Recent Content by mcdougall86

  1. M

    Help choosing the right meter!?

    Thanks folks. I got a prescribed meter a few years back when I developed steroid-induced diabetes so cost of strips etc wasn’t an issue as it was covered. The machine broke a year or two later but at the time by HbA1c was in normal ranges so I just simply stopped testing. My HbA1c is now raised...
  2. M

    Help choosing the right meter!?

    It seems like the choice out there is endless. Can anyone recommend a good source to compare blood glucose meters to help me choose the right one? The pinned post is quite out of date! I’m looking to balance affordability with accuracy, so something that’s decent but that doesn’t cost the...
  3. M

    Dr Mosley’s Blood Sugar Diet

    Thanks for your reply! My plan is to continue on a low (moderate) carb diet following the 8 weeks. I see the 8 weeks as more of a kickstart. The last time I was on steroids I followed a moderately low carb diet and lost 2st, kept my blood sugars low and felt full and satisfied all the time! I’ve...
  4. M

    Dr Mosley’s Blood Sugar Diet

    I see that lots of folk here have done/are doing the Newcastle Diet. I’m really interested in doing an 800kcal diet but I’m not a fan of diet shakes at all. I think I’m much more likely to be successful if I just keep my cals under 800 by eating small meals. I’ve done a few days as a test and...
  5. M

    BG rising even though I haven't eaten

    Thank you for your reply :) I am still figuring out a lot re. my blood sugars as I am recently diagnosed (steroid-induced) so it's all very new. I'm hoping that I'm one of the lucky ones whose hyperglycaemia goes away when I come off the steroids, as I wasn't diabetic before, but I'm doing my...
  6. M

    BG rising even though I haven't eaten

    When I woke up this morning at 8am my BG was 5.3. I then lay in bed for another couple of hours (lazy day!) and didn't eat or drink anything. I tested again two hours later and my BG was 8. Could this be a liver dump? I took some medication in that time-frame, inc. 5mg of prednisolone which I...
  7. M

    What was your fasting blood glucose? (with some chat)

    5.3 this morning which I'm very surprised about as I totally broke last night when I was exhausted and had a chicken burger from the takeaway as well as a can of soft drink and jelly tots (I know, I know. But it was a one off!).
  8. M

    Low carb or traditional low cal?

    I am so overwhelmed by the difference in opinion between low carbers and low cal followers. Do both methods work to help control or reverse type 2? I'm really looking to hear from people who have been able to be drug free with normal blood sugars for several years, rather than people who have...
  9. M

    Low carbing in UK is a nightmare

    I find eating in restaurants fairly easy, but it's coffee shops and cafes that are a nightmare. Costa for example don't have any salads at this time of year so there are no low carb options for lunch there at all. It's so frustrating!
  10. M

    Treats!

    For those of you who are following strict diets (low carb or very low cal) and who manage your blood sugars well on these diets, do you ever allow yourself a cheat day or cheat meal? I've been low carbing for a few months since getting a steroid induced diabetes diagnoses and I allowed myself...
  11. M

    Dosages and timings of Metformin

    I have been diagnosed with steroid induced diabetes and have been taking 500mg of metformin twice a day since I have been on the Prednisolone. Is this quite a low dose? Or is this fairly standard? It has had a good effect on my blood sugars which have dropped dramatically however I am still...
  12. M

    Dawn phenomenon?

    Thanks Margaret this is really helpful. I have notice spikes in the afternoon regardless of what I eat or what exercise I've done. The spikes are definitely caused by the steroids because often they go down even after eating. They are pretty awful drugs aren't they? I never knew diabetes could...
  13. M

    Dawn phenomenon?

    Hi everyone! I am currently experiencing the fun of steroid induced diabetes so I'm very new to everything. Doctors haven't been very helpful as they're seeing it as a side-effect rather than something which needs its own attention. I would like to try my best to get my blood sugars under...
  14. M

    Ammonia smell?

    Thank you John
  15. M

    Ammonia smell?

    I was, unfortunately, at risk before - Family risk as well as being overweight and having a bad diet. However I have been working so hard to change as much of that as I can! And given that I'm still on a fairly high dose of steroids and have managed to see such a significant drop in blood sugars...