Some advice please!!

[lala9]

Wow! What a lovely, helpful knowledgeable bunch you are 🙂

I have to confess to being a bit overwhelmed by all that great info, as I said, I have learning difficulties and find it hard to process information. Fortunately I have someone to help with this 🙂

Okay, so I need to get my mitts on a BG moniter, right? Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced but accurate one, please? Preferably from Amazon so I can have it super quickly..

Right, so, how do I do it? ..
.wake up - take a reading?
.take another reading before eating something?
.Another two hours later?
.If I start feeling dodgy, take a reading, and if it's high...? not sure on that one. What is too high actually..
.If it's too low, have a glucose tablet thing, or just a few jelly babies?
What happens then? Won't it just plummet again?
How do I get to the point where I just don't want sweet things? I know it's definitely possible because I did it for years by eating low glycemic foods. I know the obvious response to that is - well just do that then, but this time it's kind of a psychological/emotional eating thing tied in with poor mental health issues. Sweet food is to me, the the equivalent of alcohol to an alcoholic, so this is why I have enlisted the help of moujarno..
I just need to understand how, if when/if, my sugars are low, ( and it's not just a case of what a few people have mentioned here about higher levels feeling like the norm), if I'm taking sugar onboard regulary to counter this, how will it ever go away? When I successfully weaned myself off processed carbs and sugar, it took about 6 weeks of complete sweet stuff abstinence, and my understanding was that every time I were to have some, I was back at the start again. Are you with me?
Thanks again you guys for your help, it is SO much appreciated 🙂

 

[Inka]

The Contour Blue and Spirit Tee 2 meters are often recommended here @lala9 , as they give reliable results and the test strips are reasonably priced (some are very expensive).

You can take readings when you like, but useful ones to do are on waking (before you get out of bed), before breakfast and 2hrs after the start time of your breakfast, before lunch and 2hrs after the start time of your lunch, and the same for your evening meal. You could also test if you feel weird.

You’re unlikely to get hypos (very low blood sugar) as they’re generally caused by medication eg insulin. If you get a surprising result, wash your hands and test again to confirm it. Ideally your blood sugar would be less than 8.5 two hours after your meal. Keep records of your results and use them to find what meals work for you - ie give you good results.

 

[saffron15]

Keep a food diary. Test before your meal and 2 hours after starting eg even if you haven't finished! I eat alternatives for pasta as it hits my blood sugar and cauliflower rice or another veg for rice as they affect my bg. I eat some bread and new potatoes still. Other things I reduce portion size. The purpose of the food diary is so you can check how your body responds to particular food. I have full fat Greek yoghurt berries and nuts and seeds for breakfast. I do not test after breakfast if that is what I've had as I know how my body reacts. Once you've worked out what to eat testing first thing every day or once a week will give you an idea if your BG is reducing. The monitor is to help you. It is not to cause worry or stress. Blood in your finger flows better if they are warm. I say " huge a mug" but in the current weather probably not a problem.
I lost weight by reducing carbs and eating good fats and protein. Initially I wasn't trying to lose weight but needed to but changing what I ate resulted in steady weight loss and deadened my appetite. Do make sure you do some exercise and get advice and support as to what to eat.
@Katetype2 has been posting each week about her diabetes journey including her use of mounjaro. She started needing to lose a lot of weight and is making huge ( and sucessful) efforts with exercise.