First time Glucose Test

[spaxman]

Hi all, got myself a blood check tester today. Checked myself with an empty stomach and it was 17mmol? This is obviously a bad score.. I've only just been diagnosed though so is this normal?

 

[Bluetit1802]

Hi all, got myself a blood check tester today. Checked myself with an empty stomach and it was 17mmol? This is obviously a bad score.. I've only just been diagnosed though so is this normal?

It is normal for you at the moment, but not acceptable. It is too high. However, don't worry, you haven't started yet and your levels will come down if you commit to a suitable diet. It isn't a sprint, it is a marathon and you need to be patient.

The NHS recommends these levels as a target to aim for initially:

Non-diabetic before meals 4 to 5.9, and at least 90 minutes after first bite under 7.8.
Type 2 diabetics before meals 4 to 7, and at least 90 minutes after first bite under 8.5.

Now you have a meter you can use it to test out your food choices. Test immediately before you eat and again 2 hours after first bite. Keep a food diary including portion sizes and record your levels alongside. Look particularly at the rise from before to after and try to keep that under 2mmol/l. Anything over 2 mmol/l and you need to look carefully at the carbs in that meal and either eliminate some or reduce the portion size.

You can also test at bedtime and again as soon as you get up (before doing anything else other than washing hands)

Once you get the hang of it and your numbers keep coming down, you can vary when you test and try testing an hour after food, or 3 hours after.

 

[spaxman]

It is normal for you at the moment, but not acceptable. It is too high. However, don't worry, you haven't started yet and your levels will come down if you commit to a suitable diet. It isn't a sprint, it is a marathon and you need to be patient.

The NHS recommends these levels as a target to aim for initially:

Non-diabetic before meals 4 to 5.9, and at least 90 minutes after first bite under 7.8.
Type 2 diabetics before meals 4 to 7, and at least 90 minutes after first bite under 8.5.

Now you have a meter you can use it to test out your food choices. Test immediately before you eat and again 2 hours after first bite. Keep a food diary including portion sizes and record your levels alongside. Look particularly at the rise from before to after and try to keep that under 2mmol/l. Anything over 2 mmol/l and you need to look carefully at the carbs in that meal and either eliminate some or reduce the portion size.

You can also test at bedtime and again as soon as you get up (before doing anything else other than washing hands)

Once you get the hang of it and your numbers keep coming down, you can vary when you test and try testing an hour after food, or 3 hours after.

Thank you so much for this advice. Really appreciated.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Thank you so much for this advice. Really appreciated.

Keep us posted on how your tests are going.

 

[Resurgam]

I was diagnosed at 17.1 but was able to drop the levels quite quickly just by eating low carb foods, avoiding things with lots of starch and sugar. Now I have normal readings, and despite eating the fats which are present on the meats I cook, putting cream in my coffee, and eating full fat yoghurt my cholesterol is a bit lower, but the ratios are good or ideal.

 

[spaxman]

Keep us posted on how your tests are going.

Will do! Thanks for the support.

 

[spaxman]

I was diagnosed at 17.1 but was able to drop the levels quite quickly just by eating low carb foods, avoiding things with lots of starch and sugar. Now I have normal readings, and despite eating the fats which are present on the meats I cook, putting cream in my coffee, and eating full fat yoghurt my cholesterol is a bit lower, but the ratios are good or ideal.

How long did it take you to get to a good level?

 

[Resurgam]

The results for cholesterol are from my 80 day after diagnosis test.
The HDL to LDL ratio was 'ideal'

 

[lowedb]

I've got my glucose down to pre-diabetic levels in four months on low carb, plus some medication. Still have the odd blip in my finger prick measurement but my HbA1c is down to 46. I need to keep doing this to get to non diabetic levels and drop the medication. I'm sure you can do the same!

 

[Julia99]

Low carb has got my levels down from 7.1 Hba1c 42- to 6.5 Hba1c 39 in 4 months. My blood glucose meter reads slightly higher as my fasting bloods are always 7 or slightly higher