Readings

[mandyell43]

We finally took your lots advice and bought a Codefree checker. My other half used it for the first time yesterday and his reading were 5.8 and then later on 11.8. Both were with the half apple setting. Are these good or bad? TIA. Mandy. x

 

[jack412]

here you go
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf it’s a long page and a video
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarb101/a/firstweek.htm

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbliving/a/Food-Cravings.htm because carbs don’t give up easy.

testing
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045524.php
food count
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/

 

[ally1]

5.8 is a good reading

 

[jay hay-char]

We finally took your lots advice and bought a Codefree checker. My other half used it for the first time yesterday and his reading were 5.8 and then later on 11.8. Both were with the half apple setting. Are these good or bad? TIA. Mandy. x

5.8 is good, as already mentioned 11.8 seems quite a big spike - presumably he ate something in between, which pushed his levels up a fair bit. The received wisdom on here seems to be that you should try and keep increases to less than 2 mmo/l (or whatever it's called), as well as aiming at least for the NICE guidelines of a level between 4 & 7 before a meal and less than 8.5, 2 hours after eating. However, it takes a while to get to this point, and don't be downhearted at some of the levels reported on here, which have probably been achieved after many months of diet, exercise and/or medication. I have been going at it for about three months now, and seem to get levels mostly in the mid 5s to mid 7s. However, I threw caution to the winds a couple of weeks ago and went out for a curry with some mates and was rewarded with a reading of 9.5......

 

[mandyell43]

Thanks for your replies as always. The last couple of mornings (i.e. when he's just got up) the readings have been between 7.5 and 8.3. He seems quite despondent at this. Any thoughts? x

 

[Bluetit1802]

Those are not good readings, but could be worse. He is right to be despondent.

I'm sorry but I don't know your OH's history. Has he been diagnosed as Type 2? He should ideally be aiming for under 6 first thing in the morning, although morning readings can be higher than other pre-meal levels due to various factors such as the Dawn Phenomenon (our livers can dump glucose in our system to help us start the day), or a disturbed night, or sometimes what we had for supper.

 

[sanguine]

What does your OH typically eat Mandy?

 

[mandyell43]

He is recently diagnosed with Type2 and he is trying (bless him) to eat better and to lose weight (he is 19.5 stone) but he is very fussy and won't eat any vegetables at all so it is a bit slow going tbh. He is typically eating Granary toast, tinned salmon/tuna, lots of eggs in different forms, chicken or fish for tea and the occasional glass of red wine. He does have very disturbed sleep most nights as he suffers badly from restless arms.

 

[andcol]

Hi @mandyell43 can we just pull that menu apart please because there is something missing.
Granary toast - how many slices and what does he have on it?
What does he have with his tinned salmon/tuna or is this on the granary toast?
The problem with you saying he has chicken or fish for tea is that how is it cooked (battered/breadcrumbs) and what else does he eat alongside it (potatoes of some sort may be)?
A glass of red wine possibly help with the meal.

What I suggest is write down a full days diet (include all of the little things as well such as marg or butter on the toast, tomoato ketchup...) and then we can have a look and help you both understand what is possibly pushing his levels up. I would suggest you also test just before he eats and then 2 hours after and then we will see how big the rise is for that particular meal. Do it for all meals for a day and post back.