new member seeks advice

[bobkennuk]

New forum member here
I was diagnosed type 2 18 months ago and was prescribed metformin 500mg 3 times daily. 12 months ago my BS was 5; the nurse told me that this was a normal reading. 3 months ago I found myself perpetually thirsty with a frequent and urgent need to urinate. I was due to see the nurse but the appointment was cancelled 3 times because she became ill. I went away for the weekend and had a very boozy time. On the Tuesday I had an emergency appointment with the DN (her assistant really and several blood samples taken at 3.30pm.
At 8.00 o’clock that night I had a ‘phone call from the lab that did my bloods asking me to go to A&E for an emergency appointment as my BS was 26.1. He checked for ketones (there were none).
I had an emergency appointment with my doctor the next day. He said that he didn’t believe the BS (is that blood sugar or bull sh*t) figure as all other indicators were normal, I explained I’d been drinking, he said that was the explanation. The doctor offered nothing else except to increase my Metformin to 4 daily and tell me to halve my alcohol intake.
Any other advice, and how high is a BS of 26.1?

By the way I’m an overweight 59 year old man

 

[FordPrefect]

26.1 is really very high. The guidelines are no more than 7 or 8.4 2 hours after a meal. A non diabetic is prolly running somewhere around 4 to 5. I know the diabetic nurse at my doctors told me to go back in as an emergency if I did 3 readings which were 15 or over. As for drinking that would bring your blood sugar down depending on what you were drinking. Alcohol itself causes blood sugar to drop but it depends on the sugars and carbs in what you were drinking. I would get yourself a blood sugar testing meter either from your docs or buy one the freestyle lite is currently £4 in asda.

I would urge you to take some readings yourself even better to start monitoring your own condition as seeing for yourself the effect that different foods have on your blood sugar is the only way you will get to grips with your condition. Did you doctor order a retest btw and what about your hba1c what was that? If your doctor hasnt ordered either then tbh I would start looking for a new doctor...

 

[wallycorker]

Hi,

As has already been explained to you, 26 is very high and you really ought to take things serious to try to keep well clear of the quite horrible complications that can come a diabetics way.

I'm a Type 2 myself and I recommend that one of the first things that you ought to understand is the need to cut back dramatically on the starchy carbohydrates that you eat - i.e. cereals, bread, potatoes, pasta and rice. that usually leads to a quick and big improvement in blood glucose levels.

Starting to test to learn which foods make your blood glucose rise is a good idea too.

Best wishes - John