Test Results - one week in!

[CycleShell]

Hi,

I came here about 10 days ago and asked about test meters - got some useful advice (thank you), bought a meter, and have been testing multiple times per day since. (The background is - I'd been tested at the Drs with a HbA1c reading of 66 and told to go away for 4 months to see if I can get it down through diet before they test again and potentially give me a diagnosis of Type 2.)

I've been pleasantly surprised at my test results, I think they are sort of okay - based on what the website says are "normal" and the advice on here to look for a post-meal rise of less than 3 - but I wanted to run them past some peeps with more experience in case I'm missing something crucial. I won't give you the whole detailed breakdown (unless someone really wants it!) as there are definite patterns, so I can summarise as follows:

Waking = somewhere between 7.5 and 8.5 (for the first few days I tested after showering/dressing/making breakfast, and it was 9+ but then I read that it should be done when you first get up, so I changed to doing that - I hope that's right?)
2 hours after breakfast = this is probably the biggest range, but mostly under 8 - one day I was running late and had toast for breakfast and that day it was 9.4, but most of the time it's around 7-8, a couple of days it has been 5.1.
Before lunch it normally drops to 5.something, a couple of times it has been just over 6
2 hours after lunch it's between 6.5 and 7.5
Before dinner it's between 6 and 7.5 - it has actually been below 6 quite a few times but that's when I have eaten later, or not had lunch (I don't often skip meals, believe me - I'm not one of those people who "forgets" to eat, but sometimes on a weekend I'll have a big breakfast and not need anything else until dinner.)
2 hours after dinner it's between 7 and 8.
I haven't done so many tests at bedtime because of days when there isn't much time between the post-dinner test and when I'm ready for bed, but the ones I have done have ranged from just below 7 to just over 8

So, my main questions for now are:
1. should I be aiming for lower numbers - at particular times of day, or just in general? I mean, I guess lower is always better with Type 2, or am I wrong about that?

2. I'm going to keep testing - but how long should I continue testing at all of these times, is there a point at which I can reduce it? (My fingers are a bit sore!)

3. If I go out to eat, or just fancy a bit of a treat, how much damage does it do to have a carb splurge, eg a pizza? Obviously I would only do this very occasionally, but is there the potential for lasting damage?

4. Is there anything else I should be thinking about? - I'm trying to eat pretty low carb, I'm using My Fitness Pal to record my food, and most days my carbs have been below 100, some days a lot less and some days a bit more. I've also tried to up my exercise - mostly cycling, which is what I enjoy and can fit in most easily. And I do seem to be losing weight at a sensible rate, although I still have lots to shift.

Thanks for reading this far - I apologise that I have gone on bit!

Any advice/comments greatly appreciated.

Michelle

 

[Leadinglights]

You seem to be doing fantastically well and the results you are getting are about what you might expect, the morning readings are often the last to come down. Once you have established that a particular food/meal is tolerated you shouldn't need to test that meal again. It is better to reduce your levels slowly to avoid any vision problems that some people get. Carry on as you are as it looks to be working for you. Once you get your repeat HbA1C after 3 months you can judge whether you need to make further adjustments. Obviously if you have something giving you more than the 3mmol/l increase then change what you have, the aim is to be nearer a 2mmol/l increase but gently does it so your body adjusts to the lower levels.

 

[CycleShell]

Thanks @Leadinglights - tbh I was quite surprised that they weren't a lot worse, but I'm trying hard not to let that make me complacent!
I've seen a couple of mentions of vision problems, I'm aware of the long-term issues for diabetics, but googling isn't really giving me much help in understanding what the impact might be in terms of more immediate issues - can you expand at all on what you mean?

 

[rebrascora]

Those are pretty great readings in terms of meal rises but it is still early days and you will gradually start to see the pre meal levels reduce over time (a few weeks) if you stick at it and you should start to see more 5s and 6s and perhaps the odd 4 sneaking in, all of which would be excellent results suggesting you are getting back towards a normal HbA1c result.

Increasing activity levels (a brisk daily walk if you haven't already adopted such a regime) will help to reduce those premeal/fasting levels.

As regards visual problems. High glucose levels can change the shape of the eye lens as the glucose concentration changes the focal length. The body gets used to this and adapts as it usually happens slowly over a period of months or even years. If you suddenly and dramatically reduce the glucose levels in a few days or weeks, the eye shape changes back to where it was but the mechanisms which deal with focus struggle to adjust to that sudden change.... In the same way as suddenly wearing someone else's glasses would make reading difficult. Sudden changes can also put pressure on the fine blood vessels in the retina and cause bleeding which can cause long or short term damage. Most of this stuff is reversible but it pays to be gentle with these delicate systems and not change things too radically too quickly, so that they have time to adjust more naturally.

 

[CycleShell]

Thanks @rebrascora - it's good to have an idea of what I'm aiming for next, I wasn't entirely sure if it's possible to get to be "normal" so that's helpful to know.

I really hate walking, but I cycle everywhere so I'm trying to increase my mileage, as well as adding back swimming and aquaerobics that I haven't been able to do for the past year. And maybe the occasional walk around the block!


That makes sense about the visual problems, I will bear that in mind - thanks for the clear explanation.

I'm so impressed with how helpful everyone is on here, and very grateful!

 

[rebrascora]

Cycling and swimming are easily as good as walking, so it sounds like you are on top of the exercise thing too.

Normal (none diabetic) levels are not always possible for everyone but I would say that the progress you have made so far would suggest that in a few weeks time you will be seeing better numbers than you are now. The pre prandial numbers and fasting readings are the ones which take longest to respond to lifestyle changes. These things take time to develop so it isn't possible to undo them overnight. Slow steady progress is what you are aiming for and it looks like you are making great progress so far.