I recently realised I'd better start to take my diabetes more seriously. I'm 67, live in France and don't have access, as far as I can see, to a diabetic nurse / specialist. I'm testing my blood and although I understand the ranges, I don't know what I am meant to do if I am outside them, especially if it's high. If it's low and I get a bit shaky etc I drink full fat Coke and that usually sorts it. What should I do if the reading is high, for instance 10.0? So ... help, please.
-
Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
Responding to test results
- Thread starter Ches
- Start date
- Status
Ralph-YK
Much missed Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
First, what scale is your meter using. Figures below are those I've seen used for in England
Test before and after eating. That way you can see what effect food has, along with any changes you make. The to aim for figures is 5-7 before eating. Max 8.5/9 after eating. Or a max rise of 3 (?).
4 and lower is a hypo.
Test before and after eating. That way you can see what effect food has, along with any changes you make. The to aim for figures is 5-7 before eating. Max 8.5/9 after eating. Or a max rise of 3 (?).
4 and lower is a hypo.
Hi, and thanks. I live in France all the time. I take shedloads of medication for all sorts of stuff but I think the ones related to diabetes are Metformin 1000, Janumet 50mg/100 x 2, sdz-pregabalin 150 mg x 2, laroxyl 50 mg. Thanks again. 🙂
Martin Canty
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi @Ches
Not much you can do if your numbers are high except wait it out, drink plenty of water & go for a walk..... it's not like when you are low you can do an immediate correction... You just have to wait for the glucose to metabolize out. However, it is useful to consider what might have caused them to go high, then you can avoid that food in the future.
Not much you can do if your numbers are high except wait it out, drink plenty of water & go for a walk..... it's not like when you are low you can do an immediate correction... You just have to wait for the glucose to metabolize out. However, it is useful to consider what might have caused them to go high, then you can avoid that food in the future.
Hello 'Davein'. Thanks very much. You have given me somewhere to start, and I feel a bit more in charge. I'll keep a diary of what I eat and the 'scores on the doors' 90 minutes later and adjust accordingly. Also noted, drink plenty of water and do some exercise. I'll try both and look at the results etc. Thanks again. Sorry to take more of your time but ... do you know where I can get a conversion chart from mmol/l to mg/dl?
trophywench
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi Ches - could be, cos Metformin definitely for T2, also Janumet (which is a mixture of Metformin and Sitagliptin where both are T2 drugs but does mean you take more than 1000mg Metformin a day) then Pregabalin is one of the drugs given when someone has neuropathy pain, and the neuropathy (nerve damage pain) might be caused by diabetes and too high BG for too long, and although Laroxyl isn't the first drug I'd expect to see on a 'Diabetes drug' list - cos it isn't it's most obvious use, it can be prescribed in cases of neuropathy. Not being medically qualified whatsoever I wouldn't know!
A couple of questions please - what's your current HbA1c and how often does that get checked in France plus are you getting all the add-on tests we get in the UK when we have diabetes - eg foot checks (pulses and feeling in the feet) retinal photography, Urea & Creatinine blood tests, lipids ?
Do you restrict the amount of carbohydrate you eat and are the '10s' after you eat or at other times?
Are you able to take regular exercise?
Nosey, aren't I? LOL
A couple of questions please - what's your current HbA1c and how often does that get checked in France plus are you getting all the add-on tests we get in the UK when we have diabetes - eg foot checks (pulses and feeling in the feet) retinal photography, Urea & Creatinine blood tests, lipids ?
Do you restrict the amount of carbohydrate you eat and are the '10s' after you eat or at other times?
Are you able to take regular exercise?
Nosey, aren't I? LOL
trophywench
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
PS - mmol/L to mg/dL - divide by 18 ! 180 of the first ones are 10 of the second and vice versa.
Grogg1
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I find even 15 minutes of pilates exercises reduce my BG quite quickly. You can find free beginners videos online or look into joining a class. It's amazing how hard you work just lying on the floor! Because you are concentrating on holding your core muscles and doing small strong lifts it's fabulous exercise. Even my hubby a fan and he now goes to Pilates twice a week and Yoga twice a week!
Martin Canty
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Multiply or divide by 18 depending on which way you are going.... I do it so often that I think I pretty much have all the conversions memorized....
Mark Parrott
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi Ches. All carbs will raise your blood sugars, such as bread, rice, pasta & potatoes. Try to cut down on these if you haven't done already. Some meds can cause hypos, so you may still need some carbs to avoid hypos. It's all a balancing act.🙂
Hello 'Trophywench'. Thanks for this. Your the kind of nosey I like! You're correct in your reasoning behind my drugs.
My current HbA1c is 7,24% (56 mmol/mol) and 6 months ago was 6,43 % (47 mmol/mol). These are results from a French lab so things are perhaps written differently. I do get Creatinine tests. (74,00 ?mol/l {8,36 mg/L} and 6 months ago 85,00 /mol/L {9,61 mg/L}) urea, lipids etc etc (results available but don't want to bombard you!) and a retinopathy test every 2 years. Nobody checks my feet other than my GP if I ask, and he doesn't do a sensitivity test. There's no diabetic nurse system here, or diabetic specialists, as far as I can see, though there is a system whereby a 'normal' / general nurse will come to your house every two days if necessary. With me it is at the moment as I have a wound in my foot which is taking months to heal due to the neuropathy and we have now agreed that I'll stop walking my dogs - my wife will do it - because otherwise it will never heal.
With regard to carbs etc, I am just now commencing a diabetes friendly diet because I'm 182 cm tall and weigh a disgusting 112 kg. Suddenly I hate it and am determined to sort myself out.
What are the 10s?
Hope all this info isn't too much!
Thanks. You're a diamond. 🙂
Thanks very much Martin. Noted. 🙂
Hi Mark. Thanks very much for this. I'll work on avoiding them. It appears that low carb 'diets' / life style changes are the way to go. 🙂
Martin Canty
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
That's the way that so many of us have gone & a lot of us have had spectacular results.
Hi Martin. I think I've learned enough to be truly impressed. 🙂 It's also hopeful ... I want to feel I can do something which will make a difference and, perhaps somewhat ludicrously, make me feel I'm in charge!
trophywench
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
These 10s, Ches LOL
Here's a guide about testing your BG, reviewing the results and adjusting to eliminate or at the very least reduce those that are too high.
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.co.uk/2006/10/test-review-adjust.html
Some very useful things for us on Alan S's blog, apart from this one.
Hi again. This looks really useful. I really appreciate your help and time. Thanks very much. 🙂
- Status