Blood sugars still high

[Poppy62]

I have recently been diagnosed with Type 2. A month ago my blood sugar was 25. I was put on gliclazide and then metformin on a gradually increasing dose. My readings on wakings have never been less than 8 and after meals anywhere between 10 and 14. I feel quite depressed - am I expecting improvements too quickly? I am experimenting with foods, trying to see what causes spikes.

 

[PatsyB]

I am sure your levels will drop soon and after reading some of the information on this forum....

 

[Nuthead]

The meds can take a while to have an effect. I have found the book carbs & Cals available from this website's online shop or Amazon the be a brilliant visual aid to different foods and nutritional information. Also available as an app. You are only at the beginning of the wild and wacky unpredictable learning curve of diabetes. Ask any questions and somebody here usually knows the answer

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Can you let us know your BMI and age. Occasionally GPs mis-diagnose Late oneet T1 as T2 if you are slim and possibly young. If you have excess weight, then the low-carb diet will help as will Metformin. This can take weeks for diet and Metformin. Gliclazide only really helps if your pancreas is failing due to T1 type problems as it stimulates the pancreas. If it is going to help it should do this within a day or so (GPs often say months but I can see no reason for that if you look at how it works)

 

[Poppy62]

My BMI is 26 and I am 62. My doctor says the gliclazide is temporary and he will prescribe something else as well as the Metformin when I see him next week.

 

[chris555]

are you excersing properly as well this will bring down blood sugar and the extra muscle will help keep it down

 

[Poppy62]

I usually exercise well for my age, mainly walking but quite long distances in places like Dartmoor. Lately not at all because the diabetes is playing havoc with my vision.

 

[Poppy62]

Wow! Had a low carb lunch of cheese and spinach omelette. 3 hours later I am 5.2! I've never been less than 8 before.

 

[Robbity]

The best way to get your glucose levels down is definitely to watch the carbs - as you've just discovered. Just try to avoid all the obvious high sugar, starchy stuff and you should see a huge difference, then you can start "fine tuning" your diet.

Medications such as metformin aren't necessarily going to help dramatically - so don't expect miracles from them.

Your vision should improve too once you get your levels down.

Robbity

 

[mekalu2k4]

bmi of 26 at your age is ok, and that you are exercising now and then. So no need to panic or get depressed. You need to fine tune your diet to suit your body. Spinach omlette/cheese is great breakfast - preferred by most athletes. Very good choice. Re high BS readings: random, unexplained variations should not be a concern - unless they persist beyond 24 hours. But you have to be watchful, since your eyes are bothering you. Get them tested.

Try to reduce your bmi down to 24. This will make a significant difference, hence should be one of your goals.

Good luck

 

[kesun]

My BMI is 26 and I am 62. My doctor says the gliclazide is temporary and he will prescribe something else as well as the Metformin when I see him next week.

Hi Poppy,

Doctors tend not to consider anything other than T2 if you're diagnosed older than your thirties. But this is being shown more and more often to be mistaken, as older T2s turn out to be have LADA, MODY or mitochondrial forms of diabetes. One doctor told me I couldn't possibly have MODY as I was over 25 at diagnosis, but now the guidelines have changed to include all ages. The main reason it's important to distinguish what type you have is so that you get the right medication. For example, many LADAs have been given metformin that they don't need instead of insulin that they do.

However, every type is helped by cutting down on carbs, so you're absolutely doing the right thing.

Kate

 

[Poppy62]

I had toast for breakfast and 2 hours later my reading was over 13. I have my answer! I have an eye appointment soon and once my eyes are back to normal I will start my daily walks again. I used to do 3 miles every day, quite hilly so will start that again.

 

[Sid Bonkers]

But you have to be watchful, since your eyes are bothering you. Get them tested.

Hi Poppy definitely DO NOT get your eyes tested as it is quite normal to experience blurred vision at diagnosis and it is your high blood glucose (BG) levels causing a build up of pressure behind the eyes this distorts the lens and in turn causes blurred vision, as soon as your bg levels drop to an acceptable level so your eyesight should return to normal.

I had to wear reading glasses to drive after stabalising my bg levels, it lasted as I recall for about a month to six weeks for my eyesight to return to normal, but it did so try not to worry.

If you have your eye sight checked now any glasses prescription will be wrong and a waist of money in a mater of weeks so wait before booking an eye test.

As part of your ingoing diabetes care program you should be booked in to have an annual retinopathy eye test and they usually do a quick eye test then and let you know if you need to see an optician for long/short sight or reading glasses.

 

[lovinglife]

Totally agree with Sid, I had my eyes tested just before diagnosis and had to fork out again 3 months later for new glasses as my eyes adjusted to my reduction in BS - try to bear with it I would give it at least 3 months before buying any prescription glasses making sure your BS is stabilised

Reducing your carbs is a good idea and using your meter to test after meals to get the level of carbs you can cope with, you are doing well already discovering foods that spike you