to be having too frequently. The medication is not a magic bullet and dietary changes are also needed.
Testing not only tells you what is is wiser not to eat but tells you what you can eat without your blood glucose increasing by more than 2-3mmol/l 2 hours post meal.
 
Plus, if you can get your blood glucose generally nearer to what it would optimally be - you have far more chance of recovering really well from the operation!
 
Welcome to the forum @Night nurse

Sorry to hear about the changes you are experiencing with your eyes, and the nerve pain that has already begun. Hopefully with the benefit of using your glucose monitor (some here liken not checking BG levels as like driving without a speedometer, and hoping you don’t get a speeding ticket at the end of the year!) you will be able to fine-tune your menu and stabilise your BG levels more in range - which some forum members find help with managing nerve pain, and reducing progression of any complications.

Let us know how you get on 🙂
 
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