Type 2 (again) with strange blood sugar readings

clare56

Member
Messages
23
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
After being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 4 years ago, I was delighted to be told I was clear / in remission after I’d been following a low carb and very low cal diet for a while. Unfortunately, this year things went pear-shaped and a month ago discovered I was diabetic once again.
I don’t want to go on medication if I can help it, so my doctor suggested I have another HbA1C test in 3 months. This has really focused me on getting my diet right. I am low carb, low cal and in ketosis at the moment. I have a glucose meter and strips which I bought back in 2016, but didn’t really use. I’ve been using them a lot now to keep me on track and see which foods to avoid. But, the readings don’t always make sense. This morning I took 2 readings first thing - 9.6 on one finger, 8.7 on another. But last night the reading had been 7.4 at bedtime. These are all higher than I’d expected.
I’m interested to see if other people get different results from different fingers or do I just need to replace my out of date test strips. I thought they would be ok just as an indication of blood sugar, even though they are old - but unopened.
I am finding it tougher going this time but am determined to make it work.
 

Mark-UK

Newbie
Messages
2
After being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 4 years ago, I was delighted to be told I was clear / in remission after I’d been following a low carb and very low cal diet for a while. Unfortunately, this year things went pear-shaped and a month ago discovered I was diabetic once again.
I don’t want to go on medication if I can help it, so my doctor suggested I have another HbA1C test in 3 months. This has really focused me on getting my diet right. I am low carb, low cal and in ketosis at the moment. I have a glucose meter and strips which I bought back in 2016, but didn’t really use. I’ve been using them a lot now to keep me on track and see which foods to avoid. But, the readings don’t always make sense. This morning I took 2 readings first thing - 9.6 on one finger, 8.7 on another. But last night the reading had been 7.4 at bedtime. These are all higher than I’d expected.
I’m interested to see if other people get different results from different fingers or do I just need to replace my out of date test strips. I thought they would be ok just as an indication of blood sugar, even though they are old - but unopened.
I am finding it tougher going this time but am determined to make it work.
 

Andydragon

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
3,324
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
After being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 4 years ago, I was delighted to be told I was clear / in remission after I’d been following a low carb and very low cal diet for a while. Unfortunately, this year things went pear-shaped and a month ago discovered I was diabetic once again.
I don’t want to go on medication if I can help it, so my doctor suggested I have another HbA1C test in 3 months. This has really focused me on getting my diet right. I am low carb, low cal and in ketosis at the moment. I have a glucose meter and strips which I bought back in 2016, but didn’t really use. I’ve been using them a lot now to keep me on track and see which foods to avoid. But, the readings don’t always make sense. This morning I took 2 readings first thing - 9.6 on one finger, 8.7 on another. But last night the reading had been 7.4 at bedtime. These are all higher than I’d expected.
I’m interested to see if other people get different results from different fingers or do I just need to replace my out of date test strips. I thought they would be ok just as an indication of blood sugar, even though they are old - but unopened.
I am finding it tougher going this time but am determined to make it work.
Replace the strips

What reading did your doctor give you? My opinion in as much a it does or doesn’t matter is that you don’t clear the diabetes, you’ve just had it in remission and reverting to old ways moves it back to levels where it is within the bands of diagnosis. But you can revert it back again hopefully and you did it before so ideally can just go back to what you did before

Unfortunately it shows that it’s a lifelong change we have to make
 
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Mark-UK

Newbie
Messages
2
Hi There
I am having the same problem, I had a Gluco RX Nexus, if a took 5 readings on different fingers, I would get 5 different results, I purchased a second Gluco and strips, still having the same problem, I am trying to find patterns in my food, to reduce levels, I have been bad over the last 5 years and my doctor put me on 3 metformin, I gave myself a good kicking 2 months ago, I have dropped to 2 metformin now and morning levels are around 6.4-7.6, struggling to get them any lower at the moment
 
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JohnEGreen

Master
Messages
13,188
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Tripe and Onions
Most meters have a tolerance of accuracy of +/-15% this is the standard they are held to by regulations some are slightly more accurate also blood glucose is not homogeneous throughout the body that is there will be differences from say a sample taken from different fingers even within a short space of time so it is very unlikely that two readings taken even from the the same droplet of blood will be exactly the same.

And if test strips are out of date even if the tub is unopened ditch them as they can not be relied on and get new strips that are in date.

I to believe that remission does not mean cure remission can be long term but still not be permanent.
 
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clare56

Member
Messages
23
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi There
I am having the same problem, I had a Gluco RX Nexus, if a took 5 readings on different fingers, I would get 5 different results, I purchased a second Gluco and strips, still having the same problem, I am trying to find patterns in my food, to reduce levels, I have been bad over the last 5 years and my doctor put me on 3 metformin, I gave myself a good kicking 2 months ago, I have dropped to 2 metformin now and morning levels are around 6.4-7.6, struggling to get them any lower at the moment
I have the same meter! A bit like the scales, I tend to take the lowest reading...
 

clare56

Member
Messages
23
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Most meters have a tolerance of accuracy of +/-15% this is the standard they are held to by regulations some are slightly more accurate also blood glucose is not homogeneous throughout the body that is there will be differences from say a sample taken from different fingers even within a short space of time so it is very unlikely that two readings taken even from the the same droplet of blood will be exactly the same.

And if test strips are out of date even if the tub is unopened ditch them as they can not be relied on and get new strips that are in date.

I to believe that remission does not mean cure remission can be long term but still not be permanent.
I will buy new strips. I think I knew that would be the wise thing to do. It has occurred to me that my readings rose quite substantially when I opened this new (out of date pot), after the previous pot (also out of date).
 

clare56

Member
Messages
23
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Replace the strips

What reading did your doctor give you? My opinion in as much a it does or doesn’t matter is that you don’t clear the diabetes, you’ve just had it in remission and reverting to old ways moves it back to levels where it is within the bands of diagnosis. But you can revert it back again hopefully and you did it before so ideally can just go back to what you did before

Unfortunately it shows that it’s a lifelong change we have to make
It was shockingly high, 74 mmol/mol. I was so pleased when my doctor said I was clear, although I always knew it could come back. So, I think you’re quite right, it doesn’t disappear, it’s held back.
 

Andydragon

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
3,324
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
It was shockingly high, 74 mmol/mol. I was so pleased when my doctor said I was clear, although I always knew it could come back. So, I think you’re quite right, it doesn’t disappear, it’s held back.
Well I wouldn’t call that shockingly high. Mine was 78 in Feb and I dropped to 46 in June, so it’s reversible but you know that cause you did it before

there are others I have seen post here on triple figures. So it’s a wake up call for sure but you’ll get there!