Ist test results back!

[Pinklady680]

Hi, hope everyone had a good christmas and new year!!

Well have my results from my first tests

HBa1 is 6.6% - very chuffed, I know I didn't have diabetes in Aug as I had a blood test then.
Blood pressure is 140/85, slightly high I believe?
LDL cholesterol is 3.8
HDL cholesterol is 0.83, low I believe?

The doctor also checked my weight, I need to lose about 3 stone, she checked my feet, in between toes, senses with a tickly thing, and pulses in my foot!

I am been referred for my eyes, I have an appointment on the 26th Jan for a diabetic clinic, it states it will take about 3 hrs, advice on diet/diabetes etc, ooh and the nurse has just rang me today for an appointment for a flu jab? Anyone had it, do you get side effects?

I think thats all what happened anyway, she asked to see me in a month, just to check everything is ok, and I'll have my HBa1/cholesterol etc done again in 3 months.

As for christmas, I wasn't brilliant but I wasn't half as bad as I would normally be, I have taken to walkingthe dog for 1 1/2 hrs a day, it killed me at first but is getting alot easier, I can't seem to get my morning sugar lower than 7.2, the highest in a morning is 7.9 it varies!

Take care

Julie

 

[Madame P]

Hi Pinklady680

Wish my HBA1c was 6.6 but then again I was diagnosed eight years ago. It's now 7.7 which has gone down with loads of medication help. Unlikely you will have any side effects from the flue jab except maybe a little lump on the arm that is injected (and you don't usually feel much more than a small prick when the needle goes in either).

Sounds like you're already taking this very seriously - being not brilliant but not as bad as you usually would be is in my opinion a good start. You can't just change your life all at once when it may involve an awful long list so change a little at a time and be pleased with each step you take in the right direction (whilst remembering you are human so if occasionally at Christmas or Easter you have a little lapse remember your achievements and build again on them once these particular days are over with).

 

[cugila]

Julie.
Good advice from MP.....

With regards to the Flu Jab, there is an extensive thread dealing with the 'Flu Jab 2010' in General Chat. See here:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=16964&hilit=flu#p154418

What are the pre-bedtime numbers like, that will have a bearing on the Bg number in the morning.

As a Diabetic it is recommended that you should try and get BP levels down below 130/80 if you can.

 

[Pinklady680]

Hi Madame P,
Thanks for the advice, I had the flu jab, was ok, just a little lump on my arm, I don't normally get flu, even when the family do, but better to be safe than sorry. Good luck in keeping yours down, 7.7 isn't bad after 8 years is it, my dads is higher, but he does seem to have regular treats, maybe thats why he has lost both of his legs as you don't really see the damage until its too late, I've only just found this out after doing my own research, hence why I am really wanting to keep it down, as I am scared I will end up like my dad.

Cugila,
I don't normally take it before bed, just morning, before meals and 2 hrs after my meals, but after posting this I have had two morning readings of 6.8 yesterday and 6.7 this morning , so really pleased hope it keeps getting lower, as for my blood pressure, I realise it is too high, I've swapped to lower salt and am now walking at least for 1 1/2 hrs a day, must admit it killed me at first but it is getting easier and I'm not getting as out of breath as quickly as I was at first!

Julie

 

[cugila]

Cugila,
I don't normally take it before bed, just morning, before meals and 2 hrs after my meals, but after posting this I have had two morning readings of 6.8 yesterday and 6.7 this morning , so really pleased hope it keeps getting lower, as for my blood pressure, I realise it is too high, I've swapped to lower salt and am now walking at least for 1 1/2 hrs a day, must admit it killed me at first but it is getting easier and I'm not getting as out of breath as quickly as I was at first!

Julie

Julie.
I am slightly confused....... :? What don't you take ? I was just wondering what your pre bed levels were as they will have a 'knock on' effect to the morning levels. I don't think I mentioned medication ?

Basically if your level is low before bed, then you might 'liver dump' during the night and that will increase your morning levels without any food/drink, also known as the dawn phenomenon.
That's why it pays to have a slightly higher bedtime reading to counteract that effect, leading to lower morning readings.

Glad to hear you are attacking the BP issue.

 

[Pinklady680]

Sorry Cugila, I meant I don't take my glucose reading before bed, I have just taken it tonight though and it is 10.2 at the minute, it was 9.3 two hours after tea, this liver dumping sounds very odd, does it mean that if your sugar goes too low your liver dumps glucose, apologies for not understanding :?

Thanks for your patience

Julie

 

[cugila]

No problems Julie.

A simple explanation......
What happens, is if your blood glucose level drops too low then your body starts to think it is in danger and to protect itself, particularly the brain of which the preferred fuel is glucose, the liver will 'dump' glucose into the bloodstream, thereby elevating the levels to a more normal level. During this process you would probably get the symptoms of a hypo. (Documented elsewhere)

As a Type 2 this should happen automatically. The level that you can drop down to before this happens will vary in each individual. My own level when this happens seems to be around 2 mmol/l. I tried this out for an experiment once......I felt bl**dy awful for about an hour or so until the levels came back up without any intervention on my part. I don't recommend you try it !

Hope that helps.........

You should take the pre bed reading immediately before you get into bed, then compare the morning reading immediately on waking. During the night it is termed the Dawn Phenomenon when glucose is dumped into the bloodstream to prepare you to kill a mammoth when you start your day ! Either that or nip down to Tesco and murder a breakfast ! It just gives you energy to kickstart the engine.....your body. Liver Dump and DP are essentially the same sort of process, just at different times of the day/night.

 

[Pinklady680]

Cugila,
Thankyou so much for the reply, I now understand it, our bodies are very odd things for sure! Will definately start taking my readings before bed as well now.

Thanks again